Month: July 2023

Pennsville sweeps pool

Senior Softball Eagles finish Mid-Atlantic pool play 3-0, face the host team in East Region quarterfinals Monday

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WORCESTER, Mass. – The Pennsville Little League Senior Softball All-Stars locked up the top seed out of the Mid-Atlantic pool in the East Regional with a pair of five-inning run-rule wins on the final day of pool play Sunday.

The New Jersey champions beat Smyrna, Del., 14-1, and Stroudsburg, Pa., 17-6.

As a No. 1 seed, they will play Masschusetts District 4, the host team and No. 4 seed from the New England pool, when single-elimination bracket play begins Monday. Warwick North, R.I., is the New England top seed (3-0).

“It’s great (getting a 1 seed),” Pennsville manager Chris Watson said. “We’re making mistakes and we’re cleaning them up, making other mistakes and trying to correct them, but we got through it. Managed some things and managed some attitudes and still managed to go 3-0 and get the top seed against some good teams.

“The Mid-Atlantic pool is strong. We executed when we needed to and got that 1 seed. We never make it easy. Even the games you think are going to be easy we don’t focus as much and then it ends up being a late night for us. Hopefully, we’ll correct that and get to it tomorrow night.”

Pennsville’s offense continued to clean up. They ripped 14 hits in the win over Delaware, 15 in the one over Pennsylvania and scored 31 runs. They scored 44 runs in their three pool games and scored multiple runs in 13 of the last 15 innings they’ve played. 

Bella Farina went 6-for-7 with five runs and three RBIs in the two games Sunday. Kylie Harris returned to the lineup after her travel ball commitment and went 5-for-9 with five RBIs. Avery Watson had three hits in the first game, Bella Rappa had three in the second.

“This is what we built it for,” Watson said. “This is what we’ve been doing the last 12 months, swinging the bat, working on swings all year. It really pays off when you finally start to see good pitching. The girls are making good pitch selections, picking the right pitches out to hit, and they’re being smart about it and they’re getting good counts and they’re really lacing it up. 

“We’re hitting a lot of line drives. We’re not popping out as much as we were through districts and sectionals where the pitching wasn’t really (as sharp) and you end up a little off-balance, but now we’re finally starting to see pitchers who are consistent in the 50s and up close to 60 (mph) and their timing is back and we’re hitting well and it’s very satisfying.”

But as the biggest games of the season approach, a potentially dicey situation looms for the locals. Jess Bretz returned to the circle in the nightcap after getting the opener off from pitching, but ran into the same command issues that have hampered her in recent games and she was pulled in the first inning for the second straight start.

Despite having a six-run lead before she ever got in the circle, she didn’t record an out in the bottom of the first. She hit the first three batters she faced and a walk forced in a run. Body language told Watson it was time to make a change for psyche sake as much as anything. Bretz lasted only six batters in one-third of an inning in Saturday’s opener against Maryland.

“We’ve had ups and downs and we’re in a down point right now,” Watson said. “I told her tonight I’m not giving up on her because I’ve seen how good she can be in the circle. We’re going to keep at it and keep trying and we’re going to work through it.

“I know that she’s a pitcher. I’ve seen how good she can be. I can’t turn my back on that. I have to keep trying.”

In spite of her struggles in the circle, Bretz wielded a hot bat. She ripped a two-run homer to cap a six-run second inning in the Delaware game and went 4-for-5 with two doubles and a pair of RBIs against Pennsylvania. 

The players have said Bretz has told them she feels she hits better when she isn’t pitching, although Watson doesn’t buy that and the team likely would like to have her sharp in both areas.

“I don’t entirely buy that because I’ve seen her hit home runs while she’s been in the circle,” the manager said. “You saw it in the state championship game when I pulled her out of the game and she comes out and hits the game-tying home run. Her mindset is there for hitting. I think it used to be a thing. I don’t it’s a thing anymore.”

The pitchers who followed Bretz into the circle never gave up the lead. Kloi Tighe was rewarded with the start against Delaware after bringing the team through its previous two wins and allowed only three hits in five innings while striking out eight. 

Savannah Palverento spelled Bretz in the nightcap and pitched into the fourth when Pennsy loaded the bases with one out. She was lifted for Tighe, who came on in an familiar spot and produced a familiar result. She got out of the jam with a strikeout and ground out and then struck out the side in order to finish the game.

“Kloi feels no pressure, she feels no pain, she just goes out there and hits her spots,” Watson said. “She delivers and is very dependable. Sometimes I don’t even need to pay attention to what she’s doing out there because she’s so good and I know she’s going to get the job done. She gives up some hard contact once in a while, but she’s always unfazed by it.

“Savannah is not getting enough reps right now. I’m trying to get her reps and trying to get her dialed in. I was happy I was able to get her some innings tonight. She was disappointed with the way it went, but I think that’s just lack of reps. I saw some good things.” 

SENIOR MOMENTS: Pennsville actually clinched the No. 1 seed with the win over Delaware … The host team Pennsville plays Monday has not scored a run in the tournament. It was no-hit by Massachusetts in its opener, one-hit by Rhode Island and four-hit by Connecticut … The East Region champion’s pool at the LL Senior Softball World Series in Delaware is coming into shape. Three of the other four teams are set: Lower Sussex, Del. (host); Negros Occidental LL, Philippines (Asia-Pacific); and Yankees Family Group LL, Puerto Rico (Latin America). Vine-Ingle LL of Macon, Ga. (Southeast); and Czech Republic District 1 of Prague (Europe-Africa) have qualified for the other World Series pool.

Pennsville 14, Delaware 1
Pennsville   062 06 – 14 14  1
Delaware    001 00 –    1   3  1
WP: Kloi Tighe (3-0). LP: Mancini. 2B: Kylie Harris 2 (P), Savannah Palverento (P), Bella Farina (P); Fletcher (D). HR: Jess Bretz (P).

Pennsville 17, Pennsylvania 6
Pennsville         623 42 – 17 15  5
Pennsylvania    510 00 –   6   4  6
WP: Savannah Palverento (1-0). LP: Fagan-Huse. 2B: Jess Bretz 2 (Pv), Savannah Palverento (Pv).


