O'CONNOR, ELLENBERG LEAD WAY
Lady Eagles hold off Eastern
to win Group 4 state title
-
DENVILLE - A win is a win is a win, as they say. And a win in the biggest game of the season is even better than better.
The Morris Knolls High School softball team won the Group 4 state softball championship on Saturday, June 5, with a 4-3 victory over Eastern in a game played at Toms River North High School.
Junior righthander Caitlin O'Connor got the win, pitching a two-hitter with eight strikeouts.
The way that Knolls won its 30th game of the season, however, was quite unlike any of the previous 29 victories.
Ditto O'Connor, whose 25th W in no way resembled any of her other 24.
Usually, O'Connor would pitch lights-out ball to keep the Lady Eagles in the game until the bats came around to produce enough runs for a victory.
Against Eastern on Saturday, however, Morris Knolls (30-5) jumped on Eastern starter Sam Lemm (15-7) for three runs in the top of the first inning and then added a singleton in the top of the second.
O'Connor (25-3) also had problems early on as she struggled with her control, walking nine in the first four innings and getting only one of her eight strikeouts during that same time span.
O'Connor admitted after the game that her pitching was "... the worst that I've been all season ... I wasn't letting my pitches work and I was all over the place."
O'Connor's wildness was complicated by the fact the umpire was calling both pitchers' pitches tight and O'Connor, who likes to live on the corners, was not getting the outside pitch as much as she would have liked.
Eight of O'Connor's nine walks came in the first three innings. In the first, she walked the first three Eastern batters on 3-2 counts. Catcher Angela Maioran threw out one of the runners on a steal attempt to keep the bases from being loaded and then the No. 4 hitter flew out to shallow center where Elaine Hua made the grab for the second out.
O'Connor walked the next batter - her fourth of the inning - on four pitches to load the bases and hit the next batter to force in Eastern's first run of the game. O'Connor avoided further trouble by getting Eastern's No. 7 batter to foul out to Whitney Ellenberg at third base.
In the third inning, three walks, one of the three errors Knolls made in the game and a bases-loaded single led to another two runs for Eastern (18-7) before O'Connor got the last out of the inning on a comebacker.
O'Connor gave up one more walk and one more single in the final four innings and retired 10 of the last 11 batters she faced, six by strikeout. O'Connor had a runner on second with one out in the sixth and struck out Eastern's No. 3 and No. 4 hitters to end the threat.
"Even on a day she didn't have her best stuff, she found a way to get through the game," Knolls head coach Keith Heinemann was quoted as saying after the game. "She really settled in over the last three innings and showed the kind of pitcher that she has been all year for us."
Knolls took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI single by O'Connor and a two-run double by Ellenberg.
Hua led off the game with a single and Kiki Baldassari beat out a bunt for another single. Hua was thrown out on the front end of a double-steal attempt and O'Connor followed with a single to drive in Baldassari with O'Connor taking second on the throw to the plate. Maioran reached on an error to put runners on first and second and, with courtesy runners Cara Rubinaccio and Kelly Felix in place for the Knolls battery, Ellenberg came through with a two-run double to left-center.
The Lady Eagles got what proved to be the winning run in the top of the second when Julia Strother led off with a bunt single, Kim Felix followed with a sacrifice to put Strother on second and, after Strother moved to third on a groundout by Hua, Baldassari beat out another bunt single to bring home Strother with the Lady Eagles' fourth - and last - run of the game.
Morris Knolls finished with 10 hits with six of them figuring in the scoring. Eastern had singles in the third and sixth innings.
Baldassari was 3-for-3 (all singles) with an RBI and a run scored and Hua finished with three singles in four at-bats. O'Connor was 1-for-4 with an RBI; Ellenberg finished 1-for-3 with two RBIs; Julia Strother was 1-for-3 with a run scored; Kim Felix was 1-for-2; and courtesy runners Rubinaccio and Kelly Felix each scored a run.
Notes: The team dedicated the victory to the memory Maioran's grandmother Esther, who passed away last month ... Maioran's Aunt Carol played second base on the Lady Eagles 1980 state championship team, the last time Knolls had won a state title in softball ... of Knolls’ 30 victories this season, seven have been by one run - including the last five games of the year ... the 30 wins ties the Morris County of victories in one season set by Whippany Park in 1991 ... O'Connor threw 161 pitches ... Lemm struck out seven and walked none for Eastern ... Eastern came into the game on an eight-game winning streak ... Knolls closed with an eight-game wining streak, it's last loss a 2-1 defeat at the hand of Pequannock in the county championship game ... of the 11 players in Knolls lineup Saturday, three were juniors, four were sophomores and three were freshman ...
|
GROUP 4 SEMIFINAL
Clarke, Maioran, O'Connor
put MK in final vs. Eastern
-
DENVILLE - No longer should anyone be allowed to describe the Morris Knolls High School softball team as "young and inexperienced."
