The Madison Lady Knights have been dominating competition throughout the 2008 regular season by posting a 14-2 record, but a fourth round defeat at the hands of their Staten Island rivals, Tottenville, will mean that the Lady Knights have to be even sharper as they are forced to face two more rounds of play before a championship game berth can be had.
Monday, June 2
Tottenville 2, Madison 0- In their first meeting of this season, the Lady Knights traveled to Staten Island to face their archrival – the Tottenville lady Pirates – and were quickly dismissed with a 5-1 defeat. That was the regular season, but this was crucial round number four of the PSAL’s double elimination softball tournament, as a guaranteed spot in the finals hung in the balance.
Madison will have to prove themselves in rounds five and six as they were shutout 2-0 by Tottenville. This defeat at the hands of the Lady Pirates is their second straight loss to Tottenville in the fourth round of the tournament. (Updated playoff bracket unavailable by press time.)
Thursday, May 29
Madison 10, MSIT 0- A 7 run-second inning bolstered Madison to a 10-0 shutout of MSIT in a five inning mercy. Leading the lady Knights was third baseman Maria Mantagas, who went 2-for-3 with four R.B.I. and a run scored. Left fielder Alyssa Defillippo brought home two runs while catcher Becky Ganley, shortstop Brittany O’Brien, pinch hitter/pitcher Kayla Hill, and first baseman Nikki Panaro each drove in a run to solidify the Madison offense.
On the hill, pitcher Marie Oneto (2-0) tossed five shutout innings while scattering six singles and striking out five to pick-up her second playoff victory. Additionally, Oneto has not allowed a run to cross the plate in 12 postseason innings.
Forest Hills 14, Brooklyn Studio 4- Brooklyn Studio pinch hitter Isabel Gomez was penciled into the game in the top of the third inning, and the move paid off, as Gomez tripled in three runs but it wasn’t enough as the lady Knights were crushed 14-4.
Gomez’s three runs driven home was a team-high while third baseman Gina Harrison brought home the other score, as she went 1-for-3 with that R.B.I. single. With the defeat, Brooklyn Studio was eliminated from the playoffs, but they did conclude the regular season with a 14-2 record and the Brooklyn “IB” division title.
