By Dylan Butler
Wayne Crawford knew his Newtown girls’ softball team could hit. But he didn’t know the Pioneers would be hitting so well so early.
Sophomore Katelyn Ranzie was 5-for-5 with five runs scored and three RBIs, freshman Laura Ulloa was 5-for-5 with four RBIs and four runs scored, and freshman Tanisha Watson went 3-for-4 with four RBIs for Newtown in a 29-1 win over Queens Vocational (0-2 Queens II-B) Friday.
“We haven’t seen too many hard throwers, but we have been hitting the ball,” said Crawford, whose team is averaging 30.6 runs per game. “We have two freshmen and one sophomore [Ranzie, Ulloa, Watson] who don’t know how to play the game yet, but they're learning quickly.”
Ulloa was also 2-for-2 with seven RBIs and four runs scored, and Ally Zarate went 2-for-2 with four runs scored and four RBIs for Newtown (3-0 Queens II-B) in a 31-2 win over Long Island City April 2.
“She’s a big strong kid with a nice swing,” Crawford said of Ulloa, who is one of several new softball players recruited from the school’s girls’ basketball team. “Of late she’s had that look in her eye, that attack mentality.”
Beach Channel 17, August Martin 4. Tierra Johnson belted two home runs and drove in six runs, Nicole Vargas went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBIs, and Jodi Vitale struck out 13 for Beach Channel (2-0 Queens I-B). August Martin is 0-1.
Hillcrest 15, Springfield Gardens 5. Sherelle Cook went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and five steals, and Rebecca Tauber went 2-for-4 with three steals for Hillcrest (1-0 Queens I-B), which swiped 29 bases in the five-inning game. Mellisa Reece and Rashele Luke each went 3-for-3 with one run scored for Springfield Gardens (0-3 Queens I-B).
Townsend Harris 18, Van Buren 0. Amoy Frost went 4-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored, Katherine Incantalupo went 2-for-4 with three runs scored and one RBI, Megan Davidow went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, and Alyssa Wick pitched a no-hitter with nine strikeouts in the mercy-rule shortened game for Townsend Harris (1-1 Queens A), which scored 10 runs in the first inning. Van Buren falls to 0-2.
Bryant 11, John Adams 1. Ally Stamatiades drove in three runs, had two runs scored, one stolen base and allowed two hits while striking out six for Bryant (3-0 Queens A). Rita Limitone went 1-for-2 with one run scored for John Adams (1-1 Queens A).
Franklin K. Lane 29, Renaissance 1. Jamie Bellettini went 4-for-4 with three doubles, a home run and seven RBIs while tossing a no-hitter with 11 strikeouts for Franklin K. Lane (1-0 Queens II-B).
Bayside 14, Cardozo 3. Nicole Karr went 2-for-2 with three RBIs, Kim Hatten was 3-for-3 with two runs scored, Allie Falco went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, and Tannyka Bent was 2-for-2 with two runs scored for Bayside (2-0 Queens A). Sara Colosi and Carrie Siedel each went 1-for-2 with one RBI for Cardozo (0-3 Queens A).
John Bowne 25, Robert F. Kennedy 17. Marissa Singh went 2-for-4 with a home run, four runs scored and four RBIs, Gizette Knight had two doubles, four runs scored and five RBIs, and Chantal Biscette was 3-for-5 with three RBIs, five runs scored and 10 stolen bases for John Bowne (3-0 Queens III-B). Jennifer Giannone went 4-for-5 with four RBIs for RFK (1-1 Queens III-B).
Reach Associate Sports Editor Dylan Butler by email at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 143.
