St. Joseph by the Sea was three outs away from it first loss of the season, but in typical Vikings fashion losing isn’t just something they let happen.
“They had us,” Sea coach Mike Ponsiglione said.
The CHSAA Archdiocesan champions, however, rallied for a run in the top of the seventh to tie the score and put up seven in the eighth to pull away for an 8-1 win over Poly Prep in non-league softball on Friday, May 21 in Brooklyn. Freshman Jackie Cautela allowed three hits and fanned 15 for the Vikings, who improved to 26-0 on the season heading into their CHSAA city final against Archbishop Molloy on Tuesday at Floyd Bennett Field, as this paper was going to press.
“Jackie was outstanding,” Ponsiglione said. “She isn’t freshman Jackie Cautela anymore.”
Poly grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Katy Kirker walked and Katherine Greissman hit a ball to centerfield. Maria Scopellito threw home, but Greissman scored when No. 1 Sea tried to throw Kirker out at second.
Blue Devils ace Victoria Capozucca stymied the Viking offense for six innings, using her rise ball to get them to pop up. She struck out five and allowed just three hits in seven innings. Erica Sollazzo came on in relief in the eighth.
“Vicky was outstanding today,” Ponsiglione said.
His team tied the score when Toni-Ann Canova walked and pinch runner Michelle Abolt was sacrificed to second by Noelle Mulligan. Kristina Mazzarisi walked and Abolt beat a throw home on a slow roller to Sollazzo at short by Cautela. In the eighth, Meghan Seaman came home from second on an errant throw on a Jackie Kelly bunt and Canova provided a two-run single. Laura Leone, Mulligan, and Mazzarisi all had RBI hits.
“It was a game just to keep us sharp,” Ponsiglione said. “They kept batting and they tie the game. I could have walked out of there, 1-1, and been happy. They didn’t quit.”
