Pickin' Splinters

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Nicastro and Bello pace Thomas to quarterfinal win

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Rose Nicastro struck out seven in a complete-game effort as Webster Thomas defeated Our Lady of Mercy, 9-3 in Section V Class A1 action, Tuesday night. (Photo: DENNIS JOYCE)

By PAUL GOTHAM

WEBSTER, N.Y. — Rose Nicastro overcame a rough inning to throw a complete game, and Anna Bello paced an 11-hit attack as No. 2 Webster Thomas defeated No. 10 Our Lady of Mercy, 9-3 in Section V Class A1 action, Tuesday night.

With the win, Thomas advances to Thursday’s semifinal round.

“We’ve been working hard on so many things to bring it to this moment and get us to the semifinals,” said Thomas head coach Emily Castro. “They know they can do this. That’s the best part of all of this.”

Nicastro retired the first seven batters and faced the minimum through three innings before surrendering three consecutive base hits to start the fourth. It appeared the senior right-hander had escaped the situation with two of her nine strike outs on the night, but a hit batter brought in a run, and Mercy’s Kaitlyn Malucci followed with a two-run single to tie the game at three.

VIEW MORE DENNIS JOYCE PHOTOS HERE. 

“Rose is a senior,” Castro stated. “She gets it. She’s ready to play. No matter what happens, she’s going to have her game face on.”

The right-hander set down six of the next seven batters she faced and did not allow a runner past first for the remainder of the contest.

“She does not waver,” Castro added. “She is not afraid. She is not intimidated. She’s ready to go no matter what. Her confidence in herself. She knows she can do it, and she just keeps going.”

Castro pointed to the connection between Nicastro and Bello, pitcher and catcher.

“She trusts Anna. Having a great catcher behind the plate is huge as well. Rose and Anna are a great team. That’s what the best part about it all is.”

Bello highlighted the Thomas response in the home half of the frame. The junior blasted a two-run triple to centerfield as the Titans took a 7-3 lead.

“She crushed that ball,” Castro commented. “I thought it was over the fence.

“She’s the best. You can’t get any better than Anna Bello. You really can’t. And I tell her that all the time.”

Bello finished 2-for-3 with a walk on the night. Her double in the third scored her sister, Emma, from first to give Thomas a 3-0. The hit came after a misunderstanding on the ball-and-strike count in which she originally headed to first thinking a walk had been issued. The left-handed hitter calmly returned to the batter’s box and delivered an opposite-field knock.

Anna Bello finished 2-for-3 with a double, triple, walk and four RBI in the win. (Photo: DENNIS JOYCE)

“She’s mentally tough. She’s an outstanding hitter.

“She knows just because you thought that was ball four, do not go back on your heels. Now dig in and become more determined.”

Molly Sweeney staked Thomas to a 2-0 in the first. The ninth-grader plated two runs with a two-out single.

Mary Marrapese went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored in the win. Ruby Marrapese also had two hits in three at-bats The ninth-grader crossed home twice. Madeleine Throumoulos added insurance in the sixth with a two-out, two-run single.

Emma Bello scored twice. Julia Maciag singled and scored.

Mercy’s Jaidan Odorisi and Kate Abbamonte singled and scored. Izzy Zimmerman also crossed the plate for the Monarchs.

Thomas will face No. 6 Bishop Kearney in the semifinals. The Titans took both regular season meetings with Kearney.

“We feel pretty confident, but we don’t want to be over-confident,” Castro said of the matchup. “This is a new season. You hit the reset button every time. You have to be ready to go. You can’t let anybody take advantage of anything.”

A 4:30 pm first pitch is scheduled at Webster Thomas on Thursday.

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