The New Egypt High School softball team, playing in only its ninth season, has quickly become a perennial power in Ocean County.
New Egypt High School softball pitcher Emily Bausher, seen here in action during a game played earlier in the 2010 season, was the winning pitcher in the Warriors’ 3-2 victory over Toms River East High School in the championship game of the Ocean County Tournament on May 15 in Toms River. FRANK GALIPO Playing in the Ocean County Tournament championship game for a third straight year — all three times against Toms River East High School — New Egypt defended its 2009 title with a 3-2 victory on May 15 at Ocean County College in Toms River.
In the 2009 tournament championship game, the Warriors defeated Toms River East, 1-0.
The Warriors (22-2) outscored their four opponents in the county tournament by a total of 18-5.
“The program is set up to make the girls successful. There are expectations,” said first-year coach Kevin English, who is a former assistant coach.
Much of that success is built around a tightly knit and clutch-hitting lineup of all underclassmen, including pitcher Emily Bausher (22-2), who allowed a total of only 10 hits in the four tournament games. Kayla Soles, a junior who has verbally committed to attend the University of Louisville, has a .468 batting average with six home runs and 31 RBIs.
The county tournament games included a 2-1 no-hit victory over Toms River South, an 11-1 rout of Toms River North, and a 2- 1 victory over Shore Conference B South Division champion Jackson Liberty in eight innings. The Warriors’ championship game opponent, Toms River East (21-4), won the Shore Conference A South Division.
Bausher allowed four hits in the championship game, striking out 13 Raiders and walking two to earn the Most Valuable Player award for a second straight year. She credited the support of her teammates, saying, “I knew I had my team behind me.”
But it didn’t end there, as New Egypt had two more tournament games scheduled for this week — an NJSIAA South Jersey Group I state sectional tournament opener at home against Penns Grove on May 18, and the inaugural Burlington County Scholastic League tournament championship game on May 19 against Rancocas Valley, which handed New Egypt its last loss, 3-2, before the Warriors began a 14- game win streak.
New Egypt’s earlier loss came to Hammonton in the Rancocas Valley Tournament, which New Egypt later avenged in the Hamilton Tournament.
“The key against Rancocas Valley is slowing down their shortstop, Lauren Gaskill, because she figured in all three of their runs, and we weren’t hitting at that time,” English said several days before the teams met in the BCSL title game.
New Egypt, which won the BCSL Patriot Division crown, advanced to the league title game against Liberty Division champion Rancocas Valley when it beat Burlington Township, 13-0, on May 17, in a game stopped after five innings by the 10-run rule. Morgan Knigge and Bausher each batted in three runs with two hits.
Bausher pitched the first four innings, allowing one hit and striking out nine hitters before her teammates exploded for their final 10 runs in the fourth inning.
Despite the challenging run in the Ocean County Tournament, English felt his team could win it again.
“When you have one of the best pitchers in the state, it keeps you in every game,” English said. “It’s just a matter of who steps up, and it’s different players at different times. Against Toms River East [on May 15], we were aggressive at the plate and took advantage of their pitcher’s change-up over the first three innings before she adjusted.”
Bausher rode a 3-0 lead and then dodged what could have been greater damage in the fourth inning when Toms River East loaded the bases but came away with only one run on a bunt single by Brianne Dziedzio. Bausher struck out the next batter looking, to end the threat.
Toms River East pulled to within 3-2 in the fifth inning when Sarah Bencivegno lashed a run-scoring single but was thrown out attempting to steal third to protect the lead.
Bausher helped the Warriors take the lead in the first inning of the county tournament championship game. Batting .380 and scoring 30 runs in the lead-off spot in the lineup, Bausher legged out an infield hit and scored when a grounder hit by Soles was thrown away. Haley Anderson followed with a single to score Soles.
New Egypt logged its other run in the third inning when Erica Tucker led off with a single and scored on a double by Knigge, the cleanup hitter.