Too early an exit

Pennsville LL All-Stars bow out of state senior softball tournament after two games, denied a shot at third straight state crown

SENIOR SOFTBALL STATE TOURNAMENT
SUNDAY’S GAMES
At Dennis Twp.Recreation Complex, Dennisville 
Bayonne 4, District 1/Morris County 2
Toms River 6, Pennsville 2
District 1/Morris County 9, Pennsville 2 (Pennsville eliminated)
Toms River 10, Bayonne 6 (Toms River to finals)
District 1.Morris County vs. Bayonne

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

DENNISVILLE – This was not exactly the place Pennsville LL senior softball manager Chris Watson expected to have this kind of end-of-season huddle. Maybe in Massachusetts or Delaware, but certainly not after two games in the state tournament.

But Pennsville’s run in the 2024 senior softball state tournament – and the eight-year run of the core players in the program – ended with two losses on an oppressively hot Sunday at the Dennis Twp. Recreation Complex.

The District 3 and Section 4 champions from Salem County lost to Toms River 6-2 and then were eliminated by the District 1/Morris County team they beat in last year’s state championship game, 9-2. It was their earliest exit from a state softball tournament since 2021 when they were Juniors.

“It was definitely disappointing,” Watson said. “The heat was definitely a factor; we could see that coming.

“I’m not sure why we struggled so much with the heat and other teams seemed to be breezing through it, but we did not adapt well to heat. Both our pitchers had to come out for heat. We didn’t hit well. We didn’t play defense well. We just didn’t do any of the things we really should do well and we have to do win a game.”

Pennsville looked ready to bounce back from their opening round loss and took a 1-0 lead in the first on Jess Bretz’ second homer of the day. But their fortunes turned dramatically in the second inning when Bretz was overcome by the heat and collapsed in the circle. Temperatures were in the 90s throughout the game with heat index hovering around 100.

Bretz required attention twice in the first game, but persevered. She paused again with two on and two out in the second inning of the second game, then fell to the ground. Staffers and players from both teams, and the facility immediately raced to her aid before the local EMTs arrived. Play was suspended for nearly 30 minutes.

Bretz said she passed out twice on the field. Once she came around, she sat in a tent erected in the circle to offer her immediate shade taking in a grape freeze pop. She eventually left the field under her own power.

After waving to her teammates, she rested under a shady tree and flashed a reporter a thumbs-up sign. She spent some time cooling down in an air-conditioned car and then returned to the dugout in street clothes for the remainder of the game.

“It wasn’t scary,” Bretz said. “It was more scary like I can’t help my team anymore and it hurts (because) that was my last game I’m ever going to play for Coach Chris and I didn’t actually get to play, so that’s rough. I think that’s all I was scared about. Just really wanted to keep going. I wanted to be able to help them.”

Watson said the moment was “definitely scary,” but his fears were allayed by the amount of medical professionals within the team’s extended family who he knew were coming behind him onto the field.

There was a different vibe to the team once the game resumed. District 1 took the lead shortly after the game resumed, added a run in the third and scored three in each the fourth and fifth innings. Pennsville, meanwhile, managed only four more hits and one run on Savannah Palverento’s RBI double.

“It was deflating to the team and we didn’t recover,” Watson said. “It was just a deflating moment.”

Despite the early exit to the tournament, the core group of this senior softball team did have a nice run that included multiple district, sectional and state titles and two senior regional appearances, culminating in last year’s Senior Softball World Series trip. 

The tournament also marked the end of Watson’s run with the program. Next year he starts a stint as an assistant coach in the Salem CC softball program. Several of Pennsville LL players are expected to join him when they become college eligible.

“A lot of banners,” Watson reflected. “I think we have 14 banners. It was a nice run.” 

Toms River 6, Pennsville 2

The Pennsville Senior Stars were thrust into a situation where they would have to play three games to reach the finals and five total to get back to the East Regional after losing their weather-delayed tournament opener.

“It’s the long road now,” Watson said. “We have to win four more games to get where we were last year in three games. Not ideal.

“Not ideal in the heat and the way we came out of that with our heads down not ideal at all. We’re going to have to recover. We’re going to have to get our heads up. We’re going to have to turn things around in a hurry or it’s going to end fast.”

Pennsville just couldn’t deliver a timely hit. They ran themselves out of a potentially big inning in the first with overaggressive baserunning and had multiple runners on base in several innings but failed to bring them around.

They had bases loaded and two outs in the first and fourth and two on with two outs in the third and didn’t score. 

Jess Bretz put Pennsville on the board with a leadoff homer in the fifth (making it 3-1) and then they loaded the bases with none out and only got one more run on Savannah Guglielmo’s infield out. 

“It was very frustrating,” Watson said. “They were hitting the ball right at the girls and they were catching it; what can you do.

‘’That’s frustrating, and it’s really frustrating when we’re striking out. There were girls who hit really well the last games and didn’t show up today against a very hittable pitcher.”

Bretz went 2-for-2 in the game and drew two walks. Gianna Evans went 3-for-3 and Mackenzie Widener went 3-for-4. 

Toms River 6, Pennsville 2

Pennsville	000	020	0-	2	9	4
Toms River	100	203	X-	6	7	1

District 1 9, Pennsville 2

Pennsville	100	010	0-	2	5	4
District 1	021	330	X-	9	8	0