Newsday's All-Long Island softball team 2023
Newsday's All-Long Island softball team for 2023. Front row, from left: East Meadow's Julia Parise, Smithtown East's Gabriella Zarcone, St. Anthony's Bella Cruz, Hauppauge's Stephanie Abruscato, St. Anthony's Jackie Morra, Massapequa's Katie Stork, Herricks' Stefani Murciano. Back row, from left; Bayport-Blue Point coach Nicholle Marchetta, Sayville's Sarah Blaskiewicz, Mt. Sinai's Daniella Sofia, MacArthur's Hailey Feiler, Commack's Kayla O'Boyle, Bayport-Blue Point's Erin McMahon, St. Anthony's Mila Fiordalisi, MacArthur's Taylor Bruno, Clarke's Emily Brown, North Babylon's Megan Wegel, Massapequa coach Christina Castellani. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
Newsday Player of the Year: Stefania Abruscato, Hauppauge, C, Sr.
What’s left to say about Abruscato?
The Missouri commit put together her best season yet, batting .655 with a 2.200 OPS, nine home runs, 42 RBIs, 39 runs and 15 stolen bases. Behind the dish, she caught four runners stealing and picked off two more.
Abruscato earned her third Suffolk County Small Schools Player of the Year award.
Oh yeah, she also was named the Gatorade New York Softball Player of the Year.
“It’s something I’ve been working toward,” said Abruscato, who was a finalist last year. “It’s amazing to know that I was finally able to accomplish something like that.”
Abruscato led Hauppauge to the Suffolk Class A Championship Game. She’s set to play for the Junior Women's National Team this summer.
“This was my favorite year,” Abruscato said. “It’s been a great run and I’ve learned so much from everyone I’ve been around my whole high school career.”
Stefania Abruscato, Hauppauge catcher and Newsday softball player of the year, poses for a portrait during the All-Long Island photo shoot at company headquarters on June 12. Credit: James Escher
Nassau Player of the Year: Taylor Brunn, MacArthur, P, Sr.
With MacArthur facing elimination in Game 2 of the Nassau Class A final, the best version of Brunn emerged.
She struck out 11 to help the Generals squeeze out a 1-0 win. MacArthur then took Game 3 to win its first county title since 2016.
“She’s a powerful kid, not only with her pitching but her hitting too,” coach Bobby Fehrenbach said of the Ithaca commit.
Brunn hit .466, with six home runs and 34 RBIs. She struck out 278 and had a 0.97 ERA over 180 innings pitched as she earned Nassau County Pitcher of the Year honors.
“This year I came back with extra hunger,” Brunn said. “I wanted to put us back on top, where we should be.”
MacArthur pitcher Taylor Brunn delivers to the plate during Game 2 of the Nassau Class A softball championship against Clarke at Mitchel Athletic Complex on May 29. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
FIRST TEAM
Sarah Blaskiewicz, Sayville, C, Sr.
The UConn commit hit .568 with 13 doubles and two home runs. Blaskiewicz had a 1.440 OPS and drove in 35 runs for the Suffolk League VII champions.
Emily Brown, Clarke, P, Sr.
Brown hit .410 and launched eight home runs. The Oneonta commit struck out 203 over 152 innings for the Nassau Class A runners-up.
Bella Cruz, St. Anthony’s, CF, Jr.
Cruz, a UConn commit, posted a .500 OBP atop the Friars’ lineup. She stole 33 bases and scored 39 runs to help St. Anthony’s to its third straight CHSAA state title.
Hailey Feiler, MacArthur, 1B, Sr.
Feiler hit .466 and drove in 23 runs. The Bentley commit hit a go-ahead two-run double in Game 3 of the Nassau Class A final.
Mila Fiordalisi, St. Anthony’s, P, Jr.
Fiordalisi was named the Nassau-Suffolk CHSAA Pitcher of the Year for the second straight season. She went 11-2 with a 1.05 ERA and 122 strikeouts in 86 innings.
Erin McMahon, Bayport-Blue Point, P, Sr.
McMahon posted a 1.70 ERA, struck out 171 batters, hit .520 and drove in 40 runs. She allowed two runs in 12 innings in the Phantoms' 4-2 win over MacArthur in the Long Island Class A championship game.
Jackie Morra, St. Anthony’s, SS, Jr.
The Villanova commit batted .539 with three home runs, 41 RBIs and 30 runs. She was named the Nassau-Suffolk CHSAA Player of the Year and Playoff MVP.
Stefani Murciano, Herricks, CF, Sr.
A Georgetown commit, Murciano hit .678, had 17 extra-base hits and drove in 21 runs for the Highlanders. She also stole 15 bases.
Kayla O’Boyle, Commack, P, Jr.
O’Boyle’s 253 strikeouts broke her old school record of 214. She pitched to a 1.45 ERA and a .151 opponent batting average, earning Suffolk Large School Pitcher of the Year honors.
