South springs upset before getting upset

By: Carolyn M. Hartko
   The worst the seeding, the better the results for the South Brunswick High softball team.
   The door has been shut on the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV tournament for the Vikings, but the window is still open in the Greater Middlesex Conference tourney.
   The Vikes followed a stunning 2-0 upset of 4th-seeded Bishop Ahr in GMCT super-Saturday action at South Plainfield with a disappointing 2-0 loss to 10th-seeded Old Bridge at home on Tuesday in the states. SBHS is 13th seed in the GMC’s and was seventh seeded in the states.
   South is left to prepare for a GMCT quarterfinal game against Middlesex, which was postponed on Wednesday due to rain, and had not been re-scheduled at press time due to the state tournament getting first priority
   The Vikes hoped to still be in the states, but Tuesday’s game was proof that a team can do everything right, and still lose.
   "We played a good game," Viking head coach Danielle Matlack said. "No complaints whatsoever. No errors. We hit. Sam (Littlejohn) pitched a great game. What are you going to do?"
   Old Bridge scored both its runs in the fourth inning. Shannon Halstead singled up the middle, Nicole Riggio was hit by a pitch and it by a pitch. Then Ashley Kalbach reached first on a bunt single to load the bases. Jen Vitorino followed with a two-run single to center for all the Knights would need. The Vikes could muster just three singles on the day.
   In Saturday’s GMC game, South Brunswick had the opposite luck, scoring two runs with only four hits. Stephanie Zucker got things started in the third with a triple to right field. Taylor Racz followed with a hit but Zucker had to hold.
   "We had runners at first and third," Matlack said. "We were going to squeeze, but the ball got by the catcher, and we scored on the passed ball."
   Littlejohn scored the insurance run in the fifth, also on a Bishop Ahr error. The Trojans racked up three errors for the day, while South Brunswick had a clean page. Sara Steepy pitched a complete game for the Vikings, with nine strikeouts and no walks. The Vikings’ performance in Saturday’s game was in stark contrast to the ugly 8-1 win over Perth Amboy in the preliminary round.
   "This is what we’ve been doing all season," Matlack said. "We play a game like Perth Amboy where we’re sloppy, and then we play a game against Bishop Ahr where it’s good base running, timely hitting, good pitching, good defense. Hopefully, it carries over to the next game."
   As usual, there was some controversy over the seeding for this year’s GMC tourney. Three Gold Division (the lowest of four GMC flights) teams were seeded 9, 10, 11 over stronger teams.
   "They were seeded there because they were tied," Matlack said. "That’s why we got pushed back to 13. And every one of them got blown out on Saturday. Two of them got 10-run ruled. The other one lost 9-1. So, there were a lot of unhappy teams."
   But looking at the upset over Bishop Ahr, this ranking may actually work in South Brunswick’s favor.