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Meade dominates mound, leads Pats to 2-0 shut out over Sachem
WMHS Softball
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Ward Melville starting pitcher Kaitlyn Meade (12-8) was on top of her game for last Saturday afternoon's showdown against Sachem East. She pitched a three-hit, 2-0 shutout, striking out 11 in the Patriots' 2009 regular season finale.
"Meade maintained her composure in the circle today from start to finish," said Ward Melville head coach Jeanne La Lima. "When you can stay steady like that, that's a good sign."
The game was a classic pitchers' duel until Ward Melville center fielder Trish O'Toole smashed a two-out triple in the bottom of the third. "I was patient and just looked for a good pitch," she said. "I just wanted to be safe and not risk anything."
But Sachem East stopped Ward Melville, as O'Toole was stranded at third, leaving the game scoreless after three complete innings.
Ward Melville began their scoring in the next inning. Left fielder Dani Shangold walked and third baseman Jamie Schmahl singled to put runners on first and second. With catcher Maygan Procino at the plate, Sachem East catcher Samantha Laird attempted to pick off Schmahl and overthrew first, which allowed Shangold, who was at second, to advance to third. Procino then came through with an RBI single to put Ward Melville on the board 1-0.
"I was really focusing on locating the ball and going through it instead of trying to pull it," said Procino. 'I wasn't trying to kill it. I just wanted to get a single to score what would be the winning run."
Ward Melville ran into some trouble in the top of the fifth inning. Sachem East had the bases loaded with two outs. But Meade recorded a strikeout to end the threat and help Ward Melville preserve their 1-0 lead. "We just had to forget about what happened before," Meade said. "I just worked on the next batter to get the last out."
O'Toole was back at it in the fifth. She singled and advanced to second on a sacrifice by second baseman Courtney Caputo. Shortstop Haley Blunt blasted an RBI triple scoring O'Toole and giving Ward Melville an insurance run. "I was waiting for the right pitch, keeping my feet set, keeping my head down and swinging hard," said Blunt. "I stepped up and got the job done."
Ward Melville spotlighted exceptional defense in the top of the sixth when Sachem East first baseman Christine Watson attempted to stretch a double into a triple. She drove the ball into right field, but Jessica Schildt fired the ball to Caputo, who completed the relay to Schmahl, gunning down Watson at third. "It was a nice shot," said Schildt. "I thought I had it at first. I got it and realized that she was going to third. I made my cut at second and she got the out at third."
In recent days, Ward Melville has been struggling offensively, but that all changed against Sachem East. "Today was the beginning to, hopefully, a lot more runs in the future," said La Lima. "We had some defensive gems today."
The Patriots, seeded eighth, competed against No. 9 Connetquot in the playoffs on Wednesday afternoon, but results were unavailable by press time.
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