LITTLE LEAGUE SENIOR SOFTBALL
East Regional, Worcester, Mass.
Pool A (New England): Connecticut (Bristol), Host (Mass D4/Worcester), Massachusetts (Marblehead), Rhode Island (Warwick North)
Pool B (Mid-Atlantic): Delaware (Smyrna/Clayton), Maryland (Havre de Grace), New Jersey (Pennsville), Pennsylvania (Stroudsburg)
Sunday’s games
Rhode Island 14, Massachusetts 6
Maryland 11, Delaware 2
Rhode Island 14, Connecticut 0
Pennsville 14, Delaware 1
Connecticut 11, Host (Mass D4) 0
Pennsville 17, Pennsylvania 6
Monday’s games
Rhode Island vs. Pennsylvania, 5 p.m.
Massachusetts vs. Delaware, 5 p.m.
Maryland vs. Connecticut, 8 p.m.
Pennsville LL vs. Host (Mass D4), 8 p.m.
Tuesday’s games
Semifinals
Rhode Island-Pennsylvania winner vs. Maryland-Connecticut winner, 5:30 p.m.
Massachusetts-Delaware winner vs. Pennsville-Host winner, 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday’s game
Championship, 1 p.m.

Pennsville wins region opener

UPDATED: New Jersey Senior Softball champs breathe a sigh of relief after coming from behind twice to beat Maryland

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WORCESTER, Mass. – As experienced as the team is at these things by now and should be comfortable with the surroundings, it took a little while for the Pennsville Senior Softball All-Stars to get used to this stage.

Pennsville, looking to claim the region title they felt got away from them last year, won their opening game in the Little League Senior Softball East Regional here Saturday, beating high-powered Havre de Grace, Md., 13-7, but it took a while for them to get going.

They fell behind twice early, rallied to tie it both times, then took advantage of the Marylanders’ shoddy infield defense to ultimately pull away. 

They trailed 2-0 in the first inning and 4-2 in the third, tied the game both times, then took the lead with two runs in the fifth. They added two in the sixth and broke it open with five in the seventh. It was more than enough cushion to withstand Maryland’s mini-uprising in the home seventh.

They will play Smyrna, Del. (3:30 p.m.) and Stroudsburg, Pa. (6 p.m.) in their final two Mid-Atlantic pool play games Sunday. Delaware beat Pennsylvania in the first pool game of the day, 11-1.

“I feel like maybe we weren’t used to playing a competitive team,” third baseman Bella Farina said of the slow start. “In sectionals we didn’t really have much competition. It always takes us a little bit to get in our groove and we always give everybody anxiety.”

Pennsville starting pitcher Jess Bretz really had trouble getting out of the gate and manager Chris Watson lifted her for Kloi Tighe after six batters and 18 pitches in the first inning. Tighe got out of the bases-loaded jam she was introduced to with a strikeout and fly out and then went the rest of the way. She gave up nine hits, three earned runs and struck out seven in her 6 2/3 innings.

At the finish, Maryland scored two runs in the seventh and had bases loaded with one out, but Tighe shut the door with a strikeout and a pop to the infield. She also pitched the last 2 1/3 behind Bretz Tuesday night to lock down Pennsville’s state championship game win.

“I didn’t expect him to put me in to pitch at that time, but I knew he wanted to get the win,” Tighe said. “I’ve been put in pressure situations a lot with travel and I pitched school games like that, so I was OK other it being super hot. It was really hot today.”

Part of Bretz’ trouble Saturday may have been the absence of her regular catcher Kylie Harris. Harris and Leadoff Lily Edwards, the regular first two hitters in their lineup, both missed the game.

Harris usually calls pitches and moves the defense, but without her Tighe made her first start behind the plate since fall ball three years ago and even then “it wasn’t for a lot of innings.” When Tighe went to the circle, Graillyn Weber came in to catch and, Tighe said, “we worked together to make it work.”

“Birdie’s (Weber’s) hand was hurting so I was like I can try (to start off catching) because we really didn’t have anyone else to do it, but it really wasn’t working out for us,” Tighe said. “If was definitely different for (Bretz) because she had me behind the plate and I don’t catch. I kind of felt bad for her because I really wasn’t helping her much, but we really didn’t have a choice. At that point, that was the best we had.”

Bella Rappa and Bella Farina led the offense with three hits apiece, Bretz ripped a pair of doubles and Havre de Grace helped them with 10 errors. Pennsville’s last three runs came on a dropped fly ball with the bases loaded.

The New Jersey champs tied the game the first time with a two-out rally in the third. Bretz got it started with a double. Rappa followed with an RBI single and went to second on the third and scored on Farina’s RBI single.

They tied it the second time in the fourth. Pinch-hitters Kam Garron and Audrey Claybourne opened the inning with a walk and single, respectively, and Tighe sacrificed them up a base. Special pinch runner Gina Shinn, a special pinch-runner for Garron, slid around the throw on Savannah Palverento’s sacrifice fly to make it 4-3 and and Claybourne scored the tying run when Maryland dropped Bretz’ pop up in the infield that would’ve ended the inning.

They took the lead in the fifth  Avery Watson got it started when she took one for the team with one out. Sawyer Simmons then hit a ball that died right before first base line and the throw to get her was dropped at first.

Watson took off for third and that throw was wild allowing her to sprint home with the go-ahead run. Simmons took second and then went to third on a wild pitch. Another run scored when Maryland couldn’t hold the throw Palverento’s grounder to short.

“I think it just gets us going,” Farina said of finally breaking the ice. “It hypes us up and we all get excited and we all just feed off that. That’s when we get all the good hits.”

Maryland bounced back from its loss to beat Pennsylvania 10-1 in its second game of the night. The first six hitters in Maryland’s lineup all had at least two hits.

Pennsville 002 222 5 – 13 10 3
Maryland 202 001 2 – 7 12 10
WP: Kloi Tighe (2-0). LP. Lilly Dalton. 2B: Jess Bretz 2 (P), Bella Rappa (P), Katie Burr (M).

DELAWARE 11, PENNSYLVANIA 1: Smyrna gave Stroudsburg a taste of its own medicine, scoring double-figure runs for the seventh time in seven tournament games to run-rule a team that had won each of its previous seven tournament games by the run rule.

Alexis Dennis led Delaware with four hits and five RBIs while spinning a two-hitter with 13 strikeouts in the circle. Pennsylvania hadn’t given up a run in its previous four games and came in with a streak of 21 scoreless innings, a streak that ended at 23 when Dennis ripped a two-run double in the third.

Pennsville plays both teams Sunday.

