Congratulations to the New Hyde Park Little League Girls Minors Softball Team for winning the District No. 29 Championship, becoming the first Minor Girls team from NHPLL to win the coveted District.
The girls softball program at NHPLL is becoming a local powerhouse winning the Minor, Major and Senior District Championships. The Senior Girls also won the Sectional Championship. This is the result of several years of dedicated coaches working spring, summer, fall and winter with the girls on fundamentals. The girls from New Hyde Park are exceptional at bunting, fielding, base running and most importantly, pitching. Just like the big leagues, the little league games are won with defense and pitching, and the girls from New Hyde Park have plenty of both. A special thanks to our exceptional pitching coach, Coach Monte from Queens College. Coach Monte works tirelessly with the girls year round and the results are fun to watch.
In the Championship game NHPLL beat Franklin Square 6-3 in extra innings. Jenny Hickey came in to pitch in relief and was outstanding, striking out 13 batters in 5 innings while not allowing a run. The big hit came off the bat of Kayla Fitzpatrick leading off the 7th inning. Kayla dropped down a perfect bunt single to start the rally. Daniella Fusaro followed by knocking in the winning run. Melissa Ward then singled to move Danielle to third base. Victoria Mooney then knocked in Daniella to give NHP some breathing room. Nicole DeMaria capped off the rally with a run scoring single to push the lead to 6-3. Jenny took care of Franklin Square in the bottom of the inning and the celebration was on. Nicole, Victoria and Ann Grimshaw scored runs early in the game to give NHPLL the early lead before Franklin Square battled back to tie the score. Melissa and Nicole each had 2 hits in the game while Maggie Donnelly chipped in with a single.
Earlier in the tournament NHP beat Floral Park 15-0 behind a balanced attack that had each girl in the lineup score at least one run. NHP also beat a strong team in Garden City South 11-4 in a game that was closer then the final score indicates. GCS jumped out to a 4-0 lead before NHP stormed back with 9 runs in the 3rd inning to take control of the game. Melissa Ward had the big hit in that game with a bases- clearing double in the 3rd inning to tie the game. Kayla Fitzpatrick and Jenny Hickey had run scoring walks in the inning. Victoria Mooney capped the rally with a powerful single to plate 2 runners. Ann Grimshaw and Melissa Ward singled in runs in the 6th inning for the final score.
Jenny Hickey, Victoria Mooney, Nicole DeMaria and Melissa Ward make up the very impressive pitching staff for New Hyde Park. Ann Grimshaw caught every inning of the tournament while playing outstanding behind the plate. Ann threw out 4 runners attempting to steal in the win over Garden City South. The infield was just rock solid all tournament with Daniella Fusaro at first base, Jenny Hickey and Anna Racanelli at second base, Victoria Mooney and Kayla Fitzpatrick at shortstop and Nicole DeMaria at third base. The outfield play was sterling as well with Maggie Donnelly, Melissa Ward, Colleen Farelli, Cassidy Broderson and Kayla Fitzpatrick all making significant contributions.
The magical Williamsport run ended when the team faced off against talented Staten Island and lost a tough 4-2 Sectional Semifinal game. Though it was a difficult loss, the girls gained a tremendous amount of experience (as this ironically was a home game for the ladies of Staten Island) and it proved to be a very difficult atmosphere. Daniella Fusaro, Anne Grimshaw, Cassidy Broderson and Victoria Mooney all had key hits to pace the offence. Jenny Hickey, hurt by a few ill timed walks, went the distance on the mound but did manage to throw a no hitter in defeat.
The NHPLL Girls Minors team will lose six talented veteran players next year as Victoria, Nicole, Anna, Danielle, Cassidy, and Colleen all move up to the Majors Division. NHP will still be the team to beat next year in District 29 as the other girls all remain in the Minors division and there is plenty of other talent remaining including some impressive youngsters who will be in their first year in the division. Congratulations to the girls on a wonderful summer of softball. You have all worked very hard and your town salutes you on this historic achievement.
