From The Journal News  By Debbie Schechter • dschecht@lohud.com • May 29, 2010

Rockland Scholar-Athlete: North Rockland's Krystn Benson

North Rockland senior Krystn Benson has had a love  of fashion since middle school. In seventh grade, this week's Journal News Rockland Scholar-Athlete of the Week began taking classes at the Arts of Alliance center in Haverstraw, and she has loved it ever since.

"It was done through a girl who graduated from FIT, and she taught me the basics of the drawings and the shapes," Benson said. "I really like to design the clothes and put the different shapes of fabrics together."

The pitcher will be taking her love of fashion to the University at Albany, where she's going to add the business side of the fashion industry to the mix.  She's taken some business electives in school and wants to explore it further.

"I really like the styling and marketing now, so I think I'm going to major in business in college," Benson said. "I want to know what appeals to people and makes people buy things. I think I might go to graduate school if I want to go more into the fashion end of it."

Benson also will continue her storied athletic career at Albany, where she will play Division I softball. "I really like the way the program is run," Benson said. "I've played with some of the girls currently, and we've become like a family. At Albany, their team is like a family, too, and it's nice to know that I was going to something familiar. I really like how they worked together. It felt right."

She also looked at Marist, Seton Hall, Rutgers, the University of Delaware and St. Andrews Presbyterian College in North Carolina.

She's been on the Red Raiders' varsity team since her freshman year. She's played on the Haverstraw teams that made appearances in the Little League Softball World Series. In 2007, she was a member of the team that was a Junior League semifinalist.

Benson has a 1.31 ERA this season and has ramped up her play recently, getting a combined 30 strikeouts in games against White Plains (18) a week ago and Pearl River (12) Monday. She also had a double and an RBI in the game against White Plains.

Benson has a 103 average in school and is a member of the National Honor Society and the World Language Honor Society. She's also a member of the Interact Club and volunteers to give pitching lessons.

As far as her love of fashion, we just might have the next Lauren Conrad on our hands. But Benson has her own idea of style.

"I like things that are stylish," Benson said. "I also like things that are crazy and out there. I also like pieces that have their own personality and don't always go with the flow."

Madison Knipl struck out 10 in four innings as the Blue Jays beat the Stony Point Dodges 11-0.  Maddy also had a homerun, two singles, and two RBI.  Dalissa Rojas and Courtney Hegner had two hits, and Erica Vasti had one.

Runs were driven in by Dalissa, Erica (2), Courtney, Jessica Stagnari, Ashton Moore, Ginia Valvo, and Emily Urena,

Courtney played good defense at first base recording the two outs that were not strike outs. 

Melissa Moran earned the win and Maddy Knipl the save as the Blue Jays held on to beat the Stony Point Angels 4-3.  Melissa gave up three hits and struck out two.  Maddy struck out 6 of the 8 batters she face.

Lexi Huertas had two hits, while Maddy, Dalissa Rojas, Ashton Moore, and Erica Vasti each had one.  Maddy drove in two runs, Dalissa and Courtney had the other two RBI.

Erica Vasti with 15 strikeouts, and Dalissa Rojas with 5 RBI's led the Blue Jays past the Tuxedo Angels 13-6.  Erica (2), Melissa Moran, Madison Knipl, Courtney Hegner, and Ashton Moore also drove in runs.

Madison and Dalissa were both 3 for 3, Melissa, Erica, Irene Gregg, and Genesis Carpio each had two hits, and Courtney Hegner and Emily Urena had a hit apiece.

Haverstraw Little League Family Day will be held May 16th from 11 am til 4 pm.  It is a day of food, fun, family, and friends at the beautiful Bowline Park.

There will be a barbeque, DJ, and kid's activities such as; a poster contest, relay races and Haverstraw Idol for the kids and the "big kids" as well.

The league ask that you bring a desser to share for the dessert table.

The RSVP form is on the handouts page.

The Blue Jays offense erupted and Erica Vasti pitched a one hitter as the Blue Jays beat the Stony Point Angels 17-2.  Lexi Huertas, Madison Knipl, and Dalissa Rojas each had two hits.  Erica Vasti, Courtney Hegner, Irene Gregg, Melissa Moran, Emily Urena, and Genesis Carpo all had one.

Runs were driven in by Madison (3), Dalissa (3), Irene (2), Genesis (2), Emily, and Ashton Moore.

The Blue Jays beat Suffern East 5-2 to bring their record to 3-1-1.  Courtney Hegner drove in two runs and played great defense at first base.  Dalissa Rojas and Madison Knipl also drove in runs, and Lexi Huertas had two hits.   Madison Knipl struck out 14 and only walked one batter.

Madison Knipl tripled in three runs in the top of the sixth to break open a close game as the Blue Jays beat the Stony Point Ments 4 - 1.  Maddy also pitched a three hitter with twelve strikeouts and walked only one.

For the third straight game the Blue Jays played excellent defense including a Gina Valvo to Dalissa Rojas to Lexi Huertas play to keep the Mets from scoring in the first inning.

Erica Vasti pitched a two hitter with 6 strikeouts in her major league pitching debut as the Blue Jays beat the Orioles for their second win.

Courtney Hegner, Madison Knipl, and Dalissa Rojas all doubled.  Courtney also singled as did Jessica Stagnari and Lexi Huertas.

Eleven Blue Jays drove in runs, led by Jessica with four.

Our opening day game was an epic pitcher's duel ending in a 1 - 1 tie after eight innings.  Madison Knipl pitched all eight innings for the Blue Jays giving up one earned run, five hits, and striking out seventeen.  Emily Quattrochi threw a one hitter for the Angels.

Dalissa Rojas had the Blue Jays only hit and scored our only run on an RBI walk by Ashton Moore.

Maddy's stellar pitching performance was backed up by excellent defense.  Emily Urena made a home run saving catch of a line shot in the second inning.  Lexi Huertas threw out three base runners trying to steal.  Erica Vasti made two great plays at third to tag out runners.  Gina Valvo picked a runner off first with a head's up play in right, and Jessica Stagnari, Dalissa Rojas, and Lexi Huertas combined to get a runner out at the plate on a perfect play in the third inning. 

Our next game is Wednesday, against the Orioles at Gurnee Avenue at 7:45 pm

Haverstraw Little League will open the 2010 season on April 10th.  There will be a parade from the Knights of Columbus on Broad Street, to the Haverstraw Little League field on Gurnee Avenue. 

We will be meeting at the Knights of Columbus at 8:45 am.  The parade will kick off at 9:00.   The Blue Jays have the first game at Peck's Pond at 11:00 am, so the girls will need to be picked up at Gurnee after the opening ceremonies and taken to Peck's by 10:30 am.

The teams have been picked, practice has started, and opening day is just around the corner.   Back for their last season as Blue Jays are Amanda, Irene, Courtney, Madison, and Dalissa.  Joining them are newcomers, Genesis, Sofia, Gina, Melissa, Ashton, Emily, Erica, Jessica, and Alexa.   We have a strong team this year and should compete for the championship in our new expanded league.

This year the three Haverstraw teams will play with four teams from Stony Point, two from Suffern, and one from Tuxedo.  It should make for some exciting games.