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Bound Brook finals bound
Central Jersey champions end Pennsville’s season, title dream in Group 1 semifinals, keeps own hopes alive
GROUP 1 SEMIFINALS Bound Brook 7, Pennsville 2 Dayton 1, Indian Hills 0
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE — Two teams looking to make some program history played for their first trip to the state championship game in in generations Monday and the one that came the farthest both literally and logistically came out on top.
Bound Brook, the Central Jersey champions that had come 100 miles down the turnpike and hadn’t played for a state title since 1997, scored four runs in the eighth inning after Pennville tied the game in the seventh, to win the state semifinal 7-3.
The Crusaders (16-12) will play Dayton (18-12) for the Group 1 state softball title 11 a.m. Friday at Ivy Hill Park.
“My pitcher (Isabella Marusiak) got injured in the middle of the season and she was out for a few weeks so then were thinking we’re never going to get there,” Bound Brook coach Shannon DeLuca said, “but she came back stronger than ever and she literally leads us here.”
The Eagles (18-8) were looking to get back to the state finals for the first time since they won it all in 2008 and they fought back from two runs down in the last inning to keep those hopes alive.
Pennsville was down to its last strike in the seventh inning when it rallied for two runs to tie the game and force extra innings.
Avery Watson doubled home Kylie Harris to make it 3-2 and Kenzie Widener doubled home Watson to the tie game.
Up until that point the Eagles struggled to deliver with runners in scoring position. They threatened in virtually every inning, but each time Marusiak rose to the challenge and got out of the jam. Pennsville left six runners in scoring position over the first six innings, eight in the game and 10 total, including bases loaded (with one out) in the fourth.
“I don’t change anything (when runners get on),” Marusiak said. “I enjoy playing under the pressure. I think the pressure adds so much excitement and I just own it and play my game.”
Pennsville’s game-tying rally didn’t deter the Crusaders in the least. They’ve been there before. They won their sectional final by answering go-ahead runs in both the eighth and game-ending tenth innings.
They reached Pennsville pitcher Graillyn Weber for five hits in the eighth, seeing her for the fourth time in the game. Ava Dedousis singled home the go-ahead run, Lily Caprara followed with an RBI single and Brianna Gurczeski broke it open with a two-run single.
The Eagles tried not to go quietly. Taylor Bass opened Pennsville’s eighth by reaching second when the Crusaders threw away her infield single, but as had been the trend all game, she was stranded there.
Riverview Sports News 