South Jersey Softball Tournament Recap
The recently concluded South Jersey softball tournament concluded with a few upsets, but even more top seeds flexing their postseason muscles.
Pennsville was the surprise South Jersey Group 1 champion, ousting defending champion and No. 1 seeded Audubon, 3-1 in the semifinal, behind the complete game, 3-hitter by junior Graillyn Weber
The No. 5 seeded Eagles then beat fellow Tri-County Conference opponent Woodstown, 10-0 in the sectional final. In the four South Jersey wins over Wildwood, Pitman, Audubon and Woodstown, Pennsville outscored the quartet, 31-1.
This was just a matter of Pennsville hitting its stride at the right time. For instance, the Eagles beat Woodstown, 5-3 in their regular season meeting, only to earn the convincing win in the sectional final.
No team from the seven-county South Jersey area emerged in SJ Group 2. That’s because No. 2 seeded Barnegat upended two-time defending state champion Gloucester, 2-1 in the SJ Group 2 final.
Barnegat junior Gianna Gomez earned the win in a matchup against one of South Jersey’s top pitchers Emma Dick. Gomez allowed just one unearned run in pitching a complete game. She struck out seven and walked just one.
Dick was also outstanding, pitching a five-hitter, allowing two earned runs while striking out 16 and walking just one in concluding her brilliant high school career.
Ocean City was a top seed that ended up earning a title. The Red Raiders didn’t allow more than two runs in any of their four South Jersey playoff games in capturing the South Jersey Group 3 championship. Ocean City beat Clearview, 4-2, in the SJ Group 3 title game, earning its first sectional title since 1989. In the title game, Brooke Douglas showed why she is among the top players in South Jersey. Douglas got the win on the mound, pitching three scoreless innings, while striking out eight and walking two. She also went 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBIs.
The South Jersey Group 4 tournament went according to form, at least as far as the seedings went. No. 1 seeded Kingsway ousted No. 2 Cherokee, 3-1 in the championship game. Kingsway freshman Sydney Schiavone hit a game-winning walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning for the winning margin. It was a sensational championship debut for Schiavone, who also was the winning pitcher, allowing just one unearned run while striking out 12. Three of the four Kingsway South Jersey wins were close games, beginning with a 5-4 opening round victory over Atlantic City Institute of Technology. After a 9-1 quarterfinal win over Cherry Hill East, the Dragons earned a hard-fought 2-0 semifinal victory over Rancocas Valley.
There was no drama in South Jersey Non-Public B, as St. Joseph of Hammonton won its seventh straight sectional crown with an 18-0 title win over Holy Spirit. In the Wildcats’ three South Jersey playoff wins, they outscored their opponents, 47-0. Senior centerfielder Alaina Dorsey showed why she is among the best players in the state during the three South Jersey playoff wins. A Seton Hall commit, Dorsey went 7-for-10 with eight runs scored and three RBIs.
There were no teams from the seven-county South Jersey area in the South Jersey Non-Public A title game. Two teams from the Shore Conference reached the title game, with No. 2 seed St. John Vianney defeating Donovan Catholic, 11-1 in the final.
Courtesy of Pennsville softball
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Author: Marc Narducci
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