HHS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
By: Rudy Brandl
Megan McInaw has pitched well enough to win every time out this spring. Unfortunately, she hasn’t received much run support.
Last Thursday afternoon, the Hillsborough High junior made sure she needed only one run to win. McInaw fired her first varsity no-hitter in a 3-0 victory at Warren Hills.
McInaw is the Hillsborough Beacon Athlete of the Week.
"She’s put us on her shoulders," HHS head coach Cheryl Iaione said. "We’ve been riding her pitching and she’s been coming up with some timely hits."
McInaw produced the only run she’d need with an RBI double in the top of the sixth inning to break a scoreless tie. Then, she hurled two more hitless innings to finish her masterpiece.
"I didn’t even know I was throwing a no-hitter until she (Coach Iaione) told me," McInaw said. "I don’t really pay attention to that. I just go out there and throw."
Hillsborough High’s hard-luck softball pitcher has put up some pretty impressive numbers despite her very misleading 2-4 record. McInaw has struck out 68 batters in her six starts. She’s allowed only four runs in her last three losses, but the Raiders haven’t scored in any of those games.
"She realizes it’s a different team this year," Iaione said. "She’s carrying the bulk of the load until we gel. She’s worked hard and become smarter on the mound. She’s stepped up to the challenge."
With the team struggling to produce runs, there hasn’t been much room for error. McInaw allowed only three hits in Saturday’s 1-0 loss at Watchung Hills, but one of them was a home run.
"It’s definitely more pressure," McInaw said. "Everyone’s trying. It will come together. Once we gel and start hitting, everything will be perfectly fine."
McInaw started pitching and playing softball as an 8-year-old in the township’s recreation program. She worked her way through the Hustle travel system and was one of only three sixth-graders to make the Hillsborough Middle School team. Now in her third year of varsity ball and second season as the No. 1 varsity pitcher, McInaw is showing she belongs among the elite.
She has a no-hitter to prove it.

