Autumn Malone's one-hitter, home run lead Mineola to Nassau Class A softball crown
Autumn Malone of Mineola rounds third to come into home after her two-run home run during Game 3 of the Nassau Class A softball championship series against Seaford on Monday at Farmingdale State College. Credit: Dawn McCormick
After enduring a 13-game losing streak midseason, it was hard to envision Mineola in a position to win a county title.
Autumn Malone’s walk-off hit in Game 2 kept Mineola’s season alive and the sophomore delivered an impressive performance in the series’ final game to earn the Mustangs a championship.
Malone tossed a one-hit shutout and hit a two-run homer to lead Mineola to a 5-0 win over Seaford in Game 3 of the Nassau Class A softball finals on Monday at Farmingdale State. Mustangs earned their first county title since 1998.
“We all wanted this game and came in with motivation to try and end the drought,” Malone said. “I knew the job I needed to do in the circle and my defense would pick me up.”
Mineola (8-17) drew three walks to load the bases with two outs in the top of the second. Keira Santaniello delivered her first hit of the series, a single to drive in two runs and put Mineola ahead 2-0.
“I had a big situation last game and I didn’t get the job done,” Santaniello said. “I wanted to get the hit because this would’ve been my last game if we didn’t win. I had no idea where the ball even went after I made contact. I just ran.”
Cassidy Fitzgerald made several strong plays at shortstop, including a liner she retreated to catch before firing to first for a double play to end the fourth.
“My defense is important to me and more so because I wasn’t hitting well this series,” Fitzgerald said. “I had to contribute some way to help us win.”
Sage Rowan singled to lead off the sixth and two batters later, Malone homered to give Mineola a 4-0 lead.
Malone allowed her first hit with two outs in the sixth, but a runner was caught in a rundown and thrown out after coming too far down the third-base line.
“I was thinking about the next play once that hit dropped,” Malone said. “We overthrew the cutoff and the ball came to me. I turned and saw the girl far off third and we just had to execute the rundown.”
Fitzgerald had a bunt single with one out in the seventh, stole second and third and scored on Rowan’s sacrifice fly to give Mineola a 5-0 lead.
Mineola will take on Miller Place in the Long Island Class A championship/Regional semifinal at 4 p.m. on Thursday at Farmingdale State. Seaford finished its season 15-9.
“We never freaked out. When things got rocky, we didn’t change everything, the message was keep grinding and getting better,” Mineola coach Monique Wink said. “We haven’t changed that message. We just expected the girls to compete and grow.”
Christopher Matias covers high school sports for Newsday after spending time in Athletic Facilities and Operation at St. John’s and in Sports Information at CUNY York college.
