The 2010 Varsity Lady Daler Softball team, under the direction of Laura Malone and Brandon Oppenheim, are now in Conference I. Overall, they have four wins and three losses. In conference play, they are in third place with a record of three wins and two losses. Many say that Farmingdale is destined to reach new heights this season with the addition of a decorated All Long Island Pitcher, Isabella Corrao.
Corrao is known as one of the top pitchers to watch on Long Island. Last year, as a sophomore, she led St. Dominic’s to the finals in the Catholic High School League with an ERA of 0.28 and 258 strikeouts. Up at the plate she batted .397. With her transfer to Farmingdale and the success of the 2009 Lady Dalers, they jumped up to Conference I to play against the powerhouses in League AA.
Another Lady Daler, shortstop Kat Zabielski, was mentioned in a spring outlook amongst the Top 20 Players of Long Island, as a rising star. Zabielski received All County last year as a freshman after she landed a .493 batting average with 34 RBI’s. Both players are committed to the sport and play elite showcase travel ball year round.
All Conference catcher Kelly Ann Keenan has been phenomenal behind the plate. Keenan works very hard in the off-season as well and has a keen sense to call the right pitches. This was seen in the game against Carey High School. Corrao, along with Keenan, produced 17 strikeouts over nine innings. Emily Dorso scored the tying run in the bottom of the seventh off Kat Zabielski’s two-out single to send it into extra innings. Denise Dessel made a spectacular catch in right as Carey was threatening. The game was called for darkness by the umpires with the score 1-1 and has not yet been completed.
Against Massapequa, the Lady Dalers won 3-2. Corrao struck out 11. Freshman Kerri Ossenfort had a single that produced two RBIs during the win. Jenna Crawford, another freshman, handled the action in left field well.
Fighting from a 4-0 deficit against Mepham, the Lady Dalers won 7-6 in nine innings. Kelly Ann Keenan went five for five with three RBIs. One of her RBIs tied the game at five in the bottom of the seventh. In the ninth, there were two outs with the bases loaded. Kristie Summus came up to the plate. With her eye on the ball, perfect mechanics followed as she ripped a single up the middle scoring Corrao for the game-winning run.
Many awaited the game against Long Beach, a noted State Championship program. Although the Dalers lost 3-0, Corrao, Keenan, and the team put on quite a defensive display. The Lady Dalers threatened with Dorso on third and Corrao on second in the seventh. Keenan’s blooper fell into short right for a hit but Dorso was thrown out at the plate for the second out. Corrao moved to third but the Lady Dalers where unable to capitalize.
Island Trees was next on the schedule. Isabella Corrao threw a one hitter with 12 strikeouts and two walks. If pitching was not enough, she blasted a grand slam to deep left field for four RBIs. The Lady Dalers won 6-1.
Recently Corrao pitched a no-hitter against Oceanside. She had 16 strikeouts and one walk with Keenan behind the plate. The game was scoreless until the bottom of the seventh. Kristie Summus was on third base with one out. Tori Kornfeld stepped in the box and put the ball in play on the left side of the field. Summus flew down the third base line and slid into home for the game-winning run produced by Kornfeld as the Lady Dalers won 1-0.
