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It was more than seven years ago that Hofstra softball coach Bill Edwards was leading the Pride to another NCAA Tournament appearance. Having taken over in 1990, Edwards was in the midst of a run that would produced an NCAA-record 11 straight conference tournament titles.

The present was good and there was no reason to think the future wouldn’t be better. What Edwards didn’t know was the future was in the stands.

Olivia Galati, a native of West Babylon, N.Y., began going to Hofstra softball games with her parents when she was 13. As a promising high school pitcher, she ultimately decided that she wanted to play close to home and joined the team she used to dream of joining on the field.

“It wouldn’t have felt right if I went anywhere else,” Galati said. “I really felt like I belonged there. It was in my backyard. It was my hometown school.”

With one of college softball’s most dominant arms, Galati has led her hometown school to its first ever Super Regional, where the Pride (41-13) will play tonight at No. 19 South Florida (45-11) in the first game of a best-of-three series (7:00, ESPNU). Game 2 will be played tomorrow afternoon, with Game 3 to follow, if necessary. The winner will advance to the Women’s College World Series.

Galati has not lost since March 4 and is two wins away from setting the NCAA single-season Division I record of 33 consecutive victories. This season, the junior is 33-5 with a Division I-leading 0.91 ERA and 17 shutouts, while also leading the team with a .361 batting average.

“I think we have the one thing you have to have in our game and that’s a hot pitcher,” said Edwards. “You have to have a kid in the circle that has ice water in her veins and can throw a pitch at any time and hit the spot that has to be hit. When Olivia is on her game, she’s like Greg Maddux. She can move the ball a quarter of an inch at any time. She is very special.”

Although the Pride have tied a school-record with 20 straight wins, claiming 39 of their past 41 games, the star in the circle wasn’t enough to help the team avoid an 0-9 start to the season. Galati opened the season with four losses, and with three new starting infielders, the Pride struggled defensively.

But, the games were close, and somehow, the team knew success was too.

“We’re such a different team than we were in the beginning of the season,” Galati said. “We just wanted to win so badly. Once we got the first win, we were able to relax and stop pressing and realized we can do this and eventually it would come along.

“It has been a fun ride, but we’re nowhere near done.”

If that is true, Galati will be the reason. And her coach is confident placing history in her right hand, saying it is likely he could pitch his ace in every game.

“When you got the horse, you ride it,” Edwards said. “She is Secretariat. I’m just going to hitch my cart to her engine.”

howard.kussoy@nypost.com

Bill Edwards, Edwards, NCAA Tournament appearance, Hofstra, NCAA, Galati, Galati

Nypost.com

WASHINGTON -- The number of Americans filing requests for jobless benefits fell by 2,000 last week to 370,000, the US Labor Department said Thursday, largely in line with forecasts.

A survey of economists by Dow Jones expected claims to hold steady from the prior week's unrevised figure at 370,000. Claims from two weeks ago were revised higher to 372,000 in the latest report.

The small drop marked the first time in three weeks that claims fell.

The average of new claims over the past four weeks, meanwhile, dropped by 5,500 to 370,000, the lowest level in six weeks.

Continuing claims, which are reported with a one-week lag, decreased by 29,000 to a seasonally adjusted 3.26 million in the week ended May 12. 

About 6.17 million people received some kind of state or federal benefit in the week ended May 5, down 105,004 from the prior week. Total claims are reported with a two-week lag.

US stock futures held on to modest gains after the report.

US Labor Department, Dow Jones, claims, jobless benefits

Nypost.com

Peter Vecsey

HOOP DU JOUR

With the desire to become farcically repetitive, do not expect Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish to walk into TD Garden tomorrow night for Game 7.

No sweat!

The Ancient Men of the Celtics should have little trouble with Doug Collins’ steadily sprouting 76ers as long as the refs are Russian, stem cell surgery on Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Avery Bradley was an overnight success, and a Leprechaun is in the Hood.

Especially in light of this scintillating statistic brought our way by palpitating broadcasters: The Celtics are 17-4 lifetime at home in Game 7s.

the Yankees could thank Alex Rodriguez for their back-to-back wins, or maybe Andy Pettitte and Phil Hughes.

