Carle Place's Cole: First perfect game this season

Ashley Cole has perfected her game.

The senior pitcher tossed the first perfect game of the softball season and the first in school history last Thursday, leading Carle Place to a 4-0 win over Glen Cove.

"She was working the corners very well and changing up the pitches," Carle Place coach Chris Ceruti said. "She was her usual self. She is so deserving of this because she has gotten close so many times."

Cole had the curveball and fastball working as she struck out 15 batters and recorded her 11th shutout of the season. She improved to 15-2, the most wins in Nassau, with a 0.38 ERA and has struck out 280 batters while walking just seven.

Tori Hytell hit a three-run triple to give Carle Place a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning. She then stole home to tack on another run. In the bottom of the fifth inning, shortstop Hytell cut off a ball hit up the middle and just got the runner at first base to keep the perfect game alive.

It was the fourth straight shutout for Cole, who in her last four games has allowed four hits, one walk, and struck out 46 batters. The perfect game was the latest accomplishment for the batterymates of Cole and Leanne Iannucci, longtime teammates who have been calling their own game for three years.

Cole, a first-team All-Long Island selection last season, also tossed a no-hitter against Glen Cove (3-7) earlier in the season. She struck out 17 batters in a 5-0 win on April 17, in which the only base runner she allowed reached on an error.

Carle Place improved to 10-1 and currently sits atop, not only the conference, but the state Class B rankings. The defending Long Island champions are preparing for a state title run and, with her perfect day, Cole showed why they have chance to capture it.

"Even coming from a smaller school," Ceruti said, "I truly believe that Ashley is one of the top three or four pitchers in all of Long Island."