LITTLE LEAGUE SENIOR SOFTBALL
East Regional, Worcester, Mass.
Pool A (New England): Connecticut (Bristol), Host (Mass D4/Worcester), Massachusetts (Marblehead), Rhode Island (Warwick North)
Pool B (Mid-Atlantic): Delaware (Smyrna/Clayton), Maryland (Havre de Grace), New Jersey (Pennsville), Pennsylvania (Stroudsburg)
Saturday’s games
Delaware 11, Pennsylvania 1
Massachusetts 11, Host (Mass D4) 0
Pennsville LL 13, Maryland 7
Massachusetts 8, Connecticut 2
Maryland 10, Pennsylvania 1
Rhode Island 10, Host (Mass D4) 0
Sunday’s games
Massachusetts (2-0) vs. Rhode Island (1-0), 1 p.m.
Maryland (1-1) vs. Delaware (1-0), 1 p.m.
Connecticut (0-1) vs. Rhode Island, 3:30 p.m.
Delaware vs. Pennsville LL (1-0), 3:30 p.m.
Host (Mass D4) (0-2) vs. Connecticut, 6 p.m.
Pennsylvania (0-2) vs. Pennsville LL, 6 p.m.
Monday’s games
1A vs. 4B, 5 p.m.
2A vs. 3B, 5 p.m.
2B vs. 3A, 8 p.m.
1B vs. 4A, 8 p.m.
Tuesday’s games
Semifinals
1A-4B winner vs. 2B-3A winner, 5:30 p.m.
2A-3B winner vs. 1B-4A winner, 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday’s game
Championship, 1 p.m.

File photo of Pennsville manager Chris Watson and Kloi Tighe from a game earlier this season by Lorraine Jenkins

Unfinished business

Pennsville Senior Softball heading to Little League East Regional looking to get what they couldn’t close out last year

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – Most of the teams headed to Massachusetts this week for the Little League Senior Softball East Regional might have a message like “Delaware or Bust” scrawled across their caravan windows. There is really only one theme the Pennsville LL All-Stars are carrying: Unfinished business.

The New Jersey champions were on the verge of reaching the region championship game last year when the unthinkable happened. They lost a 10-run lead late in the game and it sent them on an excruciating six-hour drive back home thinking about all that could have been.

It’s a memory that has burned in the souls of all the returning players for an entire year. Now they have a chance for redemption back at the same place in the same regional that begins Saturday.

“We’re 100 percent focused on this,” Pennsville manager Chris Watson said. “It was a huge letdown last year. We felt like we were good enough to go beyond the East Region and we fell short. We have spent the last 12 months trying to get back there every day. Nick Rappa passing away, that’s a big driver, too. The girls have their motivation.”

Pennsville was six outs away from run-ruling Camden/Wyoming, Del., to earn a spot in the championship game that would follow last year when it all fell apart. The Delaware champs, who Pennsville beat in pool play earlier in the week, scored once in the home fourth to keep the game alive, plated seven in the bottom of the fifth to set Pennsville on its heels and then got four more in the sixth to complete the comeback and break Pennsville’s heart.

But instead of wallowing in the loss, they changed their mindset and jumped right back into the batting cage as soon as they got back in town to work out their frustrations.

“We always like to say we have unfinished business because of it,” shortstop Avery Watson said. “I do strongly believe that because we had it in the bag, (then) something happened and it just slipped out.

“It really motivates us because it’s going to be almost the same teams up there; everybody is just one year older. It’s going to be a bunch of the same girls and we want to hand it to them like we could have last year.”

“All of us, especially the Bellas (Farina and Rappa), have a fire in them,” catcher Kylie Harris said. “We have something to prove.”

Pennsville lost only two players off that team and added three more – four, if you include Savannah Palverento who was part of the team last year but missed the regional due to injury. Palverento hit the game-winning homer in the state title game comeback Tuesday night.

So, it’s basically the same team they took to regionals last year, but it’s different.

“They just matured,” Watson said. “I know it’s only been a year, but they matured like five years – and probably that night.

“You saw it on Tuesday night (when they trailed twice in the state title game). They didn’t get rattled. They got rattled last year. We were just 100 percent rattled last year and gave it up. This year they faced a lot of adversity, a lot of moments they could have gotten rattled, and they really didn’t.”

“A lot of our attitudes have changed,” Avery Watson said. “A big part of that is because of what happened last year. We’re more motivated now and more driven to finish what we had left up there.”

This year, they were placed in a five-team Mid-Atlantic pool with Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New York, but late Wednesday night Watson learned the New York entry had withdrawn, forcing a major shift in the pool’s schedule.

They still will open the regional against Havre de Grace, Md., on Saturday, but now wrap up pool play with a doubleheader Sunday against Smyrna, Del., and Stroudsburg, Pa. The knockout rounds that now include all eight teams start Monday.

“We have deep pitching, so I think we have an advantage over some of those others teams when it comes to that and we lose that now in the tournament section,” Watson said. “The single-elimination tournament was a doubleheader for the championship on Wednesday. It’s just been reduced to one game per day so I guess we might lose an advantage there, if we had one. It kind of makes pool play almost irrelevant now.”

The Maryland team Pennsville opens with is 6-0 in the tournament with five run-rule wins. They’ve outscored their opponents 80-8 and pitcher Lilly Dalton has allowed only one earned run in 29 innings and struck out 47.

The top of the lineup has blazing speed – they opened the state title game with an inside-the-park homer and triple – and there’s plenty of pop throughout. Leadoff hitter Bayleigh Carstetter is 7-for-15 with 19 runs and Dayley Veres is 10-for-20 with 15 runs. The pop comes next with Kinsey Mentzer (12-for-21, 2 HRs, 10 RBIs); Dalton (.529, 14 RBIs); Katie Burr (.313) and Sarah Weitzel (.450, 7 RBIs).

The Delaware champs are 5-1 in the tournament, with three run-rule wins and 10 runs or more in every game. Isabella Mancini has thrown two no-hitters.

The Pennsylvania champion is 7-0 with seven run-rule wins. They haven’t allowed a run in their last four games and are working on a 21-inning scoreless streak.

“They all look like strong teams,” Watson said. “We’ve had a chance to watch all three of the teams play via video, but they all look strong, strong pitching in the zone – obviously none of them give up a lot of runs – good defense and they have dangerous base runners. We’re going to play the same that got us there.”

“I think we have to be ready for anything,” Avery Watson said. “We’re obviously going to see a lot more competition up there. We have to be prepared to make more comebacks like we did our last game. It’s going to happen a lot because from what we’ve seen on video they’re very talented teams and everybody is going up there to go all the way. Everybody wants to win it. We just have to want it more.”

NOTES: All four teams in the Pennsville pool can be found on the Gamechanger app: Pennsville Seniors 2023, HdG LL Seniors, SCLL Senior All Stars, Stroudsburg Seniors All-Star … As of 7 p.m. Thursday night, the Pennsville Senior Softball Regional GoFundMe page has raised $1,850 of its $2,500 goal … The regional winner punches a ticket to the Senior Softball World Series in Roxana, Del., July 31-Aug. 6. The East’s pool there includes Asia-Pacific, Host Delaware District 3, Latina America and Southwest and they open against the host team. 

