By: Carolyn M. Hartko
CARTERET – The four-exit trip up the Jersey Turnpike on Thursday afternoon turned into a disappointing journey for the Monroe Township High School softball team. Carteret knocked the Lady Falcons out of this year’s NJSIAA Central Jersey Group II Tournament with a 2-0 victory in the quarter-final round.
Going into the game, Monroe knew that its opponent was the type of team that made the most of its opportunities. Unfortunately, the Falcons handed a big one to the Lady Ramblers in the second inning. Ironically, it turned out to be the only Monroe error in the game.
"That little passed ball we had early on really hurt us," Falcon head coach Jean Elias said. "They scored on that passed ball."
Carteret scratched out another run in the top of the sixth, going up 2-0. Monroe hung with the Ramblers, but couldn’t string the hits together to produce a score.
A little better placement would have helped, too. It wasn’t that the Falcons weren’t making contact: they just kept hitting straight to the Rambler defense. The ones that got through came off the bat of Jenn Rubin (2-for-3), Danielle Payne (1-for-2) and Danielle Cocuzza (1-for-3).
The Falcons closed their season with an overall record of 16-10. The Ramblers (16-5) advanced to the semifinals.
With only two seniors on the 2002 squad, a record of 16-10 is not only respectable in its own right, but a good omen for next year as well.
"It was a very young team," Elias said. "We had a lot of inexperience at certain positions, and I thought they did a great job. Especially defensively, I thought we really came around. We have the two seniors graduating, so hopefully, with most of the kids coming back next year, we should be in good shape."
One of those seniors is starting pitcher Kim Mackiewicz. In her final appearance as a Falcon, she struck out two, walked two, and scattered just three hits. Mackiewicz has been fighting the flare-up of a chronic knee injury the last few weeks of the season.
"Kim Mackiewicz pitched a great game," Elias said. "I really think, somehow, even through that knee injury, she got stronger in a lot of the games at the end of the season. (Carteret) is a good team, and to keep them in check, just give ’em two runs, was a good job overall."
It’s entirely possible that Monroe and Carteret will meet again next year in post-season. And maybe next year, the Falcons will have something to show for the cost of the turnpike tolls.
