WPCNR PRESS BOX. June 3, 2007: Yorktown struck for 3 quick runs in the first and 2 more in the second inning today and withstood White Plains threats in the 3rd and 4th innings, to win the Class AA Section 1 Title today at North Rockland. The Tigers had bases loaded twice and did not capitalize, finishing another great season at 21-7, with their second straight appearance in the Class AA Fastpitch Finals, something WPCNR believes no other school has done.

Growing Accustomed to This Place: Tigers being introduced in the Pregame Class AA cermonies today.

Tigers in Action in North Rockland today.

Lauren Sputo after Yorktown's quick strikes in the first two innings held the Huskers scoreless the final four innings and will be a dominant force in the circle for many years to come and she and her cohorts will be back. It was the last game for seniors Dena Frederick, who went 2 for 4 setting up Tiger efforts at rallies in the middle innings, Lisa Tompkins, Dani Szabo and Juliana Bailey, who doubled and scored the only  Tiger run in the third on Dena Frederick's single.

After the Yorktown leadoff batter fanned, Kasey O'Connor hit the first pitch over the left field fence some 225 feet in straightaway left for a 1-0, Yorktown lead.

A walk, a single by Olivia Calgagnini, and a single by Tori Matzura, made it 2-0. With 2 out in the first a single to center by Danielle Montesano made it 3-0, but Sputo cut off the throw to the plate and nailed Montesano at second with Dani Szabo taking the throw as Montesano tried to take second on the throw.

In the second, Yorktown added two more, on a walk with 1 out, a single by Larssa Porcelli a single by O;Connor to load the bases, a baseloaded walk made it 4-0 and a groundout by Calgagnini made it 5-0.

The Tigers scored in the third. With 1 out, Juliana Bailey blooped a double on the line in left and made second. Dena Frederick ripped a single to center and Bailey came around to score.  Frederick, getting her stroke back was 2 for 3  with a walk in the big game and, of course, the only RBI. Singles by Dani Szabo and Lisa Tompkins loaded the bases, after "Dena the Dreama's" hit,  but Larissa Porcelli ended the bid by inducing a pop up.

The Tigers loaded them again in the fourth, but again could not get the back-in-the-game hit.

Larissa Porcelli settled down after the 4th retiring nine of the last 10 Tiger hitters, allowing  6 hits, fanning 4 and walking one. Porcelli kept the Tigers off balance at the plate with off-speed pitches, painting the corners, throwing off Tiger timing. 

The game ended another fine and valiant season by the Tigers who fought back into the final game despite injuries to Dena Frederick which kept the hard-hitting thirdbaser out of the lineup for 20 games and the field for weeks, Dani Szabo also missed  a couple of games.

Coach Ted O'Donnell should get Coach of the Year for the job he did with this team by using personnel brilliantly, and instilling players  with the confidence and pride that produced comeback wins and outstanding performances against older more experienced teams.

The Tiger roster has 4 Seniors: Szabo, Bailey, Tompkins and Frederick; two 8th Graders, Sputo and Christina Coppola,  four sophomores, Kate Smayda, Shannon Nicholson, Laura Demarte, a fleet outfielder, and Sara Lorden, another outfielder, and three Juniors, Jackie Flooks, the rangy centerfielder, Cristina Giansante, the leftfielder, and the best catcher in the county, Sandra Mastrangelo.