By Elio Velez
Construction softball ace Britney Rodriguez didn’t have many slipups on a warm Friday afternoon at Smokey Oval Park.
The junior pitcher stymied the Bryant bats by allowing just three hits and striking out 11 to give Construction a 10-1 victory in its regular season finale that also clinched the PSAL Queens A-II division softball title for the Red Hawks.
“It feels really, really good,” Rodriguez said. “I’m happy the seniors left with another division title.”
Rodriguez, a three-year starter, made it a goal this season to develop into a well-rounded pitcher after a discussion last off-season with Hawks Coach Marco Migliaccio and her father, assistant Coach Tito Rodriguez. Britney then incorporated some off-speed pitches and mixed it with her fastball to get more batters out this season.
“I put my head into pitching. I try to focus,” Rodriguez said. “I’m throwing more pitches instead of trying to get it past girls.”
The Red Hawks, who reached the semifinals last season, have an air of confidence, according to Rodriguez, that has been building throughout the campaign. The biggest win of the season for Construction, which earned the No. 2 seed in the playoffs, came April 19 in a 6-5 comeback victory over defending champion Tottenville.
Rodriguez got an encouraging pep talk from shortstop Amy Pirozek after the Construction pitcher committed a throwing error in the top of the sixth inning that led to the only Bryant run. It showed an extra maturity that was absent last season.
“Last year we played as a team but not as much like this year. We have confidence and we pick each other up,” Rodriguez said. “I was down and she picked me up and said keep your head up and you got this.”
The goal of Migliaccio since he arrived at Construction (15-1) was to build a program that would develop players into a contending team on a yearly basis. Pirozek, leadoff hitter Daniella Isabella and Emily Prez have aided to the cause against Bryant (13-3), which was seeded sixth.
“It’s 12 girls,” Migliaccio said. “The depth this year is unbelievable. The lineup has no easy outs. Ten girls I put out there, they can do anything.”
It was an emotional day for starting catcher Kailan Luciano, who went 3-4 with a home run and two RBIs, as one of three players honored on Senior Day. Luciano wants to go out a winner and thinks the Red Hawks have enough strong pitching and a deep batting lineup from top to bottom to make that run.
“It’s bittersweet to know its our fourth division title since I was a freshman,” Luciano said. “We’ve developed like a great organization to know that we’re just five games away from a championship and this makes it even better.”
