Weinberg leads North softball’s ‘small ball’ win
By Bob Nuse, Sports Editor
The West Windsor-Plainsboro North softball team has a dominant pitcher and an offense that can score runs in bunches.
But in some games it is the little things that make the difference, which was the case on Wednesday when the Knights rallied for a 2-1 win over WW-P South.
North trailed, 1-0, when it tied the score in the sixth on a single by Emily Weinberg, who was moved to third on a hit by Sarah Bush and scored on a fielder’s choice grounder by Briana King. With the game in extra innings, South had a scoring threat going with a runner on third and one out, but a nice catch by Sara Rosenthal of a screeching liner to right held the runner. Then in the bottom of the inning, Sydney Turchin singled, and then went from first to third on a sacrifice bunt by Weinberg. Turchin then scored moments later on a wild pitch to give the Knights the win.
”It was a real good softball game,” North coach Jason Petrone said. “We’re not really a ‘small ball’ team, but we did a lot of those things to win the game. Sydney going from first to third on the bunt was a big play. The catch Rosenthal made in the top of the inning kept them from scoring. She made a great catch. She’s new to the position and she’s getting better every day out in the outfield. That was a big play to hold the runner there.
”It was a great pitchers’ duel. (Kate) Perrine kept us in the game. (Liz) Mendez pitched great for them. I have to give Mendez a lot of credit. I’d like to think we can score more runs, but she pitched really well.”
Perrine held the Pirates to three hits, but walked five batters. Mendez on the other side was just as sharp, limiting the Knights to six hits. Weinberg, who had four hits in a season-opening 8-1 win over Nottingham, had two of the hits for the Knights on Wednesday.
”It was a really exciting win for us,” said Weinberg, the Knights’ second baseman. “It was a close game the whole way and I was happy we pulled it out.”
Weinberg’s six hits in the first two games are impressive enough, but the fact she’s gotten those hits in her first season of switching from batting right-handed to left-handed has made her hot streak even more impressive.
”I switched over the summer,” Weinberg said. “I wasn’t sure how it was going to work out. It was kind of a spur of the moment thing. My coaches have always wanted me to try it and I felt like it was time for something different.
”I started this summer and it has worked out well. I have an extra step towards first and so far it is working out well.”
The Knights picked up two nice wins heading into a tough stretch that included a game against Lawrence Thursday before facing Hopewell Valley today.
”We’re very experienced,” Weinberg said. “All of us played last year except Sara, who was hurt. But she has been doing great for us in right field and she had a real good catch for us today that was big. I think everyone is doing what they need to do for us to win.”
Weinberg already had two hits in the game when she came up with Turchin on first in the eighth. She wasn’t as concerned with getting a third hit as she was with getting Turchin into position to score.
”I just wanted to get her over to second,” Weinberg said. “She made a great play to get from first to third and then she was able to score in a wild pitch. That was a great play by Sydney.”
It was the sort of “small Ball” play that wins games, even when you’re not a typical “small ball” team.
”It was a good win,” Petrone said. “South has a nice team. We have a good rivalry with them and the games are always good. We’ll see them again at least one more time and it should be another good game.”