Carle Place's Marissa Nosovitch propels Frogs to within one win of county championship repeat

When Alyssa Allen became the coach of the Carle Place softball team this offseason, she knew expectations would be high. The Frogs were coming off their first Nassau and Long Island Class B championship seasons in more than a decade and were returning much of the players from that team.

Now, the Frogs are one win away from repeating as county champions.

Marissa Nosovitch struck out nine and allowed four hits in a complete game and went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a run to lead top-seeded Carle Place to an 11-0 victory over No. 3 East Rockaway in Game 1 of the best-of-three Nassau Class B championship series on Saturday at Farmingdale State.

Carle Place will look to successfully defend its title when it returns to Farmingdale State on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. to face East Rockaway (14-5) in Game 2.

“I felt as though I had a good understanding of them going into the season,” said Allen, a Carle Place alumnus. “There were a lot of expectations, so you have to feel the ground a little bit, but these seniors have been playing together since they were in kindergarten.”

Nosovitch has been in the circle for the Frogs the last four years and has transformed into a star. The Kutztown commit, who was a Newsday All-Long Island second-team selection last season, struck out 18 and threw a one-hit shutout against Carey on April 30 this season. While she didn’t put up double-digit strikeout numbers on Saturday, Nosovitch was still dominant.

“She knows she can lean on her defense,” Allen said. “She didn’t have a crazy number of strikeouts, but she can rely on her defense and it’s very evident because they really showed up for her today. You can see the ease she feels with knowing her team is right behind her.”

Carle Place (17-5) expanded its 4-0 lead in the fifth when Nosovitch singled home Olivia Abbatiello and Alexa Mifsud. Nosovitch later scored on an error to cap a three-run inning.

The Frogs went back on the attack in the sixth as Kate Stellato singled home Olivia DeMicco and Giulia Scibilia hit a two-out, bases clearing double to drive in Holly Loredo, Mifsud and Isabella DeGroot.

“Once somebody starts it up, we know we can rely on each other to keep bringing the runs in,” Nosovitch said. “We know that we can trust each other.”

All along, the Frogs expected to be in a position to win another county title. They will have the chance to get it done on Sunday.

Said Nosovitch: “We’re feeling pretty confident, but we know nothing is guaranteed.”