Brooklyn Boro

LIU Brooklyn softball soars into NCAA Regionals

Blackbirds to Face No. 10 LSU after Nabbing 14th NEC Title

May 18, 2016 By John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle
The LIU-Brooklyn Blackbirds hoist their 2016 Northeast Conference softball championship trophy after edging Robert Morris, 3-2, in the title game in Downtown Brooklyn on Saturday. Photo courtesy of LIU-Brooklyn Athletics
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The freezing water trickled down Roy Kortmann’s back Saturday afternoon in Downtown Brooklyn, moments after the local coaching legend guided his Long Island University Blackbirds to their record 14th Northeast Conference softball championship, and a 10th trip to this weekend’s NCAA Regionals.

“I’m a little too old for that,” Kortmann, on the verge of completing his 21st year at the helm of the dynastic program, ceded following an impromptu ice-water bath from his proud players following their title-clinching 3-2 victory over Robert Morris at LIU Field.

“They played hard all year,” he added. “They played well. I’m just happy for the staff and the kids.”

Senior Whitney West, who delivered a clutch bunt single before scoring during the Blackbirds’ three-run sixth-inning outburst in the tournament final, had a different take on the celebratory post-game bath.

“It’s cold, but it feels awesome,” she exclaimed. “Robert Morris is a great team. They fought hard. We both wanted it, but we were not going to leave this field without winning it.”

And they didn’t.

Now, the top-seeded Blackbirds, who went 14-2 in conference play and have accumulated 30 wins overall this season, will head to Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Friday to take on No. 10 LSU in the opening game of the national regionals.

Sophomore Erynn Sobieski was named NEC Tournament MVP after winning two games and picking up the championship-clinching save in the decisive contest against the Colonials.

Sobieski did not walk a batter and struck out 16 over 21 sparkling innings during LIU’s 3-1 weekend.

West and junior Kylie Mulholland also earned spots on the All-Tournament Team. West hit .385 at the top of the order and scored three times in four games, while Mulholland was stellar at third base, and did not commit an error in 20 chances over the weekend.

LSU, which was ranked 12th nationally heading into the SEC Tournament, advanced to the finals of that event and picked up wins over Texas A&M, Kentucky and Tennessee.

However, the Tigers fell to Auburn, 7-1, in the title game, but enter NCAA Regionals with a 45-15 overall record.

The Blackbirds will be making their first NCAA appearance since the 2012 season, when they played at the Arizona State regional.

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In local varsity softball news, the Blue Pride of Pearl Street’s Brooklyn Friends School (BFS) finished off another great season with a tough 9-7 loss to Bay Ridge Prep last week in the Independent School Athletic League Championship game at Randall’s Island.

The Pride, who made their fifth consecutive trip to the final, fell just short in their bid to grab a second consecutive championship under the guidance of longtime coach and BFS Athletic Director David Gardella, who lost his grandmother a week short of her 99th birthday on the eve of the contest.

“What a day and what a game,” said Gardella, who invoked his grandmother’s memory during his pregame speech to inspire the team, which battled valiantly throughout the back-and-forth affair.

“I love coaching and she was in our thoughts as we took the field and played a wonderful championship game,” he added. “We were all winners. She was with us.”

Also making news out of BFS, the boys’ volleyball team won last week’s Athletic Conference of Independent School title game over neighborhood rival Packer Collegiate, taking three of four sets to potentially earn an invite to the private school state championships later this month.

“It was a fun, intense and competitive game,” noted longtime BFS volleyball guru Felix Alberto. 

“After we won the first two sets, Packer didn’t give up and won the third,” he added. “Then, we recovered and got back into our game, to win 3-1.  It was a very rewarding team effort for our young squad, to continue building on the legacy of the Boys program in the private school leagues.”

In just its fifth year of existence at the diminutive Downtown school, the boys’ volleyball program went 13-3 overall and 5-1 in the ACIS this season.

 

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