By: Sean Moylan
It seems that the Northern Burlington County Regional High School girls’ varsity softball team plays at least one big showcase game a week.
This past week the big game was at New Egypt last Friday. The Greyhounds warmed up for that contest by crushing Pemberton, 15-1, in five innings on the road last Thursday. Stefani Poedubicky and Jaimie Walton powered that win with triples. Meanwhile Jess Mouse and Sammy Garofalo each had perfect 3-for-3 games at the plate and Chelsey Morgan recorded yet another easy victory.
Then on Friday after neither team scored a single run in the first five frames, NBC erupted for two runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh to beat New Egypt, 4-1.
New Egypt star Shannon Houston didn’t play but it is doubtful that Morgan and NBC head coach Brian Wolverton would have let the Warriors’ hottest hitter beat them anyway.
Morgan allowed just five hits to the hard-hitting Warriors.
"It was the first step for us to get back on track," said Wolverton, whose team had been a little flat two weeks ago.
In the sixth Lyndsay Mouse squeezed in Michele Reed, who had singled and moved to third on a sac and a steal. Poedubicky also had a hit and later scored in the frame.
In the seventh, Jess Mouse put the game away with a two-run double.
On Saturday, NBC posted a clean 8-0 victory over Camden Catholic at Cherry Hill.
Morgan threw a no-hitter and struck out 11 to earn her 20th win of the season. It’s the second year in a row she reached that mark. Most high school pitchers don’t have 20 wins in a career.
"Camden Catholic was a good win for us," noted Wolverton. "Chelsey threw the ball well and we did a little of everything."
Meanwhile J. Mouse blasted a homer.
"She’s (Mouse) starting to see the ball real well," said Wolverton.
Walton and Poedubicky each had two RBI while Reed drove in a single run.
Then on Tuesday NBC beat Cinnaminson 9-0 in a night game at Northern Burlington.
Morgan surrendered just two hits while fanning 10 batters in the contest for her 21st win.
"She (Morgan) pitched very well. The last couple of days she’s starting to get "it" back," said Wolverton, whose senior star also cracked a triple in the contest.
Garofalo was 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI. J. Mouse also was 3-for-4. Kelly Miller (double), Kelly Lukacs and Walton each had an RBI.
Walton hit a foul ball that went over 250 feet. She’s starting to hit with authority.
With Jess Mouse back at third and her sister Lyndsay back behind the plate, NBC is playing better. Moreover Garofalo is looking good at short and Shannon Pennock is playing well in right.
NBC (22-3) is scheduled at Burlington Township today (Thursday). It is also trying to schedule another game with RV, so both teams can get some competition.
LCA
Bethany Hester roped a two-run, game-winning hit to lift Life Center Academy girls’ varsity softball team to a 7-5 come-from-behind win over Girard in Tuesday’s Penn-Jersey Playoff Semi-Final game. LCA is scheduled to play for the title today (Thursday).
FLORENCE
Melissa Mehrer not only dominates softball gamesshe turns them into short five-inning affairs more often than not.
Last Thursday the Florence Township Memorial High School girls’ softball squad’s super sophomore hurler threw a one-hit, 10-strikeout five-inning 10-0 shutout over Riverside on the road.
And by going 4-for-4 at the plate, Mehrer also made sure the Flashes got the 10 unanswered runs needed to cut the game to five innings. Of course, Mehrer’s longtime teammate Kristin Garganio helped out with a double, triple and four RBI.
Senior Kim Ostrander doubled too for the victors.
On Friday, Mehrer came back with a 10-0, five-inning no-hitter versus Westampton Tech.
Mehrer fanned 10 batters in that one and had three more hits at the dish.
Garganio also collected a trio of hits, which included a double.
"There wasn’t anything special in that one," said Florence Coach George Chwastyk, who expects his team to beat the weaker teams.
It was more of the same on Tuesday night as Florence blanked Burlington Township 19-0 under the lights at Florence.
Mehrer tossed a one-hitter with nine strikeouts to improve her record to 14-4. Of course, the game only went five frames.
Garganio had another one of her typical monster 4-for-4 games with a double, triple and five RBI. Martha Parkes (3-for-4, three RBI), Amber Tolifero (2-for-3 with a double and two RBI) and Kim Ostrander (double, two RBI) also aided in Florence’s 19-hit attack. Mehrer earned her eighth shutout of the year. Stephanie Bulleck also had an RBI.
Florence (14-4) should have more competition this week. It is scheduled at Palmyra today (Thursday) and at Bordentown tomorrow (Friday). It is scheduled at Moorestown next Tuesday but that game is subject to change depending on the playoff situation.
Mehrer is so hot right now her motto could be "let’s play five!"
BRHS
The addition of freshmen Hillary Allen and Kara Lynch this year lifted the Bordentown Regional High School girls’ varsity softball squad from a good team to a great one.
Furthermore, a victory in today’s (Thursday) scheduled home game versus Cinnaminson would give Bordentown the Patriot Division title.
Allen had some week winning all three of her starts.
On Monday she pitched Bordentown to a 3-2 triumph over Delran thus keeping her team’s dreams of a Patriot title alive.
She tossed a seven-hitter versus a strong Bears squad to improve her record to 8-3. She also helped her own cause with a RBI two-base hit. Bordentown’s other great starter Reannon Trogdon smacked a RBI double of her own. And Megan Temple, who has found her stroke at the plate, also doubled. Joan Jaczko also had a RBI.
In this past Saturday’s Palmyra Tournament, Allen and Bordentown beat Seneca in a 4-3 opening game thriller.
Trailing 3-2, Bordentown scored two runs in the sixth to win it.
Trogdon homered and drove in two runs for the victors. Meanwhile Allen doubled and Jessica Swanson knocked in a run for Bordentown.
Then the Scotties had a six-run sixth to post a 10-5 come-from-behind win over Sacred Heart in the semi-finals. The Scotties pounded out 12 hits in that contest with Meghan McDonald leading the charge with a triple and two RBI. Trogdon, who has hit well all year, smacked a double and drove in two. Samantha Hardy (double, two RBI). Allen, Temple, K. Lynch and Jessica Bernard each knocked in a run for Michele Brennan’s Scotties.
Unfortunately, Penns Grove topped Bordentown 4-2 in the championship game.
Trogdon (6-2) pitched well but took the loss as the Scotties made four miscues in the field.
Allen had a double and an RBI and McDonald knocked in Bordentown’s other run.
Bordentown is scheduled to host Cinnaminson today (Thursday) and Florence tomorrow (Friday). Bordentown and Cinnaminson were both 7-2 in the division going into today’s game.

