By: Sean Moylan
Judy Goldstein had very high hopes for her Robbinsville High girls’ varsity softball team entering Saturday’s second round Mercer County Tournament game at Hightstown.
But she didn’t know a win was well in the works until Megan Leach delivered a first-inning RBI single, which fueled a 6-3 Ravens victory over the Rams.
"I knew the girls would pull it off when we scored those first two runs in the first inning. I really believed we could win that game right after Carina Fleming and Renee Francisco led off the first with singles," said Goldstein, whose Ravens were scheduled to play Steinert in an MCT semifinal contest at Armstrong Field this past Tuesday. "Winning those first two tournament games (against higher seeded teams) was like a miracle!"
Many of the Rams had gone to their Prom the previous night and some girls were still visibly tired and Hightstown was a little flat as a team. Leach’s pitches, however, were anything but flat as she hurled a three-hit complete game. But she did receive more than a little help from her friends.
Going into the bottom of the third with the Ravens leading 4-0, an unexpected hero emerged for Robbinsville in the field. A couple of good, solid bunts coupled with Robbinsville errors had enabled the Rams to score two runs. They were threatening for more with two outs and a pair of runners in scoring position when Caitlin Fallon hit a screaming line drive to left which seemed destined for double city. But Amber Rylak leaped up and snagged the ball out of mid-air to save the day.
"When Amber Rylak caught that ball the force of the ball being hit took her on her back," said Goldstein, whose team did not fall too many times on Saturday. In fact, Franciso had two hits and scored two runs while Dani Demkovitz smacked a pair of hits and scored a run. Allison Haftel went 2-for-3 with a run and a RBI and Jenna Lazzaro also knocked in a run. Emily Rivers had a hit while Sarah Munn collected a run scored. To call it a big win would be huge understatement. Not many first-year teams make it to the MCT semifinals.
"It (the Hightstown game) felt like we were chugging along like the little train that could," said Goldstein.
That train took a bad detour on Monday and the Ravens lost an 11-0 road game on Riverside’s choppy field.
"They had a pretty good pitcher and we only had one hit in our first five batters," said Goldstein. Lazzaro and Franciso each had hits in the Riverside game.
Francisco, who may be Robbinsville’s hottest hitter as of late, doubled and singled but Robbinsville still dropped a 6-1 decision at Nottingham last Wednesday.
"We had too many errors," noted Goldstein, who got a solid pitching performance by Leach versus the Northstars. Fleming singled and scored Robbinsville’s only run of that game.
Then last Friday Ewing hosted and beat Robbinsville, 9-1.
"Again it was errors and errors. But they did have a second inning where they had six hits and five runs," said Goldstein, whose team collected five hits but could only squeeze out one run. Lazzaro doubled and knocked in Robbinsville’s only run of the game in the sixth.
Robbinsville (4-15) was scheduled to have played at Princeton yesterday (Wednesday). Today (Thursday) it will either play a MCT championship game at Armstrong Field or it will play a game at Burlington City. Robbinsville is scheduled to host Hopewell Valley on Friday.
AHS
The Allentown High School softball team defeated Notre Dame, 1-0, on Saturday in the quarterfinals of the Mercer County Tournament.
Allentown was scheduled to face West Windsor North in the MCT semifinals on Tuesday night. The winner of that game will play the winner of Steinert-Robbinsville for the MCT championship today.
Alyssa Ellerson tossed the shutout against Notre Dame, limiting the Irish to just one hit while striking out 11. Annie Erndl singled home Jen Richard with the only run of the game.
In other action, Allentown blanked Hightstown, 5-0. Ellerson tossed a two-hitter and struck out 16 batters. She was backed by two doubles by Brittany Bakacs.
Allentown will find out the seedings for the state playoffs this week. Allentown should open defense of its state title with a game sometime next week.
NEHS
Despite losing the last two games it played, the New Egypt High School softball team is 12-7 and should find out this week where and when it will start the defense of its Group I state title.
Lindsay Rajeski was 2-for-3, but New Egypt was edged by St. John Vianney, 1-0, on Monday. St. John Vianney scored the winning run in the top of the sixth.
New Egypt got off to a 4-0 lead, but ended up losing to Manchester, 7-5, in the Ocean County Tournament this past Saturday.
Abbey Houston had two RBI in the loss. Emily Straniero had two hits.
New Egypt opened the week with a 10-0 win over Trenton Catholic. Houston struck out 12 batters while throwing a no-hitter in the game called after five innings by the blowout rule. Sara Jobes and Houston both had three RBI. Lauren Sigelski was 2-for-2 with two RBI.
Allentown edged Delran, 2-1, in eight innings. Houston worked the complete game and allowed only three hits. She also had two hits. Rajeski and Lynn Sandford both had a RBI.
Houston tossed a one-hitter and struck out 10 for New Egypt in a 7-1 win over Burlington City. She also had two hits, a run scored and three RBI. Molly Dixon was 3-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI.
