An old axiom proclaims that “two heads are better than one.” The Sleepy Hollow High School Girls Varsity Softball team has a similar, but much newer, axiom: Three Buccis are better than one. Just ask coach Tony Milewski, and he’ll tell you how much Jessica, Jamie and Jenny Bucci – a senior, sophomore and eighth grader, respectively - have meant to the Horsemen, who won 13 of the their first 18 games, and were headed for the Sectionals.

“All three girls are excellent athletes,” Milewski said. “It’s very rare that you have three sisters playing together who are two years apart.”

Jamie is a pitcher/center fielder, and the team’s leading hitter, with a .531 average. Jessica, a two-year captain and catcher who is headed for SUNY-Cortland in the fall, is the unquestioned leader of the team, and a .333 hitter. Jenny began what promises to be a five-year varsity career by hitting .250 and playing the corner outfield positions.

“This was my favorite year of varsity because I got to play with them,” said Jessica, whose favorite games this year have been when the sisters were all in alignment – at pitcher, catcher and centerfield, or hitting consecutively in the batting order.

The siblings are always there to help when one is having a bad inning or game.

“Jessica provides me with confidence whenever I’m on the mound,” Jamie said. “She’s always there to pick me up after a bad inning or a bad call or something. Jenny makes it fun. Whenever I’m just about to give up or put my head down, I look at her and she changes my whole attitude.”

Jessica insisted there is no sibling rivalry at all.

“I’d honestly rather have them get a hit in a game than me,” she said.

”We don’t look at it as competition with each other. We’re much more into the team than ourselves,” Jamie added with a laugh. “I guess the only difference between us is that I’m left handed and they’re right handed.”

The sisters bond is strong, on the field and off of it. Jessica leads and sets the emotional tone. Jamie , whom coach Milewski calls “the best player on the team,” dominates in the bat and in the field. Jenny is not only blessed with talent, but an ability to get her sisters to laugh and relax.

Whatever happens the rest of the year, the Bucci sisters say they have savored the experience of playing together. They are only sorry that the season has to end – and that three Buccis will be down to two next season.

“I’m not sure if I’m going to play softball in college yet,” Jessica said. “But I know I’m going to miss playing with my sisters and my whole varsity team so much.”