Team No. 2 bats boom in two victories
By: Rudy Brandl
One of Hillsborough’s two entries in the Senior 16-and-under Softball League will receive a first-round bye in next week’s playoffs.
Hillsborough Hustle No. 1 (6-0), which entered the final week of the regular season in first place, had destiny in its own grasp. Team No. 1 needed to defeat one of the two Manville teams the Mustangs Tuesday or the Sting Thursday to clinch the top seed in the seven-team bracket.
Team No. 2 (5-1), which entered tonight’s doubleheader action in second place, must sweep to have a shot at the top seed. A head-to-head loss to Hustle No. 1 would leave Team No. 2 in second place in the event of a tie. The Immaculata Spartans (4-2), one of Team No. 2’s opponents tonight, could make a charge for second place.
The first place team will receive a bye and move directly into the semifinals, which are set for July 31 at Ann Van Middlesworth Park. Teams 2-7 in the standings will square off in three quarterfinal games July 29. The three winners will join the regular season champ in a four-team playoff on the final day of July.
Hillsborough’s entries have compiled an impressive 11-1 overall mark so far, with the only loss coming in a head-to-head meeting. Team No. 1 didn’t actually play a game last week, winning one by forfeit, while Team No. 2 posted two solid victories to stay within a game of the league leaders.
Team No. 2 accumulated 25 runs in victories over the Manville Mustangs (10-4) and Franklin Warriors (15-0). Head coach Bill Foelsch has seen his young players execute their practice habits all summer. It’s no coincidence that there was a hitting camp at Hillsborough High last week.
"Most of the girls were at the hitting camp and their constant practice proves out in the games," Foelsch said. "They’re executing their skills very well."
Hillsborough No. 2 scored early and often in the victory over Manville. Celia Maccini and Nicole Johnson started with back-to-back singles in the first inning, when the Hustle pushed across three runs. Lauren Salvatore followed with an RBI single. After two outs, Stephanie Soffer stroked an RBI single and Kelli DePaul produced the third run on a ground ball to third.
Julie Biancini singled, stole second and third base and scored on a fielder’s choice by Nicole Modelewski in the second inning. Courtney Fedor kept it going with a walk and stolen base. Rachel Tom, who pitched the first four innings to pick up the victory, helped her cause with an RBI single.
Jenna Wolff tripled to left-center and scored on a passed ball in the third, when Manville was still hanging close in the game. The Hustle blew it open with four in the fourth inning.
DePaul and Kim Bloom singled to put runners at the corners. Biancini belted a triple to deep left-center to clear the bases. Tom delivered a two-out RBI single and scored on a triple by Maccini.
"We strung together multiple hits," Foelsch said. "We had some big hits and we had one big inning to stretch it out."
Johnson came in to pitch three innings of scoreless relief, matching zeros with Manville’s Jen Manderski, who settled down after a rough start. Johnson fanned four batters and allowed only one hit. Tom walked three and allowed four hits, but she struck out six in the victory.
Team No. 2 scored a run or two in the first five innings for a 7-0 lead then finished with eight runs in the seventh to finish off Franklin in last Thursday’s nightcap. Winning pitcher Bloom (4 innings, 4 strikeouts) and reliever Tom (3 innings, 6 strikeouts) combined on a one-hitter.
Many girls got involved in the offensive assault again in this game. Soffer smacked an RBI single to make it 2-0 in the first inning. Salvatore doubled home a run in the second and singled in another in the fourth inning. Maccini belted an RBI triple and scored on Val Buccino’s base hit in the fifth. Seven straight base hits in the seventh produced the final margin.
Hillsborough No. 1 was awarded a forfeit, a 7-0 victory, over the Immaculata Spartans. The undefeated league leaders were idle last week, which may not be the best thing with the stretch run coming up.
"It was a good team we wanted to play," Foelsch said.
While Team No. 1 won’t play Immaculata again until a possible playoff showdown, Team No. 2 will face the Spartans tonight in a game that could decide who finishes second or third. The second place team will face the last place squad in the first round of the playoffs.
Whatever happens as the regular season winds down this week, Hillsborough should be well-represented in next Thursday night’s final four.