BY WAYNE WITKOWSKI
Staff Writer
MIGUEL JUAREZ staff Brick Memorial’s Kate Streilein fires a pitch to the plate during the Mustangs’ loss to Jackson last Thursday in the CJ Group IV state tournament.
TOMS RIVER — For the second time this season, Toms River East’s softball team dashed Brick Memorial’s hopes in a tournament.
This time, it was the Shore Conference Tournament quarterfinals where Danielle Olsen no-hit the Mustangs and allowed only two balls to be hit out of the infield as defending champion Toms River East won, 2-1, on Monday.
Nearly two weeks ago, Toms River East knocked defending champion Brick Memorial out of the Ocean County Tournament with a 2-1 semifinal victory.
Olsen struck out nine and had no walks and allowed only three base runners on errors. No balls were dangerously close to hits in Toms River East’s third victory in four meetings against the Mustangs, with nine runs scored in the four games combined.
"I don’t like to see Kate (Streilein) end her career like this," said Brick Memorial coach Vin DalliCardillo of his star pitcher. He said that he would pitch Kelly O’Neal in the Mustangs’ final game of the season on Tuesday against Brick Township to give his pitcher of the future early work. Brick Memorial is 14-10, while Toms River East is 19-6.
"That Brick (Township) game was the last time we scored three runs in a game and that was a month ago," said DalliCardillo.
With Brick Memorial coming off a 3-1 loss to Jackson in its NJSIAA tournament opener last Thursday, it was looking to bounce back and rouse its quiet bats. Streilein certainly did her part, pitching a three-hitter in her final high school game before embarking on a college career at Brandeis University in Massachusetts. She struck out four and did not walk any, but hit two batters, both in the sixth inning before the next batter was thrown out trying to bunt her way on to end the inning. Streilein threw 76 pitches in her six innings.
But a tough call of an illegal pitch punctuated Toms River East’s two-run rally in the second inning. Megan Wood smashed a single to left with one out and was awarded second base on the call. Olsen lined a single to right and stole second. Alicia Henson then grounded a two-run single through short, but was thrown out trying to stretch it to end the inning. Only two runners got to second base after that.
"She hasn’t thrown an illegal pitch all season," said DalliCardillo. "The rule says you can’t come up with the foot and replant it closer to the plate for advantage, and the umpire made the call. It threw her right off, and then she was worried about her mechanics and not throwing to the plate."
"It’s hard to score runs off Danielle, so that definitely gave us confidence," said Toms River East coach Debbie Schwartz. "It was a crucial turning point."
DalliCardillo agreed.
"We knew two or three runs were enough," he said. "They took us out of our game. It was not a time for us to not bring our bats, although we haven’t been real strong offensively."
Brick Memorial took a time-out after the illegal-pitch call and DalliCardillo argued that Olsen was more blatantly breaking the rule and not getting called for it. Streilein did not throw a strike for the rest of the inning.
"We came down on Kate and told her to get over it because she is an emotional player," said DalliCardillo. "Without her, we’re not in this position."
Olsen, meanwhile, shut out Brick Memorial for the second time this season in pitching her second no-hitter, the other coming against Brick Township. She allowed only one runner to second base while throwing 101 pitches.
"It’s fun to get into a competitive game with her (Streilein)," said Olsen. "They’re a good team that is capable of hitting the ball and they play good defense."
Allison Tauscher flew out to center leading off the second inning, and that was it for any balls hit to the outfield until Streilein’s fly to left field was dropped with two out in the sixth inning.
Heather Bormann, who has been the best hitter for Brick Memorial, reached when her bunt was bobbled by the second baseman with one out in the fourth. She took second on a groundout before Tauscher was coaxed into a popout.
"Her screwball set up everything," said Schwartz of Olsen.
Brick Memorial hitters were swinging late but were gritty as four batters fouled off two-strike pitches, including Streilein who fouled off four full-count pitches before hitting her dropped fly ball in the sixth.
Kaitlyn Chieco fouled off two full-count pitches before bouncing out in the second inning.
"She had good control," said DalliCardillo of Olsen. "It was her drop and her change-up. We know we have to protect the plate and not let anything close, but that was an awfully big strike zone."
Brick Memorial advanced to the Shore Conference quarterfinals early last week with a 2-1 victory over Point Pleasant Borough, as Tauscher’s sacrifice fly in the 13th inning ended it, driving in courtesy runner Jess Pepe. Point Pleasant Borough had pulled out a 1-0 victory over Brick Memorial in 15 innings early in the season.
In last Thursday’s state game, Brick Memorial outhit Jackson, 7-5, in a closer game than the previous two regular season meetings won by Jackson. Jackson (18-4) scored all three runs in the fourth inning and Brick Memorial cut it with a run in the sixth off Ashley Melone’s single.
"Kate pitched really well and we did not hit well. We left too many runners on base," said DalliCardillo.
"And we made mistakes, just like we did against Toms River East."
Jackson dodged Brick Memorial’s greatest threat in the fourth when it intentionally walked Streilein to load the bases before getting the third out.
DalliCardillo said one consolation is seeing seniors planning to play in college, including catcher Stacey Ryan at Georgian Court and Tauscher at William Paterson.