Section 1 softball coordinator Tony Toronto let me know at the all-section dinner Tuesday that the regional finals are scheduled for 3 p.m. at North Rockland High School. No fans will be allowed on the North Rockland campus until 2:30 p.m.

Class AA — Yorktown will play Horseheads (Section 4) on the same field the Cornhuskers played Arlington and FDR-Hyde Park.

Class A — Pearl River will face Maine-Endwell (Section 4) on the same field the Pirates played Brewster and Goshen.

Debbie will be covering Pearl River and I will be at the Yorktown game. I cleared it first with Mr. Porcelli (Larissa’s father) and he said it was okay for me to cover the game.

The All-Section softball dinner will be held Tuesday, at Rudy’s Beau Rivage in Dobbs Ferry.

I was thinking of this recently so I had to ask Tony Toronto Saturday.

For as long as I have been covering softball, the state rotation has been Sections 1, 9 and 4. Nothing has changed.

In 2006, in field hockey, the rotation changed from Sections 1, 9 and 2 to Sections 1, 9 and 4. Now, when the rotation was 1-9-2, what evetually happened is that you would have a Section 1 team playing a Section 4 team in a class final. Now, when I asked Section 1 field hockey coordinator and Pelham coach Sue Hughes why the rotation changed, she explained to me that its changes every few years.

Now with Section 4 on the same half of the bracket with Section 1, the Long Island sections got bumped to the other side of the draw. The Section 8 or Section 11 champion deals with western NY.

So if the rotation changes in field hockey, why does it not change in softball? Coach Toronto said that is a question he and the Section 9 coordinator have been discussing.

I’d be willing to ask the state coordinator, but I’m sure I would not get a straight answer.

Yorktown continued its post-season roll with the win over the Section 9 champions, who were 24-2 before the game. The seven runs allowed by the Presidents were the most by any opponent. Does it surprise anyone? No, when you consider that everyone in the Yorktown lineup hits.

This game belonged to senior windmiller Dana Bisaccia who, once again, had the opponent scratching their heads, attempting to figure out what pitch Bisaccia and catcher Tori Matzura were throwing and where they were throwing it.

Bisaccia handcuffed the Presidents through the first five innings, allowing just two hits, with her vast assortment of pitches. She finished with a six-hitter and whiffed six. FDR-Hyde Park was off balance from the opening batter, prompting FDR coach Pat Moshier to say after the game to me that Bisaccia was “the slowest pitcher we faced all year and we never made the adjustment.”

Referring to Bisaccia’s velocity as slow is an injustice. She just did the job against FDR-Hyde Park. I was expecting him to say that Bisaccia did a good job keeping his hitters off balance and mixed it up, because that is what a coach will usually say.

Allia Afifi continued her hot hitting with two hits, including a two-out two-run single in the sixth inning, providing Yorktown with some insurance. Danielle Montesano followed Afifi with a triple to the fence in right center. Montesano had two hits and two RBI. Cassie Reilly-Boccia singled in a run and doubled and No. 9 hitter Kelly Dumser had two hits in her first two trips.

Yorktown grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first as Larissa Porcelli jogged home on Matzura’s two-out flare to right field. The Cornhuskers increased their lead to 3-0 in the third on a Reilly-Boccia RBI single to left field and Montesano drew a bases-loaded walk. Kasey O’Connor’s sacrifice fly in the fourth hiked the lead to 4-0.

FDR did score twice in the sixth and had runners on first and second with two outs, but Bisaccia stopped it right there. Then, Yorktown tacked on three runs in its half of the sixth, thanks to Afifi and Montesano.

Yorktown will now face Section 4 champ Horseheads, which should be another excellent game. Section 4 teams are always good.

There’s not a lot more you can say of the pitching performance this post-season by Katie Scrima. In five innings of work, she allowed three-hits, a walk, and struck out 14 as Pearl River wins the Class A regional semifinal defeating Goshen 4-0.

In relief, Kaitlin Dinet came into the game in the sixth inning and just threw gas. She allowed only two-hits and struck out five.

The big thing for the Pirates offense was that they were able to get key hits and get the insurance runs they needed.

Noreen McMahon had a bunt single in the fourth inning.

They will face Maine-Endwell out of Section 4 on Wednesday at 3 p.m. back at North Rockland.

In other Rockland News: Albertus Magnus lost 3-2 to Pine Plains in the Class B regional semifinals. Pine Plains, who in the Section 9 Class B championship, put up a 12 spot on Burke Catholic).

