DeRose, Rondinella lead Sachem East to softball win over Sachem North
Sachem East starting pitcher Olivia DeRose delivers against Sachem North in a Suffolk League III game on Thursday at Sachem North. Credit: George A Faella
Olivia DeRose bent in every direction possible, but she refused to break against a previously undefeated opponent.
DeRose struck out nine as Sachem East defeated host Sachem North, 9-4, Thursday morning in Suffolk III softball. The junior worked out of trouble often, stranding 15 Sachem North baserunners.
“She possesses a cannot lose drive that most don’t,” Sachem East coach Amanda Stallone said. “She has that mentality that you may have gotten her this time, but she’s going to finish you off.”
Emma Rondinella broke it open in the fourth for Sachem East (4-3) with a sharply hit double off third base, bringing in two runs, with a third run scoring on an errant throw. Rondinella scored on Camryn Ribaudo’s bunt, putting Sachem East ahead 6-1.
“I had confidence and I knew I needed to get at least one runner home,” Rondinella said. “I was happy that I ended up bringing in a couple more.”
Angelina DeLuca hit a single with runners on first and second for Sachem North (5-1) in the bottom of the fourth. Xiomara Llerena fielded the ball at short and fired it home where Sloane Basset applied the tag to cut down a run.
“This was a rivalry game. We wanted to beat North and my team backed me up today,” DeRose said. “They fielded well and they were all hitting.”
Deanna Reimo's two-run double in the fifth, which scored Basset and Samantha Madigan, extended Sachem East's lead to 8-1.
“We knew we needed to come out strong, wake up the bats,” Rondinella said. “We kept our energy up and played the best we could.”
Sachem North got RBI hits from Danielle Brennan and Hayley Moore in the fifth to cut its deficit to 9-3. DeRose induced a pop-up to strand two and end the threat. DeRose allowed a run in the seventh but struck out the final batter with the bases loaded to end the game.
Sachem East, which has been up and down to start the season, scored its highest run total of the season and held a Sachem North team that averaged 10 runs a game to four.
“This game certainly brings our confidence up,” DeRose said. “I think we can make a run, we have much brighter days ahead.”
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.
