'It Was Fun, But it Was a Challenge'
A new scholastic school year has begun, but one of South Jersey’s top softball players, Ocean City senior Brooke Douglas got a chance to look back on what was an outstanding end to her junior year.
Douglas, a hard-hitting third baseman and pitcher, was a member of the Tri-Cape Carpenter Cup team that was honored before the Phillies game on Aug. 4 against the Baltimore Orioles.
She earned additional honors by being named the Carpenter Cup MVP, batting .450 as the Tri-Cape—consisting of players from the Tri-County and Cape Atlantic League—won its second title in three years. The games were held down the street from Citizens Bank Park at FDR Park.
What made it more special was that this was the last time that Douglas could compete in the tournament, which consists of 16 all-star teams from New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania.
Unlike the boys’ competition, Douglas and the rest of the juniors on the Carpenter Cup softball teams, won’t be able to compete in 2026 Carpenter Cup. Only freshmen through juniors are able to compete in the Carpenter Cup softball tournament.
Even the last day, when the Tri-Cape had to play three games in near 100-degree heat, Douglas savored the competition. She played every inning of all three games, culminating by a 3-2 title win over Delaware South.
“It was fun, but it was a challenge,” she said last month prior to the ceremony when the Carpenter Cup champion Tri-Cape and baseball champion Burlington County were introduced before the Phillies 13-3 win over the Orioles. “I actually love playing in the heat.”
What Douglas accomplished in the Carpenter Cup was only a continuation of what she achieved during an outstanding junior season. Actually it has been a great three years for Douglas.
As a junior she batted .531 (43 for 81) with 11 doubles, five home runs and 46 RBIs. On the mound, she struck out 142 in 83.1 innings.
In three seasons she has already surpassed the 100-hit plateau, with 104.
Following the high school season and the Carpenter Cup, she competed for the New Jersey Gators 18-U Premier Team that took second place in the USA Gold Nationals that were staged in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
“That was so much fun,” she said. “We got to play at Devon Park.”
Devon Park is the site of the NCAA Women’s Softball College World Series.
In review, she competed for a 15-10 Ocean City team that as usual, played an ambitious schedule. Then it was the Carpenter Cup championship and finally placed second in a prestigious national tournament and played at an iconic field.
Over the next few years, she will get the chance to play at plenty of other special venues. Douglas has made a college commitment to attend Rhode Island.
“I love the school, the campus, the coaches,” she said. “Everything about it all checked my boxes.”
With the memories of an outstanding junior spring and summer will likely never fade, now Douglas is ready to make some final memories during her senior year at Ocean City. With a strong nucleus back including fellow Carpenter Cup standout Jessica Mooney, Ocean City should certainly be a formidable team in 2026.
Photo: Brooke Douglas of Ocean City in the Carpenter Cup / Marc Narducci
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Author: Marc Narducci
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