Lauren O'Brien's spectacular catch, four hits help Massapequa three-peat in Nassau Class AA softball
Lauren O'Brien of Massapequa takes a swing during game 2 of the Nassau Class AA softball championship against Syosset at the Mitchell Athletic Complex on Monday, May 29, 2023. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
Lauren O’Brien flashed her glove and then showed off her bat on Monday as she helped Massapequa swing its way to its third straight county softball championship.
The centerfielder made a spectacular home run-saving catch in left-center and went 4-for-6 with two RBIs and two runs as No. 2 Massapequa defeated No. 5 Syosset, 13-8, in Game 2 of the Nassau Class AA finals at Mitchel Field.
“This just feels great. It was a team effort and a team win,” said O’Brien, who tumbled over the fence while making the grab to save two runs in the first inning. “Everyone contributed to get us to this position.”
Syosset (9-16) took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a two-run double by Sienna Renny and an RBI double by Ella Lanza.
After O’Brien’s catch kept it from being an even bigger inning, Katie Stork took the lead right back for Massapequa in a six-run second inning. Her two-run double made it 4-3 and she scored on a wild pitch. Annalise Lane singled to drive in Emily Balducci for the sixth run of the inning.
Stork singled and scored on O’Brien’s double in the third.
“I know I need to get on in front of her,’’ Stork said, “because she’s going to move me over and get me home.”
Said O’Brien,“Even though we fell down, I had confidence in my teammates and myself. I knew that we would be able to come back and come out on top.”
In the fifth, Stork walked and scored on O’Brien’s second double of the afternoon to make it 8-6. Balducci then hit a two-run homer to give Massapequa a 10-6 lead.
Katie Stork walked in the sixth and O’Brien picked up her third hit. RBI singles by Meghan Stork and Olivia Matos helped Massapequa take a 13-8 lead.
Katie Stork finished with two hits and two RBIs. Balducci had a three-hit day.
“We’ve been great at two-out rallies, because these girls know they’re not down until the last out is made,” Massapequa coach Christina Castellani said. “We’ve really harped on it and we’ve been successful more often than not.’’
Massapequa (17-9) had some rebuilding to do when it entered this season, but it again was built for a deep playoff run.
Up next: the Long Island Class AA championship game on Friday at Farmingdale State, where Massapequa will face either Smithtown East or North Babylon.
“This season was a lot about rebuilding and becoming more of a team,” Balducci said after Game 1. “I guess now we’ve been rebuilt.”
Christopher Matias covers high school sports for Newsday after spending time in Athletic Facilities and Operation at St. John’s and in Sports Information at CUNY York college.
