Historic Wantagh Softball Season Ends in Quarterfinals

Last year's 15-9 Nassau County Class A  is still is fresh in the minds of the Island Trees softball team and this Thursday the Lady Bulldogs will get a chance at redemption.

Island Trees (17-2) advanced to the Class A semis on Monday with a 6-1 win against ninth-seeded in the quarterfinal round. The loss ended a historic season for Wantagh (12-5), which was coming off its in eight years on Saturday against North Shore. 

"We said in the winter in the gym that we are not going to forget about it," said Island Trees head coach Mike Bongiorno referring to last year's playoff heartbreaker to Seaford where the Lady Bulldogs surrendered a seven-run lead to the eventual . "The only thing that is going to beat us is us." 

Top-seeded Island Trees assured their chance at avenging last year's semifinal heartbreak thanks to four-run third inning. Tori Tedeschi and Samantha Basile both smacked two-run singles with two outs to break a 1-1 tie and give Island Trees a 5-1 lead it would never relinquish. 

An RBI single by shortstop Brittany Ciaramitaro tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the first inning after Wantagh had grabbed the early lead off a passed ball strikeout with the bases loaded. 

Despite the dissapointment of Monday's season-ending defeat, Wantagh head coach Christine Moran said after the game she was proud of how her team competed hard all season. The quarterfinal loss ended the Wantagh softball careers of six-year starting catcher Kellie Mignoli, shortstop Emma Ryder and Michelle Shablin. 

"We reached a lot of milesones this season," said Coach Moran. "We fought all the way through." 

A major reason why Island Trees entering the playoffs as the number one seed in Class A is the pitching of Alannah Basile, who threw a no-hitter last month against New Hyde Park. On Monday against Wantagh, Basile survived a tough first inning where gave up two walks to toss a three-hitter with 11 strikeouts. 

"She let a couple people on early but then she manged to find the plate," said Coach Bongiorno of his pitching ace. 

Island Trees will look to move one step closer toward its goal of a county title when it takes on Clarke in the Class A semifinals Thursday at Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale starting at 4:30 p.m.