Softball
By: Mike Molaro
For those who are concerned about the Hopewell Valley Central High School softball squad’s 4-5 record, Lady Bulldog head coach Jack Kelly has a simple response.
"We’ll be fine," said Kelly after HoVal (2-3 in the Colonial Valley Conference) fell to North Hunterdon, 3-1, at home on April 17 and defeated West Windsor-Plainsboro North, 6-1, on the road the following afternoon.
Monday’s home game against WW-P South was postponed because of rain and will be made up at the end of May.
Senior right hander Casey Hansen allowed just four hits and drove in the only HoVal run against North Hunterdon.
"We had a couple of errors and that cost us," Kelly added. "That’s what’s been going on with us this season. Last year we averaged one error per game. This year, we’re averaging two or three errors a game.
"Our run production is the same. We have to tighten up our defense. Casey pitched another solid game but we didn’t give her the support in the field."
Senior third baseman Jen Travagline had two hits and drove in two runs against the Pirates and junior outfielder Heidi Rarich added an RBI to supply the offense behind sophomore right hander Stephanie Miller, who struck out eight in her four innings of work. Hansen came on and pitched the final three innings.
"North had given Lawrence its first loss of the season the day before, so this was a big win for us,"said Kelly. "We slapped the ball nicely and ran the bases well."
While most area teams dread having to make up rainouts, the Lady Bulldogs have the luxury of being able to throw Hansen and Miller on back-to-back days. That makes those four- and five-game weeks a lot easier to take.
"Casey (Hansen) and Stephanie (Miller) provide us with a big advantage when the games start piling up," Kelly added. "Another advantage for us is that they have two completely different styles.
"Stephanie is a power pitcher. She has a nice change up and a nice drop pitch. Casey is a finesse pitcher who hits her spots and puts the ball in play. It’s difficult to adjust when they pitch in the same game, as they did against North."
As the Lady Bulldogs excitedly wait for their first appearance in the Mercer County Tournament in four years on Saturday, Kelly feels HoVal is putting the pieces together.
"We are always in the games," he added. "We are starting to turn the corner. We have a lot of younger girls in the lineup. We are hitting the ball well. We are working hard in practice."