OK… now that the games are set. Here’s my game by game analysis of the first round

Class AA
No. 1 North Rockland over No. 17 John Jay-EF: It’s hard to bet against the pitching duo of Sami Welsh and Krystn Benson. Amanda Babcock and Heather Hansen are solid hitters. Brittany Pinto of the Patriots had a solid game against Mahopac today. These two teams last saw each a year ago and North Rockland beat John Jay twice.
No. 5 New Rochelle over No. 12 Ketcham: I don’t know enought about Ketcham but to have the season that Huguenots did after what happened a year ago is remarkable. Jame Zakilik has been solid for them in the circle but the key is that this team has experience led by Rachel Galluzo.
No. 4 White Plains over No. 13 Horace Greeley: The Quakers had a really good year and coach Gina Streamy has the team on a hot streak but they face Lauren Sputo who has had a dominant varsity career and has done very well in the playoffs. The Tigers have a lot experience in the Section 1 tournament.
No. 3 Ursuline over No. 14 Clarkstown South: The pitching of Taylor Pirone will be the big factor in the game and this will be a tough test for the Vikings Katie Morelli because the Koalas can hit and they’ve shown it all season.
No. 2 Arlington over No. 15 East Ramapo: Look, if you saw VC Chat last night, you know how happy I am to see ER in the playoffs for the first time in about 10 years. And in my heart of hearts, I would love to see this game be the upset special, but the Admirals have way too much experience led by Emalee Dorfi.
No. 10 Yorktown over No. 7 Fox Lane: The Foxes had a good year. They beat Tappan Zee twice and they’re the No. 6 seed in Class A. But when you are the reigning Class AA champions, it’s hard to bet against them despite losing alot of girls from that championship team. I think you can expect two big games from Erica Wenzel and Tori Matzura.
No. 6 Lincoln over No. 11 Carmel: This game can realistically go either way. The only reason at all that I think the Lancers could take it is Sylvia Dominguez with her hot bat.
No. 8 Clarkstown North and No. 9 Scarsdale-a toss up: In all honesty, I really wouldn’t be at all surprised if Scarsdale wins this one but I think that Clarkstown North could win this game. (My collegue Jane McManus will be at that game) The thing about the Rams is that they play up to their competition. Earlier in the season, they gave Albertus Magnus all that they can handle and were beating them until the bottom of the seventh inning. They were in the game against Pearl River; both games against North Rockland were decided by a four runs combined. They will play well against the Raiders behind Kristen Martini in the circle. Let’s not forget that there is some experience on this team in post-season play. The Raiders though aren’t any slouches either. Kaitlin Silkowitz, and Chelsea LoBue have been solid hitters for the Raiders and Nicole Lee has been a solid pitcher all season. This game really is a draw for me.

Class A
No. 9 Hen Hud over No. 8 Beacon: I don’t know enough about Beacon but Hen Hud has been a gritty team all season long. Fran Kiernan’s emergence as the number one arm has been huge for the Sailors. Shanna Brown’s bat has been smoking recently. This will be a close score.
No. 5 Brewster over No. 12 Ardsley: The Panthers have played well this year but Brewster has a lot of momentum coming into the tournament and that all began at the Morabito tournament. They are the Class A runner up from last year and you can’t count them out behind the arm of Jess Griesinger and the bat of Kristen Silman.
No. 4 Pelham over No. 13 Sleepy Hollow: Sleepy Hollow had a solid year behind the bat of Jamie Bucci but the Pelicans have the strong pitching of Jodie Mann and Kerry Davis. Laura Davis has had a strong bat.
No. 3 Lakeland over No. 14 Rye: Many of the girls on the Garnets were on the team last year that made it to the quarterfinals but Lakeland’s got way to much depth batting wise and if I was a betting person, I’d give the nod to Brittany Lischinsky in the circle any day.
No. 6 Tappan Zee over No. 11 Lourdes: I really think that based on the bat Lisa Bates and the arm of Tayla Gardner, the Dutchies should win this game. Lourdes is a good team and has given many teams in the area fits this year. I then make this amendment, Gardner’s arm needs to be 100% for the Dutchies to have a chance and Kayla Meyer really needs to have a good game to give them another bat besides Bates who has been solid all season long.
No. 7 Eastchester over No. 10 Yonkers: To say that I’m not completely surprised that the Eagles got this seed, shows how much depth their is in Class A. With that being said, the two-headed monster in the circle of Noelle McDonough and Janine Lalli is going to be tough to hit off of for the Bulldogs. But Marianna Monaco is no slouch. She could match them strikeout for strikeout and she has a rubber arm. She pitched 10 innings earlier in the year against Somers. But the bats and the defense will be the key. Who will get the runs and which defense will make the mistake.