Julia Parise, East Meadow, P, Jr.
Parise hit .459 with 19 RBIs and four home runs. She had a 1.61 ERA and struck out 175 over 138 innings for the top seed in the Nassau Class AA playoffs.
Daniella Sofia, Mt. Sinai, SS, Sr.
Sofia hit .625 and had a 1.732 OPS for the Suffolk League VIII champions. The Stony Brook commit had 23 extra-base hits, 52 RBIs and 40 runs.
Katie Stork, Massapequa, 3B, Sr.
The Cortland commit hit .400 and slugged .612 for the Long Island Class AA champions. Stork drove in 22 runs and scored 30.
Megan Wegel, North Babylon, CF, Jr.
Wegel hit .583 and drove in 35 runs. She added 17 extra-base hits and 28 runs for the League I champions.
Gabriella Zarcone, Smithtown East, 2B, Sr.
The LeMoyne commit hit .482 and had a .540 on-base percentage. Zarcone drove in 24 runs, scored 23 and had a 1.000 fielding percentage as she led Smithtown East to its first county championship since 1988.
Nassau Coach of the Year: Christina Castellani, Massapequa
Castellani graduated two All-Long Island first-team members from a season ago, but Massapequa didn’t miss a beat. The team won its third consecutive county title and second straight Long Island Class AA championship.
Suffolk Coach of the Year: Nicholle Marchetta, Bayport-Blue Point
Marchetta helped steer the eighth-seeded Phantoms in Class A to their first county championship since 2005 and first Long Island title since 1991.
SECOND TEAM
Amanda Audia, Mt. Sinai, P, Sr.
The Geneseo commit pitched to a 1.69 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. She posted a 1.091 OPS with three home runs and 26 RBIs.
Emily Balducci, Massapequa, OF, Jr.
Balducci hit .395 with 20 RBIs and 25 runs for the Long Island Class AA champions.
Kiara Bellido, Floyd, SS, Jr.
The Suffolk Large School Player of the Year hit .589 with seven home runs and 18 RBIs.
Kadie Cain, Hauppauge, CF, Sr.
The Adelphi commit hit .593 with a 1.448 OPS, 16 stolen bases and 39 runs.
Bella Cimino, Farmingdale, SS, Sr.
The Florida Atlantic commit batted .524 with 14 extra-base hits and 21 RBIs and was named the Nassau Conference II Player of the Year.
Makayla Comer, West Islip, 1B/3B, Sr.
The Adelphi commit hit .430 with five home runs, 26 runs and 34 RBIs.
Marissa Formosa, Smithtown East, SS, Sr.
The Cortland commit hit .500 with four home runs, 20 RBIs and 26 runs for the Suffolk Class AA champions.
Jess Forneiro, Kings Park, 3B/SS, Sr.
Forneiro hit .615 with a 1.530 OPS, 26 RBIs and 41 runs.
Grace Heim, Kings Park, P, Sr.
Heim batted .559 with a 1.634 OPS, 46 RBIs and six home runs. She pitched to a 2.31 ERA with 96 strikeouts in 85 innings.
Alexa Hospodar, Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK, P, Sr.
The Stonehill commit posted a 1.97 ERA with 130 strikeouts and one save. She hit .397 with a home run.
Kaitlyn Klepper, Patchogue-Medford, SS, Sr.
The Adelphi commit set a new Patchogue-Medford single-season batting average record, hitting .622 in the regular season. She hit .500 in four playoff games.
Mya Marelli, Riverhead, P, Fr.
Marelli struck out 181 and had a 1.91 ERA. She hit .493 with 19 RBIs.
Erin McDaid, Smithtown West, P, So.
McDaid hit .520 with three home runs, had a 1.77 ERA and struck out 169.
Lauren McSweeney, Islip, P, Jr.
McSweeney struck out 202 and had a 1.51 ERA. She hit .510 and drove in 30 runs.
Madison Picerno, North Babylon, SS, Sr.
Picerno batted .563 with seven home runs, 40 RBIs, and 31 runs.
Taylor Renny, Syosset, CF, eighth
Renny hit .547, swiped 27 bases, scored 27 runs and drove in 15 to lead Syosset to its first county final appearance since 1990.
Skyler Secondino, Seaford, P, So.
Secondino struck out 181, posted a 2.68 ERA, and had 14 extra-base hits as Seaford won its first Long Island title since 2005.
Hailey Trapani, MacArthur, OF, So.
Trapani hit .440 with five home runs, 24 RBIs and 34 runs for the Nassau Class A champions.
Olivia Wanser, Clarke, 3B, Sr.
Wanser hit .493 with 10 home runs for the Nassau Class A runners-up.
Ava Zicchinelli, Miller Place, P, So.
The Suffolk Small Schools Pitcher of the Year posted a 1.46 ERA and 0.87 WHIP with 164 strikeouts. Zicchinelli batted .451 and scored 30 runs.