MSG softball remains optimistic even in the face of adversity

You couldn’t tell that the MSG softball team was losing by a sizable score to Bayport-Blue Point in the fifth inning on a windy and cold Tuesday afternoon.

There still was plenty of chirping and encouragement emanating from the visitors’ dugout during a 23-1 loss at Academy Street Elementary School:

“Good eye! Good eye!”

“Bring them home!”

“Push hard! Push hard!”

“I’m so proud of everyone!”

That was not lost on head coach Courtney Kane.

“It just says that we don’t give up, which is awesome to see because games are tough when it’s like this,” she said. “It’s good to see that the girls aren’t giving up. They’re fighting to the last inning, last at bat, last pitch. I’m proud of them for even having bases loaded and putting the ball in play. I don’t think things went our way completely today, but it just goes to show that they do truly love to play and have fun, whether we’re winning or losing.”

That attitude has been contagious with her players In the Suffolk League VI game.

“The coaches just keep our heads up,” said freshman left fielder Sophia Boyle, who drove in the lone run with a two-out single in the fifth inning. “They lead us in a positive way.

“Everyone is just having a good time in the dugout laughing. It’s just fun to bond with my team.”

After returning to varsity action last year, the squad was rebranded as MSG, and featuring players from Mattituck, Southold and Greenport high schools. The team wears Southold uniforms.

As one of five seniors on a young team, first baseman Hailey Alfano knew what she needed to bring to the table for MSG (1-3, 1-3).

“I think just having fun,” she said. “That’s the main importance of being on this softball team. We may not win every game, but the important part is us having fun.”

Kane was encouraged by the performances of several players. Alfano, who made two fine plays at first, was on base twice with a single and a walk.

“She definitely has been holding it down at first base,” Kane said. “I’m excited for her bat to be really fully woken up. She puts the ball in play. She hasn’t had those moments with the balls breaking through yet, but I know it’s coming. She’s going to find it.”

The coach also praised center fielder Eva Wilinski, a seventh grader who walked twice, and came on in relief in the fourth inning.

“I’m really excited about her,” she said.

Bayport-Blue Point (2-2, 2-1) is one of the county’s better’s softball teams. The Phantoms were 2023 Long Island Class A champions and captured the 2024 League VII title.

“We talked about that with the girls. We said that this was going to be a tough game and that I would just love it if they could make contact, do what we have to do in the field,” Kane said. “Obviously, it’s hard on our end if we’re walking [batters] or making errors, but as long as we can do what we can do, control what we can control.”

The visitors endured a difficult start as the Phantoms combined four hits, four walks and two errors for 10 runs in the first inning against right-hander Nevaeh Griffin. They added six runs in the second. The game was called after 4 1/2 innings due to mercy rule.

Center fielder Jayde McGowan paced Bayport-Blue Point with four RBIs, while shortstop Abby Fuller scored four times and added three RBIs. Right-hander Makayla Grauer struck out six in five innings.

MSG opened the season with a 25-13 home win over Amityville on March 25. Boyle was the winning pitcher, striking out eight.

“It was very fun,” Boyle said. “Everyone was all smiley because obviously we won and we just played a great game. I was in a really good mood.”

A result like that can go a long way.

“It gave us a lot [of encouragement],” Alfano said. “We were really happy and excited about going into the 2026 season. It was very fun.”

Added Kane: “That was definitely a huge confidence booster for the girls. It really showed that they can do it. We have some tough teams in our league, so it was really nice that we had a game that the girls played hard. We hit the ball. We did all the things that we had to do, and it was great to walk away with a win.”

Kane also was optimistic about the team’s future.

“I think the future is trending in the right direction,” she said. “I really hope that they all stick with it and keep up the good work.”