Tottenville’s Nicole Palase will be in the circle for the first time in a PSAL title game. (Damion Reid)
PSAL softball beat writer Marc Raimondi breaks down the top-seeded Tottenville Pirates in advance of Sunday’s Class A championship game at St. John’s University.
Tottenville
Nickname: Pirates
Head coach: Cathy Morano (eighth year)
Record: 21-0
Batting order: RF Christina Penna, SS Tara Gallo, 2B Lisa Cutrona, P Nicole Palase, CF Victoria McFarland, 3B Samantha Mattsson, LF Jillian Giuffre, 1B Sonia Jimenez, C Jennifer Palase
Key reserves: OF Alex Florida, 3B Melissa Mule, 1B Colleen Dailey and SS Marianna Sullivan
Team notes: Trying to extend its record of city titles to seven. … Lost five high-level players from last year’s team who are all playing college softball. … Has not lost a league game since 2006, but fell to Bishop Ludden (Syracuse) this season for first overall loss in more than two years. … Beat Madison in last year’s title game, 4-2.
SCOUTING REPORT
(from league coach under condition of anonymity)
“They have very good pitching. [Nicole] Palase throws the ball hard. She hits her spots. Her pitching is overshadowed by how good of a hitter she is. … Usually some teams have one or two girls, three tops, that you have to keep off the bases. They have at least six girls that you can’t let get on. … No way you’re going to get [Victoria] McFarland out three times in a game. … They play very good defense. … The only way Madison beats them is if Kayla Hill pitches an A-plus game. And Kayla Hill 100 percent has the ability to do that. But Tottenville will put the ball in play more than Wagner did and the defense better be ready. … Tottenvillle is the most underrated powerhouse of the last four years. This group still isn’t getting the credit it deserves. This group has something to prove. They’re not going to want to be the ones to end the streak.”
PLAYER CAPSULES
Christina Penna
Year: Senior
Position: Right field
Notes: Steady leadoff hitter who can take a walk or hit her way on. … Very good defensive outfielder with a strong arm. … Has been through the wars.
Morano’s take: “She’s one of our four-year players. We expect her to bring leadership and experience. She has three championships already. We expect her to help lead the rest of the girls.”
Tara Gallo
Year: Senior
Position: Short stop
Notes: Excellent defensively at short with a strong arm. … Good athlete. … Prototypical No. 2 hitter with pop to go along with a nose for getting on base.
Morano’s take: “Another one of our four-year players, she brings experience and leadership out there. She has great range at shortstop and a great arm. From the No. 2 spot, she can either move runners over or drive them in.”
Lisa Cutrona
Year: Senior
Position: Second base
Notes: Has a lot of pop in her bat. … Smooth fielding second baseman with great hands. … An anchor in the middle of the order – perhaps the team’s best all-around hitter. … Teammates draw on her emotion.
Morano’s take: “Cutrona I would say is our emotional leader. She’s just one of our leaders out there. She’s got the experience. She’s been here four years.”
Nicole Palase
Year: Junior
Position: Pitcher
Notes: One of the most athletic players in New York City. … Hard-throwing right-hander with good movement and location. … Great hitter with a ton of power. … Fields her position exceptionally well. … Will play at St. Joseph’s University in 2012.
Morano’s take: “She’s going to be pitching and we’re looking for her to throw stirkes, keep them off balance. She’s also one of our top hitters.”
Victoria McFarland
Year: Junior
Position: Center field
Notes: Will sacrifice her body in center field. … Superb athleticism and a cannon for an arm. … One of New York City’s best hitters – for power and average. … Has great speed on the bases. … Five tool player.
Morano’s take: “She’s been in center field for three years. She’s won championships before. She covers a lot of ground, has a great arm. Her bat speaks for itself.”
Samantha Mattsson
Year: Junior
Position: Third base
Notes: Has come on late to be a top run producer. … Excellent defensive third baseman. … Been one of team’s most consistent hitters in playoffs.
Morano’s take: “She’s one of the best third basemen out there. She makes great plays. Offensively she does what we need her to do.”
Jillian Giuffre
Year: Sophomore
Position: Left field
Notes: One of two sophomores in starting lineup. … Has potential to be middle of the order hitter in the future. … Fearless in the outfield.
Morano’s take: “She’s only a sophomore and came through this year and did a great job. She played infield last year, but she’s been doing great in the outfield.”
Sonia Jimenez
Year: Senior
Position: First base
Notes: Sat out the last two seasons to focus on academics. … Provides production and pop from the bottom of the lineup. … Team’s No. 2 pitcher.
Morano’s take: “She did a great job this year. If Nicole gets in trouble we’re going to look to go to her. She’s been hitting the ball great all season long.”
Jennifer Palase
Year: Sophomore
Position: Catcher
Notes: Has sisterly connection with battery mate Nicole Palase. … Calls a strong game. … Good defensive catcher.
Morano’s take: “Jen has been catching [Nicole] all season. She’s been calling the games all season long and controlling that part of the game. Jen’s been great.”
BENCH
Notes: Depth has always been a strength for Tottenville and this year is no different. Morano not only can go with skill off the bench, but experience, too, with seniors Alex Florida, Melissa Mule, Colleen Dailey and Marianna Sullivan. They are all versatile and dependable.
Morano’s take: “We can use pinch runners and pinch hitters in key situations. We want them to be ready. We’re confident in them.”
COACH
At the beginning of the season, all anyone wanted to talk about was how many terrific seniors Tottenville graduated and how the Pirates are on their way down. Morano has heard it all before. It was the same silly criticisms when Brittany Stratton graduated. And look what Tottenville has done since then.
Morano has surrounded herself with top-notch assistant coaches like Gene Castellucci, Victor Vasquez, Joanna Pellecchia and John Leverock. She has found the winning formula with six straight PSAL Class A city titles and four straight undefeated league seasons. Tottenville is already the best softball program ever in the PSAL and Morano the most successful softball coach in league history. A win Sunday would add even more to the legacy.
