But that hasn’t seemed to bother them one bit, opening the season with four straight wins, their most recent a 9-5…
By Joseph Manniello
The Francis Lewis girls’ softball team has not had the luxury of playing on its home field due to construction problems this season.
But that hasn’t seemed to bother them one bit, opening the season with four straight wins, their most recent a 9-5 victory over Townsend Harris at Queens College Monday.
“Our field is horrible. We have to travel everywhere,” said senior outfielder Kira Lacks, who went 3-for-4 with two singles and a triple. “It gets pretty annoying when your field is right in front of you and you have to travel.”
Feeling right at home, ironically, the visitors jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning, as Hawks’ junior pitcher Alyssa Wick’s wild pitch allowed Catherine Alves to score from third base. After hitting a batter and then walking the following two, she was able to get out of a bases-loaded jam, striking out the side.
Francis Lewis (4-0 Queens A) added to its lead, scoring four times in the second and once again in the third to take a 6-0 lead.
Leading 3-0 in the second inning with runners on second and third, Francis Lewis sophomore catcher Jessica Payero’s single up the middle knocked in Alves and team captain Jessica Gerloven, who eluded a tag when she was caught between third and home.
With its offense clicking on all cylinders and Townsend Harris (2-2 Queens A) struggling defensively, Francis Lewis’ lead proved too much for the Hawks to overcome.
“We played a sloppy game, and you can’t let a team like this go out and get the lead like that,” said first-year Townsend Harris coach Howie Furman. “It’s tough to come back.”
Senior pitcher Jennifer Smith went the distance but struggled at times, allowing the Hawks to rally in the bottom of the fifth. She walked Patricia Pabon (1-for-2, triple, two walks) and Elizabeth Maranon and then hit Michelle Montgoris to load the bases.
Smith, who had an uncharacteristic six walks, got out of the jam by striking out the following two batters and getting Meaghan Mapes to pop up to second base to end the inning.
“This wasn’t one of her better games,” said Francis Lewis coach Manny Solomon, “but she overcame it and got it over (the plate) when we needed it.”
“I knew I wasn’t having one of my greatest games,” Smith said. “So I just had to get it to where the strike zone was.”
In the end everything seemed to go Lewis’ way. Tiffany Hernandez, who had struck out twice, tripled in the seventh inning and then raced home on an errant throw to third for the Patriots’ ninth and final run.
Bayside 13, Cardozo 0. Annel Sanchez tossed a two-hitter with nine strikeouts and was 2-for-3, and Gayle Silverstein was 2-for-2 with two RBIs for Bayside (9-2, 4-0 Queens A).
Bryant 11, John Adams 1. Nina Chao allowed three hits and struck out six, and Angie Mohamed went 2-for-4 with two RBIs for Bryant (12-3, 2-2 Queens A).
Jamaica 20, Edison 10. Renita Ragbuhir was 3-for-3 with two solo homers, and Rosa Rodriguez was 5-for-5 with a home run and two doubles for Jamaica (3-6, 2-2 Queens III-B).
Richmond Hill 12, Flushing 5. Rachele Babooram had nine strikeouts and Amy Ayala went 4-for-4 with a home run and five RBIs for Richmond Hill (8-1, 3-0 Queens III-B). Flushing falls to 2-5, 1-2 in Queens III-B.
Bayside 4, Mary Louis 2. Annel Sanchez struck out eight in a two-hitter and along with Gayle Silverstein had two hits for the Commodores, who scored all of their runs in the third inning in a non-league win Friday.
Richmond Hill 9, John Bowne 8. Babooram struck out 12 and drove in two runs for the Lions.
Flushing 8, Thomas Edison 7. Sydney Ayala went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a two-run homer, and Stephanie Lopez went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI for the Red Devils.
Frank Sinatra 23, Renaissance 10. Krystal Solivan went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and earned the win, striking out five in four innings of relief, and Melissa Miranda went 2-for-2 with two RBIs for Frank Sinatra (1-1 Queens II-B), which earned its first varsity win.
Van Buren 16, Springfield Gardens 5. Olivia Desouza-McClain went 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs and four RBIs, and Hayle Pine was 3-for-4 with four RBIs and struck out nine to earn the win for Van Buren (5-0-1, 3-0 Queens I-B).
