BRHS, NBC squads also notch victories
By: Sean Moylan
New Egypt has been such a thorn in the Florence High softball team’s collective side for so long that the Flashes listed beating the Warriors as one of their main team objectives this season.
Well, the Flashes wasted no time in reaching that goal as they roughed up the Warriors 7-0 in Tuesday’s highly-anticipated season opener at New Egypt.
"We finally got one on them," said Florence head coach George Chwastyk, whose team had lost all nine games it had ever played against New Egypt before breaking through with a win on Tuesday.
One of the best pitchers in South Jersey, Florence senior Melissa Mehrer was particularly bothered by the Warriors winning streak, because her intense competitive nature leaves little room for losing.
However, even in the losses to New Egypt, Mehrer had always pitched well. But on Tuesday she came out more determined to win than ever. Nonetheless, she would need to survive a crazy first frame before tossing her 16 strikeout, 1-hit masterpiece.
In the bottom of the first, Mehrer surrendered a leadoff double to Lindsay Rajeski and then hit the next batter. Mehrer induced the next hitter to pop up and then came the moment of truth. As New Egypt attempted to squeeze in Rajeski’s run from third, Florence catcher Chelsea Kehr pounced on the bunt and tagged out the baserunner trying to score. That play took all the steam out of the Warriors’ would-be rally.
The game remained scoreless until the top of the fourth when Mehrer reached on a hit and scored Florence’s first run on an RBI double by Kehr. Then Erin Sweeney added an insurance run when she chased home pinch-runner Jackie Giambrone with a single.
Ashley O’Nori highlighted a five-run sixth with a bases-clearing, three-run triple. Kelly Garganio also had a RBI single in that frame. Nonetheless, Mehrer’s pitching was the story of the game.
"Melissa (Mehrer) is starting to get in a groove," said Chwastyk, who knew it was much more than just any regular season game. Florence, which has battled New Egypt for Freedom Division supremacy for the past four years, may have gained the upper hand in the conference with Tuesday’s victory.
In this past Saturday’s scrimmage versus Notre Dame, Florence batters were able to hit super hurler Ali Tomlinson fairly well which raised their confidence level going into Tuesday’s contest versus Abbey Houston, another star pitcher. Overall, it was just a great team win.
"Everyone had a hand in that win. They stayed calm and did what they had to do," said Chwastyk.
Florence is scheduled at Burlington Township today (Thursday). It is scheduled to play in the MIllville Tournament on Saturday. Then on Tuesday, Florence is scheduled at Maple Shade.
BRHS
The Bordentown Regional High softball team’s 13-0 road win over Burlington Township featured a pair of spectacular performances one by an established all-star hurler Hillary Allen and another by newcomer Megan Millington.
Allen, a junior, picked up her first win of the young season by whiffing 15 batters and allowing just one hit and two walks in seven innings of work.
"She was very dominant. Her and Meghan McDonald (Bordentown’s great senior catcher) were always in synch the whole way," said Bordentown head coach Michele Brennan of Allen, who fanned the Falcons’ final three hitters to end the game in style.
Millington may be a freshman but she has years of experience playing travel and Little League softball behind her. So she handled her first varsity start at shortstop with flying colors and as she went 5-for-5, including a pair of doubles, and drove in five runs.
Everyone, however, seemed to contribute to a three-run first as Jessica Villalba (3-for-4) led off the game with a bunt single and later scored on Nicole Walls’ two-run single. Ashleigh Johnson, who had two doubles and two RBI on the day, capped off the big inning with a run-scoring double.
Walls (2-for-4), Kara Lynch (2-for-4), Allen (1-for-3, two walks) and Jessica Swanson (RBI single) all had productive days at the dish. And before the game got out of hand, McDonald did a good job of playing small ball as she moved a runner over with an out and had a sacrifice bunt and a walk.
"Once again, we’re really blessed to have this team," said Brennan, whose Scotties ripped 16 hits in the contest against an improved Falcons’ club. "We were fortunate to be swinging the bats well."
Bordentown played error free ball and Lynch made a couple of nice plays at third.
Originally, Bordentown had been scheduled to open the season at Pemberton this past Monday. That contest was rained out and tentatively rescheduled for yesterday (Wednesday). Bordentown (1-0) is scheduled at Burlington City today (Thursday). It is scheduled to host New Egypt on Monday in a rematch of last year’s classic Central Jersey Group I championship game. Then Bordentown is scheduled at Trenton Catholic Academy next Wednesday.
NBC
Ever since the turn of this century Northern Burlington versus Rancocas Valley has been Burlington County varsity softball’s answer to the New York Yankees’ rivalry with the Boston Red Sox.
So whether it’s in a regular season game, tournament game or scrimmage every contest between NBC and RV is a big one. And as far as the Northern Burlington was concerned, its 3-1 victory at RV this past Tuesday was one of the biggest regular season wins ever.
"What a big win. It’s the first time I’ve ever beat them at their place," said Brian Wolverton, who has been the Greyhounds’ head coach for the past decade.
NBC got all the runs it would need to win in the top of first. Michelle Reed, who is on fire at the plate, led off with single up the middle, advanced a base on Victoria Tyson’s slap single and scored NBC’s first run on Angela Barbero’s single up the middle. Then freshman Meredith Stupienski capped off NBC’s two-run first with a run-scoring double.
NBC added an insurance run in the second as Lindsey Rohn walked, stole second and then alertly scored all the way from second base as Jess Wood was thrown out at first on a smash to right field. When Wood wasn’t busy driving in runs she was getting the job done in the circle, as she threw seven frames of brilliant two-hit ball.
"She (Wood) pitched very well. She had 4 k’s," added Wolverton, whose team posted a typical textbook NBC win with great fielding, timely hitting and good pitching. Moreover, the Greyhounds didn’t even try to pretend it was just another regular season game. They were all extremely happy to beat Rancocas Valley on the road.
On Monday, NBC crushed Moorestown, 13-3, in its home opener. Wood, pitching in her first varsity game ever, earned the victory by holding the Quakers to just three runs on four hits while striking out two. "She’s not a strikeout pitcher, but she throws a lot of ground balls," noted Wolverton of Wood.
Reed had an awesome day at the plate, going 4-for-4 (including a triple and a double) with four runs, a RBI and three steals. Sam Garofalo collected four RBI, three hits and two runs scored. Tyson was 2-for-3 with a RBI and two runs scored. Danielle Funk also had a pair of knocks in NBC’s 13-hit onslaught.
NBC (2-0) is scheduled to play a game at Timber Creek on Saturday before leaving for its softball trip to Myrtle Beach later that same day. NBC is scheduled to play several softball games at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina next week.