ESG - Softball
Losing streak needs to end for Western
by MATT KRUEGER Reporter

Williamsville's Dana Carter is back in the Empire State Games for her third year in a row and is looking to help the Western Region win its first medal since 2003. Photo by John Rusac Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

A three-year slide has the Western Region team anxious to reach the summit once again at the Empire State Games.

Western, which leads the all-time gold medal count with nine and the total medal count with 17, hasn't won a medal of any color since 2003. That has second-year coach Joe Catalano blaming himself.

"We're playing the underdog role now," Catalano said. "It's a heavy motivator for me, because I feel like I let the team down a little last year. I feel I cost us a medal with some of the decisions I made."

Western won bronze, silver, gold and silver, respectively, from 2000 to 2003.

Western went 3-3 in the 2006 games in Rochester, losing to New York City, 5-3, in the bronze medal game.

Five of the 14 girls on the roster return from last year's team to give Western some experience. Depew's Kristin Brunetto, Williamsville's Dana Carter, Lancaster's Lauren Krieger, North Tonawanda's Katie Miranto and Buffalo's Anna Nagro are all back.

Brunetto, an assistant coach at St. Bonaventure University, hit .375 last year with three RBIs and six runs to help spur a strong offense. Carter, a junior at the University at Buffalo, hit .364 last year with three runs and four RBIs. Krieger hit .263 last year with one run and three RBIs. Miranto batted .450 with six runs and three RBIs.

But this year's team more resembles the 2005 squad that went 2-4 and lost to Central, 4-3, in the bronze medal game. Six of this year's players made the squad in 2005, including the returning Bonetto twins, Ashley and Brittany, of Orchard Park and Alden's Jordan Rutkowski.

Ashley Bonetto went 0 for 17 in the 2005 games with one run but hit .219 with 12 runs and 12 RBIs for Canisius College this past spring. Brittany Bonetto went 2 for 10 with two runs in the 2005 games and hit .207 with nine runs and eight RBIs for Canisius. Rutkowski struggled in 2005, going 2 for 18 with three runs and one RBI but is expected to be one of Western's top hitters this year.

"I'm very pleased with this team," Catalano said. "It's probably the best team I've ever coached. Everyone is hitting the ball well. We have good defense and good pitching."

Handling the pitching duties this year are newcomers Marylynn Arlotta of North Tonawanda and Samantha Thompson of Cheektowaga. Arlotta, a Mount St. Mary graduate, was named the D'Youville College MVP this past spring, while Thompson, a Maryvale graduate, had a 4-4 record and a 3.82 earned-run average for John Carroll University.

"The pitching has improved so much," Catalano said. "Those two gave up only eight runs in eight games in the tournament. With our defense, they just have to hit their spots and keep the ball in play."

Rounding out this year's roster are: Colleen Greene (Cheektowaga), Tessa Paolini (Lancaster) and Lauren Picciano (Buffalo). Green and Picciano will make their ESG debut, while Paolini returns from a three-year layoff.

Catalano and assistant coach Matt Chimera like to keep everyone involved, so all the girls will get a chance to help the team.

"Everybody plays," Catalano said. "We don't have a set lineup. Everybody played in every game of our last tournament. Jordan Rutkowski may not play in the field, but she'll play as the designated player. I'm not taking her bat out of the lineup."

The team has played in a few warm-up tournaments, including the Aunt Rosie's Tournament, to prepare for the Empire State Games, which Catalano believes can only aid his squad.

"Last year, we had no games or tournaments. This year, we're prepared," he said. "When we made mistakes last year, we did them in the games. This year, we do them in practice."

Western will play its first game at 9 a.m. Thursday against New York City.

e-mail: mkrueger@beenews.com