Lady Cyclones Softball Shuts Out Lawrence, 21-0

It was Senior Day for the Lady Cyclones softball team on Tuesday, and the girls needed a win to stay in contention for a Conference 4 playoff spot. Senior Antonia Modica ensured her team would come out victorious in their last home game of the season, blasting a third-inning grand slam to lead South Side to a 21-0 win over Lawrence.

"That was a great senior day hit; she's been due all season," said head coach Shannon McEntee. "It's her first homerun this season and it might as well be a grand slam."

Modica (2-for-2, 5 RBIs, 4 runs scored, 3 BBs) led the Lady Cyclones (7-1) in the lop-sided win over the Golden Tornadoes (2-7). Freshman Sam Maselli threw 85 pitches over five innings, allowing only one hit, one walk while striking out 10. Maselli was dominant from the start, striking out five of the first nine Lawrence batters.

"Sam did a great job," McEntee said. "As always, she's very consistent and puts the ball where it needs to go."

The runs came early and often for South Side, who scored three times in the first inning after sending nine batters to the plate. Lawrence pitcher Nicole Robinson had trouble commanding the strike zone, walking four and hitting one in the first.

It didn't get any better for Robinson in the second. The Lady Cyclones sent 17 batters to the plate, scoring 12 runs off five hits and eight walks. That gave South Side a 15-0 lead after only six outs. Lawrence head coach Linda Perrone said her team is working hard on the basics, and needs to focus more in the field.

"It's a matter of waking up," Perrone said of her team's defense. "We're working on hitting as much as we can. We dont have the strong hitters like Garden City and South Side, but we've been working hard. We just have to hit."

Robinson got Lawrence's lone hit of the game, a bloop single to centerfield.

South Side hitters were patient against the Lawrence pitcher, working 14 walks in four innings. Second baseman and leadoff hitter Lauren Jansen reached base five times and scored five runs. She also stole three bases.

South Side plated five more runs in the third, four scoring off Modica's grand slam. Bridget Kiernan, who came in to replace Jess Heckman in the fourth, had an RBI single in her lone at-bat to give South Side a 21-0 lead.

The Lady Cyclones will meet Garden City on the final day of the season — May 5 — with a chance to clinch a playoff spot.