By Chris Vaccaro
MaxPreps.com
The name Belding is synonymous with two things: the principal from the show "Saved by the Bell" and the pitcher, Dan, at Farmingville's Sachem East High.
The latter of the two did his fair share of schooling this week also.
Belding, a senior, who will move on to Fairfield University in the fall, struck out six batters and allowed six hits in a 6-3 win over Longwood in a Suffolk League I game Monday, April 23. He also went 3-for-3 with one run batted in and two runs scored.
"I've been waiting for this day," Belding said. "I know some of the kids from this team, so I was especially pumped for this game. I work my butt off everyday and love the feeling of winning when it turns out like this."
Sachem East (3-4 in league, 4-6 overall) played small ball and won when Kevin O'Shaughnessy hit a run-scoring single in the top of the sixth inning. For Longwood (5-5, 7-6) coach John Davide this was the nail in the coffin to what he felt was his team's poor play and lack of intensity.
"We were not ready to play," Davide said. "No one was into the game and we have to turn [our attitudes] around. We're much better than we're playing right now."
This was an important win for Sachem East, which has lacked the winning luster it had two springs ago during a trip to the New York State semifinals.
"We didn't play a perfect game today, but we played through our mistakes and we needed this one," Sachem East coach Kevin Schnupp said. "It's pretty much all playoff games for us from here on out. This was huge."
O'Shaughnessy was 2-for-4 with one run batted in and one run scored. Brian Comiskey was 2-for-3 for Longwood.
Longwood won the next two games of the series, 12-1 and 8-3, on Tuesday and Thursday.
Softball
Melissa Donnelly stepped into a league of her own Thursday, April 26.
The Long Beach senior pitcher threw a perfect game, striking out 12 batters in the 12-0 win over Massapequa.
After losing the first three games of the year, Long Beach is on a five-game winning streak.
Also on Thursday, Lindenhurst pitcher Maggie Cronin had 10 strikeouts to break the Lady Bulldogs' single season record. She has 104 now. Lindenhurst beat Commack, 4-0.
Boys Lacrosse: Sachem Back on Track
For years, Sachem was a powerhouse on the lacrosse field, but three years ago the district split in two. The original high school kept the name, Sachem North, and the addition of East to the district created a rivalry and different outlook on the athletic program.
Both schools have had a couple of teams that have had success, most notably East, who has had success on the baseball field, as mentioned earlier, and on the wrestling mat with former NYS champ Matt Ferber. But the lacrosse program as suffered.
North, however, is off to fantastic start with an 8-2 record, as the best team in Suffolk's Division I.
The Flaming Arrows beat Lindenhurst, 14-13, on Thursday in a tight game, and have big games against Northport, Ward Melville and Smithtown West this year.
Sachem East is 5-5 this year.
Girls Lacrosse Notes
Meagan Clare scored four goals for William Floyd in a 10-9 win over Middle Country, while St. Anthony's Jessica Russo also scored four goals in an 11-10 win over Holy Trinity, both on Wednesday.Northport and Ward Melville have two of the best lacrosse programs in the country. When the teams meet, it's like explosives are set off on the field. Northport won, 17-10, in more of a football score. Northport had seven different players score in the Suffolk Division I contest that took place Wednesday and improves to 8-1. Ward Melville is 7-1.