LITTLE LEAGUE SENIOR SOFTBALL
East Regional, Worcester, Mass.
Pool A (New England): Connecticut (Bristol), Host (Mass D4/Worcester), Massachusetts (Marblehead), Rhode Island (Warwick North)
Pool B (Mid-Atlantic): Delaware (Smyrna/Clayton), Maryland (Havre de Grace), New Jersey (Pennsville), Pennsylvania (Stroudsburg)
Saturday’s games
Opening ceremonies, 9 a.m.
Pennsylvania vs. Delaware, 11 a.m.
Massachusetts vs. Host, 11 a.m.
Maryland vs. Pennsville LL, 1:30 p.m.
Connecticut vs. Massachusetts, 1:30 p.m.
Pennsylvania vs. Maryland, 3 p.m.
Host vs. Rhode Island, 3 p.m.
Sunday’s games
Massachusetts vs. Rhode Island, 1 p.m.
Maryland vs. Delaware, 1 p.m.
Connecticut vs. Rhode Island, 3:30 p.m.
Delaware vs. Pennsville LL, 3:30 p.m.
Host vs. Connecticut, 6 p.m.
Pennsylvania vs. Pennsville LL, 6 p.m.
Monday’s games
1A vs. 4B, 5 p.m.
2A vs. 3B, 5 p.m.
2B vs. 3A, 8 p.m.
1B vs. 4A, 8 p.m.
Tuesday’s games
Semifinals
1A-4B winner vs. 2B-3A winner, 5:30 p.m.
2A-3B winner vs. 1B-4A winner, 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday’s game
Championship, 1 p.m.

Savannah Palverento (21) is greeted at the plate by her Pennsville LL Senior Softball teammates after hitting the go-ahead homer in the state championship game Tuesday night. (Photos by Michelle Pedrick)

Not passing on the pass

Schalick plans to open up the offense more this football season to give it a better shot at postseason success; Wilson: ‘We will have a passing game this year’

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PITTSGROVE – Mike Wilson has run all kinds of offense in his years as a football coach and a lot of them have leaned heavily on the run. But one thing he learned last year is you’ve got to leave the ground every once in a while.

So this year expect to see Wilson’s Schalick Cougars throw the ball a bit more than usual. Now, they’re not going to change the A.P. in A.P. Schalick to Air Patrol, but they will put it up “more than we have in our first three years there.”

“One thing I have learned from coaches, if you can’t throw the ball you can’t win,” Wilson said. “I’ve coached all types of offense – spread, wing-T, double wing; I’ve played ‘em all. It comes down to one thing: When you’ve got equal talent in the playoffs, if you can’t throw the ball it’s hard.”

The Cougars learned that the hard way last year. They had gotten back in the playoffs for the first time since 2018 and played Woodstown in the first round. They lost 45-8 to a team that also ran the ball heavily, but completed 5 of 8 passes for 79 yards and two touchdowns.

“They’re a run team, but they threw the ball, exposed us and got rid of us really early in that game,” Wilson said. “If you talk to them, they found out over coach (John) Adams’ career over there being an option wing-T they had to run and throw the ball, too.”

The Cougars were so top-heavy on the ground only teams that didn’t throw at all threw less. They had only 46 passes all season for 383 yards, while rushing 424 times for 2,935 yards. The year before they were 79 percent run.

They never threw more than nine passes in any game and had one three-game stretch in which they threw a total of five. There was one game they didn’t throw any.

“We will have a passing game this year,” Wilson said.

You can’t argue with the formula, though. In Wilson’s three seasons, the Cougars’ passing yardage has gone down each year, but the rushing yardage and, most importantly, the win total has increased. Still, they recognize for long-term success that ratio has to change.

“Our run game has been dominant the last two years, but I feel like to beat the better teams we’re definitely going to have to start opening up the passing game,” junior quarterback Kenai Simmons said. “We were like a 90-10 (run-to-pass) team, so it was pretty predictable seeing what we were doing every game.

“Most people game-planned for the run. They weren’t really expecting the pass, so that’s what we’re looking for this year … to see a lot of run but definitely a lot more throwing. You’ve got to respect our throwing game this year.”

The Cougars threw only four touchdown passes last year. Simmons, the team’s leading rusher and receiver, caught three of them. Now, he’ll be the one looking to get it in the hands of senior Jake Siedlecki, second behind Simmons last year with six catches for 97 yards, sophomore Dylan Sheehan and junior Nylan Sutton.

The last time Simmons played quarterback was in eighth grade and he led his team to a championship. Of course, that was more of a Wildcat situation as anything, but when he did throw it on the halfback pass he was good for 40 yards in the air.

Knowing his role will expand this season, he has been working this off-season on improving his timing and pre-snap reading of defenses. In one early 7-on-7 game this summer, he threw three straight completions on the first possession and produced the game’s first touchdown.

It’s still a work in progress, but there’s been progress nonetheless. After a bad read in one of the games in Tuesday night’s 7-on-7 with Cumberland and Sterling, Simmons approached his position coach and admitted he didn’t pick up a lurking linebacker.

“I did it before so I think I can get back in the habit of doing it,” Simmons said. “I wouldn’t say I loved the quarterback spot, but I definitely am a team player so I’ll do whatever it takes for our team to succeed.

“Put the ball in my hands, I promise I’ll do something great with it as long as my blocking is there. The only thing I can say is don’t underestimate us this year.”

SCHALICK OFFENSE UNDER COACH MIKE WILSON

YEAR (W-L)RUSHINGPASSING
2022 (7-3)424-2935-3919-46-7-383-4
2021 (4-6)279-1222-1427-72-1-439-5
2020 (0-7)132-188-259-135-10-600-4
Rushing: Attempts-Yards-TDs; Passing: Comp-Att-Int-Yds-TDs

Photo: Schalick coach Mike Wilson (L) talks with Cougars quarterback Kenai Simmons (R) and Reggie Allen during a recent 7-on-7 tournament.

Never nervous

Pennsville LL Senior Softball All-Stars rally twice to beat District One for state title, heading back to Massachusetts for regionals

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

MORRIS PLAINS – Pennsville’s senior softball all-stars hadn’t faced much – if any – adversity in their first six games of the State Little League Tournament ladder, but they had all of it they could handle Tuesday night.

And handle it they did.

Pennsville came behind twice in the middle innings against Morris County District One – the only times they had trailed at any stage in the tournament – and beat their nemesis 8-7 to win their second straight state title and earn a berth back to the East Regionals.

Winning pitcher Kloi Tighe (L), starting pitcher Jess Bretz (C) and catcher Kylie Harris hold the championship trophy.