Class B
No. 7 Hastings over No. 10 Westlake: The Yellow Jackets have played well all year and have a good young pitcher in Lena Trager. The offense has been solid for them this year. Westlake has been up and down all year so it’s a matter of which Wildcat team will be between the lines.
No. 6 Dover over No. 11 Irvington: I don’t know a lot about Dover but I am really surprised to see Irvington make the tournament but they could make some noise. The Bulldogs did beat Hastings earlier in the season.
No. 8 Pleasantville over No. 9 Pawling: Panthers coach Gina Perino has been at this for a very long time and she will have this team ready to play. The return of Chelsea Brooks to the lineup has been such help to the offense.

Katie Morelli scattered four hits and struck out nine in pitching host Clarkstown South to a 3-2 win over Mamaroneck in a Class AA outbracket softball game yesterday.
Dana Kurtti had an RBI double for the No. 14 Vikings, who advanced to today’s first-round game at No. 3 Ursuline at 4:30 p.m.
Morgan McDonald went 2 for 4, including a triple, for the No. 19 Tigers.

East Ramapo 6, Saunders 0: In a Class AA outbracket game at No. 15 East Ramapo, Khayla Rodriguez went 2 for 2 with two RBI and a triple for the Titans. Teammate Jameisha Parker had a triple and two RBI. Tatiana Quelix, Idamaris Mendez and Amanda Duffy each had a hit for the No. 18 Blue Devils. East Ramapo will play today in the first round at No. 2 Arlington at 4:30.

John Jay-East Fishkill 5, Mahopac 2: In a Class AA outbracket game at Mahopac, Jackie Reiser had an RBI single and two stolen bases for the No. 16 Indians. The Patriots were the No. 17 seed and Brittany Pinto had a double, a triple and an RBI. John Jay-East Fishkill, the No. 17 seed, will play at top-seeded North Rockland in a first-round game today at 4:30 p.m.

I just got word from Brittany Lischinsky that the start time for the Rye/Lakeland has been moved up to 2:00 due to Rye’s prom.

These are the first round games in Class AA
all games are at 4:30 p.m.

No. 17 John Jay-EF at No. 1 North Rockland
No. 9 Scarsdale at No. 8 Clarkstown North
No. 12 Ketcham at No. 5 New Rochelle
No. 13 Horace Greeley at No. 4 White Plains
No. 14 Clarkstown South at No. 3 Ursuline
No. 11 Carmel at No. 6 Lincoln
No. 10 Yorktown at No. 7 Fox Lane
No. 15 East Ramapo at No. 2 Arlington

These are the scores from today’s outbracket games.

Clarkstown South 3, Mamaroneck 2
East Ramapo 6, Saunders 0
John Jay-EF 5, Mahopac 2

Just some food for thought:

With the rain that has been predicted for today and I know it’s coming down a bit here in New Rochelle; if the three out-bracket games are not played… according to Tony Toronto, the three out-bracket games will be played at the site of their respective first round games.

MEMO TO COACHES

If you choose to use the email system for the playoff games; make sure you include the seeds for both teams, records for both teams, and advancement information.

The advancement information is the most important part!

And don’t forget for the stats to include the walks in the notes section.

All of the above should go in the notes section.

Tune into VC chat tonight at 8 p.m. as I discuss the section 1 tournament with host Kevin Devaney and I might throw a nod to the college world series.

The show goes on in in three and a half hours… so get your popcorn and have your softball questions ready.

You can watch the show LIVE by clicking here

I just posted the playoff schedule but what’s coming up in the immediate future:

Thursday’s outbrackt games: Class AA only
No. 17 John Jay-EF at No. 16 Mahopac
No. 18 Saunders at No. 15 East Ramapo (actually, the game will be at the Ramapo Freshman Center)
No. 19 Mamaroneck at No. 14 Clarkstown South

Many of the teams that I thought would be on the outside looking in.

Opening round
Friday at 4:30 p.m.
Class AA
No. 17/No. 16 winner at No. 1 North Rockland
No. 18/No. 15 winner at No. 2 Arlington
No. 19/No. 14 winner at Ursuline
No. 13 Horace Greeley at No. 4 White Plains
No. 12 Ketcham at No. 5 New Rochelle
No. 11 Carmel at No. 6 Lincoln
No. 10 Yorktown at No. 7 Fox Lane
No. 9 Scarsdale at No. 8 Clarkstown North
Class A
No. 1 Harrison and No. 2 Pearl River, Bye
No. 14 Rye at No. 3 Lakeland
No. 13 Sleepy Hollow at No. 4 Pelham
No. 12 Ardsley at No. 5 Brewster
No. 11 Lourdes at No. 6 Tappan Zee
No. 10 Yonkers at No. 7 Eastchester
No. 9 Hen Hud at No. 8 Beacon
Class B
No. 1 Putnam Valley, No. 2 Dobbs Ferry, No. 3 Rye Neck, No. 4 Albertus Magnus, No. 5 Kennedy; Bye
No. 11 Irvington at No. 6 Dover
No. 10 Westlake at No. 7 Hastings
No. 9 Pawling at No. 8 Pleasantville

Class C begins play on June 2 with the semifinals.

