James Madison ace Isabella Gerone delivered on the mound and at the plate in Wednesday’s win over Telecommunications.
Gerone got herself in and out of jams with limited damage over the final innings to preserve the Knights’ 5–4 victory over the rival Yellow Jackets at the Dust Bowl in Public School Athletic League Brooklyn Class A softball on April 15. Both teams came into the game unbeaten in league play.
“Isabella has been a three-year starter for us,” said James Madison coach Thomas Mobilia. “She has carried us on her back when she was assigned to pitch in big games. She knows how to calm down and bear down in jams.”
The James Madison junior shut down Telecom with ease early in the contest, but outs did not come easy for her as the game went on.
Gerone got it done with her bat as well, hitting a three-run homer in the second inning that scored Taylor Trim and Gabrielle Grimes. It gave the Knights (5–0) a 3–0 lead.
“I hit it as hard as I could and it was able to go in the outfield,” Gerone said.
The Yellow Jackets (5–1) cut the deficit to 3–1 on a Bianchino’s run-batted-in double that scored Melendez in the bottom of the fourth. Madison, which reached the semifinals last season, responded by tacking on two runs in the fifth. Grimes delivered a single and Gerone walked to start the inning. That set the stage for Jenna Graffeo to hit a two-run double to make it a 5–1 game.
“I was anxious in my last couple at-bats and I was thinking too much,” Graffeo said. “I made it a point to be more relaxed at his at-bat.”
She drove in what proved to be the winning run. Graffeo was more than happy to aide Gerone, who made the runs stand up.
“Bella is my best friend,” she said. “I wanted to do everything I could to help her succeed by giving more runs to work with. It felt good to come through.”Telecom got back into the game in the sixth inning with a two-run double by Thalia Santiago with two outs that scored Sclafani and Susan Gutekunst to cut the Madison’s lead to 5–4 in the sixth inning, Gerone then stranded Santiago at second.
With the Knights clinging to a 5–4 lead, Gerone had to dig deep despite being fatigued late in the game. Telecom figured it would have a big seventh inning after she gave up a single to Emily Bianchino and a walk to Gismal Gomez. Gerone found a way to get out by getting Jessica Ariza to ground into a double play, and then ensuing a ground out by Ashley Sclafani to end the game.
Gerone was pleased with how she moved the ball around the plate and mixed her screwball and fastball to keep hitters off balance.
“I was able to focus and it helped me to dig deep,” said Gerone, who struck out 12.