The victory sends them back to Worcester, Mass., where they’ll look to exorcise some demons from a year ago. They’ll face Maryland champion Havre de Grace in their first game of pool play Saturday.

“We handled it well,” Pennsville manager Chris Watson said of the adversity. “Nobody lost control. Nobody backed away. They all faced it full on and they did their jobs. They executed and they came back hard.

“A lot of these girls have been together for several years and we have played from behind in the past, we have walk-off wins in our history, so they don’t back away … I didn’t really have any worries. I was nervous, I didn’t want to have to play a second game here tonight, but, no, I didn’t have any concerns about that.”

Pennsville trailed 2-0 in the fourth and 7-4 in the fifth but rallied in the bottom of each inning to assume the lead.

Savannah Palverento delivered twice to give the District 3 and Section 4 champs the lead. She had a two-run triple in the fourth to put them ahead 3-2 and the go-ahead solo homer in the fifth to make it 8-7.

“With the triple I knew we needed to get our energy up,” she said. “I went into the dugout and said this isn’t how we play  this isn’t how we play, this isn’t Pennsville, this isn’t the Pennsville that gets tight, chokes and that’s not us, that’s not how we play. I was just looking to get on base. I don’t care what she threw because my at-bat before that was really bad. I needed to get on base and find a way to do it.

“On the homer my mind was kind of blank. I didn’t think at all. There were no thoughts going through my head when I hit that. I probably started tearing up when I touched home plate.”

Jess Bretz set the stage of Palverento’s heroics when she blasted a three-run shot on the first pitch she saw in the fifth to tie the game 7-7. It was her first at bat after being replaced in the circle in the top half of the inning and came after Avery Watson drew a four-pitch leadoff walk and Kylie Harris singled.

“That ball was at least 250 feet; she crushed it,” manager Watson said. “A lot of pitchers struggle and give up the lead, they’re going to be a mess the next time they come up. She was the third batter to come up and just absolutely unfazed crushed the ball and tied the game. Again, they’re unfazed. They don’t mind adversity. They don’t let the pressure get to them.”

“I’ve played with Jess a long time,” Palverento said. “She likes to say if she’s pitching she’s not going to do well hitting and if she’s not pitching she’ll do very well hitting. The second she gets pulled off the mound she hits a three-run home run.”

Kloi Tighe gave a masterful relief performance in the circle behind Bretz to get the win.

Making just her second appearance in the circle this tournament season, Tighe came in after the hosts stretched their lead to 7-4, but she got the last out of the inning with the first of her four strikeouts and then completed 2 1/3 innings of one-hit relief. She struck out the final batter of the game on three pitches with the tying run on third base.

“She came in and she did her job,” Watson said. “She was hitting her spots like I’ve never seen her hit her spots before. There might have been one or two called balls; she was just in the zone. Totally unfazed.”

“We were trailing when I came in and I knew I had to come in and step up for the team,” Tighe said. “I knew I had my teammates behind me. I wasn’t really worried about it because I knew we were able to hit two more times. I just knew I had to throw strikes and I have my teammates behind me.”

SENIOR MOMENTS: It’ll be a quick turnaround for the team. It leaves for Worcester Friday. Organizers will put together a GoFundMe page to help fundraise for the trip … Bretz faced the minimum in the circle through the first 3 1/3 innings, thanks in part to Harris cutting down two runners on the bases … Last year, Pennsville was in the driver’s seat in the regional final when a 10-run inning proved their undoing. “It is the theme,” Watson said. “It’s already come up a couple times from the girls that we have unfinished business up there. We need to go up there and be serious about making some noise.”

NJLL Senior Softball 
Championship Game
Morris Plains  000 250 0 – 7   3  1
Pennsville       000 440 x – 8 10  1 
WP: Kloi Tighe (1-0). LP: Leah Scalzo (2-2). 2B: Abby Herzog (MP). 3B: Savannah Palverento (P). HR: Jess Bretz (P), Savannah Palverento (P).

Pennsville (NJ) Regional Schedule
at Worcester, Mass.
July 22 – Maryland (Havre de Grace), 1:30 p.m.
July 23 – Delaware (Smyrna), 6 p.m. 
July 24 – Pennsylvania (Stroudsburg), 5 p.m.
July 24 – New York (Warwick), 8 p.m.
July 25 – Quarterfinals
July 26 – Semifinals
July 26 – Finals

The players on the Pennsville LL Senior Softball team are all smiles after winning a second straight state championship Tuesday night.

Worcester can wait

Sunday’s LL Senior Softball state tournament games canceled, Pennsville likely to play for state title Tuesday with advantages lost

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PARSIPPANY – For all the advantages that come with playing outdoor sports in the summertime, the biggest drawback is they play at the mercy of the weather. And Mother Nature stepped to the plate Sunday morning, much to the disappointment of the Pennsville LL Senior Softball All-Stars.

Heavy rain and deteriorating field conditions conspired to cancel all the games in the New Jersey LL senior and junior softball tournaments here Sunday. The earliest games could be played would be Monday, but it’s most likely Pennsville wouldn’t play for the state title until Tuesday.

An elimination game between Morris County (District One) and Roberto Clemente LL of Jersey City must be played before Pennsville can even retake the Par-Troy West field. And the junior bracket winner reports to their regional Wednesday, so they’ll have field priority.

Pennsville manager Chris Watson and many of his players and parents headed back to South Jersey Sunday and would return whenever their game is rescheduled. Watson said he was hoping to have an update later this evening.

The cancelation was not welcome news for the team that was in the tournament’s driver seat. The state champion is set to check in at the East Regional in Worcester, Mass., Friday. With Delaware scheduled to play its title game Sunday night, New Jersey will be the last team in its regional pool to determine its representative.

In addition, all the momentum Pennsville had built on Saturday’s first day here is basically washed out as well. 

“It’s deflating,” Watson said. “You’re chomping to get on the field and it’s kind of the worst case weather-wise for us, because of the travel distance.

“To potentially be playing Tuesday instead of today it throws everybody’s week up in the air and, if we were to win, puts us on a short turnaround for getting to regionals with Friday being a travel day. It was a fast turnaround last year and we were done on Sunday. This year we’ve got to do it in half the time if we win.”

More than two inches of rain fell in an already saturated area Saturday. Little League district administrator Chris Graham initially informed the teams of the likelihood of a cancelation as dawn was breaking Sunday morning.

“I sent a message out to all the leagues at 5 in the morning,” Graham said. “We didn’t have a field that was playable even at 5 and it got worse.”

He said it was “highly unlikely” Pennsville would be playing Monday. Graham said he does look for any fields that are available within his district and Pennsville’s 12-2 opening win over District One Saturday was moved to the Par-Troy East complex in an attempt to beat the weather, but moving to alternate sites “generally doesn’t happen” for logistical reasons.

