How about Montville!!

Montville Wins Three in MCT.

Baseball & Softball going to THE SHOW!

written by Andrew Sidebottom for MSHSS.net

On Saturday, May 5, Montville hosted two Morris County Tournament Games, softball at 3 and baseball at 7. The fourth seed Lady Mustangs faced the fifth seed Lady Knights of Morris Hills, while the fifth seed Mustangs drew the 21 seed Chatham Cougars. The Softball team pulled off stunnign1-0 victory despite being no hit. The Baseball fell behind 3-0 but scored the next 13 to pull away 13-3.

The county game between Morris Hills and Montville was a rematch of a Randolph Tournament game where the Lady Knights won 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh. On Saturday, Montville sent out a well rest Candace Harrison who had not pitched since Monday, and Morris Hills countered with their ace Cara Moriarty. Montville struck in the bottom of the first when Michelle Geannakakes reached on an error, then Kristin D’Arienzo bunted her to second. After walk to 3 and 4 hitters Stephanie Malgeri and Noelle Sisco, Lauren Novotny stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. With a full count, Novonty drove the payoff pitch to deep center, which scored Geannakakes from third. Moriarty then walked the next batter to load the bases but got Lexi Haugh to ground out to end the only Montville threat of the day. It took until the fifth inning for there to be a hit when Taylor Williams singled to center, but her pinch runner was thrown out by Malgeri on a failed bunt and run. After Harrison got two outs in the sixth, Laura Urbanowicz, Taryn Fernicola singled, so with runners on first and second, and tow outs, Jess Sitzer, the cleanup hitter, stepped to the plate. The jam ended when Sitzer hit a weak grounder to second. In the seventh, Harrison got the side in order to end the game.

Harrison pitched masterfully only allowing three hits, two walks, and fanned eight. Moriarty was just as brilliant pitching a no hitter, with five walks, and six strikeouts.

Coach Immediato was proud that his team won a close game where they were not hitting that well and took advantage of having baserunners. In addition, in the teams first meeting Montville jumped on top in the first but could not hold the lead but they did this time. Montville advanced to the county semis for the first time since 2003 when the beat Morris Hills and get the same opponent in Morris Knolls who beat Pequannock 3-0.

The Montville baseball team advanced to the quarterfinals of the Morris County tournament with a 13-3 thumping of Chatham. The Mustangs get the Pequannock Panthers on Sunday. Montville sent out their ace Charles Matarazzo and Chatham countered with Pat Butler.

Chatham threatened in the first with runners on the corners and one out but Matarazzo fanned the cleanup hitter and induced a pop-up. In the second, Chatham scored when Anthony Reel drove in two with a single up the middle. Montville could not get base runners despite hitting the ball hard. In the third, Kyle Kopacz hit a homerun to left field. The Mustang’s bats finally found wholes in the third, when the Mustangs batted around and scored six aided by triples by Nick Gaeta and Mike Todisco. In the fourth Montville added two more runs center around a triple by Jay Schwartz. After four innings, Montville lifted Matarazzo for Jerry Elsing who pitched two scoreless innings to save Matarazzo for the next day. Montville ended the game in the sixth more five more runs. Mike Todisco ended the game with an inside the park grand slam.

Montville then has to play Pequannock on Sunday in Pequannock. The Mustangs had previously lost to Golden Panthers 7-5 in the regular season. The Mustangs sent Matarazzo to the hill and the Panthers countered with undefeated Martin Kelly. Montville jumped out to top with three in the first. Jay Schwartz singled and moved to third on a groundout, he then scored on a wild pitch. Eric Berman walked and went to third on a single by Jim DeZao. Then Berman scored on a groundout. Phil Benevenga tripled in the last run of the inning. In the second, Kelly retired the first to batters before Schwartz singled. Nick Gaeta drew a walk and Schwartz stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball. Berman singled home Schwartz. Jim DeZao stepped to the plate and a crushed 2-0 fastball over the left field fence for a three-run homer to bring the score to 7-0. Pequannock scored in the fourth when Brian Kirn doubled and scored on a single by Steve Happe. In the fifth, Jerry Elsing and pitched three scoreless innings for the save. For Pequannock, Kevin Wilson relieved Kelly in the third and pitched three scoreless innings.

Montville Coach Casey believes his Mustangs are peaking at the right time and can win the county title. Montville has a tough stretch where they have up to 7 games in 7 days. Montville has Delbarton, who defeated the Mustangs 3-1 in the regular season, in the county semis that came back from a 6-2 deficit to Butler to win 9-6 and have the game on either Thursday on Friday.