Montville Triumphs in 10 Over Morris Hills
In a contest billed as the game of the week by the Star Ledger, Montville and Morris Hills take three did not disappoint, with Montville winning 6-5 in ten innings on a Lexi Haugh single past the drawn in infield scoring Lauren Novotny. This exciting game had three ties and four different changes.
This playoff quarterfinal set up just the MCT quarterfinal with Morris Hills being the five seed and traveling to face Montville the four seed. In addition, the Lady Knights sent out Senior Cara Moriarty and the Lady Mustangs countered with senior Candace Harrison. This game was not a pitcher’s duel with both teams scoring five runs off the other team’s starter. Montville struck in the bottom half of the first when Michelle Geannakakes was hit by a pitch and scored on a single by Stephanie Malgeri. Then in the next half inning, Morris Hills scored two runs on a single by Melissa O’Connor. In the bottom of that inning, Montville scored again when Geannakakes tripled in Haugh. In the bottom of the third, Montville scored three runs when they loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. They plated three runs on three fielders choices, where seven eight, and nine in the batting order put the ball in play and great things happened. Morris Hills stopped the bleeding by bringing in O’Connor from left field, who promptly got two outs to end the inning. The fourth was quiet with both teams going down in order. In the fifth inning, Morris Hills got one run back on a single by Jess Sitzer. In the sixth, Morris Hills got the equalizer when O’Connor again singled in two runs. That sent the game to extras.
The first two frames of extra innings had no base runners because of the pitching of Harrison and O’Connor. Fernicola doubled with one out and Noelle Sisco was brought in to end the threat and to finish the game. The first batter she faced was Sitzer, who hit a liner to center field where Kristin D’Arienzo made an amazing, spectacular, marvelous, incredible diving catch, the best one this reporter has ever seen in person. The only rival to this catch was the one by Gary Matthews Jr. who last year scaled the fence and brought back a homerun ball a good five feet over the top of the wall. That catch was described by Coach John Immediato as a game saver because a single would have scored Fernicola from second. In addition, no one at the game, even D’Arienzo, was shocked about that Web Gem everyone had all seen. Sisco then struck out the next batter to end the inning. D’Arienzo then led off and drew a walk and moved to second with two outs when Novotny hit a bullet right at the third basemen’s glove. Then the gameentered the international tiebreaker as the game went into its tenth and final inning.
In the tenth inning, Michelle Bauer started at second. Morris Hills could not advance the runner. Then Sam Boccolini singled to center but a laser from D’Arienzo held the runner at third. Sisco then walked the next batter to load the bases and bring up O’Connor all ready with two two-run singles, but Sisco came through and ended the threat unscathed.
Novotny started at second for the Mustangs and was moved to third by a beautiful bunt to the third basemen by Candace Harrison. Then Morris Hills moved the infield in to prevent the winning run from scoring, but then Lexi Haugh on a 1-0 pitch hit the ball back over the pitcher’s head to the score the winning run as her fellow teammates poured out of the dugout to celebrate. This celebration was practiced Wednesday twice, once because Immediato jokingly stated, “If we celebrate like that, then I don’t want to win!” In addition, Lexi Haugh scored the winning run in the practice celebration. The Mustangs move on by to great pitching and timely hitting to face the number one seeded Paramus Spartans on Tuesday. This is the first time in Montville Softball history that the Mustangs have ever made it to the Semifinals of the State Playoffs. The girls have a bet with Coach Immediato and the manager, Andrew Sidebottom, that if they do win the State Tournament both men will have to shave their heads. The girls emphasized that they keep this stone a rolling. You can bet Coach Carchietta and MCHSS.net will be there for that celebration.
Montville only mustered four hits on the day but managed to score by putting the ball in play. Of the four hits, three drove in runs and the person who got the last hit scored. The Mustangs still left 9 on base and the Lady Knights left on 12 base. The stars for the Mustangs were Harrison, Haugh, and D’Arienzo who had to share two game balls. Melissa O’Connor starred for Morris Hills allowing one hit over 7.2 innings and drove 4 runs on the day.
