Saturday,
April 18, 2015
By Cory K. Doviak
NJS.com Editorial Director
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Kate Principato had two triples, the second of which drive in two runs and broke the game open in River Dell's 5-1 win over Dumont on Friday. |
ORADELL -- When a hot line drive landed in the glove of his third baseman with two outs and two on in the top of the sixth inning against Dumont, River Dell head coach Mike Garabell knew his team was walking a tightrope and barely keeping its balance. The Golden Hawks, fresh off an extra inning win over Pascack Valley on Thursday, never trailed against Dumont on Friday, but their control of the game was tenuous at best.
“I told them when they came in the dugout that they were playing with fire. We didn’t take advantage of some earlier opportunities and it was still a one-run game at that point,” said Garabell. “We had to get some runs. If we went into the seventh up just 2-1 it could have been a different ending.”
Sophomore Lauren Brown was pitching well enough that she could have held the one-run lead had Dumont still been that close in its final at bat, but she didn’t have to. River Dell put together a textbook turn at bat in the bottom of the sixth inning to give itself a bit more of a cushion. Kate Prinicipato’s second triple of the game, a blast to straight away centerfield, was the big blow as the Hawks scored three times in the frame and came away with a 5-1 victory to extend their strong start to the season.
“I try to focus on keeping my eye on the ball and having a nice compact swing,” said Principato. “I had two strikes on me, but I try not to get down on myself when I am down in the count. I was just looking to drive the ball.”
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Sarah Keefe led off the fourth inning with a single and came around to score Dumont's lone run. |
The rally that finally broke the game open started with Kayla Rosado, River Dell’s No. 3 hitter who fought off a tough inside pitch with an inside-out swing that resulted in an opposite field double. Jordyn Rocca, who had given River Dell the early lead with a first inning two-run homer, then put together a quality at bat. Rocca fell behind 0-2, worked the count back full and then fouled off four 3-2 pitches before drawing a walk to put runners on first and second before both moved into scoring position on Brown’s sacrifice bunt.
Then came Principato, who finished off her perfect 3-for-3 day at the plate with the triple that scored Rosado and Rocca to make it 4-1. Elizabeth Egazarian pushed home the final run with a ground ball to shortstop before Dumont got out of the inning with a nice catch by centerfielder Courtney Deloughery, who ran hard into the gap to pick off Brianna Gangemi’s line drive on the backhand.
River Dell was efficient on offense as it stranded only three baserunners in the game, while it was a different story for Dumont (6-3). The Huskies were one big hit away all game as it left runners in scoring position in the fourth fifth and sixth innings and left eight on the basepaths in the game. Dumont’s lone run came on Jeanarsy Pena’s single in the top of the fourth that scored Sarah Keefe, who led off the inning with an infield single.
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River Dell sophomore Lauren Brown struck out fourth and did not walk a batter in the complete game win. |
“Offensively we just did not get the two-out hit. Three innings in a row we had runners in scoring position with two outs and the name of the game in fast pitch is getting that two-out hit,” said Dumont head coach Rich Wilson. “We have been competitive with everyone we have played and if we can just get that two-out hit then we can turn a couple close losses into a win or two.”
Brown (7 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 8 H, 4 K, 0 BB) the sophomore who has taken over in the circle after seeing a few innings behind Cathy Antonelli last season, stayed away from the big inning with her control. Brown did not walk a batter in the complete game win and two of her four strikeouts came to end innings. Rocca, the senior catcher, caught the complete game win and also finished 1-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored. Her first inning home run, a bomb to left field, was her first of the season.
“I don’t really think about hitting home runs. I just think about putting the ball in play, getting on base and helping my team out. Anything I do up there whether it is a walk or a home run, I am just trying to help my team build an inning,” said Rocca. “That [Pascack Valley] win really gave us confidence as a team and built our moral. It made us trust each other more and we are taking some risks and playing good defense. [Shortstop] Allie [Ostuni] made a great diving play today and those kind of plays come when you have a lot of confidence.”
River Dell is now 8-1 on the season and is drawing some attention in a crowded field of quality public school softball teams across Bergen County.
“The good sign for me was that last inning. It was exactly what we were looking for,” said Garabell. “We had good at bats; we didn’t give up our at bats. Jordyn was down in the count and came back to grab a walk and Kate did a great job. She has been hot the last couple of days and today she was down 0-2 and then stayed with the pitch and hit that triple to dead center. Those are positive signs and we just have to keep it going.”
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