Senior helps MHS softball open year with back-to-back wins
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
When one group of leaders graduates, another is ready to fill in for the Montgomery High School softball team.
After patiently moving up through the program, Chrissy Uva is happy to be a part of this year’s senior core.
”It’s been quick,” Uva said. “It feels like these four years have gone by so fast.”
Uva is looking for big things out of Montgomery this year, and she figures to play a more prominent part as the regular starter in left field.
”When I started, I was playing a different position in the outfield,” said Uva, who formerly platooned in right field. “They moved me to the left side. Playing a new position is more fun to learn. Being a part of the defense is always something I wanted to be a part of. It’s really nice this year. It’s a little different responsibilities.”
Uva and the defense have been solid as the Cougars opened the season 2-0 going into Thursday’s scheduled game against Rutgers Prep.
Montgomery will host its Cougars vs. Cancer day tournament beginning 10 a.m. Saturday. MHS will play Bishop Ahr in one semifinal while Cranford meets South Brunswick in the other. The final and consolation games are at noon.
The Rutgers Prep game was to be their second meeting in a row with a prep team after beating Gill St. Bernards, 9-4, Monday behind a terrific offensive showing. Andrea Niper went 3-for-4, and Carly McKenna, Abby Gray, Rachel Pizzolato, Alyssa Elicone and Lauren Kane all had two hits apiece.
Montgomery won its season opener, 4-1, over Warren Hills as Pizzolato allowed only two hits and struck out 10 in seven innings. Elicone had two hits and Gray drove in a pair of runs. Christina Kwiatek’s double drove in another run.
”The difference was dealing with some of the uncontrollable — the weather and strike zone — in both games,” said MHS head coach Johnny Rooney. “The kids kept their composure. We hit a lot more in the one game and scrapped it out in the other.”
Uva scored the first run of the season for the Cougars on a hard slide into home that at first looked to have injured her.
”It feels awesome to score,” Uva said. “With everyone putting together the different hits and stuff, that’s how you score. And defense, we’re looking better and better every day on defense.”
It was a fitting start to the year for someone who hasn’t just sailed through the MHS program, but had to work for every chance she’s gotten.
”Her first couple years, she was a right fielder,” Rooney said. “She’d get some innings there, and pinch run or pinch hit. She was kind of our fourth outfielder. We decided to move her to left field knowing we were graduating our left fielder. She has come in, has played four years of soccer and four years of softball, and gone out showing everybody, I’m going to start, I’m going to contribute and I’m going to have a great senior year.”
Uva knows she can’t stop working, not in the Cougars program that has established itself as an annual county title and state sectional contender.
”It’s really competitive,” she said. Right now, she and Lauren King are getting to bat every other game. Uva has remained in the field, where she’s already made some fine plays.
”Last game, I didn’t hit,” Uva said of the Gill win. “I’m working really hard on that. That’s something I work on a lot in the offseason.”
The Cougars are a young team, younger than they’ve been since 2004. Montgomery will start three freshmen — Amanda Bolt, Mackenzie Woodard and Alecia Kuniff — and plays five in most games.
”We have 28 kids, and exactly 14 are freshmen,” Rooney said. “We are very young, but exciting young. They’re energetic and ready to stay for another half an hour. They love the game of softball and want to get better every day.”
With such youth to their team, the Cougars need strong leadership. It’s why players like Uva who have been a part of the program for so long are so valuable.
”We have the five seniors coming back,” Uva said. “We’re leading this team. We keep getting better every day. That’s all we can ask for.
”It feels great,” she said. “All five of us are trying to be role models for younger players. It’s good to lead by example. We’re all stepping up and filling in the shoes that the other seniors left behind.”
The beginning to the season has been encouraging for the young team. Getting off to a good start is also a help to the Cougars.
”I feel really confident,” Uva said. “We worked really hard in the preseason this March. I’m really proud of what we accomplished so far. We’re building a lot of confidence.”
Montgomery will rely on a lot of small ball to generate runs. The Cougars have come to be known for their aggressive base running, and this year they are forcing the issue again.
”We’ve already put four suicide squeezes down,” Rooney said. “It’s so easy when they buy into your philosophy and strategy. They know we have to scratch out runs for whoever’s in our circle.”
Pizzolato is back to stay in the circle for most games, but the Cougars are still looking for a dependable No. 2 pitcher behind her. Pizzolato, Gray and shortstop Niper give the Cougars a strong backbone up the middle.
”I also think that the other strength is kids don’t quit this program,” Rooney said. “Kids like Chrissy, they keep working and working and working and showing up for practice and doing stuff in the summer and offseason to finally get their opporunity. Nobody bales out if they’re not a varsity starter as a sophomore.
”Chrissy has grown up and matured into such a nice athlete. She’s had to wait and win jobs. When she’s lost the job, she’s had to swallow some pride and sit down and say, I’ve got to work harder. She’s winning this year and going to continue to win that job.”
And with it, she hopes to be one of the seniors that can lead the Cougars to their big goals.
”For the whole team, we want to defend our Skyland Conference title,” Uva said. “We want to try to win counties this year. There’s a big rivalry between us and ‘Boro, and we want to make a good run in states.”