By Sean Moylan, Sports Writer
Except for a classic 1-0 pool play win versus Florence, the Washington Township 10-year-old Little League All-Star softball team wasn’t really tested during its 13-0 drive to a New Jersey State championship two years ago.
Most nights, the biggest mystery surrounding each game was whether or not Lauren Fischer, Rebecca Freeman or Julia Borowski would toss a no-hitter that particular night. Fischer and Freeman held opposing batters to no hits more than a few times as they developed into one of the best pitching duos District 12 had seen since the days when Melissa Mehrer and Hillary Allen were pitching for Bordentown.
This season most of those very same talented Washington Township players are back playing for the 12’s, only now the team is called the Robbinsville 12-year-old Little League All-Star softball team.
”We had to make some tough decisions, but ironically we kept almost our whole 10-year-old team from two years ago, and we added Chrsitine Levering to that team. She played for Ron Ailey’s 12-year-old team last year. She was a big reason they made it all the way to States (Washington finished third in the state),” said Jim Freeman, the new manager of the Robbinsville 12’s.
Once again, Freeman will be working with his trusty assistant Andy Fischer. They are widely considered to be one of the best coaching tandems in all of District 12 and beyond.
”I’ll call all the pitches and he’ll (Fischer) set up the defense (and handle the book and most of the changes),” said Freeman, who expects his club to do well this season.
Yet while Freeman excepts for his squad to at least advance out of pool play and then go from there, Robbinsville may not dominate opponents quite like it did two years ago.
”I’d be surprised if we pitched one no-hitter,” said Freeman, who thinks there are just too many big and strong 12-year-old girls in District 12 for Fischer and his daughter to completely shut down lineups the way they used to.
Still he expects them to do very well. Fischer has a nasty changeup and a couple of other nearly unhittable pitches. Freeman features five good pitches, including a curve, screwball, drop, changeup and fastball. And she’s working on a rise. Both of the girls are excellent hitters and both are shortstops. Borowski was the winning pitcher in the state championship game and she’s a terrific first baseman and hitter.
Leanna Gearhart is a stellar catcher who handles the pitchers very well. Erin Wojton, a solid fielder and hitter, will play second base for Robbinsville while Levering will most likely see a lot of action at third. In the outfield Robbinsville will feature Taylor Ponti, Alexandra Valentin and Claire Speranza. Jessica Samel and Paige Motusesky are utility players who can play multiple positions.
”I’m carrying seven 12-year-olds and four 11-year-olds,” said Freeman, who by carrying just 11 players has nothing but strong players on his team. “We’re going to play one game at a time and focus on the team we’re playing at the time.”
On paper Robbinsville appears to be a lock to get to the District 12 Final Four, but Freeman has been around long enough to know you’ve got to get it done on the field.
”Anyone can give you a good game on any night,” said Freeman, who nonetheless, will have his club ready to go to when it opens against Allentown at Washington next Monday night.
