Lawrence continues its progression

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With a revved-up offense cranking out gaudy production all spring – best exemplified by a conference-leading 13 runs per game average – and currently on an 8-2 joyride, the Lawrence softball team, coming off its first winning season this decade, is tracking toward proving that last year’s nine-win campaign was no fluke, but rather a bona fide breakthrough.

Entering the second half of league competition, longtime Lawrence skipper Tom Frawley – whose club is 7-2 in Conference ABC-VII, 8-5 overall – has duly marked his team’s fine follow-up showing, but signaled he’s not prepared just yet to proclaim a program turnaround.

“I’m happily surprised because we lost some good kids from last year, but we’re still pretty much doing the same thing,” said Frawley, whose Lady Golden Tornadoes, carrying two losses, have already been eliminated from the postseason under stringent standards to qualify in ABC-VII – but, sitting atop the standings along with co-league-leader Roslyn (7-2), are still very much in the conference-title hunt. “We got through the first half in good shape, but we still have to play everyone again,” he added.

Frawley, the veteran, may be wisely reserved – but a look at the numbers up and down the Lawrence lineup shows a deep offensive unit that’s been anything but subdued at the plate. Seniors Tamia Vasser and Erica Pagano lead the Lady Golden Tornadoes batting .667 and .609 respectively, with juniors Ashley Crespo (.538) and Brianna Ramirez (.480) slightly outpacing eighth-grade phenoms Cynthia Saravia (.474) and Andie Adams (.464.)

“Tamia’s batting unbelievably,” Frawley said. “Whatever awards she wins she’ll be well-deserving of. Erica’s so fast, she just has to make contact and she beats everything out. Our two eighth-graders were so far superior to the middle school players, we had to move them to varsity, and they’ve shown they belong here. Everything really comes down to the fact that we’re quick, we make contact, and always try to hit the ball hard.”

The benefits that flow from such a combination of traits were illustrated April 24, when the Lady Golden Tornadoes gave up eight first-inning runs hosting Roosevelt, only to blast their way back and bury the Roughriders 28-16, setting the single-game conference mark for most runs scored by a team this season – a feat Frawley attributes in part to a midseason tactical tweak. “We got humbled by Valley Stream Central,” Frawley said, referring to Lawrence’s 15-2 home loss on April 10. “The next day at practice, we went into a mode where we said, ‘From now on we’re choking up and we’re going to attack the ball, no matter what.’ That seemed to work.”

Vasser, Ramirez, and Saravia share the club lead in homers with two apiece, while senior Brooke Kirchner (.333) has 17 runs – just behind Ramirez and Saravia, who co-lead the team with 20 each.

“These kids are playing pretty good,” Frawley said. “If we can match last year’s record that’ll be fine. And at this point, even though it would be an upset, it’s still possible to win the conference.”