Or they could look to general manager Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi, who called a team-meeting before Tuesday’s game after the Yankees had lost six-of-seven to fall to .500.

Coincidence or not, they have won two straight for the first time in nearly two weeks after last night’s 8-3 win over the Royals in The Bronx.

“It’s not a big deal,” one player said of the meeting — originally reported by the YES Network — that occurred after they had lost six-of-seven to fall to .500. “We’ve had them before. Nobody was yelling. It just helps put things in perspective since people could blow things out of proportion so early in the season.”

Reuters

Andy Pettitte

Still, it was late enough to cause concern.

”Joe gave us a great talk,” Rodriguez said. “He is a great manager. He has a lot of faith in us.”

Last night, one game after saying he was hitting like “crap,” Rodriguez repaid that faith, snapping a 52-at-bat homerless streak by blasting a pair of home runs in the win.

“To hit them two at-bats in a row was big,” Girardi said. “People will stop asking where the power is.”

And for a team that had failed to score with any kind of consistency for over a week, Rodriguez helped spark what amounted to an offensive explosion in support of Pettitte.

Last night, the Yankees didn’t waste time getting to Kansas City starter Will Smith, who was making his major league debut and didn’t survive the fourth inning.

In addition to Rodriguez’s blasts, Curtis Granderson homered to right to give the Yankees the lead with one out in the first. Rodriguez’s two-run shot to left two batters later drove in Mark Teixeira, who was moved up to third in the lineup after back-to-back games batting seventh.

The Yankees 1-4 hitters went 7-for-15 with seven runs scored and five RBIs, but nobody was more productive than Rodriguez, who made it 5-0 in the third with his second homer, a solo shot to center.

“I’m in the middle of the order and I need to get big hits,” he said. “I haven’t felt any pressure. I’ve been doing this a long time.”

BOX SCORE

Pettitte (2-1) gave up a homer to Billy Butler in the fourth. Three singles followed to load the bases and while none were hit hard, pitching coach Larry Rothschild paid a visit. The left-hander responded by striking out Humberto Quintero to end the inning.

Pettitte retired nine straight before walking Alex Gordon to start the eighth — his final batter of the game. He struck out eight and walked one.

“He’s the crafty lefty,” Derek Jeter said with a smile. “That’s what we’ve always expected from him.”

David Phelps pitched the last two innings to secure the win.

Now the Yankees head to the West Coast to see if last night was a one-game aberration or if they are out of their collective slump.

And just like Rodriguez, Jeter is confident the third baseman will come around.

“When Al gets hot, he hits a lot of home runs,” Jeter said. “It’s early in the season. I’m pretty sure at the end of the year, he’ll be where he usually is.”

The test begins tomorrow in Oakland to see if they can keep it up, since they managed to score more than four runs just once in their previous eight games.

“Don’t underestimate this team,” Rodriguez said.

dan.martin@nypost.com

Alex Rodriguez, The Yankees, Andy Pettitte, Joe Girardi, the Yankees, Brian Cashman, Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson

Nypost.com

All horses appear in post position order

FIRST-1m; $46,000; cl($30,000); 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 David the Great(L),122

JLeparoux

4-3-5

RDutrow

10-1

2 Obligingly(L),122

JVelazquz

3-4-6

Pletcher

3-1

3 Iscar(L),122

A Smith

2-4-7

McLaghln

6-1

4 Charlestonian(L),122

D Cohen

1-11-2

Jacobson

5-1

5 Mister Pippit(L),122

JCastellan

6-1-6

C Brown

8-1

6 LayshLyshLysh(L),122

RDomingz

2-5-4

R Dutrow

5-2

7 Summer Share(L),122

RNaprvnk

3-2-4

Bush

15-1

8 Call First(L),122

CVelasquz

1-3-2

Asmssen

8-1

9 Pawleys Porch(L),122

CNakatani

1-8-9

Englehrt

20-1

SECOND-5f; $55,000; mdn spcl wt; 2YO

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 AscendedFevr(M),118

RDomingz

x-x-x

Badgett

10-1

2 Zekes Surprise(M),118

JCastellan

x-x-x

Galluscio

5-2

3 Watch YourBiz(M),118

R Maragh

x-x-x

Schwartz

8-1

4 Bustinatthsms(M),118

JVelazquz

x-x-x

Pletcher

3-5

5 Wicked Disco(M),118

I Ortiz, Jr

x-x-x

Ryerson

12-1

THIRD-6f; $26,000; mdn cl($16,000); 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Carolina Chant(L),124