Forget the fact the Lady Eagles' head coach Keith Heinemann has penciled in starting lineups containing more freshmen and sophomores than juniors this spring. So what if only four players returned from last year's 19-6 team.
Knolls (29-5) fielded a team that played like four-year seasoned players on Tuesday, June 1, when the Lady Eagles scored two sixth-inning runs on back-to-back doubles by junior Angela Maioran and sophomore Tori Clarke to come from behind to beat J.P. Stevens, 3-2, in a Group 4 semifinal played at Yanticaw Park in Nutley.
Morris Knolls is the North 1, Group 4 sectioal champ while Stevens won the North 2, Group 4 sectional title.
A "young and inexperienced" team might not have been able to come back and score those two runs on the heels of Stevens (20-9) putting up a two-spot of its own in the bottom of the fifth to take a 2-1 lead.
A "young and inexperienced" team might not have weathered the two thunder delays totaling an hour and 45 minutes.
A "young and inexperienced" team might not have been able to withstand the rigors of playing - and winning - four straight 1-0 games.
These Lady Eagles played Tuesday's game with the mind-set of established veterans.
Take Morris Knolls' first run - a home run by winning pitcher Caitlin O'Connor to lead off the top of the fourth inning.
O'Connor struck out her first at-bat on "... something on the outside" so when the first pitch she saw in the fourth was inside, she looked for the next pitch to be from the middle out and, when she got it, she drove it over the fence in left-center for a 1-0 Morris Knolls lead.
Stevens scored its two runs with a two-out rally in the bottom of the fifth. O'Connor struck out the first two batters, walked the No. 9 batter and then gave up two singles to load the bases before Stevens' Danielle Martin lashed a two-run single down the left field line to give her club a 2-1 lead.
Facing the prospect of their season ending in two innings, the Lady Eagles respounded in their very next at-bat.
Sophomore Kiki Baldassari beat out a bunt single and scored from first when Maioran drilled a double over the first base bag and down the right field line. One pitch later, Knolls had the lead back when Clarke bounced her double over the fence in right-center.
Maioran hit a 1-2 pitch for her two-bagger while Clarke, who said later she was "... just trying to make contact and move the runner over" hit the first pitch.
O'Connor, meanwhile won her 24th game (against three losses) by allowing just four singles. She struck out 12 and walked four and both runs scored by Stevens were earned.
"Caitlin gives us the ability to compete," said Heinemann the day after beating Stevens. "She holds off our opponents until we put together the hits we need to win."
Heinemann goes back to the second week of the season - Friday, April 8 - when Knolls beat then state-ranked Bishop Ahr, 5-1, for its fourth win in five outings as a "... real confidence builder."
"That game showed we could deal with a lot of things, a lot of adversity," Heinemann explained. "We had some other close calls along the way and then our victory over West Morris two weeks ago - when were were down 8-6 and came back to win, 9-8 - was another game where we trailed a good team and found a way to come back an win.
"Right now, they believe that no matter what the situation, they can handle it. They believe they can always find a way to win."
Morris Knolls moves on to the Group 4 title game against Eastern, a game that will be played Saturday, June 5, at Toms River at a time that has yet to be determined.
Eastern (19-6), the South Group 4 champion, reached the Group 4 final by beating Central Group 4 champ East Brunswick, 7-1, on Tuesday.
Heinemann has no special workouts planned for the three days between games.
"We've played 34 games -- that's two seasons worth for a lot of teams," Heinemann said. "We don't want them to do anything more now than what we have been doing ... go out there and play and have some fun."
It's what a seasoned team does at this time of the year.
---
Eagles beat Montclair, 1-0, for sectional title
DENVILLE - It took three at-bats and six innings for Elain Hua and Angela Mairoan of Morris Knolls to solve Montclair pitcher Claire Fitzgerald.
Montclair never did solve Morris Knolls pitcher Caitlin O'Connor.
And, at the end of the day, that was all the edge Knolls needed as the Lady Eagles defeated Montclair, 1-0, to win the championship of the North 1, Group 4 sectional tournament in a game held at Morris Knolls on Friday, May 28.
Morris Knolls (28-5) was awarded the No. 1 seed before the start of the 16-team sectional tournament; Montclair (24-5) was the No. 2 seed.
Morris Knolls moves on to the Group 4 semifinals where it faces North 1, Group 4 champ J.P. Stevens (a 2-1 winner over Hillsborough on Friday) in a game scheduled for 4 p.m. on Tuesday, June 1, at Nutley High School. The winner of that game moves on to meet the winner of the East Brunswick-Eastern semifinal winner for the Group 4 championship.
The Lady Eagles scored the game's only run in the bottom of the sixth inning while O'Connor was pitching a complete-game one-hitter with 14 strikeouts and four walks.
