Hillsborough wins SCT softball crown

Yard, Murphy star in first title triumph since 1975

By: Rudy Brandl
   
   BRIDGEWATER — Head coach Cheryl Iaione and her Hillsborough High players always believed they had the best softball team in the county this spring, but they knew that nothing short of a Somerset County title would prove that fact. After Saturday night’s 3-0 victory over Watchung Hills in the county finals at North Branch Park, the Raiders have all the proof they need to proudly stake that claim.
   Hillsborough (16-4) completed a three-game season sweep of Watchung, avenged last year’s SCT final loss to the same rival and won the school’s first county softball title since 1975. The Raiders have appeared in the finals twice since that win nearly three decades ago, including last year when many of this year’s players may not have been ready to win on this large stage.
   Now a year older, more seasoned and more mature, the Raiders were not going to be denied this championship. The HHS girls rolled through the tournament with three shutout victories to complete a perfect 10-0 campaign against county schools.
   "I think we showed we’re the best team in the county," a jubilant Iaione said during the post-game celebration. "I think they knew they were going to win today. They wanted this game more than anything and I wanted it for them. They earned it and they deserved it."
   The Raiders didn’t play a perfect game but did more than enough things well to win the game rather comfortably. There wasn’t the high drama of many of the team’s 1-0 barnburners. There were no heroic game-winning home runs. After a few early blunders, the Raiders simply played their game and expected that would produce the title.
   Sophomore lefty Chrissy Yard (5-1) was dominant in the circle but received a little help from senior Erin Murphy, who recorded the final three outs to get the save after making a huge contribution with her bat earlier in the game. The HHS defense made two errors in the second inning but played spectacular ball the rest of the way. Hillsborough even amassed eight hits, at least one in every inning except the fifth, to keep the pressure on the Warriors.
   "We believed in ourselves the whole way," said Yard, who scattered four hits and struck out seven in six-plus innings of work. "Some of us were a little bit young last year. Just the whole experience last year helped us win this year. It’s a great feeling."
   Hillsborough broke a scoreless tie with a two-out rally in the bottom of the fourth. Designated hitter Lauren Scrocca smacked a single up the middle and moved to second on a passed ball. Iaione went to her bench and sent speedy Jill Vazzano in as a pinch runner and Murphy followed by ripping a 2-1 fastball to the left-center field gap for an RBI triple.
   "That felt awesome because I haven’t been hitting the ball that well this year," Murphy said. "I picked the best time to get a big hit."
   The game continued to have that one-run thriller feel until the bottom of the sixth, when the Raiders delivered the clinching blow. Jess Szymanski opened with a bunt single and Candy Palumbo followed with a perfectly placed bunt that also resulted in a hit, putting runners at second and third after Watchung first baseman Jen Krause couldn’t handle the throw. That brought Yard to the plate in a very interesting situation.
   Watchung reliever Kristen George tried to pitch around Yard, who offered at a 2-1 pitch outside in the dirt. Instead of continuing with the conservative approach, the Warriors decided to go after the HHS cleanup hitter with a 2-2 count. George left a changeup in the middle of the plate and Yard drilled it to deep center field for a two-run triple that turned a 1-0 game into a 3-0 bulge after pinch runner Lisa Pancoast and Palumbo scored easily.
   "It was right over the plate," Yard said. "I just tried to stay with it and drive it. I thought they were trying to pitch me outside, but the ball was right over the middle so I stayed back and hit it."
   "I’m surprised they pitched to Chrissy in that situation," Iaione said. "I thought they were going to walk her with the two runners in scoring position."
   Watchung tried to rally in the top of the seventh. Katherine Wallace led off with a base hit, so Iaione went out and made a pitching change that left her with a premium defensive alignment. Murphy’s move into the circle sent the slick-fielding Yard to first base and Szymanski, the team’s top outfielder, to right field. Kenzie Farneski moved in to second base and Alicia Swickle, who played an amazing game in right, over to left field.
   The move paid off when two of the last three outs were recorded on fine defensive plays. Murphy retired Chrissy Principe by deflecting a grounder to Farneski, who tossed quickly to Yard for the out. Murphy fanned Samantha Elicker but needed a great scoop by Yard for the final out.
   The Warriors had their best chance back in the top of the second when the first two batters reached on errors. Yard got tough with runners at the corners and no outs and didn’t let Watchung break through with a run. After Principe ran into her own bunt attempt in fair territory for the first out, Yard whiffed losing pitcher Kelly Fillipone and induced a groundout to second baseman Murphy. Watchung didn’t have another inning with more than one base runner.
   Yard and the Raiders continued their impressive streak of not allowing more than two runs in any game this season. Fellow staff mates Murphy and Marissa Van Cleef have been equally impressive contributing to that stellar statistic, but Yard was in control Saturday night.
   "It was her turn to throw and that’s the way we go," Iaione said matter-of-factly. "Yard is a power pitcher and I knew she’d come out and give us a great effort."
   Iaione had originally slated Van Cleef for relief duty but changed her mind and went with the senior in the top of the seventh. Murphy keeps the ball down and gives the Raiders their best defensive team, a key ingredient in any championship victory. Murphy was a little surprised but more than happy to finish the job.
   "It felt really good to help Chrissy and it’s great to be a part of this team," Murphy said. "Every year, we get a little bit better. Everything just came together. It’s amazing."