A Lezcano

8-8-9

Persaud

30-1

2 Go to the Net(L),124

SCamchJr

12-6-3

Sciacca

6-1

3 JadeGloryAgain(L),124

CVelasquz

8-2-2

Rice

9-5

4 Ice Theater(L),118

M Studart

10-8-7

HJerkes

15-1

5 Slambo(M),124

D Cohen

x-x-x

Kimmel

10-1

6 Jazz and Blues(L),118

I Ortiz, Jr

7-x-x

Orseno

4-1

7 Canwewin(L),124

M Luzzi

3-7-2

Parisella

3-1

8 HarryConsoldtr(L),113

A Ayuso

4-5-8

Shvmngl

20-1

9 WarriorFrmAbv(L),117

W Garcia

6-3-2

Ubillo

10-1

FOURTH-7f(T); $70,000; mdn spcl wt; 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Key to Power(L),118

J Alvarado

7-2-5

Mott

12-1

2 Warrant(M),118

JLeparoux

x-x-x

Clement

8-1

3 Spring Warrior(L),118

KDesormx

2-4-x

Hess

3-1

4 SeminoleConty(L),118

E Castro

6-x-x

Weaver

15-1

5 It's Huge(L),124

CVelasquz

6-3-x

Englehrt

15-1

6 Ruthless Alley(L),118

E Prado

3-5-6

Ubillo

5-1

7 SouthpwSlmmr(L),118

RNaprvnk

10-x-x

R Dutrow

6-1

8 Third Martini(L),118

RDomingz

4-4-x

Rice

7-2

9 DukeofRthrfrd(M),124

SHusbnds

10-8-2

Good

20-1

10 Covert Ops(L),118

R Maragh

9-6-4

McGeyII

15-1

11 Street Ballad ,118

JCastellan

x-x-x

JJerkens

10-1

12 RedemptionRod(L),118

NoRider

8-2-5

J Jerkens

5-2

13 Personal Strike(L),118

NoRider

5-x-x

R Dutrow

8-1

FIFTH-6f; $28,000; cl($15,000); 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Tennis Racket(L),114

J Ortiz

6-3-3

Romans

8-1

2 First Verse(L),116

D Cohen

4-9-9

Ronen

20-1

3 Undrgrondrgltr(L),116

RDomingz

8-5-1

Asmssen

6-1

4 Cricky'sgoldnys(L),123

CVelasquz

3-1-5

Rice

10-1

5 Scotchirish(L),121

RNaprvnk

1-4-6

Lerman

7-2

6 Blind Hope(L),123

J Lezcano

3-1-2

Servis

3-1

7 Daddy'sWildcat(L),118

JCastellan

1-4-3

Levine

5-1

8 Ganador(L),116

R Maragh

4-5-3

Galluscio

4-1

SIXTH-7f(T); $33,000; cl($20,000); 3up; (f&m)