While the adults in the room were finalizing their departure plans Sunday, the players waited things out in the hotel lobby.

Pennsville third baseman Bella Farina shared her teammates disappointment.

“It 100 percent bums me out because playing softball with my team is probably my favorite thing to do,” the rising Pennsville senior said. “Having to postpone it makes my anxiety 10 times worse having to wait – and I hate that.

“I thought we were going to get it done. I thought we were going to be able to get that state title today and definitely go home and enjoy ourselves. We usually go back to Chris’ house and all jump in the pool with our uniforms on.”

But now, Worcester can wait.

LL SENIOR SOFTBALL EAST REGIONAL
at Worcester, Mass.
Pool A: Connecticut, Host (Mass D4), Massachusetts, Rhode Island
Pool B: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania

New Jersey Schedule
July 22 – Maryland (Havre de Grace), 1:30 p.m.
July 23 – Delaware (Smyrna), 6 p.m. 
July 24 – Pennsylvania (Stroudsburg), 5 p.m.
July 24 – New York (Warwick), 8 p.m.
July 25 – Quarterfinals
July 26 – Semifinals
July 26 – Finals

Pennsville senior softball players and parents hang out in the lobby of the team hotel after learning their state championship game Sunday was canceled due to weather.

Closing in on state

Pennsville senior softball moves to within one win of another state title after another run-rule win and Bretz no-hitter 

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PARSIPPANY – One of these days Jess Bretz is going to throw a no-hitter that actually feels like a no-hitter. She has done it once before – on a level that seems a lifetime ago – and she admitted it felt “a lot better” than the ones she’s spun most recently in the Little League Senior Softball Tournament.

But, you know what, an ugly game or not, everybody on the Pennsville side of things will take the ultimate outcome from what Bretz has been bringing. After all, if you don’t hit, you can’t score. And if you can’t score, you can’t win.

Bretz spun her third no-hitter of the State Little League Tournament program Saturday, helping Pennsville turn back District One (Morris County) 12-2 in a six-inning walk-off at the Par-Troy East Little League complex. Now they play the Morris County-Roberto Clemente LL winner potentially for the state title across town Sunday at 12:30 p.m., a time moved up from the original in hopes of beating bad weather.

A win in that game will send Pennsville back to the East Regional July 22-26 in Worcester, Mass. A loss would force a winner-take-all game currently scheduled for Monday night. State champions from Maryland (Havre de Grace), Pennsylvania (Stroudsburg) and New York (Warwick), pool opponents for the New Jersey winner at the regional, already have been crowned. Delaware will be crowned Sunday.

Bretz most recent no-hitter followed the same pattern as the one she spun against Middle Twp. in the section tournament July 3. In this latest one, she walked six, hit two and gave up two runs in throwing 108 pitches. No balls made it to the outfield off the bat and she struck out 13.

In the one against Middle, she walked three, hit two and was charged with four runs in 74 pitches over four innings. She also threw a four-inning no-hitter with four walks and two hit batsmen against Elmer-Alloway in the district tournament.

“I like to keep it interesting,” the rising Pitman junior said after her sixth win in the tournament. 

In the three games of the district tournament, Bretz’ command was sharp. She gave up four runs, seven hits, walked nine and fanned 29. In the three sectional and state games, she has given up nine runs, three hits, walked 16 and fanned 32.

She doesn’t blame the loss of sharpness on the games getting bigger – “I thrive on pressure,” she said – but rather limited prep. She threw five bullpens in the run up to the district tournament, but only one prior to each the sectional and state tournaments.

“I just haven’t prepared as well as I should,” she admitted.

Pennsville manager Chris Watson said his ace shouldn’t try to do it all herself.

“We talk a lot about command with her,” Watson said. “I don’t ever want her to feel like she needs to strike everybody out. We were talking about that a lot during the game; you don’t have to strike everybody out, be a little more democratic, get the players in the field involved. Use your defense, they’re a great defense and they want to be part of the game.

“It’s great to have a dominant pitcher, but I don’t want her to feel like she’s got to do it all. She should never feel like that. She should never feel like she’s got to gas every pitch. I think she wants to pop the glove and it’s like addictive and she wants to pop it every time and she gets a little wild. Kylie’s glove pops really nice when she hits it.”

The no-hitter didn’t feel like one to catcher Kylie Harris, either, but belonged as much to her as it did Bretz. Harris called all the pitches and positioned all the defense as the team’s self-described puppet master behind the plate.

“I can’t do it without my catcher calling all my pitches because if she calls the wrong pitches, it’s over,” Bretz said. “We go and scout every team so we know what they can’t hit and if she doesn’t remember that and she doesn’t know what to call or doesn’t check the swing, then it’s over.”

“How I describe it to a lot of people is basically they’re my puppets,” Harris said. “I’m the puppet-master. I’m doing all this, I’m calling everything. I’m working behind the scenes. They make me look good and I make her look good because I’m doing everything behind the scenes.”

Pennsville’s bats were popping just like Bretz’ fastball. They collected 15 hits, four for extra bases, and walked it off on Savannah Palverento’s double in a four-run sixth inning. They broke a 1-1 tie with five runs in the third, highlighted by back-to-back Bella blasts – RBI doubles by Bella Rappa and Bella Farina.

Each of the first seven hitters in the lineup had at least one hit; Farina and Leadoff Lily Edwards both had three. Bretz, Palverento and Rappa had two apiece. Harris, Bretz and Rappa each had two RBIs and Rappa scored the run that sealed it.

Four of Pennsville’s six tournament wins have come by the run rule. They have never trailed.

Pennsville pitcher Jess Bretz comforts teammate Bella Rappa as the players from both teams observe a moment of silence to honor Bella’s dad, Nick, who passed away last weekend.

Pennsville was playing its first game since the passing of Rappa’s father Nick last weekend. The team honored his memory by wearing black “Nick 00” armbands, hanging his “00” silver chain in the dugout and displaying his photo on the bench. Tournament officials paused during player introductions to observe a moment of silence.

Bella had two hits and two pop ups and said her RBI double in the third inning “made me feel better about the whole game.”

“The whole week coming up it was very emotional because last year my dad was there (at the state tournament) and when we won he was the first person I ran over to,” she said. “He won’t be here this year so it’s kind of a shell shocker and when they did the moment of silence I didn’t know about it but it made me feel very good and really meant a lot. I had a little breakdown, but it was fine.

“In the beginning (of the game) it was on my mind, but like (Watson) said we’re a family and they’ll pick up you in a heartbeat, and that’s what they did. They made everything easier and took my mind off it a little bit.”

