Mya Marelli's walk-off hit in 10th keeps Riverhead softball perfect
Riverhead's Mya Marelli hits a line drive to bring home the game-winning run against Half Hollow Hills in the bottom of the tenth inning, in a League I softball game, Thursday, May 9, 2024. Credit: George A Faella
Bottom of the 10th, two outs, tie score and a chance to go undefeated in the regular season for the first time in school history. Mya Marelli stepped up to the plate and knew what had to be done.
Marelli delivered a line-drive single that scored Madison Saladino, giving host Riverhead a 6-5 win over Half Hollow Hills in a thrilling Suffolk League I softball game on Thursday night.
“I took a deep breath when I got up to bat because I felt so much adrenaline,” Marelli said. “We didn’t go 17-0 not to finish undefeated.”
The score was tied at 4 in the fifth inning and remained there after four more scoreless innings. Half Hollow Hills took a 5-4 lead in the top of the 10th when a sacrifice fly by Emma Meenan scored Ashley Alaimo.
But Riverhead kept fighting. A line-drive single by Sophia Viola scored Adriana Martinez, tying it at 5. And that’s when Marelli’s composure earned the win. She was 2-for-6 with the RBI and also starred on the mound, pitching all 10 innings and striking out 14.
“She’s the engine of our team,” Riverhead coach Rich Vlacci Jr. said. “She wanted to dig deep and when the job needs to be finished, she has that poise to finish it for us.”
Kaysee Mojo went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs and Mikayla Nirrengarten, Isabella Deandrea and Jordyn Kwasna each contributed doubles.
After a hard-fought win over Half Hollow Hills (9-9, 9-9), Riverhead (18-0, 18-0) enters the playoffs extra motivated. Last season, it fell short of a conference championship, but Marelli said this team’s heart and camaraderie can take them all the way this season.
“I’m so proud of this team,” Marelli said. “We’re ready to take Suffolk County and the LIC and just go as far as we can.”
This was more than just a game for senior first baseman Deanna North. She has made it her mission to spread awareness about mental health to athletes. The team wore special jerseys to go with socks, hair bows and shoelaces that were all green in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, and North shared her own story.
“This game meant the world to me,” North said. “My sophomore and junior year, I didn’t think I’d make it to my senior year. The fact that all of these girls wore green to support me and this cause is something so special to me.”
“What she’s been trying to do this year really transcends sports,” Vlacci said. “Deanna’s making the message known to athletes that it’s OK to not be OK. If one person grabs her message and relays it to someone else, that means the world.”