Dominici’s girls rally for 8-3 win
By: Sean Moylan
Even before the District 12 tournament began, Dave Dominici knew that, on any given day, his 12-year-old Millstone-Roosevelt/East Windsor Little League All-Star softball team was capable of beating anybody.
Millstone-Roosevelt/East Windsor exhibited some of that potential greatness with a come-from-behind 8-3 win over Washington on Saturday at the East Windsor PAL Complex.
"It was very nice. We absolutely played up to our capabilities. We made the routine plays and they didn’t and that’s why we won," said Dominici, who manages Milstone-Roosevelt/East Windsor with help from his father Peter.
Still, it was hardly an easy win. Millstone-Roosevelt/East Windsor, facing a strong Washington team known for its great fundamentals, found itself down 3-2 in the top of the sixth, when it finally made its push.
"We had that one big six-run inning. But we didn’t really have ‘just’ one big hit. It was a total team effort and everyone from one to nine did a great job. And they walked in two or three runs," noted Dominici.
Randi Kosmides, Alex Dominici, Marissa DeVito, Kelsey Brennan and Evalyse Pallante all knocked in runs for Millstone-Roosevelt/East Windsor.
Of course, that great comeback would have hardly been possible had it not been for a tremendous pitching performance by DeVito, who kept her team in the game until its bats finally heated up in the last frame.
"Marissa DeVito, she pitched an outstanding game. She was in complete control of the game after the first inning," said Dominici, whose talented hurler fanned four while walking just one. Washington did not plate a run after the first inning.
On Friday, Bordentown used small ball to beat Millstone-Roosevelt/East Windsor, 10-0, in five innings at Bordentown.
"They had seven bunt singles against us. Obviously, we didn’t get the job done on that end. It was all small ball, but that’s the name of the game," said Dominici. "The score was 5-0 after five. In the last inning we gave up five runs."
Nikole Lugo had Millstone-Roosevelt/East Windsor’s only hit. A. Dominici threw a complete game and only seven of the 10 runs she surrendered were earned.
"She (Dominici) threw very well. She didn’t walk anybody. Defensively, she didn’t have a lot of support," said Coach Dominici.
While Dominici’s team only made one official error it had trouble fielding bunts. But it worked on its defense and consequently it was ready to play a brilliant defensive game versus Washington the next day.
On Monday, Bordentown beat Millstone-Roosevelt/East Windsor, 11-4, at Millstone.
"I thought that Alex (Dominici) pitched well. She walked just one batter," said Dominici. "We went round for round with them except for one bad inning. In the second inning they scored eight runs. We should have been out of the inning three or four times."
But Dominici, whose club had beaten Washington with timely hitting, good pitching and defense, refused to make excuses.
"They (Bordentown) made the plays and we didn’t," said Dominci, whose team put together a couple of serious threats. "It was all a great learning experience."
Millstone-Roosevelt/East Windsor should be good next year too because seven out of its 11 players are just 11 years old and could return.
Millstone-Roosevelt/East Windsor had opened the tourney with a 10-2 loss to Washington. While Millstone-Roosevelt/East Windsor finished 1-3 in pool play, it faced only Final 4 teams.

