Freehold Borough could be having one of those seasons.The Colonials will learn more on Saturday night in Wall, when they take on St. John Vianney in the semifinals of the Monmouth County Tournament. The game will be held at the Harry Rash Field in Wall Township and will start at 8 p.m.
The Colonials survived a 10-inning, no-hit performance by Monmouth Regional lefty Amanda LaFrance, to beat the Golden Falcons, 3-2, in 11 innings in the quarterfinals on April 25.
Of course, the Colonials had Ashley Forsyth on the mound to counter LaFrance, and she easily matched zeroes with Falcon’s ace. With all that pitching, the game inevitably moved to the international tie-breaker in the 10th inning.
Under the international rules, after nine innings, if the game is tied, beginning with the 10th inning a frame starts with a runner on second base.
The Golden Falcons broke the scoreless tie by pushing a run across the plate without a hit. Freehold Borough matched the Falcons with Kylie Preston getting the game-tying RBI on a infield out. The Colonials also scored without getting a base hit.
Monmouth scored a run in the 11th, again, without the benefit of a hit.
The Colonials once more had to at least match the Falcons or lose their first game of the season and be eliminated from the tournament.
Alyssa Mayrose started the Colonial 11th putting down a perfect bunt, the first hit of the game off LaFrance. That put runners on the corners with no one out and Forsyth at bat. The Falcons intentionally walked the Colonials most dangerous hitter, setting up a bases loaded, no-out situation for Julia Brown. She promptly ended the dramatics by delivering a two-RBI single that gave the Colonials the 3-2 win.
Forsyth, who allowed five hits, fanned 17 in improving her record to 9-0. She walked no one. LaFrance ended up tossing a two-hitter, striking out nine and walking three.
Friday, Forsyth authored her first no-hitter of the season, in an 8-0 victory over Red Bank Regional. She fanned 13 and walked no one as she improved to 11-0 for the season. She also went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a double.
Freehold Borough went to 9-0 in the division and 12-0 for the year.
St. John Vianney, 13-1, is ranked as the top team in the county.
The other semifinal Saturday will start at 6 p.m. and will pit Red Bank Catholic against the winner of today’s quarterfinal game between defending tournament champion Manalapan and Middletown North.
The semifinal winners will meet on May 13 at Rash Field in the championship game.
Manalapan (11-2) rallied to beat the Lions Saturday, 5-4, to nail down it second straight A North Division championship.
– Tim Morris