Howell High School shortstop AnneMarie Bartow throws to first base to try and complete a double play during the Rebels’ 5-1 loss to Middletown South on April 25 in Howell. Top right: Howell pitcher Carsin Conner delivers the ball to the plate. Middletown South’s win over the Rebels put the Eagles two games ahead of Howell in the race for the 2012 Shore Conference A North Division title. I t took the international tiebreaker to break up a pitcher’s duel between Middletown South High School’s Alli Podmajersky and Howell High School’s Carsin Conner.
Through nine scoreless innings, Podmajersky and Conner were in command in a key Shore Conference A North Division softball game that was played in Howell on April 25.
Podmajersky had a no-hitter going until Howell’s Kelly Hardiman singled with two out in the seventh inning.
While Podmajersky was mowing down the Rebels, Conner was matching her and keeping the Eagles in check.
PHOTOS BY ERIC SUCAR staff Middletown South loaded the bases in the top of the seventh on three singles, but Conner pitched her way out of the jam.
Both pitchers were aided by their defense. Outfielders Grace Heller (center) and Alex Corrigan (left) ran down deep fly balls hit by the Rebels. Conner was helped by second baseman Stephanie Grainger and center fielder Cassidy Brzozowski.
When the Eagles’ Kelsey Lawrence got the game’s first hit, a single to center, she made the mistake of thinking she might stretch it into a double. When Lawrence realized her turn toward second had taken her too far from first base, Brzozowski started an 8-4-3 play that nailed Lawrence as she was sliding back to first base.
After nine scoreless innings, the international tiebreaker rule came into play. Under that rule, the inning starts with the batter who made the last out of the previous inning on second base with no outs.
Fortunately for the Eagles, it was speedy leadoff hitter Taylor Landis who took her place at second base. She was sacrificed to third. Jill Troiano then grounded to shortstop as Landis ran on contact. The throw home was high, Landis scored and Middletown South led, 1-0.
Awalk followed, and with two out, Podmajersky singled home a run, and an error and an RBI single from Lawrence kept the inning going as Middletown South pushed across five runs to take a 5-0 lead.
Howell scored in the 10th on Hardiman’s groundout to plate Brzozowski and make the final score 5-1.
The victory likely wrapped up the Shore Conference A North Division title for the defending champion Eagles, as they moved two games up on the Rebels. “We played very well,” Howell coach Tricia Reingle-Savino said after the game. “It boils down to hitting. We have to hit consistently. We got a little sloppy in the field [in the 10th inning].”
Reingle-Savino said Podmajersky did a good job mixing up her pitches. Podmajersky has a variety of pitches and she used all of them effectively.
As for Conner matching her counterpart pitch for pitch?
“I expect nothing less from her,” Reingle Savino said.
Podmajersky allowed one hit and struck out eight as the Eagles improved to 9-1 overall, 7-0 in A North.
Conner struck out seven and allowed five hits. The defense made four errors behind her as the Rebels fell to 9-4 overall and 5-2 in A North. Reingle-Savino said she was not worried about the tough loss having a negative impact on her team, adding, “These girls love to play the game.”
Howell began play in the Monmouth County Tournament on April 28. The Rebels, seeded No. 5 in the Red (Championship) Division, defeated No. 12 Holmdel, 3-2, to advance to the quarterfinals. Conner pitched a six-hitter as the Rebels built a 3-0 lead and held off the Hornets. Monica Smith, Grianger and Conner each delivered an RBI hit.
Next up for Howell will be Allentown, the No. 4 seed. The Redbirds (12-2) beat Red Bank Regional, 11-1, in their first round game. The quarterfinal game, which will be played in Allentown, must be completed by May 5.
The semifinals are scheduled for May 12 at the home field of the highest seeded team, and the championship game will be played on May 19 at Wall High School.
Since the loss to Middletown South, Howell has bounced back with three straight wins to improve to 12-4. The Rebels beat Marlboro, 11-0, on April 27, and then won two games the next day, beating Monroe Township, 3-1, and Holmdel in the county tournament. Conner won all three of those games.
Freehold Township (6-8) is the only other Freehold Regional High School District team in the 16-team Red Division field. The Patriots are the No. 11 seed and were scheduled to play at No. 6 Raritan High School in Hazlet on May 2 in their first round game.
Defending champion St. John Vianney of Holmdel is the No. 1 seed and Middletown South is the No. 2 seed.