Close victories make a difference
By: Rich Fisher
Last year, it was close, but no cigar. This year, Monroe High’s softball team is nearly choking on cigar smoke, but no one is complaining. Wednesday’s 12-2 victory at Marlboro left the Falcons at 5-2 overall entering Thursday’s game with John F. Kennedy. One reason for Monroe’s stellar start is its ability to win the close ones.
After losing a ton of one-run games last season, the Falcons are 2-1 in those affairs this year.
"That’s the difference between 5-2 and 3-4," coach Keith Hudak said. "It could be experience, it could be something else, I’m not sure. It’s a fine line, it really is."
Monroe seems to be walking that line well in the early going. After losing a 1-0 affair at South Plainfield to start the season, the Falcons reversed the one-run trend with a 4-3 win over Woodbridge. That was followed by two laughers against New Brunswick (13-1) and Highland Park (16-0).
In the New Brunswick win, Brittany Salvatore fired a one-hitter and went 2-for-4 with four RBI, while Jill Chen had three hits and three RBI. Lisa Cosentino, Emma Bossard and Kelsey Shobert had doubles.
Against Highland Park, Salvatore tossed a no-hitter and struck out 10, while aiding her cause with two hits and two runs. Chen had three more hits, including a homer and double, and two RBI, while Mai’Lee Paselio added two hits and Carly Keane and Marissa Allamby had doubles.
Then came another tight one on Saturday, as it took 10 innings for the Falcons to push across the game’s lone run in a 1-0 victory over Sayreville. With Allamby on first base, Chen hit a squibber to the right of the pitcher.
"It was an infield cue shot between first and second and the mound, it kept spinning around," Hudak said. "I kept Marissa going around third and by the time they threw it to first, she was safe. They threw home and Marissa snuck in underneath the tag. It was great. She scored from second base on a 30-foot hit."
The game was extended to 10 innings thanks to a clutch defensive play by Monroe in the eighth. The Bombers had runners on first and second with one out, and looked ready to score when the next batter singled. But rightfielder Emma Bossard fielded the ball while moving to her right, and fired a strike to catcher Paselio to nail the runner trying to score.
"We got the girl out by a foot," Hudak said. "It was a great play on Emma’s part. She threw it on the fly, a foot up the third baseline, and Mai’lee made a nice play."
The Falcons won despite striking out 16 times against Amanda Olender. Salvatore allowed six hits, struck out eight and walked only one.
"We came off those two games against Highland Park and New Brunswick and we weren’t ready to face a kid like Olender," Hudak said. "The speed was just too fast. But Brittany did a nice job keeping us in it."
Cosentino had a triple in the game but was stranded at third.
The winning streak was halted on Monday when Carteret took a 7-2 win. Salvatore allowed four hits and fanned eight, but Monroe committed five errors.
After Tuesday’s game with Colts Neck was postponed, the Falcons got back on track Wednesday with the win over Marlboro. The red-hot Chen led a 15-hit attack by going 2-for-3 with six RBI. Chen had a grand slam and two-run single. Cosentino added two hits, including a two-run double, and scored three times, while Allamby was 3-for-3 with two runs scored. Salvatore pitched three innings and Keane finished up, as Hudak is grooming her as the back-up.
It was another team effort, which has been the team’s trademark in the early going.
"We’ve gotten good senior leadership and good play from Bossard, Salvatore and Chen," Hudak said. "Brittany keeps us in games, and some of our younger kids are coming through with timely hits."
The schedule toughens up starting with Thursday’s JFK game. That’s followed by games with Colonia and North Brunswick next week.
"We’ll have a good idea where we’re at by the end of next week," Hudak said.

