Win or lose, the James Madison players were excited by their game with Poly Prep. The Knights have run-ruled every PSAL Brooklyn opponent they have faced this year. So a scoreless game into the seventh inning was a breath of fresh air.
“The kids felt good that it was a competitive game,” Madison coach Jeff Meltzer said. “The girls relish competition like that.”
Poly pitcher Erica Sollazzo had a no-hitter into the seventh when Madison shortstop Gina Gerone doubled and first baseman Nikki Panaro followed with a home run. Those were the game’s only runs in Madison’s 2-0 win in non-league softball Monday in Bay Ridge.
“It was a joy to watch,” Meltzer said. “I would love to play them or someone like that every other day.”
The coach wasn’t attempting to knock the teams in PSAL Brooklyn A. Actually, he pointed to the fact that all but one of them made the playoffs. But Madison, ranked No. 3 in the city by The Post, and No. 4 Poly Prep are among the handful of elite teams in the Big Apple.
They proved why in an economical outing Monday. Madison’s Kayla Hill pitched a two-hit shutout, striking out 10, while Sollazzo almost matched her pitch by pitch. The Poly No. 2 starter, behind Victoria Capozucca, only gave up those two hits.
“She was terrific,” Meltzer said of Sollazzo. “Her ball was moving, rising.”
Now Madison will focus its attention on the playoffs. The second-seeded Knights host No. 31 Lehman in the first round Friday. They’re looking forward to the challenge, but might not get a competitive game until the quarterfinals at the very earliest.
“The girls are looking forward to the playoffs,” Meltzer said. “Everyone expects us to get to the championship. We just have to approach it as trying to get better. … I think we’re ready. The girls are excited to start the playoff season. I know they want to prove they belong.”
If Madison does indeed make the PSAL Class A final on June 6, it could be in for a problem. The school’s prom is the night before. A similar issue arose last year when Francis Lewis ace Tina DeLuca missed her team’s quarterfinal game for pre-prom preparation and then the event.
Meltzer said the majority of his seniors have said they won’t go to the prom. But he also doesn’t want to jump the gun.
“If we get that far, then we’ll talk about responsibilities and choices,” he said.
Until then, they will worry about playoff preparation. Games like this one against Poly Prep can go a long way. Meltzer, the first-year coach, has not been shy about playing the city’s best teams – St. Joseph by the Sea, Archbishop Molloy, Moore Catholic, etc. – in non-league games.
“That’s what you really want to do when you have a team that can play,” he said.
Madison sure can.