The pressure rested solely on the shoulders of Poly Prep’s starting pitcher Ciara Schirripa.
Attempting to go the distance, the sophomore was in a tough spot against a team she had already struggled against this season. Horace Mann had the bases loaded with one out and trailed defending NYSAISAA champion Poly Prep by two runs in the top of the seventh.
“If you asked me if I had pressure on myself it’s because I put it on myself,” Schirripa said. “The pressure makes me want to throw better. I needed to do this.”
If Schirripa was nervous, it didn’t show. Schirripa fanned opposing pitcher Mia Farinelli and then cleanup hitter Jamie Gropper back-to-back to close out a complete-game one-hitter and a 3-1 victory for the Blue Devils in Ivy Prep League softball Friday in Bay Ridge.
“I was just so happy,” Schirripa said. “That was intense for me and I just kept telling myself to calm down. I struck out the two girls and I thought I was going to cry.”
Schirripa, the daughter of former Sopranos star Steve Schirripa, struck out seven Horace Mann batters while only allowing one unearned run in the outing. Schirripa has continued to battle back after a strained back sidelined her for nearly all of her freshman season.
Poly Prep (7-1) was lifted offensively by catcher Jacquie Kennedy who was 1-for-2 with a walk. After Katie Friel reached on an error by Stephanie Chi and Breanna Sarubbi was hit by a pitch for the second time in as many at-bats, Kennedy belted a triple off of Farinelli down the rightfield line to clear the bases and give Poly Prep a 2-1 lead.
“With us, when one person hits everyone starts hitting,” said Kennedy. “That’s what my goal was. I have faith in Ciara. I knew she could handle the pressure. She dug herself into a hole, but she was able to get out.”
Added Poly coach Mildred Piscopo: “We were hoping for a big pitch or big play to get us out of the seventh. Compared to the first time we played them, this is a big improvement.”
Lily Seibert scored an insurance run in the fourth inning for Poly Prep when Lauren Klehammer grounded out to third, giving Poly Prep a two-run cushion.
The only run that Horace Mann (5-3) scratched across came in the top of the second. After Jenny Reiss reached on an error, she eventually came around to score three batters later when Billie Kanfer safety squeezed her in. Horace Mann’s lone hit came on a fifth-inning single by Cara Annunzirta.
Despite its success thus far, it’s been a frustrating season for Horace Mann as usual leadoff hitter and right fielder Sara Land wasn’t in the lineup due to a family obligation, and Horace Mann has played without a full lineup for most of the season.
“I thought we’d tie the game and go up,” Horace Mann coach Ray Barile said. “We had the bases loaded with my number one hitter, who is usually my number three hitter, up at bat and it didn’t bounce our way.”
Farinelli pitched six innings for Horace Mann, giving up two earned runs while striking out five in the loss.
The win was big for Poly Prep as it evened up the season series against Horace Mann. The win was even bigger for Schirripa as she extracted a measure of revenge against a team that previously scorned her.
“The first time we played them was a very bad game for me,” Schirripa said. “So I came here today and I needed to do my best.”