I will have more analysis later on tonight on VC chat and will analyze more on the blogs later tonight for those of you who miss the show.

Softball playoff schedule
All times 4:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted
Outbracket round, Thursday
Class AA
No. 17 John Jay-EF (7-10) at No. 16 Mahopac (8-11)
No. 18 Saunders (8-12) vs. No. 15 East Ramapo (8-10) at Ramapo Freshman Center
No. 19 Mamaroneck (8-12) at No. 14 Clarkstown South (9-10)
Friday
Class AA
Opening round
John Jay-EF-Mahopac winner at No. 1 North Rockland (18-1)
Saunders-East Ramapo winner at No. 2 Arlington (17-2)
Mamaroneck-Clarkstown South winner at No. 3 Ursuline (15-5)
No. 13 Horace Greeley (11-9) at No. 4 White Plains (12-6)
No. 12 Ketcham (11-8) at No. 5 New Rochelle (15-5)
No. 11 Carmel (10-7) at No. 6 Lincoln (13-7)
No. 10 Yorktown (12-8) at No. 7 Fox Lane (11-6)
No. 9 Scarsdale (12-8) at No. 8 Clarkstown North (12-7)
Class A
Opening round
No. 14 Rye (7-9) at No. 3 Lakeland (17-2)
No. 13 Sleepy Hollow (9-11) at No. 4 Pelham (17-3)
No. 12 Ardsley (10-10) at No. 5 Brewster (15-5)
No. 11 Lourdes (11-8) at No. 6 Tappan Zee (14-6)
No. 10 Yonkers (11-8) at No. 7 Eastchester (15-5)
No. 9 Hen Hud (12-7) at No. 8 Beacon (14-6)
Class B
Opening round
No. 11 Irvington (6-10) at No. 6 Dover (9-8)
No. 10 Westlake (8-11) at No. 7 Hastings (9-11)
No. 9 Pawling (8-10) at No. 8 Pleasantville (10-10)
Tuesday, June 2
Class AA
Quarterfinals
Scarsdale-Clarkstown North winner vs. North Rockland-Mahopac-JJEF winner
Ketcham-New Rochelle winner vs. Horace Greeley-White Plains winner
Carmel-Lincoln winner vs. Mamaroneck-Clarkstown South-Ursuline winner
Yorktown-Fox Lane winner vs. Arlington—East Ramapo-Saunders winner
Class A
Quarterfinals
Hen Hud-Beacon winner at No. 1 Harrison (18-2)
Eastchester-Yonkers winner at No. 2 Pearl River (19-1)
Brewster-Ardsley winner vs. Sleepy Hollow-Pelham winner
Tappan Zee-Lourdes winner vs. Rye-Lakeland winner
Class B
Quarterfinals
Pleasantville-Pawling winner at No. 1 Putnam Valley (19-1)
Hastings-Westlake winner at No. 2 Dobbs Ferry (18-2)
Dover-Irvington winner at No. 3 Rye Neck (17-3)
No. 5 Kennedy (10-6) at No. 4 Albertus Magnus (13-7)
Class C
Semifinals
No. 3 North Salem (12-4) at No. 2 Valhalla (14-4)
Thursday, June 4
Semifinals, at higher seed
Class AA
Scarsdale-Clarkstown North-North Rockland-Mahopac-JJEF winner vs. Ketcham-New Rochelle-Horace Greeley-White Plains winner
Carmel-Lincoln-Mamaroneck-Clarkstown South-Ursuline vs. Yorktown-Fox Lane-Arlington—East Ramapo-Saunders winner
Class A
Hen Hud-Beacon-Harrison winner vs. Brewster-Ardsley-Sleepy Hollow-Pelham winner
Tappan Zee-Lourdes-Rye-Lakeland vs. Eastchester-Yonkers-Pearl River winner
Class B
Pleasantville-Pawling-Putnam Valley winner vs. Kennedy-Albertus Magnus winner
Hastings-Westlake-Dobbs Ferry winner vs. Dover-Irvington winner-Rye Neck winner
Class C
Championship game, at Nanuet
Saturday, June 6
Class AA
Championship game, at Heroes Field, Lake Nanuet, 5:30 p.m.
Class A
Championship game, at Heroes Field, Lake Nanuet, 8 p.m.
Class B
Championship game, at Heroes Field, Lake Nanuet, 3 p.m.