My collegue Dan Marra was at the game and he said the winning run came across with 2 outs and Jackie Kelly nearly gunned her out from center but the run got under the tag. The Falcons got only three-hits the entire game with Alyssa Valente hitting a double and scored a run. Maura Power allowed six-hits, five walks, three runs, and struck out six. In the fourth inning, Pine Plains loaded the bases and had no one out and the Falcons only allowed one run to score.

Class C: Haldane vs. Rhinebeck

UPDATE: The game has now gone final. Rhineback holds on to win 3-0 over Haldane. Matt said that Megan Michie allowed only two hits for the entire game and struck out 15. The no-hitter was broken up by Chelsea Lisakatos in the top of the sixth with a lead-off single to left. Then in the seventh Irina Impelittiere had a bunt single.

UPDATE: After five innings, Haldane trails, 3-0. Colleague Matt Ng said the Rhinebeck windmiller has 13 Ks. Ouch.

Class B: Albertus Magnus vs. Pine Plains

UPDATE: The Game is now gone final. Pine Plains wins in the Class B regional semifinals 3-2 over Albertus Magnus.

UPDATE: Through six and a half, Pine Plains is up 3-2 on Albertus Magnus. Pine Plains scored in the top of the seventh.

UPDATE: Through five innings, Albertus Magnus and Pine Plains are even at 2-2. The Falcons tied the score in the bottom of the fifth as Melissa Place singled and stole second. On the stolen base, the throw sailed into center field and Place quickly got up and raced home

UPDATE: After 3 1/2 innings, Pine Plains leads Albertus Magnus, 2-1. My colleague Dan Marra said the Bombers had the bases loaded with no outs in the top of the fourth, but only scored once.

UPDATE: Through two innings, Albertus Magnus and Pine Plains are even at 1-1. Maura Power is tossing for the Falcons. Pine Plains owns a 2-0 victory over Section 9 Class AA champ FDR-Hyde Park this season.

Class AA: Yorktown-FDR Hyde Park

UPDATE 6: Yorktown wins 7-2. Dana Bisaccia allowed six hits and struck out six.
Cassie Reilly-Boccia had two hits and an RBI. Allia Afifi had a two-run single. Danielle Montesano had an RBI triple and bases-loaded walk.
Yorktown will play Section 4 champion Horseheads Wednesday at North Rockland 3 p.m.

UPDATE 5: It’s 7-2 Yorktown through six. In the bottom of the sixth, a two-out, two-run single Allia Affifi
Danielle Montesano followed with a run-scoring triple.

UPDATE 4: It’s 4-2 Yorktown going into the bottom of the sixth. Yorktown had the bases loaded with no one out in the bottom of the fifth and failed. FDR-Hyde Park came back in the top of the sixth, and scored on a sacrifice fly and an error.

UPDATE 3: A sacrifice fly by Kasey O’Connor has given Yorktown a 4-0 lead after four innings.

UPDATE 2: Yorktown now leads 3-0 through three innings. The ‘Huskers scored twice in the third on a Cassie Reilly-Boccia RBI single and Danielle Montesano bases-loaded walk.

UPDATE 1: Through two innings, Yorktown leads 1-0 on a Tori Matzura two-out single in the first inning.

CLASS A: Pearl River-Goshen

UPDATE 2: Pearl River wins 4-0 over Goshen. Pearl River’s final run came when Katie Scrima scored on a sacrifice fly by Krystina Poloni. The Pirates will play Maine-Endwell, the Section 4 champion, on Wednesday at North Rockland at 3 p.m. Katie Scrima allowed three hits in five innings with 14 strikeouts and one walk. Kaitlyn Ginet pitched the final two innings, allowing two hits and striking out five.

UPDATE 1: Pearl River is up 3-0 in the top of the sixth. The Pirates jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the fourth. Maureen McMahon had two RBI. The other run came in the top of the sixth after pinch runner Marianna Feger stole second and came around on an errant throw. Pearl River pitcher Katie Scrima has allowed three hits.

Section 1 softball coordinator Tony Toronto asked to pass this message along concerning the 3 p.m. regional games at North Rockland:

“You might want to give people attending the 3:00 pm Regional Games @ North Rockland a heads-up.
Class AA – Yorktown vs. FDR (Hyde Park) and Class A – Pearl River vs. Goshen. Spectators will not be permitted to enter the North Rockland Campus until 2:30 pm., after school dismisses (2:16) and the parking lots have been emptied. The four teams involved have been notified.”

Had Lakeland retired Pearl River in the bottom of the eighth inning of its Class A sectional semifinal last Thursday and went on to win the game, I am curious, would there still be all of this “First Guessing?”

It’s always easy to “First Guess” a coach following a loss. Where was all of the “First Guessing” when Lakeland was beating Brewster and sweeping Yorktown?

