Lab Museum celebrates its victory over Morris. (Denis Gostev)
Lab Museum United has a special cheer before every game, “One team. Two schools. Go Gators.”
They now have one title to share.
The Manhattan squad, made up of Lab and Museum High Schools, topped Morris 14-2 in the PSAL Class B softball title game Wednesday afternoon at St. John’s University . It’s the second-seeded Gators’ first-ever crown and earns them a bit of redemption after losing in the final two years ago and in the semifinals last season.
While the two schools are on different floors, there is a special bound that has formed between this group.
“We have been trying to get back here ever since,” Gators senior ace Sarah D’Amico said. …“We really, really wanted it.”
D’Amico was in the circle when her team lost to LaGuardia in 2010. She and starting classmates Jenny Ramirez and Ashanti Plummer were bent on making this year’s outcome very different. D’Amico tossed an absolute gem. She struck out 15 batters, including a four-strikeout inning because of a throwing error in the first, gave up three hits and allowed just one earned run.
“She did amazing,” second baseman Lindsey Bernstein said. “She always does amazing.”
The Lab Museum bats were special as well. Head coach Charles Jessup had his team face lob pitching in practice in preparation for facing Morris’ Chasity Quinones. The Gators (19-0) were attacking pitches early, leading to a nine-run first inning. They tacked on five more in the fifth. Bernstein was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Kaylee Cimino had three RBIs. including a two-run triple. and Plummer had two hits, two RBIs and a run scored. Ramirez walked three times and scored three runs.
“We had to focus on slow pitch,” Jessup said. “We knew that they were a strong defensive team.”
No. 9 Morris (18-3) finally showed why it made a run to the final, knocking off top-seeded Frank Sinatra in the quarters and a red-hot No. 12 Brooklyn Tech team in the semifinals. The Bulldogs made some sparkling plays in the field, especially athletic shortstop Tiara Brown. The senior turned a 6-6-3 double play to end the second and made a barehanded stop in the fifth leading to an out. Jennifer Bronson delivered an RBI single in the seventh, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a rough first inning.
The nerves, the family, girls were very hyped,” Morris coach Christopher O’Mara. “It was our first time being in the championship and I think the girls got a little tight.”
For the Gators, this was where they expected to be.
“I’m so proud of them,” D’Amico said. “I’m so proud of myself. I’m so excited that we did it. We finally got it.”