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Smarty Bull(L),122

J Lezcano

2-5-2

Servis

8-1

2 Laylaben(L),122

JCastellan

4-10-3

B Brown

20-1

3 Wise Choice(L),115

W Garcia

7-5-2

Sciacca

30-1

4 Sotique(L),122

A Garcia

6-1-8

Ribaudo

7-2

5 Beautiful Affair(L),116

JVelazquz

5-1-1

Stidham

8-1

6 Barbara'sBeaty(L),122

RNaprvnk

4-4-1

JImperio

15-1

7 Riveting(L),122

RDomingz

4-1-7

ADutrw

10-1

8 Bellarella(L),122

R Maragh

3-1-6

B Brown

12-1

9 Scott's Aly Cat(L),122

E Castro

3-1-5

McLaghln

5-1

10 Cass' Lady(L),122

J Alvarado

4-1-2

Reed

4-1

11 Dancin Perfect(L),122

D Cohen

6-5-4

Jacobson

6-1

12 Jolienne(L),115

J Ortiz

1-7-1

Guerrer

20-1

13 Wise Harmony(L),122

JCastellan

2-1-9

Galluscio

3-1

14 To the Point(L),122

C Lopez

2-8-11

Donk

10-1

SEVENTH-6f; $57,000; alw; 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Thunder Harbor(L),116

R Maragh

7-4-2

Stidham

6-1

2 Key Victory(L),121

J Lezcano

5-2-7

Hertler

10-1

3 Little Dale(L),116

JCastellan

6-4-8

Romans

10-1

4 Half Lucky(L),116

CVelasquz

7-1-2

Rice

3-1

5 Synthesizer(L),116

RDomingz

8-1-2

Bond

8-1

6 Megalithic(L),114

J Ortiz

4-4-12

Pringle

10-1

7 All Class(L),121

CNakatani

8-4-6

Englehrt

20-1

8 Hooligan'sDlght(L),121

I Ortiz, Jr

2-3-2

Barbara

7-2

9 Barrel of Love(L),121

RNaprvnk

7-8-3

Hertler

4-1

10 DehereoftheCat(L),116

RDomingz

4-5-1

Trombett

2-1

11 Wishingonastar(L),121

A Lezcano

7-3-4

Barker

7-2

12 RockStarCharli(L),116

A Garcia

2-1-2

Rice

3-1

EIGHTH-7f(T); $74,000; alw opt clm; 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Yield Bogey(L),122

C Lopez

12-9-5

P Kelly

7-2

2 Senor Dehere(L),122

JLeparoux

2-6-2

Motion

8-1

3 FastestMagicin(L),122

E Prado

2-6-1

Tagg

4-1

4 Surfrider(L),122

RDomingz

5-10-3

Kennelly

3-1

5 Rogue Victory ,122

KDesormx

8-5-1

R Dutrow

6-1

6 FreudianDilmm(L),122

I Ortiz, Jr

6-2-1

Doran

12-1

7 Non Stop(L),124

JCastellan

1-4-4

Goldberg

5-1

8 Shintoh(M),122

R Maragh

5-7-2

HJerkes

15-1

9 Star Harbour(L),122

R Maragh

1-3-2

Mott

8-1

10 KeepMeInfrmd(L),122

J Alvarado

1-1-5

Mott

8-1

11 SovereignDeflt(L),122

NoRider

4-1-2

Violette

6-1

12 Isn't He Perfect(L),122

NoRider

2-2-4

R Dutrow

2-1

13 Mysticism(L),122

M Luzzi

1-4-1

Albertran

8-1

14 Gallant Fields(L),122

E Castro

2-3-2

McLaghln

3-1

NINTH-6f(T); $45,000; mdn cl($50,000); 3up; (f&m)

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Chessrate(L),118

D Cohen

3-6-5

Englehrt

10-1

2 No Splits(L),118

RDomingz

2-6-x

Goldberg

3-1

3 MySweetCandy(L),118

JCastellan

3-6-8

Levine

7-2

4 ReservedforTw(L),118

RNaprvnk

9-x-x

JImperio

20-1

5 Shanbongus(L),118

A Garcia

11-6-x

Rice

8-1

6 Leroi'sRoylLss(M),118

E Castro

x-x-x

Pino

12-1

7 Phantasticus(L),118

CVelasquz

4-x-x

Rice

8-1

8 VindicatedGhst(L),123

R Maragh

5-5-3

Albertran

5-2

9 Dynamic Star(L),118

JVelazquz

6-3-x

B Brown

12-1

10 Lins Back(L),123

NoRider

8-x-x

Terrccn

20-1

11 Go Go Hannah Go ,118

SHusbnds

x-x-x

Jones

20-1

12 Glad It's May(M),118

J Alvarado

x-x-x

Reed

6-1

13 Beautiful One(L),123

CVelasquz

3-2-7

Rice

4-1

14 Archaelogist(L),123

D Cohen

2-4-6

Jacobson

9-5

3upPN Horse, 3upPN Horse, 3TrainerOdds1 Carolina Chant, cl, 2YOPN Horse

Nypost.com

Steve Cuozzo

REALTY CHECK

Related Cos.’ game-changing, first office tower at Hudson Yards will start to rise with this autumn’s harvest moon — and with more of the 1.7 million-square-foot tower spoken for than has been announced.

