Wantagh defeats Seaford to force Game 3 in Nassau Class A championship
Lucy Olore of Wantagh, left, makes the catch on the mound in the bottom of the 8th against Seaford in Game 2 of the Nassau Class A softball finals on Sunday. Credit: Dawn McCormick
Clear your calendar; Lucy Olore and Wantagh softball aren’t done yet.
No. 1 Wantagh defeated No. 2 Seaford, 2-1, in nine innings at Farmingdale State Sunday morning to force a deciding Game 3 in the Nassau Class A championship series. Olore struck out 11 batters and allowed four hits while pitching a complete game for the second day in a row after losing Game 1 Saturday.
Senior Daniella Oranges scored the game-winning run for Wantagh in the top of the ninth, taking a walk before eventually stealing third following a single from senior Casey Kissinger. Senior Jacqueline Mundy then delivered an RBI single into left centerfield for the go-ahead run.
“They believe in each other,” coach Christine Moran said. “We preach family, and that’s definitely how we played today.”
Seaford forced extra innings after junior Alyssa Rodriguez singled into leftfield to score senior Alexa Villeck in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the game at one.
Kissinger had scored for Wantagh on junior Emma Priest’s hit in the third inning.
Seaford nearly walked the game off in the bottom of the eighth when junior Katie Young slammed a ball deep to left field that bounced and narrowly went over the wall for a ground-rule double, forcing junior Skyler Secondino to stop at third base.
Olore then forced a pair of flyouts to end the inning against the middle of Seaford's order.
“My heart was racing the whole time, especially toward the end,” Olore said.
With Seaford batting the bottom frame, however, it all came down to Olore’s arm.
The freshman struck out two of the four batters she faced in the inning, including the final at-bat for leadoff hitter Villeck, who was 2-for-4 with a single and a double prior.
“I was definitely nervous,” Olore said. “I knew the top of the order was coming up. But I was just happy we got through it.”
It wasn’t perfect — Wantagh left nine runners on base and exited the seventh inning with only one run, despite having the bases loaded with one out. Still, Wantagh earned the win and deserved the right to play Seaford again, with the two sides sitting 2-2 against each other this season.
Something will have to give when Wantagh (17-4) takes on Seaford (14-5) for Game 3 Tuesday back at Farmingdale State at 2:30 p.m.
“[We’re] bringing our own surprises [Tuesday],” Moran said with a smile. “Never show your whole deck, right?”