Vikings search for a groove

By: Carolyn M. Hartko
   So far, the South Brunswick High School varsity softball team has had a schizophrenic kind of season. For example, last Thursday’s blowout 15-5 victory over Piscataway was followed by Monday’s 5-1 loss against Edison. It just seems like the Lady Vikings (6-4) can’t get a good rhythm going when they’re alternating weak opponents with the top teams in the Greater Middlesex Conference.
   But, according to Viking head coach Danielle Matlack, which team is hanging the gear bags in the opposite dugout shouldn’t matter.
   "It shouldn’t be hard," the coach said. "You’re not focusing on the team you’re playing. South Brunswick is playing a game, and you just have to focus on that, not worry about who you’re playing. You’ve got to play at the same level every game – no matter who you’re playing. And that’s what we’re trying to work on right now."
   Every season, there’s at least one ugly game on the books, and the Vikings are hoping the loss to Edison is their one for 2005. The Lady Eagles capitalized on five errors to score four unearned runs on the home team. The Vikings’ lone run came in the first inning off a triple by Jess Mastronardi, followed by a Courtney Breese single. Stephanie Zucker recorded a double, part of South’s five-hit offense for the day.
   "We just didn’t put it together," Matlack said. "The last three innings, we had people on base, but we didn’t bring them in. We probably left five runners on base the last couple of innings, at least."
   That was a stark contrast to South’s home game against Piscataway. They finished with 15 runs on 18 hits with just two errors all game. Mastronardi went 4-for-5 with a triple and four RBI. Breese was 3-for-5 with a double and three RBI. Jackie Abdalla smacked a triple, and Alicia Langone and Stefanie Sframeli both hit doubles.
   With power like that at the plate, this is one of the hardest hitting Viking teams in recent memory. Mastronardi has been doing a good job in the leadoff position, and Abdalla and Breese are batting well in the 2-3 spots. Sam Littlejohn was a little rusty in the beginning of the season, but she’s been picking it up over the last few games.
   "We’ve been hitting well to the opposite field," Matlack said. "It’s nice, because inside pitches we’ve been driving to left field, and the outside pitches we’re poking out to right field. So, it’s good to see them doing that – going with the pitch."
   The Vikings emphasized batting practice at the beginning of the season, and that attention appears to be paying off. Matlack credited the work of her assistant Rachel Atzert with bringing up the team’s batting average this spring, and the mental side of the equation has not been overlooked.
   "We’re trying to get them to understand how a pitcher works, or sets up a batter," Matlack said. "We want them to be aggressive, instead of sitting there waiting for a pitch or two. Jess is good, because she’ll come out, and she’ll hit the first pitch. That shows you something."
   It shows the pitcher something, too.
   "The pitcher always wants to get that first strike in, so you jump on that thing," the coach continued. "And our girls have been running the counts deep, but yet being aggressive. So, they’re being smart. Like, if they get in the hole 0-2, they’re not swinging at balls. We just want them to be smarter hitters."
   The Vikings’ are in the midst of a busy week. They played at Perth Amboy Wednesday (after press time), host East Brunswick Friday and Woodbridge Saturday at 11 a.m. The Vikes are at Sayreville Monday.