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MONTGOMERY: New attitude helping softball team

Hering homer, Niper arm lift Cougars over PDS

By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
   Carly Hering’s first career home run Monday was impressive.
   The Montgomery High School junior’s reaction when she was removed from the 7-1 win over Princeton Day School after a 3-for-3 hitting performance drew the greatest praise, and holds the key to the Cougars.
   ”The best part about it was when we took her out of the game and said you’re not going to hit anymore,” recalled MHS coach Johnny Rooney. “She said, OK.”
   ”That’s in a nutshell what it’s been about. The winning has helped, but learning from a lot of what went on last year has also helped. They were all here last year.”
   The Cougars won 15 games last season, but off-field controversy swirled around them. It made the season less enjoyable for all.
   Hering, who had her own difficulty in coming back from a broken nose, was primarily a designated player for the Cougars last year, but has become an everyday player in the batting lineup while splitting time between catching and second base with Abby Gray and Alyssa LaCoco.
   ”It’s been great,” Rooney said. “It hasn’t been the rolling of the eyes when we tell them they aren’t going to play. They’re not looking over each other’s shoulders. They’ve really accepted their roles.”
   Hering was thrilled to contribute in the Cougars’ four-run first inning and with her big blast in the fifth inning, and thrilled just to be a part of a 6-0 start that has put last year behind them.
   ”I feel like we’re getting along better and that’s what makes a team, just the chemistry and all liking each other,” Hering said. “There’s no drama going on. We just all work together as a team.”
   There was little drama in Monday’s win after the Cougars put together five hits in the first inning to stake Casey Niper to a 4-0 lead before she even got in the circle. MHS allowed a pop-up to fall for an infield single, then she got the next 15 Panthers out in order.
   ”We didn’t have a problem in Florida hitting, but the last couple games it’s been rough,” said PDS coach Kristen Wilson. “We strike out a lot more than we were before. We’re working on that.
   ”They have bats. I don’t know what’s happened since we came back. They’ve been real hesitant, and they weren’t down there. It’s like they’re waiting for the perfect pitch.”
   Niper threw plenty of them before leaving the game with a one-hitter to give way to Rachel Pizzolato, who struck out five in the final three innings. She had a few more runs to work with after the Cougars scored twice in the fifth, highlighted by Hering’s lead-off home run over the left-field fence.
   ”That was my first one ever,” Hering said. “I didn’t want to think when I got up to bat. Whenever I get up to bat, I don’t think, I just do it. It was perfect. It was right in the zone and I just turned on it and it went out.
   ”It felt different than anything I hit before. I knew it was going far, but I didn’t know it was going to go over the fence.”
   The home run was no surprise to the Cougars. Their No. 3 hitter has shown plenty of power in practice. Herring had hoped that the bomb would have made a bigger impact.
   ”If runners were on, that would have been better,” Herring said. “I’m still pretty excited. But if Taylor and Casey were on before it, it would have been much better.
   ”It’s a good way to start the year. Hopefully I can keep it going.”
   Montgomery will play in the postponed Rancocas Valley Tournament on Saturday morning followed by the Nottingham Classic on Saturday evening. After Ridge on Monday, rival Hillsborough looms on Tuesday.
   ”We had a really tough schedule in preseason,” Hering said. “We had really tough games. I think it was good we came out strong this early. I don’t know that I’m surprised. I’m really happy.”
   Rooney has been happy with how the Cougars have responded to their early challenges. MHS was 0-7 in the preseason, but has been perfect through their first six games.
   ”I am so pleased with how coachable they are,” Rooney said, “how much they learned from last year’s team on what can happen, and most impressed with how they’re classy about how they play the game, whether they’re winning or they’re losing.”
   It’s been that way all year. Hering was fine with laying down a suicide squeeze earlier in the season to try to tie Voorhees. The Cougars ended up calling off the bunt, and Hering delivered a two-run single.
   ”The biggest difference with Carly is how much more serious she’s taking the game of softball, and also how much more fun she’s making it for everybody else,” Rooney said. “When she’s catching for her cousin (Niper), I didn’t think it’d be as good or as positive as it’s been. And she just loves to hit. She brings a fun personality and there’s a few of them on this team.”
   Playing as a team helped MHS slide by PDS on Monday. The Panthers are hoping that playing a strong program will help them in the long run.
   ”It’s better for us to play better teams,” Wilson said. “I think we tend to against other teams play real down and get sloppy. I’d rather play a team like (Montgomery), lose like that and build on some stuff from it than play a team you kill and don’t get anything out of it. I don’t know that they agree, but we’ll see. It’s a long season. It’s still early.”