Vikes’ softball team zipped by Gadziala after victory over Edison

By: Carolyn M. Hartko
   The South Brunswick High School varsity softball team faced an un-Bear-able pitcher in Tuesday morning’s 10-0 loss to East Brunswick at home.
   EB senior hurler Dara Gadziala struck out seven, gave no free rides and scattered three hits in the five inning game as the Bears ran their record to 6-1. The Lady Vikings dropped to 3-3 after the Greater Middlesex Conference Red Division re-match.
   "We didn’t hit her last time either," Viking head coach Danielle Matlack said. "We only had one hit last time. Nobody’s been hitting her. She struck out 10 kids (Monday) against Edison, a quality team. So, no one’s really hitting this kid right now."
   The Lady Bears took an early lead, going up 4-0 in the first inning. Altogether, EB posted 15 hits, including three triples and a double. Gadziala helped her own cause, going 3-for-3 with two RBI. The Vikings ended up helping the Bears as well, giving up a few extra bases in the field.
   "They’d get a legitimate base hit," Matlack said. "But the outfield was wet, and instead of us looking at the ball, we’d take our eyes off it, and have an error for the extra base. They got the hit, and then got the extra base on the error."
   South’s best chance to get on the scoreboard came in the bottom of the fifth. First up was senior Nicole Monfasani, and her grounder found a hole between second and third for a single. She stole second on a passed ball, then got to third base courtesy of a sacrifice bunt from Lyndsay Jaskowski. But the next batter up got thrown out at first, and the final Viking batter struck out, letting everyone go home early.
   The loss snapped a three-game winning streak. Just before the Bears, the Vikings had downed Edison 3-2 on the road in another Red Division contest. But that outcome was not, repeat, not an upset as reported in some publications.
   "It’s only an upset as far as the preseason rankings in the GMC," Matlack said. "No one thinks that we will contend. We’ve beaten Edison the last two years in a row, at their home. So, I don’t know about an upset, but it’s always a good game with Edison."
   Senior catcher Kim Ryan was 2-for-4 against Edison, including a two-run single. Senior first baseman Larissa Rogan scored the winning run in that game.
   "We’ve been doing a really good job," Matlack said. "We beat Woodbridge, and that was another huge game for us. But now, I want to see how we rebound from (Tuesday’s loss)."