Luxury leather maker Coach has quietly added 150,000 square feet to the previously reported 600,000 feet it’s buying as an office condominium at the rail yard site, sources revealed.

Coach also has an expansion option for an additional 100,000 feet, which would make the 46-story tower half full when it opens in 2015. (The project was previously reported as 51 stories — we don’t know where the five other floors went.)

SHARP LOOK: New image, looking east, shows the base of Related’s first Hudson Yards tower, newhome for Coach Inc., with the extended High Line Park nearly touching it.

Until recently, it would have seemed unthinkable for a glamour brand to consolidate its headquarters west of 10th Avenue. But Coach was a logical name to break the ice — it’s long occupied three nearby addresses on West 33rd and 34th streets, and the yard site soon to be controlled by Related is just a stroll around the block.

Insiders said Related expects to start construction in October following completion of two milestone transactions. The developer led by Stephen M. Ross expects to close on the purchase of a 99-year ground lease with the MTA for $1 billion in September, followed by the sale of office floors to Coach in October.

Although terms of the sale to Coach will become public record, they have not yet been disclosed. Related won’t say how much Hudson Yards’ so-called South Tower for Coach will cost other than to estimate its “total development cost” at over $1 billion.

The Related-Coach contract is now down to “paper details — they’ve signed off on the final design and the budget,” a source said.

Hudson Yards was in the dreaming and planning stages even before we first reported Related’s talks with Coach in November 2010.

Ross himself fueled some uncertainty over the site when he over-enthusiastically said in early 2011 that he expected to have 3 million square feet leased or sold by that year’s end.

It didn’t happen. But the Coach tower, at the corner of 10th Avenue and West 30th Street, is itching to rise.

The peak-roofed structure designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox is notable in other ways than merely marking the start of the 26-acre Hudson Yards, which is to have 21 million square feet of commercial, residential, retail and public space on the site bounded by 10th and 12th avenues and West 30th and 33rd streets.

For one thing, an engineering source said Related is “seriously looking” at building the tower frame of reinforced concrete, not steel — common in construction elsewhere, but rare in New York.

Related is said to be studying “efficiencies” including costs and speed. Concrete allows a tower to go up faster, and Coach needs its new home in 2015, when its leases at other buildings expire.

Neither a spokesperson for Related nor the broker for Coach, CB Richard Ellis’ Mary Ann Tighe, would comment. Neither would CBRE’s Bob Alexander, who with Rob Stillman is Related’s leasing agent for the tower. However, Alexander was willing to discuss the prospects for the space available there beyond Coach.

When we noted that it would bring a batch of newly minted floors to market just around the time when new space would also be available at the World Trade Center, Alexander said: “The economics of it are as competitive as at any existing class-A Midtown office building. It will be priced roughly the same, and will actually be more economic than the top five availabilities in Midtown” due to the Coach tower’s great efficiencies resulting from its design and amenities.

For example, Alexander said, 399 Park Ave. — a 50-year-old building — “is getting $100 a square foot, and we’re not at $100 a foot” if a tenant prefers to lease rather than buy its space.

Ross has previously said Related will offer Hudson Yards’ office towers to users “at cost” and make a profit on the apartment buildings to come later.

Related and its Hudson Yards financial partner, Oxford Properties Group , have also agreed to pay 30 percent of the estimated $90 million cost to construct the final section of the High Line Park.

scuozzo@nypost.com

Hudson Yards, Hudson Yards, Coach, Bob Alexander, square feet, square feet, Stephen M. Ross, CB Richard Ellis’ Mary Ann Tighe, Coach Inc. online

Nypost.com

PITTSBURGH — Jon Niese needs to pay a little more attention to his homework before facing an unfamiliar opponent.

