STEVEN BASSIN/STAFF

Bordentown enjoying ride of success during 2022 softball campaign

There are many superlatives to describe the 2022 campaign so far for the Bordentown Regional High School softball team.

Some of the words used to describe the Scotties are flat-out tremendous, remarkable and utterly brilliant in every single way on the diamond to earn a 17-1 record heading into their contest against Moorestown High School on May 4.

“It feels good,” Bordentown softball Coach Nicole O’Leary said. “The girls are doing just everything we have asked of them and are performing well.”

Bordentown recorded its 17th victory of the season during Senior Night on May 2 against Northern Burlington County Regional High School.

Senior stars Angelina Marino, Brianna Fischer and Sofia Peterson were honored during the pregame festivities and then helped the Scotties roll to a 9-2 victory over the Greyhounds.

Marino shined the brightest out of all the Scotties to make her Senior Night one of the top moments of her high school career, she said.

Fresh off recording her 100th career hit during Bordentown’s victory over Rancocas Valley Regional High School on April 29, Marino tallied a 3-4 night at the dish against Northern Burlington with a game-high four RBI and was a homerun shy of the cycle.

“It felt awesome,” Marino said after the game. “I always love playing under the lights. We came out pumped and ready to play. I was just focusing on putting the ball in play and running everything out. I feel great.”

Marino’s biggest hit of the night came in the bottom of the fifth inning with the bases loaded, one out and the Scotties hanging on to a 5-2 lead.

An adjustment at the plate by moving up in the box paid big dividends for Marino, who cleared the bases by pulling a line drive into the gap in right center for a three-run triple to blow the game open and put Bordentown up 8-2.

“It was really exciting,” Marino said of her three-run triple. “I was just focused on getting those security runs. We needed it.”

The first RBI of the night for Marino came in the fourth inning when she took an outside pitch the other way for an opposite field double down the left field line to drive in teammate Cadence Klemic and give Bordentown a 3-0 lead heading into the top of the fifth inning.

Her three-hit night extends Marino’s team-high in the hits category to 32.

From one historic moment to another, Marino said she’s having a lot of fun this season with her teammates and can’t wait to see what other great moments are in store for the Scotties this spring.

“I’m excited for the next events to come,” she said.

The top of the fifth inning was the only frame of struggle for Bordentown junior ace Allison Hoppe against Northern Burlington. Hoppe breezed through the first fourth innings against Northern Burlington, throwing four no-hit frames and tallying five strikeouts.

Northern Burlington finally got its first hit of the game against Hoppe with two outs in the fifth inning and were able to scratch out two runs to cut the Bordentown lead down to one run.

The Scotties responded the following half inning with a five-run frame to take back full control of the contest.

“We opened up in the (fifth) inning and got a lot more hits and it all worked for us,” O’Leary said. “Putting the ball in play hard is really what we asked of them and they did that.”

Peterson began the five-run frame by leading off the inning with a single. The senior went 1-2 on her senior night at the dish with a RBI and a run scored.

It’s been a season of serious production by Peterson in the cleanup spot. She has slugged seven of her 22 hits for home runs, has 24 RBI and also has 20 runs scored.

“It’s been so much fun,” Peterson said about her senior season. “I just want to do good for my team. I see our season going as long as we can and I hope we can win everything.”

Fischer is right next to Peterson in the RBI department with 24 runs knocked in as well. Out of Fischer’s 20 hits, four of them have left the yard.

Sophomore catcher Kaci Benton has five home runs this spring and 19 RBI. Benton, Klemic, Lauren Scharko and Erin Hoppe all had an RBI during Bordentown’s victory over Northern Burlington.

After Bordentown scored five runs in the fifth inning, Allison Hoppe settled back down in the circle by closing the game out with two scoreless innings and finished with eight strikeouts in the contest.

Bordentown’s junior ace has given up only 14 earned runs in 106 innings pitched with 166 strikeouts. She has also tossed two no-hitters this season.

So far, their only loss this spring was to undefeated and parochial powerhouse Donovan Catholic High School of Toms River during the prestigious Hammonton Invitational to place second at the event.

O’Leary said her team has been enjoying the ride of great success so far. The hard work her players have put in over the offseason is paying off and she knows it’s continuing to push them to reach new heights with postseason play less than a month away.

“Everything they worked for during the offseason, the preseason and now in season is being recognized,” O’Leary said. “That’s definitely nice to see. These girls are so humble and come out here to play every day as if it wasn’t them in the paper. They know they are here to play together and have fun.”