County title bid ends suddenly in seventh
By: Rudy Brandl
BRIDGEWATER The Hillsborough High softball team had to be mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted after Saturday night’s 1-0 loss to Immaculata in the Somerset County Tournament championship game at North Branch Park. The team played five one-run games in eight days, including three in county tournament action.
Yet, HHS veteran head coach Cheryl Iaione wouldn’t use her team’s brutal week as an excuse for the loss. Hillsborough came to play but lost to a team that executed better with the game on the line. This was an evenly-matched battle and great pitcher’s duel between HHS junior Megan McInaw and Immaculata’s Kaitlyn Piazzolla.
The second-ranked Spartans (11-3) won the county title on a squeeze bunt in the bottom of the seventh inning. Jenna George dropped a beautiful bunt between the pitcher’s circle and the first base line to score Jen Lapicki with the championship run. McInaw hustled in to field the ball and backhanded it to catcher Margaret Gilroy, but Lapicki slid in safely to end the game.
"We knew it was coming," HHS head coach Cheryl Iaione said afterward. "It was just well-executed."
What an incredible week it was for the Raiders (9-9), who played five consecutive one-run games in an eight-day span, including three that were decided in the home team’s final at-bat. Although Hillsborough fell short by a run in the SCT final for the second straight year, the team managed to qualify for the state playoffs with two thrilling triumphs last week.
The Raiders erased two three-run deficits within less than 24 hours to move over .500 and qualify for the state playoffs. Thursday’s 7-6 comeback win over Phillipsburg earned the Raiders a well-deserved spot in the Central Jersey Group 4 Tournament.
Courtney Fedor’s two-out single scored Caitlyn Katzelnick, who had doubled to open the seventh inning. Tara Van Doren’s three-run home run to left field tied the game with one out in the sixth. It was Van Doren’s second home of the game. Katelyn Derewecki also went deep in the victory, the team’s third straight win by one run.
"The week has been ridiculous," Iaione said. "I can’t say enough about this team. They just never quit."
Hillsborough nearly completed an improbable run through the county bracket as the fourth seed. The Raiders survived a tough 2-1 quarterfinal game vs. then-unbeaten Mount St. Mary and knocked off top-ranked Montgomery with a very satisfying 6-5 victory in the semifinals before Saturday night’s heart-breaker.
McInaw pitched brilliantly, allowing only three hits and no earned runs with 12 strikeouts and no walks. Lapicki drilled a single to lead off the seventh and wound up at second base when the ball got past left fielder Lauren Singer. Two bunts later, the Spartans prevailed.
"Mac pitched a great game," Iaione said. "She didn’t deserve to lose."
The Raiders wasted a great chance to take the lead in the top of the fourth inning. Fedor singled up the middle with one out and McInaw followed with a rope double to the left-center field gap. Piazzolla got tough with two runners in scoring position, striking out Van Doren on a changeup and Katie Yard on a pitch low and away.
Hillsborough had three other base runners, including two in scoring position, but couldn’t get them home. Immaculata executed and took advantage of its final scoring chance to win.
"It’s a game of inches and we had the wrong ruler again," Iaione said. "We just didn’t get it done. We had opportunities and we feel bad about it. We came out here and played great. We just came up a run short."