Viking softball team wins Red, eyes GMCT

Division winner seeded No. 1 in county tournament

By: Lance Manion
   Danielle Matlack isn’t like most coaches. South Brunswick High’s softball mentor has a team that could very well be the No. 1 seed when the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament field is determined next week, but guess what?
   Matlack doesn’t want any part of it.
   "There’s too much pressure being the No. 1 seed," Matlack said.
   Sorry coach, your team is deserving of it anyway. The Vikings took another step toward Middlesex County’s penthouse by beating Old Bridge, J.P. Stevens and Piscataway to clinch a share of the GMC Red Division crown. They also upended defending GMCT champ Middlesex in a non-division game this past week.
   The Vikings (16-2, 13-1 in the Red), who have won 13 straight games following their 8-2 decision over Middlesex last Tuesday, captured their first-ever Red Division crown.
   "I went into the gym the other day and looked up in the banners," Matlack said. "The last time they won a division was in ’96, but I guess that was in the White."
   Matlack said winning the Red was goal No. 1 in the beginning of the season, and while the Vikings may be on a roll of late, she believes her team has a ways to go before it can check off all its preseason goals.
   "We’re playing pretty well," she said, "but as I coach I can always see room for improvement."
   Indeed, the Vikings’ previous five wins before the Middlesex game were all one-run decisions and a little too close to comfort for any coach’s liking. In fact, the J.P. Stevens win was only preserved thanks to a bang-bang play at the plate as Stephanie Zucker’s relay throw to catcher Alicia Langone nailed the Hawks runner trying to score in the bottom of the sixth.
   "We actually made two plays at the plate, but that was big because it came so late in the game," Matlack said. "Zucker made a good throw and Alicia made a really nice diving tag at the plate."
   Sara Steepy benefited from the defensive gem as she earned the win with a five-strikeout, no-walk performance. Steepy followed that up with another shutout — her third straight and eighth for the season — in a 1-0 win over Piscataway.
   "She’s pitching well for us," Matlack said. "She just manages to get the job done with whatever (run) support she gets."
   While the Vikings’ offense racked up a total of three runs in its three Red Division wins last week, Matlack pointed to her club’s knack for getting timely hits as a positive. Courtney Breese (.476, 12 RBI) and Zucker (.400, 11 runs scored) have set the table for Alicia Langone, who has proven to be one of Middlesex County’s best boppers with four homers this spring.
   "Alicia stepped it up last week," Matlack said. "She had the game-winning RBIs against Old Bridge and J.P. Stevens and she’s really been a consistent run producer all season for us."
   While Langone’s presence may be scary for opposing pitchers, it’s nothing compared to the third-base coach’s concern.
   "She hits the ball so hard," Matlack said, "that I’m just waiting to get hit. I’ll probably break a bone if she does hit me."