By Rob Potter
FALLSBURG — May 21, 2010 — Timely hitting and great pitching enabled the visiting Family School Lady Falcons to shut out the Fallsburg Lady Comets, 7-0, on Wednesday afternoon in a non-league softball game.
While her teammates provided run support, Family School pitcher Denise Tagariello kept the Lady Comet batters in check. Tagariello had 11 strikeouts, scattered five hits and did not issue a walk to earn the victory.
The Family School (3-6) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. With one out and a runner on base, Tagariello walked. After Michelle Jorgensen was forced out at third base on a fielder’s choice, Kayla Manjorin-Russo hit a bloop single to shallow left field to score Tagariello.
The Lady Falcons extended their lead to 2-0 in the top of the third. Nicole Hardison led off the frame and reached base on an error. After stealing second base and moving to third base on a wild pitch, Hardison scored on a passed ball.
In the top of the fourth, Karen Soule doubled and then scored on a groundout by Candace Maisel to give The Family School a 3-0 advantage.
The Lady Falcons added three runs in the top of the fifth to double their lead. Jorgensen scored when Sarah Vevante singled and Tagariello and Vevante both scored on fielder’s choice plays as The Family School made it a 6-0 game.
The Lady Falcons scored their final run of the day in the top of the sixth. Jorgensen led off with a single to center field. Fallsburg pitcher Celia Garcia got the next two batters to strike out and fly out, respectively. But Manjorin-Russo ripped a single to center field to allow Jorgensen to cross home plate.
The Lady Comets’ best chance to get on the scoreboard occurred in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Jess Wiener reached base with an infield hit and Becky Courtney followed with a single to right field.
But Tagariello got the next batter to hit a ground ball, which Family School third baseman Maisel fielded and threw to shortstop Vevante to force out Wiener at third. Tagariello then struck out the next batter to end the inning.
Fallsburg (0-14) also tried to get on the board in the bottom of the seventh. Paige Seletsky singled to center field to begin the frame. But she was left stranded at first base as Tagariello retired the next three batters on a strikeout, a groundout and a strikeout, respectively.
“We got good hits today,” Family School Assistant Coach Larry Patrisso said. “We have been working all season on cutting down on the errors we make. We’re a good team when we are limiting the number of errors.”
Patrisso noted that all of the Lady Falcons played well on Wednesday afternoon, especially Tagariello and Vevante.
“Denise [Tagariello] pitched very well,” he said. “She is a great pitcher who can really control the game. And Sarah Vevante has a great bat. She is hitting the ball all the time.”
Fallsburg Coach Carlye Hyde, who is in her first season of guiding the team, liked how her team played.
“We had a lot of improvement out there today,” she said. “The last time we played Family School, their pitcher threw a no-hitter against us. But today we able to get a few hits.
“We had a great effort out there,” Hyde added. “We reduced our strikeouts and errors, which are things we work on everyday in practice. We have been improving all season. When we play teams the second time around, we are scoring some runs and the games are closer. The first time we lost to Chapel Field the score was 22-0. When we played them last week, the score was 18-3.”
Tagariello throws no-hitter as Lady Falcons win
On Thursday, May 13 in Hancock, The Family School defeated Fallsburg, 22-4, in a non-league game that was called after five innings due to the 15-run mercy rule.
Tagariello picked up the win by throwing a no-hitter. At the plate, she had an RBI single and a two-run double.
Also keying the Lady Falcons’ offensive attack were Vevante (two doubles, two RBIs), Manjorin-Russo (two singles, three RBIs) and Jorgensen (a two-run single).
Garcia took the loss in the pitcher’s circle for Fallsburg.