The Class AA and Class A games will be played at 3 p.m. followed by the Class B and Class C games at 5:30 p.m against the Section 9 champions.

Class AA — FDR-Hyde Park vs. Yorktown, 3 p.m. This game will be played on the same field as the Yorktown-Arlington game.

Class A — Goshen vs. Pearl River, 3 p.m. This game will be played on the same field as the Brewster-Pearl River game.

Class B — Pine Plains vs. Albertus Magnus, 5:30 p.m. This game will played on the same field as the Kennedy-Albertus game.

Class C — Rhinebeck vs. Haldane, 5:30 p.m. This game will played on the same field as the Valhalla-Haldane game.

First things first, it was a scorcher today and all of the girls on each team, as well as the coaches and umpires deserve a tremendous amount of credit for perservering through this day. Usually, it rains for sectional softball finals. This is the first time I can remember a hot, muggy day. Next year, I will make sure I ask Section 1 chair Tony Toronto to make a deal with Mother Nature for cooler weather.

Class AA — Yorktown 3, Arlington 2: I picked a John Jay-East Fishkill-John Jay-Cross River final so this tells you that I don’t know anything. (My wife tells me this all of the time.) I was sitting there in the bottom of the fifth with two outs and Yorktown trailing 2-0 thinking, this game is over, especially after Arlington pitcher Cait Schell struck out Cassie Reilly-Boccia with one out and runners on first and second. Once again, I was WRONG.I apologize Yorktown. And I would like to thank the Yorktown players, coaching staff and parents for not having me removed from the premises for covering their past two games, considering my poor prediction.

Tori Matzura works a two-out walk to load the bases and Allia Afifi crushes a 1-0 pitch to the gap in right center, scoring Larissa Porcelli and Kasey O’Connor, who both singled. Once Arlington rightfielder Paige Murray bobbled the ball, pinch runner Laura Pironi came charging around third and scored to take a 3-2 lead.

The 3-2 lead was quickly tested in the top of the sixth after Emmi Dolfi walked and Olivia Reeves collected her third single of the game. Runners on first and second and no outs. Not a good situation for Yorktown. However, O’Connor initiated the play of the game, and possibly the Section 1 play of the decade in regards to sectional finals.

Amy Weinberg sent a dieing flare toward second that O’Connor caught at her cleat tips. She quickly fired to Reilly-Boccia at first to get Reeves, then Reilly-Boccia whipped a throw to shortstop Erica Wenzel, who was covering second, to triple up Dolfi. Inning over. Game pretty much over.

Lost in all of the excitement in the bottom of the fifth and top of the sixth, was pitcher Dana Bisaccia’s performance in the second inning. The Admirals had runners on second and third with nobody out and were on the verge of a big inning. Bisaccia remained cool, which was difficult to do on a scorching 95-degree day. She registered two strikeouts on dropping curveballs and finished the inning on a punch out (called third strike).

Bisaccia finished with a seven-hitter and she struck out five.

Class A — Pearl River 2, Brewster 0: Hands down, these are two of the finest programs in Section 1. This can be traced to the excellent little league softball programs in each respective community. So it is no surprise that Brewster has won the Class A title in 2003 and 2004, behind windmillers Sam Goff, now Brewster’s JV coach, and 2004 Journal News Westchester/Putnam player of the year and St. Thomas Aquinas standout, Jessica Gogatz. Brewster played Tappan Zee in the 2006 Class A final also. Pearl River won the 2004 and 2005 Class B titles.

This game belonged to junior windmiller, Katie Scrima. Scrima allowed five hits and struck out 14, raising her season total to 201. Brewster’s Kristen Sliman was the only Bear to solve Scrima, with three singles. Scrima registered the first 12 outs on Ks. In her lst four starts, encompassing 27 innings, Scrima has surrendered one run and whiffed 56. She won all three of Pearl River’s sectional games.

Pearl River gave Scrima a 1-0 lead after one as Lorraine Schule singled with one out and immediately swiped second. Krystina Poloni delivered a line-drive single to right field which easily scored Schule.

That was all Pearl River could muster against Brewster freshman Jess Greisenger through five innings. A Jackie Bruno double in the sixth, scored Marianna Feger with an insurance run. Greisenger threw well in defeat, allowing seven hits and striking out five.

Pearl River coach Mike Carlacci pointed out to me after the game that this was his victory over Brewster in three sectional finals. Brewster defeated Pearl River in 1997 and 2003.

I will leave the Class B final to Debbie because she covered it. Colleague Matt Ng braved the heat to handle the Class C title game: Haldane 5, Valhalla 1

Chelsea Lisikatos fired a five-hitter, Holly Whiston drove in two runs and Cassie Barcavage doubled twice.