Allentown High School’s Haley Storey tags out a Raritan High School baserunner during the May 3 game in Allentown. The visiting Rockets won the non-conference game, 14-4. SCOTT FRIEDMAN Allentown High School’s girls softball team has had to adjust to playing withoutAbby Stroud on the mound.
The senior right-hander sprained her left ankle — her landing foot — while running the bases for the Redbirds, and coach Kim Maurer said she hopes Stroud will be able to at least play in the field at first base and get her hefty hitting back in the lineup at the cleanup spot by the Mercer County Tournament opener May 9. Stroud is headed to St. Joseph’s University in the fall where she is expected to play first base.
“It’s a huge difference. Not only is she our pitcher but our best hitter,” Maurer said. “We hope to have her back pitching by the state tournament.”
Three players had to change positions in Stroud’s absence. Junior Kayla Peterson moved from third base to the mound. Maurer said she’ll be the No. 1 pitcher next year and is the younger sister of last year’s star pitcher at Allentown, Hayley Peterson. Carly Bailey, a junior, moved from right field to third base, and junior Alyssa Arias, who was the designated hitter, went into right field.
Stroud was injured in a March 26 game against Lawrence High School that Allentown won, 10-3. With Allentown ahead, 10- 2, in the sixth inning and Stroud on second base, the batter was signaled to lay down a bunt and Stroud got the sign to slide into third on the play, but the ball fielded by the pitcher was thrown over to first base and Stroud was shaken up at third base.
Allentown went to 7-2 with the victory but has gone 2-5 since then for a 9-7 record coming into this week.
The Redbirds play five games in six days this week, capped by the May 9 county tournament game. There were games scheduled May 4 against Hightstown High School and May 5 against Notre Dame High School, a game at Princeton High School the following day and a home game May 8 against Ewing High School, which the Redbirds beat, 6-4, May 1.
Allentown also played May 2 in its own McReynolds Tournament, scoring a solid 4-1 victory over Matawan Regional High School and then losing to power-hitting Raritan High School, 14-4, as Allentown fell short of winning its tournament for the first time in many years.
In the tournament, Stroud began calling pitches from the bench with Maurer’s approval by signaling them to the catcher.
“It’s made a difference,” Maurer said. “[Peterson] was getting hit with her drop curve and now is sticking with a curveball and fastball.”
Peterson scattered five hits against Matawan with three strikeouts and a walk and helped herself with an RBI hit. Three days earlier, Matawan (11-4) beat perennial power Red Bank Catholic High School, 3- 2, in the Monmouth County Tournament quarterfinals by rallying for all of its runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Left fielder Jane Minar, a senior, had two hits for two RBIs against Matawan and is one of the top hitters lately along with fellow outfielders Arias and sophomore Sarina Campanella.
Baseball
Allentown’s baseball team (10-6) had a Mercer County Tournament opening-round game scheduled at home May 4 against Princeton Day School after going 2-3 last week. A9-6 victory over Hightstown May 2 snapped a two-game losing streak, as Jake Alessi batted in four runs with three hits. Zack Ruetsch, Tommy McCarthy, Hal Shaw, Brett Sandford and Michael Polcari each drove in one run for Allentown. Thomas Malik tossed six innings for the win.
The day before, Ewing pulled out a 2-1 victory, as Ruetsch drove in the run and Stephen Alpaugh had two hits. Jake Morse had two hits in a 9-2 loss to Hopewell Valley Central High School April 29. A 19-1 rout of Trenton Central High SchoolApril 28 and a 3-2 loss to Robbinsville High School the previous day rounded out the week. Alpaugh batted in a run against Robbinsville.
Girls lacrosse
After a slow start, Allentown (8-5) has won three straight and six of its last seven coming into this week. “We just tweaked a few things offensively and defensively,” said new coach Phil Ricci, who also is Allentown’s director of athletics. “We were playing a good half [game] early in the season, and now we’re playing a full game.”
Allentown advanced to the quarterfinals of the Mercer County Tournament May 2 when Kali Hartshorn had two goals and three assists in a 14-3 victory over Lawrence. Julianna Golden and Danielle Sullivan each scored twice for Allentown, which roared to a 9-1 first-quarter lead. Allentown played in the county quarterfinals May 5 at home against Princeton, which it beat, 9-6, earlier in the season, scoring five unanswered goals in the second half. The winner advances to the semifinals against likely opponent Notre Dame. The championship is May 10 at Hightstown.
Last week, Allentown also beat Hopewell Valley, 8-5, April 30, as Hartshorn scored four goals and Maura Mc- Nutt fired in two.
Boys lacrosse
Allentown (9-3) had a six-game win streak snapped by Hopewell Valley, 7-6, on a goal with 90 seconds left, May 1 as Dakota Wojcik, Ryan Bramble, Bobby Campbell, Connor Provost and the Moore brothers— Kevin and Kyle— each scored once, and Michael Dacey had two assists. The Redbirds beat West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North, 12-3, April 28, as Bramble broke loose for five goals and Wojcik fired in four. Tanner Ferrara made 10 saves in goal. Allentown plays Hamilton High School West May 7 in its NJSIAA Tournament opener.