That is the conclusion the Mets have reached in trying to solve the lefty’s recent struggles. Niese (2-2, 4.85 ERA) is scheduled to face the Pirates tomorrow.

“He’s had a couple of poor games against teams he doesn’t know very well,” pitching coach Dan Warthen told The Post before the Mets’ 5-4 loss to the Pirates. “A couple of us talked to him the other day and told him he could do a little bit better with the studying of hitters.”

BOX SCORE

Niese allowed four home runs in his start against the Blue Jays on Friday, and had a brutal start earlier this month facing the Astros. Both opponents are teams the Mets rarely face. The Pirates also fall into that category.

“Teams in our division he’s very familiar with and pitches well,” Warthen said. “We encourage him to be a little more proactive in watching more video and preparing himself that way.”

Niese admitted he hasn’t done a good job getting to know the tendencies of unfamiliar opponents.

“The guys that I don’t know and haven’t faced before, they are able to ambush on that first fastball,” Niese said. “That’s something I really can’t let happen. I just have to do a better job of preparing for the hitters I haven’t faced before.”

Ruben Tejada (quadriceps) could rejoin the Mets this weekend, according to Terry Collins. Tejada was scheduled to continue running drills in Port St. Lucie yesterday and could be a candidate for a minor league rehab game in the next day or two.

Josh Thole (concussion) has been cleared to resume baseball activities … Jason Bay [rib fracture] departed for Port St. Lucie, where he is expected to begin taking batting practice.

*

To make roster space for Vinny Rottino, who started at first base, the Mets optioned pitcher Chris Schwinden to Triple-A Buffalo.

mpuma@nypost.com

Jon Niese, Niese, Mets, the Pirates, Dan Warthen, the Mets, Ruben Tejada, Pirates, Warthen, online

Nypost.com

The prosecutor leading the insider trading trial against former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta is known for being fiery, aggressive and a workaholic.

Reed Brodsky, 42, is also known for winning — he’s been at the helm of three other insider trading trials since he joined the Manhattan US Attorney’s office in 2004, and he’s undefeated.

The Gupta case, which kicks off this morning, could be Brodsky’s most difficult, experts and peers said. Unlike in last year’s trial against Gupta’s alleged co-conspirator, hedge fund hot shot Raj Rajaratnam, Brodsky doesn’t have any high-caliber weapons, like wiretaps, detailing Gupta passing on stock tips.

Rajaratnam was convicted and is serving 11 years in federal prison.

Also, Gupta didn’t receive a financial benefit for his alleged tips, although the government is expected to argue that’s only because he lost $10 million investing with Rajaratnam, the alleged recipient of the tips.

Despite these hurdles, Gupta’s high-powered legal defense team, led by reknowned white-collar defense lawyer Gary Naftalis, cannot be resting easy with Brodsky on the other side.

The Long Island native is known for his pit bull tactics, attacking his cases — and sometimes opposing counsel — with a ferocity and energy normally reserved for the better-paid and more seasoned defense bar.

One example of Brodsky’s tenacity resulted in a rare “Law and Order” moment during the Rajaratnam trial, a move that torpedoed the credibility of a key defense witness, Rick Schutte, a former exec with Rajaratnam’s hedge fund, Galleon Group.

In a maneuver peers said is pure Brodsky, on the Friday before Shutte was to testify, the prosecutor, even against the objections of co-workers, started digging into Schutte’s background, sources told The Post.

Brodsky discovered Schutte had a hedge fund. He subpoenaed the auditor and had FBI agent BJ Kang rush to pick up documents from an auditor’s home on Sunday. Poring through the record, Brodsky discovered Rajaratnam had wired $15 million to Schutte’s fledgling hedge fund weeks before the trial started.

Loaded with this bombshell evidence, Brodsky dropped it during Shutte’s cross-examination. Even Rajaratnam’s high-powered defense team appeared shaken.

