Warriors Rally Behind Hope Reindl

The Comsewogue Warriors girls softball team lifted their game to a new level–albeit briefly–as they took a season’s worth of frustration out on visiting North Babylon Friday afternoon.

The Warriors knocked off North Babylon 10-1 winning only their third game of the season but more importantly they rallied behind junior catcher Hope Reindl who suffered what has been diagnosed as a heart attack Wednesday evening while playing intramural basketball in the high school gymnasium.

Boys head basketball Rick Meikley and girls basketball coach Justin Seifert were on the scene and administered CPR and used and an AED to revive Reindl who was then taken by paramedics to Stony Brook University Medical Center. She is expected to be released sometime this week.

“Everything was handled this just right,” said head softball coach Tom Frawley. “I’m convinced that those two coaches and the AED saved her life. I was a cop for 20 years and this was handled with precision.”

Reindl was the Warriors leading hitter batting .457 with 10 runs batted in.  For her career Reindl boasts a .475 batting average. Last year she earned All Suffolk County kudos and as a freshman she received All-League honors.

“It was a nice thing the team did,” said Frawley. “They made banners and Port Jeff Sports donated T-shirts that they wore before the game. They are also going to do a fundraiser for the Louis J. Acampora Foundation. It’s kind of inconsequential to think about what it’s going to be without her on the team. She has a positive impact on the team both on and off the field.”

Without Reindl the Warriors put it all together in the pitching circle and at the plate. In the first inning Sudley Perez banged a home run–the first ever hit by a Comsewogue player at their new field–with two on and the Warriors were off to the races after that.

Meghan Zimbler went the distance to pick up the victory allowing seven hits, striking out 13 and yielding no earned runs–easily her best performance of the year. Zimbler also helped her own cause by collecting three hits in four at bats while Alex Dovicak went 2-3.

Sadly, the Warriors couldn’t maintain any momentum as the following day the Warriors were shutout for the fourth time by this year, this time by Smithtown West 3-0.  The loss eliminates Comsewogue from qualifying for the playoffs. But with six games yet to play the Warriors could well play spoiler as the season grinds to a close.

In baseball action the Warriors lost to visiting Riverhead 7-1 Friday afternoon. The loss follows the Warriors 2-0 win over Riverhead the day before. Of the two wins Comsewogue has recorded this year both have been shutouts. Their last win came on April 16th when the visiting Warriors blanked North Babylon 7-0. The Warriors record now stands at 2-9 in league play.

In lacrosse action the Warriors remained undefeated with a pair of victories this past week. Comsewogue defeated Miller Place 13-8 on Tuesday and then bested Bayport-Blue Point 8-3 on Thursday to run their 2011 record to a perfect 12-0. Comsewogue concludes their season with games against John Glenn, Rocky Point and Islip. The Warriors remain alone atop the Division II standings one game in front of Shoreham-Wading River.

Meanwhile, the lacrosse girls team knocked off Babylon 18-9 after consecutive losses to Hauppauge and Rocky Point pushing their overall record to 9-3. The Lady Warriors remaining three games are against Shoreham-Wading River, Center Moriches and Sayville. Comsewogue is currently in sixth place, tied with Harborfields with identical 9-3 records.

In other sports action the Comsewogue boys golf team won their second match of the year beating Miller Place 6.5-2.5.

The boys track team was on the short end of an 84-57 score with Hauppauge while the girls team remained unbeaten with an 89-61 win over Eastport-South Manor last week.

In tennis the boys team maintained their hold on second place in League III with a 7-0 win over Bellport Thursday afternoon. The Warriors are now 8-2 in league competition and 8-4 overall.