ROBBINSVILLE: Ravens, Curran eye strong finish

By Justin Feil, The Packet Group
   Kerry Curran will give up softball after this season to focus on playing field hockey for The College of New Jersey next fall.
   It was a tough decision, and before she calls it a softball career, the Robbinsville High School senior wants another state softball championship.
   ”I’ve been with this team for four years, and it would be awesome to go out with a winning season,” said Curran, a team captain. “All the seniors have put so much work into it. We all want a successful season.”
   The Ravens have enjoyed a remarkable year at 17-3 through 20 games, but they haven’t hit all their goals. They lost in the Mercer County Tournament final to Allentown, a team that was then knocked out off the Central Jersey Group II state tournament by Lawrence in the quarterfinals last Thursday.
   ”I do think losing the Mercer County Tournament, and then finding Allentown lost to Lawrence has really left a bad taste in our mouths,” said Robbinsville head coach Christine Cabarle. “Hopefully the feeling of losing isn’t a feeling they’re gong to have again.”
   If there were whispers that Robbinsville’s vaunted lineup was slipping after some lower scores than usual, the Ravens took care of them with two blowouts wins to open the CJ II state tournament. Top-seeded Robbinsville pounded out 15 hits in a 10-0 win over eighth-seeded Middlesex in the quarterfinals last Thursday. That followed a 14-hit, 13-0 win over 16th-seeded Hillside to start the final tournament of the season.
   ”I don’t think it was that we weren’t hitting,” Curran said. “We weren’t hitting the gaps and stringing our hits together. We would get a couple hits, but couldn’t pull them together for a run. The past couple games, we’ve been doing well with that and hopefully that momentum will keep going.”
   Curran found a way to not worry about where the gaps are. She homered in the win over Middlesex, one of two one the day for the Ravens, who also got one from their newest contributor, freshman Hannah Olshevski. It was the second of the year for Curran, who has batted eighth or ninth regularly for the Ravens.
   ”She bats usually eighth or ninth, which is truly not a punishment,” Cabarle said. “Every three people can hit. If it’s the bottom of the seventh, if we have our 7-8-9 up, they’re some of our best hitters. We truly have no weak hitters.”
   Against Middlesex, Olshevski was 3-for-3 with 4 RBI. Christine Levering had two hits, Lauren Fischer had two hits and 2 RBI on top of a 10-strikeout no-hitter in which she walked just one. Leanna Gearhart had two hits as did Lauren Hunter and Nicole Piet. Gearhart and Piet each drove in a run. There was plenty of opportunity to hit, which is why Curran never worries about where she bats in the lineup.
   ”I don’t take it personally,” Curran said of hitting at the bottom of the order. “I don’t think we have a gap in our lineup anywhere. No matter where you’re placed, you’re going to get up eventually. Everyone is a strong hitter. It doesn’t matter where you’re batting.
   ”I’ve been moved around a lot. It depends how we’re hitting this week. It could change at any point.”
   The Ravens are hoping the hitting doesn’t change. They were scheduled to host No. 4 seed Delaware Valley on Tuesday with the final scheduled for Friday against either No. 3 Voorhees or No. 7 Raritan.
   ”I felt we were really strong going into it,” Curran said. “We had a tough loss in counties and we put that behind us. We’ve managed to play really, really well together.
   ”I think we’re coming together. We’re coming together at such a great time. We’re finally clicking as a team. It’s the perfect time to do it. We have two games ahead of us and we’ll get better.”
   Robbinsville has done a good job of diagnosing the problems after losses so it can bounce back. And with the potential for a state championship, they are singularly focused on one goal.
   ”I think what’s going to work in our favor, they have no choice but to take care of the ball and to be in the moment,” Cabarle said. “If they don’t, there is no tomorrow. I think that’ll help keep them focused.
   ”They know what can happen. We’re not invincible. Allentown destroyed us in the Mercer County final.”
   The Ravens spent their time being upset about that loss, but have turned their attention to their next goal. The state tournament and chance to defend that championship loom large.
   ”It’s definitely bigger than the counties,” Curran said. “Counties was big, but states is a big accomplishment. We have to take it game by game to get there. If we do that, hopefully we’ll be able to get there and get a win.”
   Added Cabarle: “Now there’s nothing but the state tournament. They have to be in it all the time now. We’re very talented. There’s talent up and down the lineup. There’s talent all over the field. They can’t take that for granted. It’s what they learned.”
   Robbinsville has been playing all season with heavy expectations with so much back from last year’s breakthrough year. They’ve been getting their opponent’s best every game, and the Ravens have even opened themselves up to some tougher games.
   ”We’ve been taking on challenges, like Pennsbury,” Curran said. “It felt good to play that and have great competition. That will help us later on to know we can play great teams like Pennsbury.”
   Robbinsville knows there are only high level teams left in the state tournament. The Ravens want to prove that they’re still the best.
   ”I think we tend to compare this year and last year, which might not always be a great thing,” Curran said. “But to be defending state champs would be a huge honor.
   ”It would be amazing to have a state win,” she said. “It would not be a terrible season if we did not win, if we played our hardest and played our best and we gave it our all. If we give it our best, I think good things will come.”
   The Ravens are feeling confident after two big wins got them back on the winning track. Curran was happy to contribute with another home run.
   ”They’re always exciting,” she said.
   But not quite as fulfilling as a state title. It’s the last thing that Kerry Curran has to play for, and she has plenty of motivation to go out a champion with her longtime teammates.
   ”I really do believe we are finally coming together at a perfect time,” Curran said. “All our jitters and nerves are out of the way. Everything’s coming together.”