Michael Bachner, who went up against him in the Hafiz Naseem insider-trading case, described Brodsky as a formidable opponent. He recalled often e-mailing the prosecutor at 2 a.m. during the 2007 trial and always getting a speedy response.

Friends and colleagues said the star prosecutor is reluctant to leave the US Attorney’s office because he loves his work, but they also predict that the Gupta trial will be his last in a lower-paying government job. In private practice, a lawyer with his skills could make more than eight times what he does as a prosecutor, they said.

Brodsky is seeking a conviction along with Richard Tarlowe, who prosecuted the insider-trading ring led by convicted Galleon trader Zvi Goffer.

Gupta, who has pleaded not guilty on five counts of security fraud and one count of conspiracy, faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.

kwhitehouse@nypost.com

Raj Rajaratnam, Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta, insider trading, Rick Schutte, hedge fund, Rajaratnam, Brodsky

Nypost.com

For years, Demetrios Haronitis during warm-ups has tried to bring goalie Alec Meiselman to grips with the fact that opponents are going to score on him.

“Alec it’s inevitable,” the Tottenville coach said he tells the senior.

To which Meiselman replies, “No they’re not.”

For the biggest 52 seconds of his career he was right. He shined with the Pirates up a goal and down two players after penalties. Meiselman stopped New Dorp star Sean Brackett not once but twice in the final minute. After the second save, he immediately stuffed Shannon Richardson along the side of the net off the rebound.

Denis Gostev

Tottenville celebrates its victory over New Dorp.

Photos: Tottenville-New Dorp

Denis Gostev

Tottenville coach Demetrios Haronitis gets a Gatorade shower.

Photos: Tottenville-New Dorp

“I see Shannon pick up that ball and all I’m thinking is, I got to get there,” Meiselman said. “I stick my stick up and I get that ball and I’m pumped.”

He not only saved a goal, but also top-seeded Tottenville’s 5-4 victory over No. 2 New Dorp in the PSAL Class A boys lacrosse final Sunday at Aviator Sports Complex. The win is the Pirates' fourth over their rival this season and earns them their first crown since 2004, erasing the memory of last year’s defeat to Midwood in the title game.

Meiselman, who was named the game’s MVP, made 11 saves to outduel New Dorp’s highly touted goalie Chris Fiore. He ended up under a dog pile of his Tottenville teammates after the final horn sounded.

“Fiore is outrageous, we all know that,” Haronitis said. "[Meiselman] is right there with him I think.”

The game didn’t start well for the Pirates, falling behind 2-0 after the first quarter. They tied the score at 4 with 5:21 left in the third when Hobart-bound attack Kenny Coughlin, who also scored a goal, hit Cody Rivera, who added an assist, for a score.

Tyler Royal gave Tottenville a lead it would never relinquish with a goal 2:00 into the fourth quarter. Royal also assisted on Coughlin’s second-quarter goal and Justin Clayton added a score. Enes Sinan scored twice and Peter Tacopino and Adrian Cobaj each had goals for New Dorp.

“This is now the third game we’ve lost to them by one goal,” said New Dorp coach Brian Murphy. “But I’m very, very proud of my kids and the effort they put forth. We battled to the final bell and I couldn’t be more proud.”

He almost had a bigger reason to be so when Sinan made a run to the cage with less than a minute to play and was met in the upper body, including the helmet with two Tottenville sticks resulting into two flags and two one-minutes penalties. The Pirates didn’t panic. They only said we have been in situations like this before and been in worse.

“It’s just the story of our season,” Coughlin said. “We always do something dumb. But we always end up on the better side of the game.”

He and his teammates have Meiselman to thank for that. The keeper helped put a perfect cap to a day that also saw the school’s girls team take home its second straight city title.

“We thought if they could win two years in a row,” Meiselman said, "we could come out with at least one of them. Them cheering for us, us cheering for them just brings everything together.”

jstaszewski@nypost.com

Tottenville, New Dorp, Alec Meiselman, Demetrios Haronitis, Meiselman, Meiselman, the Pirates, Shannon Richardson, coach, Kenny Coughlin

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