Hennessey’s no-hitter helps Peddie to 4-0 start

Falcons getting solid pitching, hitting.

By: Neil Hay
   Kay Hennessey may not have had her best stuff. But what she had was good enough to help the visiting Peddie softball team defeat prep rival Lawrenceville 12-4 last Thursday.
   Hennessey surrendered a two-run home run in the first inning which sparked the Big Red to a quick 2-0 lead. She settled down thereafter and threw zeroes for the next four innings, as the Falcons pushed across solo runs in the third and fourth to tie the score at 2-2. The teams traded two-run rallies in the sixth, and when Peddie batted in the top of the seventh the score was tied 4-4.
   Peddie felt it had enough, so the locals broke it wide open in the top of the seventh with eight runs. Jamie Boccanfusco came in and pitched a scoreless seventh as Peddie won, 12-4, to improve to 2-0.
   Hennessey finished with a five hitter and nine strikeouts in her six innings of work. Said Coach Tim O’Reilly, "Kay wasn’t real sharp. She had trouble locating her inside pitch. In the sixth inning they were taking good swings at her. And I wanted to give Jamie some work. She pitched well," with two strikeouts and a grounder to close it out.
   Peddie had 13 hits and benefited from eight Lawrenceville miscues. Ally Brown had four runs batted in, and Fallon Kortmann and Lisa Feraci had three hits each. Madison McEvoy had two hits.
   "The team as a whole hit very well. We took advantage of their defense," said O’Reilly.
   On Monday Hennessey pitched five strong innings as Peddie won its home opener, 11-1, over Pennington Prep, in a game stopped after five innings by the 10-run rule.
   Hennessey threw a four-hitter with two strikeouts and two walks, as Peddie notched 10 hits against Pennington. Hennessey had three of the hits, and Boccanfusco (double) had two. Ally Saltstein added a double.
   Peddie is off to a 3-0 start, but there is still a long way to go between now and playoff time.
   "I am very pleased with the offense. We have new players at third base and catcher and we need to improve the defense. We are working with Kay to get her to become a pitcher as opposed to a thrower. She has great stuff. I am happy with the way we are playing."
   Hennessey was at her best Tuesday as she pitched a five-inning 11-0 no-hitter over Blair at home. Hennessey recorded 10 strikeouts (four caught looking) while walking just one batter.
   Peddie knocked the ball around the field with 11 hits. Boccanfusco had two home runs, a double, and four RBI, Hennessey helped her cause with three hits, including a triple, and McEvoy chipped in with a couple of hits and a run batted in.
   "We had a balanced attack," with eight batters getting at least one hit apiece. "Kay was very sharp. She worked both sides of the plate. Blair put the ball in play only five times, including three grounders to Kay," said O’Reilly.
   Peddie is now 4-0.