Huskies Win As Marino Faces The Minimum

In five years of playing varsity baseball, Harrison's Ashley Marino has established herself as one of the best pitchers in the league. Friday's game against Horace Greeley was another stellar outing by the senior as she faced the minimum of 21 Greeley batters and struck out the first seven she faced.

For the first time this season, the Huskies found themselves in a pitcher's duel as Horace Greeley freshman Jamie Weisser was nearly as impressive as the more experienced Marino.

Weisser did not find herself in trouble often, but in the first inning the Huskies used small ball to create opportunities. Harrison's lead-off hitter, Allyson Brabant, began the game with a single up the middle and quickly advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Marino moved Brabant over to third base with a sacrifice bunt, and Gigi LoDolce -- who was moved to third in the line-up for Friday's game -- reached on a bunt that scored Brabant.

Weisser and the Quaker defense settled down after the first inning and kept Harrison off the base paths for most of the remaining innings.

With Marino in the circle for the Huskies it seemed as if one run was all the senior would need to continue the team's undefeated streak. Both Marino and Weisser gained control of the game from the center of the diamond.

Going into the bottom of the fourth inning, the Quakers had still not earned a base runner against Harrison. The first batter of the inning was Greeley's lead off hitter, senior Emily "ET" Taylor. Taylor took a Marino pitch and sent it down the left field line for a double. She would be both the first and the last runner to reach base against Marino and the Huskies.

In the middle innings the Harrison infield showed off its defensive prowess when second baseman Brabant made a play that would erase Taylor's double. The third batter of the inning, Meredith Biski, popped up to Brabant, who caught the ball and alertly ran to second for a double play. Not to be outdone, Harrison first baseman Alijah Webb made an over-the-shoulder catch. In the fifth inning Greeley's Valerie Scelsa hit a blooper into foul territory that appeared as if it would land safely in between the right fielder and first basemen. Never giving up on the play, Webb sprinted and caught the ball over her shoulder as she fell to the ground with the ball securely in her glove.

"We got great defense today," said Harrison Coach Dean Marino. "Our infield played solid all around and they really helped out our pitcher."

Harrison added three runs to the scoreboard with a two out rally in the sixth inning, and the team picked up four hits without the ball ever leaving the infield. Coach Marino pinch hit Alex Scapperotti and the move paid off big. Scapperotti hit the ball in between the third baseman and the shortstop for a pinch hit RBI.

"That was a big move by Scap," Marino said. "I have a lot of confidence in this kid, she's got nerves of steal."

After seven hard-played innings by both teams, the pitcher's duel ended with a 4-0 Harrison victory. The winning pitcher was Ashley Marino, who amassed 10 strikeouts and only allowed one hit in her seven innings. Weisser pitched valiantly in a losing effort. In her seven innings of work, Weisser only gave up five hits and four runs, but more importantly she picked up a career high in strikeouts with 10.

The teams will face off again on Tuesday afternoon at Harrison High School at 4:30 pm.