Manville Elite softball team splits first four games

Team runs into scheduling problems

By: John E. Powers
   
   The challenges facing Manville in the Hillsborough Elite Softball League have as much to do with the schedule as with the games themselves.
   Because of poor weather and other factors, Manville has played just four games – beating Bernards and Delaware Valley and losing to Gill St. Bernards and Bound Brook. Manville was scheduled to play Dunellen this past Monday night in Manville, but head coach Butch Jones was told Dunellen didn’t have enough players.
   Manville was scheduled to play host to Ridge Tuesday night in a makeup game, then play host to one Dunellen team Wednesday and another Dunellen team Friday. The Friday game is the makeup date for Monday. Next week, Manville is scheduled to play at Hillsborough Monday night.
   Jones’ daughter Kim struck out nine and second baseman Rebecca Burke made several nice plays in a 6-1 victory at Delaware Valley last week. But then there was the long break that followed.
   "We played well all over in that game; we had contributions from a lot of different players, and our defense was outstanding," Butch Jones said. "It was also a good feeling for the girls, knowing how tough Delaware Valley was in the high school season.
   "But, the thing that really continues to hurt us is our hitting, we just can’t hit consistently," Jones said. "We beat Delaware Valley with a single here, a walk there, nothing crazy. We go to the batting cages and the kids really bang the ball, but in games we just haven’t been able to do it."
   Jones said that the team was scheduled to be without his daughter in the Tuesday and Wednesday games since she is participating in a national dance competition in Atlantic City.
   "Hopefully we’ll have her back Friday," Butch Jones said.
   Bri Blackman, who plays for Piscataway, joined the team after the Bound Brook game and has given Jones some much-needed versatility. She was scheduled to pitch the games Kim Jones missed. She has also played first base and in the outfield.
   "She is really playing all over," Jones said.
   Manville has been getting solid contributions in the outfield from Dana Mortensen, Lindsey Zaccardi and Victoria Bron. It’s the younger players that the league is designed to help. Samantha Aichele, who’ll be a senior at MHS in the fall, also has been a consistent contributor.
   "We’re just having trouble getting kids to play," Jones said. "I don’t remember having this kind of trouble when my older daughter (Kristin) was playing. We have some kids who are working, kids doing other things. It’s tough to get a rhythm going. You really can’t have practice."
   Manville lost to Gill St. Bernards 10-1 after its 14-4 loss to rival Bound Brook.
   "It was just horrible; it was a mess," said Jones, referring to both games.
   Manville’s game with Hillsborough is one Jones is looking forward to very much. If Bound Brook is the game his players can’t wait to play, Hillsborough is a close second.
   "Hillsborough always has a good team," he said.