By Wayne Witkowski
Allentown High School’s softball team continues to roll along at 8-1 despite shuffling its lineup for an injured player.
The week is highlighted by a showdown in the Colonial Valley Conference Freedom Division that was scheduled for April 20 at Robbinsville High School.
“It will be a great game,” Allentown coach Kim Maurer said prior to the matchup with Robbinsville. “We have to play defense; [Robbinsville] can hit the ball. We can’t make careless mistakes. We have a pitcher who doesn’t overpower hitters, so we need [to make] 18 or 19 outs a game and continue to hit the ball.”
The Redbirds started the week with a scheduled game against Trenton Central High School at home April 18.
Robbinsville (6-1) entered the week on a three-game winning streak after losing, 6-0, to perennial Monmouth County and state power St. John Vianney High School.
As a team, Allentown is batting .340. That has been good support for senior pitcher Kayla Peterson, who has not walked a batter in the last four games she has pitched coming into this week. Peterson, who is 7-1, has 16 strikeouts, four walks and a 1.54 ERA over 50 innings.
“I think we were not really sure we would be doing as good as we have been doing but in the preseason, we worked hard and did so well,” Peterson said. “Now everyone is in position. Everyone has found their place.”
That comes with Peterson throwing to a new catcher of late in sophomore Madison Storey, who was moved from first base when senior Brianna McGowan suffered an injury. McGowan is not expected to be back in the lineup for at least another week.
Sophomore Grace Dawson was moved from left field to first base, and junior Damiana DelBagno is the new starter in left field. Storey has never caught for the Redbirds but has prior catching experience on other teams.
“She knows what to do back there,” Maurer said.
“Madison has stepped up, which makes it easy for me,” said Peterson, who became the No. 1 pitcher this season after Abby Stroud graduated from last year’s team and went on to a college career at Saint Joseph’s University. “I can pitch to anyone, but she’s been awesome. I’ve been doing pretty well, but I worked hard in the offseason because I knew I had to step up with Abby graduated.”
Peterson said the catcher calls the pitches and the change behind the plate has not affected her.
“We work together, and it all depends on the [other team’s] lineup whether I have to go outside or inside. But once we get around the lineup, that gives us the time to get it down,” Peterson said. “The defense has been good, just knowing what to do when the ball gets there to get an out.”
Allentown continued its solid hitting, beating Shore Conference A South Division team Toms River High School South, 13-3, April 16, in a game stopped after five innings due to the 10-run rule. Freshman third baseman Alyssa Notarianni again led the way with three hits for three RBIs, and Storey drove in two runs. Notarianni leads Allentown with a .531 batting average and 15 RBIs.
“She’s killing it,” Maurer said of Notarianni’s hitting. “She’s beyond expectations as a freshman.”
Maurer said her team has been getting contributions from many players. It was evident against Toms River South.
“Their pitcher had 17 strikeouts [April 15] and came in 3-1, so we knew we’d have tough competition with a team coming from the Shore [Conference], where they play good softball,” Maurer said. “But we had 12 hits [against Toms River South], and we’re hitting the ball well. But I never expected a 10-run rule game. We hit pretty good and made three really good plays in the field with Carly Bailey (a senior shortstop), Madison Storey and Alyssa Notarianni playing well.”
Senior right fielder Alyssa Ariano is batting .455 with six RBIs, and sophomore designated player Daria Zubro is hitting .321 with seven RBIs. The other steady starters are sophomore second baseman Shae Dominici and senior Sarina Campanella.
“Last year, we struggled hitting. And this year, that’s not the case. We’re hitting better than expected,” Maurer said. “And we’re getting good pitching. Our defense is good. We make an error or two a game but overall, we’re getting it done and the errors are not hurting us.”
“If we play the way we have been, there aren’t many teams that can beat us,” Peterson said.
Last week, Allentown also beat West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South, 11-1, April 14, as sophomore Heather Devine belted a homer and batted in two runs, while Peterson pitched a three-hitter. Notarianni knocked in three runs with two hits. A day earlier, Allentown beat Hopewell Valley Central High School, as Peterson pitched a two-hitter, Ariano had three hits and Notarianni had two — each driving in two runs.
The Redbirds suffered their lone loss, 5-2, April 6 to West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North, which took a 4-0 lead in the first inning before run-scoring hits by McGowan and Bailey rallied Allentown to 4-2 in the sixth inning. It had an impressive 4-3 comeback victory over Notre Dame High School April 8, as Peterson scattered eight hits and batted in a run.
Baseball
Allentown (4-3 overall, 2-2 division) split four games in five days, including a 5-0 victory over Ewing High School April 15 after losing to the same Ewing team, 3-2, two days earlier.
Colton Johnson pitched a two-hitter in the victory, striking out four and walking five, and Robbie Matos had two hits for two RBIs. Frank DelGuercio, who had two hits, Giuseppe Arcuri and Chris Reeder batted in the other runs.
Ewing won the previous game after rallying for three runs in the fifth inning to overcome a 2-0 lead by Allentown. Kyle Lysy allowed five hits in the loss, striking out seven and not walking a batter.
Allentown also lost, 11-2, to Holy Cross Academy April 14. Ryann Mastromarino and DelGuercio each knocked in a run. The Redbirds beat Robbinsville, 3-0, April 11, as Ryan Huth and Johnson, who came in for the last two innings, combined to pitch a two-hitter. Aydon Chvais and DelGuercio added two hits each in the victory.
Girls lacrosse
Senior Kali Hartshorn has fired in a team-leading 25 goals and her sophomore sister, Marin Hartshorn, follows with 11, as Allentown has won its last four games after opening with losses to Hunterdon Central Regional High School, 16-12, and West Deptford High School, 18-11.
Allentown next plays at Princeton High School April 21 and hosts South Brunswick High School April 22.
The Redbirds entered the week off a 16-3 rout at Old Bridge High School April 14. Kali Hartshorn had six goals and six assists, and junior Alyssa Sloane added five goals and four assist.
Kali Hartshorn also scored four goals and had three assists in a 13-4 rout of Freehold Township High School April 13. Junior Danielle Sullivan had three goals, and sophomore Juliann Golden put in a pair. Each had an assist.