The Raritan Bay Explosion 10U softball team is busily preparing to play in its own Sayreville A.A. Girls of Summer tourney this weekend, after a successful summer that has seen the team bring home three championship trophies.
The Explosion is coming off an outstanding showing at the Sid Lee Tournament in South Brunswick. Sayreville went 2-0-1 in pool play to reach the playoffs. There they defeated the New Jersey Breakers and the Montgomery Mavericks to advance to the final. The Explosion dominated the title game and came away with an 11-2 victory.
Coach Jennifer Barreiro’s team competed during the spring in theAll Shore Travel League, splitting six games in a schedule that was shortened due to poor weather.
On Memorial Day the Explosion opened its tournament season by capturing the Day of Chaos championship in East Brunswick. In June, Barreiro’s girls won the North Edison Firecracker tourney. The team also reached the semifinals in the Sparta School’s Out and Colonia tourneys, and went 2-1 in the Backbreaker Tournament in Hamilton.
The Explosion has also been playing in the All Shore Travel League’s summer session, where they are 3-3 and have qualified for the playoffs, which start Aug. 6.
“This is a pretty strong all-around team; they complement each other’s skills so well,” said Barreiro, who noted that all but three of the 12 girls reside in Sayreville. “It’s a good hitting team, but they also make the plays in the field.”
For the Girls of Summer tourney, the Explosion will move up to the 12U division, since many of the girls will be playing at that level next season.
“It’s a good opportunity for them to see what it’s like and get a feel for a higher level of competition,” Barreiro said. “It will be a challenge, but we’ll see how we do.”
The team’s top hitters include second baseman Samantha Harris, who is batting an even .500, pitcher/first baseman Jessica Ahearn, who is at
.475, and shortstop/pitcher Kathryn Harrigan, who is hitting .385. Ahearn blasted a pair of home runs and drove in six runs in a victory over New Milford during the Sparta tourney. Pitcher Katie Eicher tossed a perfect game against the Manalapan
Belles in the East Brunswick tourney and hit a homer in North Edison.
Other members of the team include outfielders Alexandra Cavallaro, Julia Sinatra, Morgan Wehrle and lefty-hitting Krista Van Wageninge, as well as first baseman Victoria Alvarez, catcher/pitcher Caitlyn Murray, catcher Katlyn Luisi and pitcher/infielder Kayla Stvan. Joe Cavallaro, Lisa Eicher and Joe Stvan are the assistant coaches.
Barreiro said that one of the team’s goals is to develop local players who can go on to play for Sayreville High School. The Explosion will be holding tryouts for next year’s 12U and 10U teams in late August. For information, visit www.leaguelineup.com/raritanbayexplosion.