Lawrence softball
By: Jim Green
The Lawrence High School softball team knew it was facing an uphill battle Monday.
The Cardinals were visiting Colonial Valley Conference Patriot Division power Allentown, which already had shut out Hopewell twice this season the same Hopewell squad that has beaten Group III state champ Montgomery and Notre Dame. Quite simply, the Cardinals expected a tough game, and that’s what they got, suffering a 24-0 defeat and dropping to 1-5 on the year.
"They’re good," Lawrence coach Sue Bunn said. "We just made a lot of mistakes today. We’re struggling."
One positive outcome of the otherwise rough afternoon was the pitching debut of freshman Allie Price, the Cardinals’ usual starting catcher. Price pitched the final frame of the five-inning loss and likely will get the start Friday against Lawrenceville.
"I did see a little glimmer of hope," Bunn said. "Allie Price really wants to pitch. Her spirit is so positive. We’re going through a lot with more losses than wins. She really wants to pull the team together. She’s shown excellent leadership."
Junior designated hitter Danny Brooks provided another highlight with a base hit to center that she turned into a double with her superb speed.
"She’s a speed demon," Bunn said. "She’s very fast. She was able to stretch what might normally be a single into a double."
The Cardinals have had difficulty replacing their three graduated pitchers, starters Kelly Hanlon and Emily Panasowich and reliever Jess Goodstein, who now is starting for Mercer County Community College.
"It is tough," Bunn said. "Katelyn Fecak started today (Monday) and did OK. It gets frustrating. We made some mistakes we normally haven’t been making. They really are trying. I know they’re more frustrated than I am because they’re going through it. I feel for them."
Bunn is hoping Price will be able to provide her team with a boost from the pitcher’s circle.
"We’re just going to see what we have," Bunn said. "Her positive spirit and attitude out there is needed. She’s catching, and now she’s pitching. That says a lot about an athlete."
The Cardinals have road games against Lawrenceville on Saturday, West Windsor-Plainsboro South on Monday and Steinert on Wednesday. They likely will be playing in the preliminary round of the Mercer County Tournament on Saturday. The MCT was to be seeded this week.
"We’ll keep pressing on with it," Bunn said. "We just have to see what happens. Even when we’re losing in a game, we can’t get our heads down, because what we’re doing is preparing for the next game."