There were a lot of usual elements to the game. Among them –

Harris put Pennsville ahead in the first inning with a sacrifice fly to shortstop. Edwards led off with a bunt single and raced all the way to third when the throw to get her was wild.

Morris County tied the game in the second when a special pinch runner Watson challenged (and was overruled) scored from third on a ball-four wild pitch. Middle Twp. was denied the same type runner in the sectionals when the plate umpire at the time told its manager the rule had been changed to disallow it in June.

The game went into a 30-minute weather delay in the top of the sixth inning with two on, one out and the count full on the Morris County batter. During the delay, the original batter had to leave for work. A new batter was in the box when play resumed and she struck out swinging at the first pitch.

“It definitely was not the oddest (game she’s been involved in), but it was definitely one that stuck out,” Harris said. “Me and Jess communicate on the mound all the time; we just look at each other and we know. I was giving her looks all game that were like, are you serious? We kept looking at each other, like, what’s going on?”

Pennsville 12, District One 2
District One  010 010 –   2    0  1
Pennsville     105 024 – 12  15  1
WP: Jess Bretz (6-0) . LP: Leah Scalzo. 2B: Jess Bretz (P), Bella Farina (P), Bella Rappa (P), Savannah Palverento (P).

NJ LITTLE LEAGUE SENIOR SOFTBALL
State Tournament
at Parsippany
Saturday’s games
District One 10, Roberto Clemente LL 2
Pennsville 12, District One 2
Sunday’s games
at Par-Troy West LL
District One vs. Roberto Clemente LL, 10 a.m.
District One-Roberto Clemente winner vs. Pennsville, 12:30 p.m.
Monday’s game
at Par-Troy West LL
If necessary, 5:30 p.m.

Pennsville pitcher Jess Bretz (L) and catcher Kylie Harris clown around after their team beat District One (Morris County) in the state Little League senior softball tournament behind another Bretz no-hitter.

Remembering a legend

Schalick Cougars plan to honor the memory of Anthony Allen with helmet decal, retiring number

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PITTSGROVE – There’s not a football player in the game who doesn’t love applying decals to the back of their helmets every week. Those tiny badges of honor that signify goals met during the season.

Every player on the Schalick football team will have a special decal on their helmets this year, one that holds special meaning to everyone in the community and one player in particular.

The Cougars will be wearing a “42” decal on the back of their helmets going forward to honor the legacy of former Schalick standout Anthony Allen who died last November after a battle with cancer. He was 48. The jersey number also will be retired.

“If you are from Pittsgrove and you’re from Schalick, the Allen family stands everywhere,” Cougars head coach Mike Wilson said. “Aunts, uncles, everybody. They’re a cornerstone of Schalick. The Allens are Schalick.”

There are still a number of school records with Allen’s name on them – and he graduated in 1993. After starring for the Cougars, he went on to play small college football. His brother, Freddie, runs the community’s youth football program and other family members sit on the boards of other sports.

The last Schalick player to wear the 42 was a freshman last year. The Cougars didn’t wear a No. 50 last season as a tribute to Chris Jambor, a rising senior player who died from injuries suffered in a roadside bicycle accident the previous April.

“Freddie called me one night and goes, ‘With Anthony passing away what do you want to do?’” Wilson recalled. “I said we’re going to honor him all season. We’ll do a moment of silence at a couple games. We’ll work through it. The Allen family is such a big part of Schalick and Pittsgrove we had to do something.”

Reggie Allen remembers he cried the day school officials told him they were going to honor his uncle with the special decal and it will “mean a lot” to him when he sees it for the first time. A three-sport athlete at the school, he plays the same type position on the football field as his uncle, a linebacker-safety hybrid.

“It means a lot to me because he was a big part of my life,” the junior said. “He’s one of my inspirations to play football. He lived in Atlantic City and didn’t come down, but when I’d see him he’d ask me how I did and we’d talk about things I needed to improve on. I’m glad Coach Wilson realized that and is retiring his number.”

Reggie hasn’t suited up since his uncle passed. He isn’t quite sure what he’ll do during the season to honor his uncle, but he knows he’ll do something appropriate.

“I might write something on my cleats,” he said. “He’s always going to be with me when I’m out there. The last time seeing him was when he left my house and he told me he loved me.”

Schalick football coach Mike Wilson talks with Reggie Allen (center) and quarterback Kenai Simmons (right) during a break at a recent 7-on-7 camp.

Doing it for you, Dad

Pennsville first baseman Bella Rappa more determined than ever to help her team win following her dad’s passing

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – In almost every interview they’ve done since the start of this all-star summer, the players on the Pennsville Little League senior softball team have talked genuinely and passionately about how much they are a family.

Now, on the cusp of their biggest tournament so far, that family is hurting and the players are once again rallying behind one of their own.

Saturday night, two days after successfully defending their Section 4/South Jersey championship and a week before their state tournament opener, the team lost one of its parents and biggest supporters.

Nick Rappa, the father of first baseman Bella Rappa, passed away early Saturday morning after suffering a cardiac arrest the day before. He was 51. Less than two weeks earlier dad and daughter were celebrating Bella’s first ever over-the-fence home run in the team’s district tournament opener at Franklin Twp.

This coming Saturday, Pennsville will play its first game in the New Jersey LL State Tournament in Parsippany and Bella will be in her customary spots: batting cleanup and playing first base.

“My first reaction was there’s no way she’s going to continue, but then I realized it’s Bella Rappa we’re talking about and how important softball was to her and her dad,” Pennsville manager Chris Watson said. “Of course, she’s playing. She’s absolutely playing. She’s more determined now to win than ever. Said she wants to do it for her dad.”

Nick Rappa is a big reason his daughter is playing the game today. Among Bella’s fondest memories is going to her dad’s High-Arc Softball games and getting to hit and field between games of his doubleheaders. His teammates would play makeshift games with her in the lineup and purposely overthrow on her hits so she could run the bases.

He encouraged her to play up in youth leagues to accelerate her development and stepped up to coach a team when there wasn’t one for her to play on. When her team won the LL senior softball state title last year he was the first person she ran to. When she got home the night of her home run he was over the moon greeting her.

“My love for the game came from being with my dad,” Bella said. “A lot of like Chris and them didn’t think I was going to play, but mom and dad would want me to play and I would want to play for my dad. On a post I made for my dad on Facebook I said ‘we will win the World Series.’ There’s nothing that’s going to stop me.”

“Words can’t describe what I am feeling right now … Who am I gonna giggle with at 3 in the morning when we can’t sleep and we put on some dumb scary movie. Who am I gonna call when I have a bad game and need someone to talk me from quitting. Who am I gonna talk to about college and playing D1 softball … I can promise you this, everything I will do is gonna be for you and I can promise you We WILL win the World Series for you dad.” – Portion of Bella Rappa’s Facebook post to her dad.

