Washington softball 12’s advance to Final Four

Ailey stars in crucial 4-1 win

By: Kyle Moylan
   The Washington 12-year-old softball team came into District 12 pool play with a goal of making the Final Four and then seeing what it could do from there.
   Following an 8-3 loss to Millstone/East Windsor on Saturday night, however, that goal was anything from automatic.
   "We were all stunned (as Millstone scored six in the top of the sixth to win)," Washington Manager Ron Ailey said. "We just didn’t play with any energy."
   Knowing Sunday’s home game against Bordentown might be its last, the energy level was up a couple hundred notches and Nicole Ailey tossed a one-hitter in a 4-1 Washington win.
   "Everyone was really nervous, but my dad got everyone to get up and cheer," Nicole said. "We all got our energy up and then did what we could do."
   Which was beat a team that had previously defeated Washington, 8-3.
   Nikki Francisco scored the first run for Washington as she singled and scored on the first of three doubles by Kerry Curran.
   Francisco singled and was doubled to third by Curran in the fourth. Claire Speranza then scored Francisco with a groundout.
   Erin Wojton walked and was double home by Curran in the fifth. Taylor Ponti singled and was driven in by a hit by Ailey in the sixth for the final run.
   The rest was the pitching of Ailey.
   "Nicole is our number one pitcher and I had confidence in her," noted her father and manager. "She pitched a great game."
   Nicole wasn’t quite as confident at first, but that soon changed.
   "I was kind of nervous, but then I heard everyone pulling for me," Nicole said. "I didn’t get nervous after that."
   After it opened with a 10-2 win over Millstone/East Windsor, it didn’t seem like Washington would have any reason to get nervous in pool play. Wojton tossed a complete game, allowing four hits while striking out five. Wojton also had two hits and a run scored.
   Showing what type of offensive tournament she would have, Curran had two hits, two runs scored and a RBI. Speranza had a hit, run scored and two RBI. Christine Levering had a hit, RBI and two runs scored. Jessica Oszvart had a hit and two runs scored.
   Speranza had two RBI and Curran one in an 8-3 loss to Bordentown.
   Speranza, Oszvart and Jamie Migliaccio had RBI in the loss to Millstone/East Windsor. Wojton, Francisco, Levering, Migliaccio and Speranza (two) had the hits.
   With its 2-2 mark, Washington advances to the Final Four, which began last night at Florence.
   10’S
   Washington’s 10-year-old softball team will open action in District 12 Little League pool play on July 12 at 6 p.m. when it plays Cranbury at West Windsor. Washington will then be off until July 15 when it faces West Windsor at East Windsor at 3 p.m. Washington will host East Windsor at 8 p.m. on July 17. On July 18, Washington will face New Egypt at Cranbury at 6 p.m.