This playoff quarterfinal set up just the MCT quarterfinal with Morris Hills being the five seed and traveling to face Montville the four seed. In addition, the Lady Knights sent out Senior Cara Moriarty and the Lady Mustangs countered with senior Candace Harrison. This game was not a pitcher’s duel with both teams scoring five runs off the other team’s starter. Montville struck in the bottom half of the first when Michelle Geannakakes was hit by a pitch and scored on a single by Stephanie Malgeri. Then in the next half inning, Morris Hills scored two runs on a single by Melissa O’Connor. In the bottom of that inning, Montville scored again when Geannakakes tripled in Haugh. In the bottom of the third, Montville scored three runs when they loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. They plated three runs on three fielders choices, where seven eight, and nine in the batting order put the ball in play and great things happened. Morris Hills stopped the bleeding by bringing in O’Connor from left field, who promptly got two outs to end the inning. The fourth was quiet with both teams going down in order. In the fifth inning, Morris Hills got one run back on a single by Jess Sitzer. In the sixth, Morris Hills got the equalizer when O’Connor again singled in two runs. That sent the game to extras.
The first two frames of extra innings had no base runners because of the pitching of Harrison and O’Connor. Fernicola doubled with one out and Noelle Sisco was brought in to end the threat and to finish the game. The first batter she faced was Sitzer, who hit a liner to center field where Kristin D’Arienzo made an amazing, spectacular, marvelous, incredible diving catch, the best one this reporter has ever seen in person. The only rival to this catch was the one by Gary Matthews Jr. who last year scaled the fence and brought back a homerun ball a good five feet over the top of the wall. That catch was described by Coach John Immediato as a game saver because a single would have scored Fernicola from second. In addition, no one at the game, even D’Arienzo, was shocked about that Web Gem everyone had all seen. Sisco then struck out the next batter to end the inning. D’Arienzo then led off and drew a walk and moved to second with two outs when Novotny hit a bullet right at the third basemen’s glove. Then the gameentered the international tiebreaker as the game went into its tenth and final inning.
In the tenth inning, Michelle Bauer started at second. Morris Hills could not advance the runner. Then Sam Boccolini singled to center but a laser from D’Arienzo held the runner at third. Sisco then walked the next batter to load the bases and bring up O’Connor all ready with two two-run singles, but Sisco came through and ended the threat unscathed.
Novotny started at second for the Mustangs and was moved to third by a beautiful bunt to the third basemen by Candace Harrison. Then Morris Hills moved the infield in to prevent the winning run from scoring, but then Lexi Haugh on a 1-0 pitch hit the ball back over the pitcher’s head to the score the winning run as her fellow teammates poured out of the dugout to celebrate. This celebration was practiced Wednesday twice, once because Immediato jokingly stated, “If we celebrate like that, then I don’t want to win!” In addition, Lexi Haugh scored the winning run in the practice celebration. The Mustangs move on by to great pitching and timely hitting to face the number one seeded Paramus Spartans on Tuesday. This is the first time in Montville Softball history that the Mustangs have ever made it to the Semifinals of the State Playoffs. The girls have a bet with Coach Immediato and the manager, Andrew Sidebottom, that if they do win the State Tournament both men will have to shave their heads. The girls emphasized that they keep this stone a rolling. You can bet Coach Carchietta and MCHSS.net will be there for that celebration.
Montville only mustered four hits on the day but managed to score by putting the ball in play. Of the four hits, three drove in runs and the person who got the last hit scored. The Mustangs still left 9 on base and the Lady Knights left on 12 base. The stars for the Mustangs were Harrison, Haugh, and D’Arienzo who had to share two game balls. Melissa O’Connor starred for Morris Hills allowing one hit over 7.2 innings and drove 4 runs on the day.
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