Softball squad shuts out Ewing

Softball

By: Mike Molaro
   If the Hopewell Valley Central High School softball squad continues playing like it did in Monday’s 2-0 home triumph against Ewing, coach Tony Mormile will get the consistency he’s been searching for since the start of the season.
   With a 4-4 record (4-3 in the Colonial Valley Conference), the Lady Bulldogs are looking to break their lose-one, win-one pattern.
   Monday’s victory definitely is a step in the right direction.
   "We played real good defense, and that was a key for us," said Mormile after defeating the Blue Devils. "We made the plays we are capable of making. We played within ourselves."
   Junior right hander Stephanie Miller struck out nine and allowed just four hits in firing her complete game win.
   She also helped her own cause with a run-scoring single in the bottom of the second after junior first baseman Jill Castiglione gave HoVal a 1-0 lead in the first with an RBI single.
   Coming off a 4-0 loss at Allentown on April 16, the Lady Bulldogs knew that the Ewing game could set the tone for the rest of the year.
   "That was a big win for us," Mormile added. "We came in about two hours before the game. We talked about how big this was for our season. We worked on some things, mainly our defense.
   "When we needed an out, Stephanie came through with a strikeout, especially late in the game."
   The Blue Devils twice had runners in scoring position but couldn’t cross the plate against Miller.
   In the top of the fifth with runners on second and third and two out, the Ewing base-runner on second interfered with sophomore HoVal shortstop Lindsay Sorg on a groundball and was called out for interference.
   Ewing had a one-out double in the top of the seventh, but Miller shut the door to pick up the shutout.
   Against the Redbirds, Miller surrendered only four hits but HoVal committed three errors, including a throwing miscue that allowed two runs to score in the bottom of the third. Allentown scored all its runs in that inning.
   "We didn’t play well behind Steph," said Mormile. "We didn’t play well defensively in the first two innings, but we got out of the jams. They made us pay in the third inning."
   Both teams settled down after Allentown took the 4-0 lead, but the wind kept any remaining scoring chances to a minimum.
   "There was a stiff wind blowing in," Mormile added. "We knew we had to be real good defensively to have a chance. We didn’t do that."
   After the Ewing victory, the Lady Bulldogs talked about taking that next step towards consistency.
   "We haven’t answered our biggest challenge," Mormile said. "And that’s to be consistent. We can be a good team. We have shown it over seven innings. We need to do it in back-to-back games. We have to start showing it at some time."
   HoVal has the opportunity for consecutive wins when it visits Hamilton and sophomore right-hander Melissa Hodge on Friday. Hodge (5-2) leads the CVC with 91 strikeouts and has yet to strike out less than 10 batters in a game.
   "This is going to be a challenge," Mormile said. "Melissa (Hodge) is probably the best pitcher in our league and Hamilton is probably the best team in our division.
   "We have to put consistent games together. This would be a great time to start."
   NOTES: The Lady Bulldogs will compete in the Mercer County Tournament on Saturday against an opponent and at a site to be determined by the seedings.