e494b5babc2221e92bcaba1ae66e713e.jpg

MANVILLE: Girls play well in SCT loss

Softball team coming together

by Rudy Brandl, Sports Editor
   Last week’s results don’t tell the full story of how well the Manville High softball team actually played.
   The Lady Mustangs, coming off their first victory in almost two years, took the field in hopes of knocking off perennial rival Bound Brook. They knew the next two games vs. Somerville and Ridge would be tough, but first-year head coach Carrie Smith was confident her girls would be competitive.
   Although Manville did not come away with any victories, Smith felt the team played some of its best softball during the week.
   ”They get better every day,” Smith said after Saturday’s 5-1 loss at Ridge in the Somerset County Tournament’s preliminary round. “We’re just not where I want us to be yet.”
   The MHS girls took a 2-1 lead against Bound Brook on a nasty, rainy afternoon in Manville. Bound Brook rallied for three runs and a 4-2 lead in the fourth inning and the umpire wanted to call the game after Manville came to bat. Smith argued that the game should be suspended and continued at a later date.
   ”I told them it wasn’t fair,” Smith said. “I wasn’t letting them take a game away from us. We played very well, but it was a very sloppy day.”
   Manville held Somerville scoreless for a few innings before the Pioneers erupted for a big inning that fueled a 13-0 victory. Smith said the score was misleading because her team was playing solid ball in the first four innings before the floodgates opened.
   Few people gave Manville a shot in Saturday’s county game at Ridge, but Smith believes her girls earned some respect with a strong showing. Manville took a 1-0 lead and the game was tied at 1-1 through four frames before Ridge took the lead with one in the fifth. The Red Devils tacked on three big insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth.
   ”It was a phenomenal game, one of our best,” Smith said. “We played the best defense we’ve played all season.”
   One of the game’s defensive highlights was a Manville double play. Shortstop Angie Saladin threw to second baseman Kate Pornovets, who fired to first baseman Amanda Furka for the double play.
   Senior Kim Jones pitched well in defeat. The right-hander allowed eight hits and struck out nine batters. Ridge’s Kristen Gattoni outdueled Jones and also helped herself with two big doubles.
   ”We were doing so well, but we just had one bad inning,” Smith said. “I’m really proud of the girls.”
   Manville banged out 11 hits in the loss, including two singles by Dana Mortensen, who also had two hits vs. Somerville. Heather Armstrong, Lindsay Zaccardi and Furka also had two hits apiece, while Rebecca Giannotto, Haydee Hernandez and Saladin added base hits.
   The Lady Mustangs (1-5) were scheduled to face South Hunterdon Tuesday.