This isn’t the first time these Pennsville players have faced adversity – personal or otherwise. They’ve had two deaths and one serious illness all within the immediate family over the past three seasons and every time they’ve been there for each other and on the field they’ve exhibited extreme resiliency.

“It’s not just a cliche, this is a real family and it shows the way they circle the wagons in moments like this,” Watson said. “Bella has not been alone since this has happened. She has a big family, too, but she also has this softball family and the girls have been with her all weekend. She has a support system like none other.”

“I’ve never had a more supportive group in my life,” Rappa said. “Bella Farina came to my house as soon as she heard. Everyone reached out, saying no matter what we’re here for you … It’s like a second family and I wouldn’t trade that in for the world.”

Watson said the team had “something in the works” to honor Nick’s memory, but he wasn’t prepared to disclose those plans. Funeral arrangements are pending, but it was his intention for the players to attend the service as a group.

Bella, meanwhile, plans to wear the silver chain and “00” pendant her dad wore “forever” at the games going forward. If the rules won’t allow her to wear it, she plans to hang it in the dugout where she can see it every minute of the game.

Bella Rappa connects during Pennsville’s Section 4 senior softball championship game. (Top photo) Bella strikes a pose as the team unfurls its District championship banner. (Photo by Lorraine Jenkins)

Home sweet home

Pennsville senior softball headed back to state tournament after winning another Section 4 crown; breaks game open with big inning, then holds on

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – Chris Watson lost another coin toss, but his Pennsville senior softball team got their dugout back. They were back in their comfort zone and the good vibes sent them back to the state tournament.

Pennsville won the Section 4 championship Thursday night with a 14-5 win over Middle Twp. on Watson Field at the Pennsville Little League complex. It was the fourth straight sectional title for most of these players going back to 12U.

Bella Farina pulls her two-run double down the left field line in Pennsville’s nine-run third inning Thursday. (Photo by Lorraine Jenkins)

The win propelled Pennsville to the New Jersey Little League Senior Softball State Tournament in Parsippany July 15-17. The Section 4 champs will play the winner of the Morris County-Roberto Clemente LL opener at 3 p.m. July 15 with a chance to play for the title at 3 p.m. July 16.

Pennsville actually won by losing. Watson doesn’t have a lot of luck when it comes to coin tosses and when he lost the one Thursday night Middle Twp. took the home team option and the first base dugout. That allowed Pennsville to occupy its more-favored third-base dugout.

Middle relegated Pennsville to the first-base dugout in Monday’s sectional game — even after the District 3 champs had set up shop in their normal digs — and Pennsville won 15-4 with Jess Bretz spinning a no-hitter.

“They expect me to lose the toss; it’s gotten ridiculous at this point,” Watson said. “But, yes, they’re much more comfortable when everything is the same as they’re used to. They want to be visitors, they want to bat first and they want to be in that dugout.”

“I like this side better; I feel like there’s more hype,” outfielder/closer Kloi Tighe said. “Over there (in the first-base dugout), that sign thing (Eagles Softball screen) is all in the way. I just like being on the third-base side because all our fans are all lined up on this side. It’s really, like, more energy.”

The energy spilled over in a crazy nine-run third inning that really took flight when Middle dropped Bretz’ bases-loaded potential second-out foul pop around the plate. Moments later the Pennsville pitcher ripped a grounder to third and Tighe scored when the catcher couldn’t hold the throw at the plate.

Bella Rappa followed with a hot force at third that brought home another run and Bella Farina followed that with a double that raised chalk behind third and scored two more to make it 4-0. Pennsville sent 12 batters to the plate in the inning. Tighe scored a second run on Avery Watson’s two-run double when she knocked the relay throw out of the catcher’s mitt.

Pennsville’s Savannah Palverento steals second base during Thursday’s senior softball section championship game against Middle Twp. (Photo by Lorraine Jenkins)

Eight of Pennsville’s nine starters had at least one hit in the game and every starter scored at least one run, offsetting their lack of focus in some other areas of the game. Catcher Kylie Harris went 4-for-4 with an HBP and then shuffled off to Buffalo to join her travel team for a Friday morning game. Leadoff Lily Edwards, Farina and Grailynn Weber (two doubles) all had two hits.. 

“We started kind of slow so we knew we had to get on the board at one point so we just broke it open and when we did we just kept going and going and going,” Tighe said.

But what started to look like another run-rule victory got to be a little uncomfortable in the middle innings. Bretz lost her command in the fifth and Middle scored four runs without the benefit of a hit to make it 10-4. She allowed only three hits and struck out eight in her first four shutout innings. She struck out 10 and walked seven in the game.

Tighe came on with bases loaded and two outs and put out the fire on four pitches, then finished the game. She gave up a run in the sixth, but her teammates gave her some breathing room by scoring four in the top of the seventh.

“I face adversity well,” Tighe said. “I don’t let anything get to me, so it wasn’t really anything, honestly. I knew I was going to get out of it and I had my team behind me backing me up.”

SENIOR MOMENTS: Pennsville outscored its opponents 65-12 in the district and sectional tournaments. The first three batters in their lineup scored 24 of those runs … Pennsville never trailed in five tournament games … Harris was 11-for-16 with 12 RBIs in the two tournaments. Edwards was 10-for-15 and Bretz was 6-for-11 with 11 RBIs … In five games in the circle (25 2/3 innings) Bretz gave up 10 hits, seven earned runs and struck out 50 … Pennsville beat the District 1 winner (Morris County) twice last year to win the state tournament.

SECTION 4 CHAMPIONSHIP
Pennsville     009 100 4 – 14 14 1
Middle Twp. 000 041 0 –   5  7  5
WP: Jess Bretz (5-0). LP: Grace Hall. 2B: Grailynn Weber 2 (P), Kylie Harris (P), Bella Farina (P), Avery Watson (P), Lily Edwards (P), Sammie Schaffer (M).

NEW JERSEY LITTLE LEAGUE
SENIOR SOFTBALL STATE TOURNAMENT
At Par-Troy West Park Road Complex, Parsippany
July 15
Game 1: Morris County vs. Roberto Clemente LL (Jersey City), 10 a.m.
Game 2: Morris County-Roberto Clemente winner vs. Pennsville, 3 p.m.
July 16
Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 10 a.m.
Game 4: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner, 3 p.m.
July 17
If necessary, 5:30 p.m.

Lily Edwards (85) slides across the plate with the second run in Pennsville’s nine-run third inning Thursday night against Middle Twp. (Photo by Lorraine Jenkins)