EGG HARBOR TWP.—Egg Harbor Twp. High School’s softball team blanked St. Joseph Academy 6-0 on May 19 to win its second-straight Cape Atlantic League championship.
The win marked the third time this season EHT topped St. Joe, as the teams were the top two seeds in the tournament.
Madison Dollard earned the win for EHT, cruising through seven innings, allowing just three hits while walking one and striking out 10.
“She [Dollard] is a great pitcher and we couldn’t get much going off her,” St. Joseph coach Les Olson said.
EHT scored once in the first and once in the second inning, then added a pair of runs in the third and two more in the fourth to earn the win.
Ava Fisher, who had two hits in the game, took the loss for St. Joseph, striking out 12 in five innings of work.
St. Joe reached the league championship game after defeating Ocean City 3-0 in a semifinal game on May 17.
Fisher dominated in the circle, striking out 15 in a two-hit shutout.
“When she’s on, she’s one of the best in South Jersey,” Olson said of Fisher, St. Joe’s ace.
Fisher sometimes struggles with command, but against Ocean City, the junior pounded the strike zone and allowed just a pair of baserunners.
“Ava [Fisher} was throwing hard today and really hitting her spots. I could tell their [Ocean City] hitters were having trouble,” St. Joseph catcher Macie Jacquet said.
Beginning in the top of the second inning, Fisher struck out seven-straight hitters, mixing hard fastballs with crisp breaking pitches.
St. Joe broke open a scoreless game in the bottom of the fourth, as Jacquet sparked the rally with a leadoff single on a hard ground ball that Ocean City shortstop Anna McCabe couldn’t handle.
Abby Willis followed with a single and Fisher’s pop up behind third base was dropped, loading the bases for Jenna Calchi who fouled off four pitches before drawing a walk to score Jacquet.
Bella Davis’ ground ball drove in Willis and St. Joe led 2-0.
“I haven’t hit as well as I’ve wanted this season, but I feel like I’m starting to heat up a little bit.
I thought I swung the bat well today, so hopefully it’s the start of something good,” Jacquet said.
St. Joseph added a run in the sixth when Davis doubled and scored on Kylie Tomlin’s single.
Earlier in the week, on May 16, St. Joe rolled past Millville 11-2. Willis belted a pair of home runs in the win, driving in five runs for the Wildcats. Jacquet was 3-for-4 with three runs and Fisher added a double and two singles, earning the win with 12 strikeouts.
St. Joe earned an opening round bye in the South Jersey Non-Public B playoffs. The top-seeded Wildcats will host the winner of Rutgers Prep and St. Rose on May 24. St. Joseph is the three-time defending South Jersey Non-Public B champion.
“That’s our goal, to win it again and continue our tradition,” Jacquet said.