Rocky Point softball uses six-run 7th inning to pull away from West Babylon
Raylee Weisman of Rocky Point slides safely into home plate during a Suffolk softball game against host West Babylon on Saturday. Credit: Kelvin Loarca
There is no such thing as having too many insurance runs. The Rocky Point softball team piled them on.
Raylee Weisman and Eliza Holzer each had two RBIs and Phoebe Graham doubled to plate Taylor Aschettino to cap a six-run top of the seventh inning that propelled the Eagles to a 13-6 win over host West Babylon in a non-league game on Saturday.
After holding a one-run lead for three innings, freshman pitcher Kylie Weinfeld took the circle in the bottom of the seventh with plenty of room to breathe.
“It just made me feel relaxed,” Weinfeld said. “It allowed me to trust the pitch calls and our defense behind me.”
Rocky Point led 7-2, before a dropped third strike and two errors allowed West Babylon to score four runs with two outs in the third. Weinfeld retired the side in order in the fourth and allowed just two walks and one hit in the final four innings.
“She held her ground,” Aschettino said. “She did her job and after that one inning, we did our job in the field.”
Weinfeld struck out eight and allowed two earned runs and five hits in seven innings to earn the win.
“She was lights out,” first-year coach Freddy O’Neill said. “She was very resilient. She picked her teammates up. She’s definitely shown some leadership, especially for a freshman.”
Aschettino went 4-for-5 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored. Her RBI single in the first inning marked the 100th hit of the senior’s career.
Weisman went 2-for-5 with two RBIs, two runs scored and two stolen bases and Reese Berzolla went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI.
Sarah Caltabiano and Kayleigh Carlson each had a hit, an RBI and a run scored and Autumn Romano scored two runs and pitched three scoreless innings of relief for West Babylon (3-5).
Last year, Rocky Point lost to West Babylon, 6-5, in the first round of the Suffolk Class AA playoffs. Off to a 5-3 start, Aschettino has high expectations for the Eagles this season.
“Making the playoffs is the bare minimum, but I know we can go farther this year,” Aschettino said.
“We’re super talented,” O’Neill said. “As long as we keep rolling and playing our game, we’ll be a tough team to beat.”
Matt Lindsay is a high school sports reporter who joined Newsday in 2022 after graduating from Stony Brook University.
