Woodstown, Pennsville both have a full calendar this week; Wolverines go 5 in 5 days, Eagles 4 in 4 but all on the road
EDITORS NOTE: This story has been edited from an earlier version.
MONDAY SOFTBALL
Buena 14, Schalick 1
Ocean City 8, Woodstown 5
Pennsville 14, Paulsboro 0
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – A demanding week, made more challenging over the weekend, got off to a tough start for the Woodstown softball team. But when faced with such a daunting task, the approach the Wolverines are taking is “one inning, one game at a time.”
Ocean City rallied twice – once before a 71-minute weather delay and once after – to knock off the Wolverines 8-5 Monday.
It was the start of an unprecedented stretch of five games in five days for the Wolverines (3-3), a stretch that is expected to test their depth and stretch their pitching staff.
“I don’t think we’ve ever had five games scheduled in one week,” starting pitcher Grace White said. “But I think we’re doing really good working as a team together and I think we’ll easily get the job done. I think it’ll all work out.”
The task is daunting enough with a full squad, but the Wolverines are down a pair of pitchers following the absence of Liv Boultinghouse and Johanna Way. Coach Dave Wildermuth declined to comment on any aspect of their situation and it is not known how long the players will be unavailable.
It has caused to Wolverines to do some creative shifting. White remains at the top of their pitching rotation, but the development pressed Kayla Brown into an extended role in the circle. It’s likely the Wolverines will alternate the two until the situation is resolved to keep from overworking either of them.
“Thirty-five innings is very tough for any pitcher,” White said, “but like I said I’ll do whatever it takes for my team.”
White started Monday and pitched into the fifth inning, when she was lifted after surrendering back-to-back doubles to Taylor Vaugh and Anna McCabe that tied the game. Brown came in from second base at that point and pitched the final three innings. She gave up an inherited run, two of her own, four hits and two intentional walks.
“I’ve pitched in like two or three Woodstown games ever,” Brown said. “I used to pitch for travel, but I’m only a second baseman here at Woodstown. I think getting called in is an opportunity in a way, but at the same time I just hope I do right by my coaches and teammates because I don’t want to let them down.”
Brown pitched in five games previously for the Wolverines and had never gone more than three innings. She threw a total of six innings in four appearances last season without allowing a run and pitched three shutout innings in her only appearance as a freshman. She spent all weekend throwing to prepare herself for the expanded role.
As the second baseman she wields a big bat. Her two-run double highlighted the Wolverines’ three-run first inning.
The Red Raiders (6-2) erased that early deficit with four in the third inning that was interrupted by the weather delay. Jessica Mooney delivered a game-tying two-run double right before the stoppage, then starting pitcher Brooke Douglas put her team in front with an RBI double on the first pitch after play resumed.
The Wolverines tied it 4-4 on Hannah Hitchner’s RBI single in the home third and Ellie Wygand’s sacrifice fly gave them a 5-4 lead in the fourth. Ocean City retook the lead in the fifth and added an insurance run in the sixth. The Red Raiders’ pitchers didn’t give up a hit after Aubrie Rennie’s leadoff single in the fourth.
“They got some timely hits,” Wildermuth said. “We played a good game in the field and we hit the ball. I guess the best way to describe it is they outhit us a little bit. Outpitched us just a hair and outhit us.”
The Wolverines aren’t the only county softball team with a tough week ahead. Pennsville opened a stretch of four games in four days – all on the road – with a 14-0 shutout of Paulsboro.
By the time this week ends the Eagles will have played eight road games in 11 days. They haven’t played a home game since their season opener April 5 and won’t play at home again until April 22. Before last Thursday the last time they practiced on their field was March 25.
“I’m glad we’re not baseball and we have to worry about pitch counts,” Eagles coach Beth Jackson said. “That would make it even more challenging, so it’s nice we don’t have to worry about that.”
This week’s stretch couldn’t have started better. Lilly Birney hit a two-run homer, came within a centerfielder’s rolling catch at the fence of an earlier homer and drove in four runs, Kylie Harris had two doubles among her three hits and two RBIs and the Eagles broke it open with an eight-run second inning. Sierra Stultz relieved starter Savannah Palverento in the circle in the first inning and allowed only four baserunners over five innings.
“Today was a good start with good defense and we scored runs,” Jackson said. “Today was a good showcase of how good they can do with minimizing mistakes and whatnot.”
As for the rest of the week, the Eagles will take the same approach as Woodstown – one game at a time.
“Now that today is done with Paulsboro, our focus is tomorrow to go to Wildwood,” Jackson said. “Just take it day at a time, one thing at a time. Today is done, good job, enjoy the win, now we turn our focus to Wildwood tomorrow. Beyond that, I’m not worrying about it. One day at a time.”
Cover photo: Kayla Brown will see more time in the circle as Woodstown finds itself down a couple pitchers.
def. Alex Ramirez Martinez, 6-1, 6-0
