By Dylan Butler
It was the bizzaro Mary Louis, the one that couldn't hit and couldn't field in a 10-0 mercy-rule shortened CHSAA state semifinal loss to Long Island's Holy Trinity.Mary Louis pitchers Nicole Losito – who went three innings – and Vicky Capece didn't allow one earned run, while giving up a combined six hits in six innings. That's because the Hilltoppers had eight errors, including two in Holy Trinity's critical three-run first inning.”Usually our defense is tremendous, it's amazing, but today it was just one error after another after another after another,” said Mary Louis catcher Michelle Walsh, who will play at Molloy College next year. “I've never seen this before. It's a shock to me.”On the flip side, Mary Louis (24-1) couldn't touch Trinity pitcher Jenna Vanacore, who faced the minimum through six innings. She gave up just two hits, singles by Maureen Gorman and Tina Ruggiero – the only two Hilltoppers to reach base – but both players were caught stealing by Titans catcher Justine Vanacore.Jenna Vanacore struck out nine, including the side in the first inning for Holy Trinity (24-2), which faces Moore Catholic in the state championship game Thursday at the College of Staten Island.”No one hit, we couldn't get past first base and it was errors everywhere,” Walsh said. “It's not like one person made errors, everyone made errors today. Nicole was on today but they were just hitting her.”If there is a silver lining for Mary Louis, it's that the season doesn't end with their first loss. They still have the city championship game to play Tuesday at Queens College against Moore Catholic.”It's bad,” Mary Louis coach Tom Sarosy said. “It just feels as if it wasn't the same team.”Reach Sports Editor Dylan Butler by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 143.
