By: Lance Manion
While it hardly mattered whether the South Brunswick softball team was seeded one, two or three to coach Danielle Matlack, the Vikings’ reaction to the news that they drew the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament’s No. 2 seed wasn’t one of joy.
"They’re not happy about that," Matlack said. "I think they felt we were deserving of (the top seed)."
Sayreville, which shared the GMC Red Division crown with South Brunswick, drew the No. 1 seed, followed by the Vikings (18-2), Bishop Ahr and South Plainfield.
Matlack has been around long enough to know that it really doesn’t matter whether a team is seeded among the top three in the GMC Tournament. Home-field advantage is non-existent since every game is played at South Plainfield’s twin-field softball complex, and there isn’t a big difference in the caliber of the top four teams.
Still, there is the prestige factor that goes a long with the top seed. And Matlack hopes that will be motivation enough for her team as it enters the GMC tournament with a second-round clash against either Middlesex or Spotswood this Saturday.
"I hope it does serve as motivation," Matlack said, "but really this team just wants to win games. They do a pretty good job focusing on the task at hand."
South Brunswick will take a 15-game winning streak into the GMC Tournament after wins this past week over Bishop Ahr and Ocean. The 3-1 victory over previously unbeaten Bishop Ahr was a statement game or sorts, and Sara Steepy proved once again why she’s one of Middlesex County’s top pitchers.
The senior right-hander yielded two hits and an unearned run while striking out nine en route to the victory on May 10. The following day she limited Ocean to four hits in recording her ninth shutout of the season in a 2-0 non-conference victory.
For the season, Steepy (18-2) sports a microscopic 0.65 ERA and has struck out a Middlesex County-high 242 batters in 132 innings. But she’s been particularly dominant over the latter half of the season, allowing one run or fewer in 11 of her last 15 outings and compiling a perfect 14-0 record when receiving more than one run of support.
"Sara is doing what she’s done all season," Matlack said. "You know every time she pitches, you’re going to get a solid effort."
Offensively, Courtney Breese and Stephanie Zucker are each batting over .400, while Alicia Langone is among the GMC leaders with four homers this spring.
"This team really has a knack for producing timely hits," Matlack said. "It’s all a matter of putting the ball in play, and when that happens, good things can happen."
