By Wayne Witkowski
Senior pitcher Faith Weber returned to the New Egypt High School softball lineup after reconstructive surgery on her left, non-throwing hand, just in time for a big stretch of Burlington County Scholastic League Freedom Division games.
“My hand feels pretty good now, about 90 percent back [to health],” said Weber, who suffered the injury at the end of the basketball season. “My wrist feels a little weak, but I can bend and flex my fingers. I’m feeling good, but I have a lot of things to work on.”
A rainy stretch of weather that led to postponements gave Weber the opportunity to heal and catch up to her teammates as they took on Rancocas Valley Regional High School April 19 before facing Northern Burlington County Regional High School April 21 on the road and Burlington Township High School April 25 at home.
The Warriors were division co-champions with Riverside High School in a 21-6 campaign last season.
“I see a lot of good stuff, a lot of bad stuff,” coach Kevin English said of the 3-3 start this season that includes only one league loss to Moorestown High School. “We’ve left a lot of runners on. We need to execute better.”
New Egypt lost two of three games in the Steinert Tournament, but even English said he was impressed with some of the progress shown and how his team battled back, saying the team was in every game. It beat Lenape High School, 2-0, as Weber pitched a four-hitter with 14 strikeouts and two walks; lost to Steinert High School, 6-1; and faced Lenape again, dropping an 18-13 game in eight innings, as junior catcher Gabby Medina batted in three runs on two hits and sophomore pitcher Chloe Lewis had two hits for two RBIs.
“We learned a lot from that,” said Weber, as she and English both said the team had tired arms with three games that day. “A lot of teams have three pitchers, but we basically have two [starters].”
But English said in a one-game, one-day situation, he likes his team’s chances, especially as some players get accustomed to playing different positions from last season, when the Warriors won the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group I title over Pennsville Memorial High School, 8-3, before losing in the overall Group I semifinals to Henry Hudson Regional High School, 8-2, to end a 12-game winning streak.
“We’re primed for one-game shootouts with everybody, and our schedule is good enough. We’ll be ready for the state tournament,” said English, who was the state Coach of the Year last year. “It’s the little things you do and don’t do that are costly. It’s a mantra for us this year. When we’re clicking, it’s the little things that we do real well.”
Hitting is inconsistent right now, according to English, but he believes his team is still strong at the plate.
“This may be one of the better hitting teams we’ve had,” the coach said. “We can mash the ball around good enough to score. It’s a matter of getting hits at the right time.”
Hitting and pitching came to the fore April 14 in a big 10-0 inter-divisional victory over Florence Township Memorial High School — a team that beat New Egypt, 1-0, last season. Weber, who said she was surprised and had expected a close game, pitched a two-hitter with five strikeouts and no walks, and Medina homered in the second inning and knocked in a run with a double in the fourth to help give the Warriors a 3-0 lead. Lewis smashed a two-run single for a 5-0 lead, and Medina followed with a sacrifice fly.
Meagan Smith, a junior who moves from center field to shortstop, has a team-best .478 batting average. Junior Alyssa Zarriello goes from left field to center. Junior Sam Getz takes over in left. Senior Kirsten Homeny and junior Elayna Lohkamp platoon in right field.
Medina, who catches again this year, draws on her experience to call pitches sent in by English and has a .400 batting average with seven RBIs. Weber and Lewis split time at first base, depending on who is pitching. Junior Kylie Hatt and freshman Madison Seidman share innings at second base, and junior Rebecca Lombardo, who hit well throughout the Steinert Tournament, plays at third base.
Amanda Morgan is the designated player and also has played in the outfield. She’s one of three freshmen English said he can turn to, including Nina Foy at third base and pitcher/outfielder Lauryn Laning.