Fieldston wins NYSAIS softball semifinal

Temma Levis is not really into numbers unless you’re talking about win totals. Those are fairly easy to keep track of for the Fieldston pitching star.

So when Levis was asked if her 11-strikeout pitching performance versus Holy Child in the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) semifinals this past Monday was a personal best or even a season high, Levis didn’t have an answer.

“Honestly I really don’t keep track of that stuff,” Levis said. “But I did feel really great out there and I thought it was one of the better games I’ve pitched this year.”

It was also good enough to send Fieldston into the NYSAIS championship game against top-ranked Poly Prep after the Tigers knocked off Holy Child with a 1-0 victory at the Hackley School in Tarrytown.

Levis was also involved in the only run scored in the game as she stroked a one-out triple to deep centerfield in the sixth inning and scored on an RBI single by Savannah Stern. But that lone run was enough for Fieldston as Levis worked her mound magic in blanking Holy Child. 

“That’s all we needed,” said Fieldston coach Stefanie Gozdziewski. “We knew it was going to be a low-scoring game because both teams have very good pitching.”

Levis found herself in just one jam all game when Hoy Child put runners on second and third with just one out in what was still a scoreless game. But she promptly struck out the next two batters to end the inning and Holy Child never threatened again the rest of the game.

“I was just trying to send a message there,” Levis said. “I thought it just set the tone and kind of let everyone know that both teams were going to get runners on base but scoring was going to be more challenging.”

The one run scored by Fieldston left very little room for error for Levis in what was the Tigers’ biggest game to date this season. But Levis seems to like working without a net. The more pressure the better.

“I like the pressure,” Levis said. “I always tell my teammates when we’re in the seventh inning and we’re only up by one or two runs, that’s my favorite spot to be in. I love pitching under pressure.”