Schreiber Softball Walks Its Way to Victory

When a softball team comes up with just three hits, most would assume it lost the game. But that was not the case for the Schreiber Lady Vikings on Thursday when they took on the Uniondale Knights in their first conference matchup of the season. Despite the lack of hits, the Lady Vikings scored 12 runs on a combined 13 free passes — via walks and hit by pitches — to walk their way to a 12-0 victory.

The team has scored a combined 26 runs in the past two days but Thursday's runs didn't come in a conventional manner.

"Yesterday, I was happy because we were aggressive. Today, I think it was hard to be aggressive because they just weren't around the plate," coach Eric Sutz said. "We showed off our batting eye today. I always like to be aggressive but within boundaries, and today it was obvious that their pitchers struggled."

On the other hand, the Lady Vikings pitchers were lights out for the second straight day. Senior Danielle Leibowitz went four scoreless innings and didn't walk a batter while allowing just two hits and striking out two. Eighth-grader Alex Caprariello came in to close out the game with one scoreless, hitless inning in relief.

"The pitching has been a big difference," Sutz said. "It's nice to have options. But it's really nice to have Danielle back. She brings so much leadership to the mound and the girls respect her so much. We have so much confidence playing behind her. ... It makes my job much easier just to throw her out there."

Leibowitz, who picked up her second win in as many days, had some early run support as the girls got out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first and never looked back. Senior Emma Horowitz got the scoring started with an RBI groundout plating fellow senior Linda Kim, who set the tone with a first-inning double over the left fielder's head — one of the team's three hits on the day. Senior first baseman Rachel Prowler added two more runs with an RBI single to close out the scoring in the first.

The Lady Vikings added another five in the second and four in the third to close out the Knights in five innings by the run rule.

Kim said she wasn't surprised by the team ability to score. "We have so much power and we are patient at the plate," she said. "We never give up so I knew that we could keep up that pace."

The teams seniors accounted for all 12 of the teams runs. Outfielder Rachel Altman had three walks, scored three runs and stole two bases while shortstop Christina Mouradian scored three times as well. Kim, Horowitz, and leadoff hitter Maria Gardella each scored twice to round out the scoring.

Sutz said he was also impressed by his team's defense, which "made the plays we had to make," according to the coach.

"Emma [Horowitz] made some nice plays at second base. Sara Marinelli made a nice catch in center field. We played well," he said. "We were talking out there, communicating with each other. Those are the things that I'll definitely take as positives."

The Lady Vikings (1-0 in Conference AA-IV, 2-0 overall) will look to keep clicking in all aspects of the game when they head to Mineola on Monday for their final non-league game of the season. First pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m.