The Port Jefferson softball team won the Suffolk League VIII championship last week after defeating Southold/Greenport 12-0 on May 11 at in a game which saw starting pitcher Melissa Darling throw a spectacular one-hitter with three strikeouts mixed in. Darling, a freshman, is one of the Lady Royals terrific trio of starting pitchers, which includes junior Michiko McGivney and senior Molly Gibson. In her five innings of work, Darling did not allow a single batter to reach base via a walk.
Port Jefferson’s offense was aided by the hitting of senior shortstop Renee Marchewka, who had two hits and two RBI along with a pair of hits of the bat of Michiko (three runs scored).
The win clinched the League VIII championship for the Lady Royals, who are currently 14-2 and hold a full five game lead over second place Pierson/Bridgehampton. Port Jefferson would go on to win its next game, travelling to the tiny, remote field of The Stony Brook School last Friday afternoon to record a 12-3 triumph over the Bears.
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Molly Gibson was the standout performer, pitching her way to her third win of the season, allowing one earned run, eight hits and three walks, while also helping her cause by slugging a grand slam home run in the top of the fourth inning
Senior outfielder Joy Morrison and junior infielder Courtney Fee were both superb at the plate, collecting four hits each. The Lady Royals were scheduled to play their final regular season game on May 16 at home against Pierson before awaiting the playoff bracket seeds from Section XI. By winning the league title, Port Jeff will begin the playoffs with a home game.
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Royals defeats Greenport in baseball
The Port Jefferson baseball team recorded a significant win on May 13, defeating a red-hot Greenport squad 13-7 to improve to 10-5 in League VIII. The Royals, which had lost the first two games of the Greenport series, were powered by the hitting of third baseman Billy Crowe (3-for-4, three RBI) and second baseman Mike Toffales, who had two hits, including a home run, along with two RBI. Tyler D’Accardo was the winning pitcher.
Port Jefferson currently maintains a two-game lead on first place in the league standings and trails first place Mercy (11-3) by only one game. The Royals have a chance to win at least a share of the league title as they conclude their regular season schedule with a three-game series against Mercy, beginning on May 16. Game one is at home, game two on Tuesday at Mercy and the third game will be back at Port Jeff on May 18.
Two wins would give the Royals a share of the league title.
