HAMMONTON—Taking advantage of a pair of St. Joseph Academy miscues in the top of the sixth inning, the Egg Harbor Twp.
(EHT) softball team won its third-straight Cape Atlantic League championship, defeating the host Wildcats 1-0 on May 20.
A wild pitch and passed ball allowed the game’s only run to score in the top of the sixth as EHT won a close pitchers’ duel between Ava Fisher (St. Joe) and Madison Dollard (EHT).
There were just three hits in the entire game, as the two aces battled for seven innings.
Fisher allowed a pair of hits, walking two and striking out 15 in a tough luck loss.
Dollard matched her counterpart the whole game, tossing a one-hit shutout with nine strikeouts.
EHT stranded a runner in the second and in the fourth, Kylie Tomlin had St. Joseph’s lone hit, but Dollard didn’t allow her to advance past first base.
EHT threatened in the fifth, as a pair of runners reached base, but with two outs, Fisher coaxed a pop up to short to escape the jam.
St. Joe’s ace wasn’t as fortunate in the sixth, however, as Kaci Velardi beat out an infield single to lead off the inning and Payton Colbert was hit by a pitch. Fisher then fielded a ground ball up the middle and threw Velardi out at third. Fisher then recorded a strikeout, but a wild pitch on the third strike allowed the runners to advance and a passed ball let pinch runner Lucy Stinson score with the game’s lone run.
Staked to a lead, Dollard closed it out, retiring St. Joe’s last six hitters in order to seal the win.
“This was a tough one.” We just have to figure out how to get some more hits because we’re going to see a couple more pitchers like that. If we do, we’ll be fine because Ava always gives you a chance in the circle – that’s for sure,” St. Joe’s coach Les Olson said.
St. Joseph bounced back two days later, beating Cinnaminson 2-1 on May 22.
The game was another pitchers’ duel as St. Joe’s Elaina Portalatin allowed just four hits and struck out eight to earn the win, while Cinnaminson’s Hannah Derbyshire took the loss, allowing two runs on one hit, walking seven and striking out seven.
Both St. Joseph runs came in the bottom of the seventh, when Derbyshire walked the bases loaded to start the frame before Angelina Bill drew a walk to drive in a run and the winning run later scored on a wild pitch.
St. Joe, the defending state Non-Public B champions, are the top seed in the South Jersey Non-Public B playoffs and received an opening round bye. The Wildcats will host Wildwood Catholic on May 29.