Elaine Hua had a 10-pitch at-bat before the lefty slap hitter punched a ball just over the third base bag for a single. Kiki Baldassari, who had singled in the first inning, moved Hua up a base with a sacrifice bunt. O'Connor, who had also singled in the first inning and walked in her second at-bat, was pitched around again and walked to put runners on first and second with one out.
Maioran hit an 0-2 pitch through the middle and Hua came around to score, beating the throw and the tag at the plate to break the scoreless tie give the Lady Eagles their sectional championship.
Montclair's Claire Fitzgerald struck out five and held the Lady Eagles to four singles by moving the ball around in the outside part of the strike zone. Hua was able get her bat on seven pitches and four them off until she got one she could handle and slap down the third base line for a single to open the sixth.
Maioran got two quick strikes on her before lashing her game-winning hit up the middle.
"She wasn't the fastest pitcher we've seen but she was good at keeping the ball away from us," Maioran was quoted as saying after the game. "I fouled off a lot of pitches in all three of my at-bats and had to concentrate on keeping my hands back and making good contact."
Which is just what she did to drive in Hua.
"Four good pieces of hitting got us that run," said Kevin Heinemann the day after the game. "Elaine had a great at-bat; Kiki did her job in moving the runner; O'Connor didn't get anxious when it seemed they were pitching around her; and Angela did everything right on her hit up the middle."
O'Connor, who walked two batters in the first inning but never allowed a runner to reach second base for the rest of the game, struck out the side around a walk in the top of the seventh to nail down the win. The only hit she allowed was Hanna Wurgaft's groundball hit between short and third to open the fourth inning.
"Caitlin was dominant ... this is the best I've seen her pitch all season," Heinemann said. "She hit her spots, worked both sides of the plate very effectively and was throwing all her pitches very well.
"Plus, there were no errors behind her ... he girls played defense very well."
Notes: This was the third sectional championship for the Lady Eagles ... they last won it in 2000 with the first title coming in 1980 when Carol Maioran, Angela's aunt, starred at second base for Morris Knolls ...
---
Lady Eagles nip Bloomfield in 10 to reach sectional final
DENVILLE - As far as "Oh-Fers" go, Morris Knolls junior Caitlin O'Connor can't really complain about her 0-for-3 batting performance when the Lady Eagles edged Bloomfield, 3-2, in 10 innings in their North 1, Group 4 sectional semifinal game played at Knolls on Tuesday, May 25.
O'Connor, of course, is one of the county's best softball pitchers but she is also very handy with the bat and has several multi-hit games to her credit this spring.
Against Bloomfield on Tuesday, she came up in the bottom of the 10th inning with bases loaded and one out and and the Lady Eagles trailing, 2-1, and, when her hard-bouncer to second was mishandled, two Knolls runners scored to end the game.
Morris Knolls, the top-seed in the section, will now face Montclair, the No. 2 seed, for the sectional title on Friday, May 28, in a game scheduled for 4 p.m. at Knolls. Montclair beat No. 3 Ridgewood, 6-5, on Tuesday.
Knolls (27-5) and Bloomfield (13-13), the No. 13 team in the section that had already knocked off the No. 4 and No. 5 seeds, were tied at 1-1 after nine innings of play.
With the international tiebreak rule going into effect in the 10th, Bloomfield started the inning with a runner on second. An intended sacrifice bunt resulted in a foul out to Knolls catcher Angela Maioran. An intentional walk put runners on first and second and, when both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch, the Bloomfield runner on third continued around to score on wild throw.
O'Connor got the next two outs, but Bloomfield was now holding a 2-1 lead going into the bottom of the 10th.
With Julia Strother opening the inning on second for Knolls, Sam Hessler drew a full-count walk and then everyone was safe when Elaine Hua's come-backer resulted in a defensive mixup that left third base uncovered and, by the time the Bloomfield pitcher looked toward first, Hua was already across the bag.
A bunt attempt resulted in a force at the plate for the first out and O'Connor (with Maioran in the on-deck circle) took her place in the batter's box.
Trying her best to drive the ball, O'Connor did just that and her shot to second resulted in a two-base error that ended the game.
Bloomfield took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth on Megan Hanna's RBI single - one of only four singles O'Connor allowed.
With Morris Knolls three outs away from being eliminated in the bottom of the seventh, Whitney Ellenberg doubled, went to third on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on a passed ball to send the game into extra innings.
O'Connor (22-3) struck out 17 and walked seven in throwing her 10-inning complete-game four-hitter.
Notes: Ellenberg finished 2-for-3 with her double and run scored ... Maioran was 2-for-4 with a triple but didn't figure in any of the Lady Eagles scoring ... Kiarra Baldassari got the other Knolls' hit, a single, as Bloomfield starter Debra Mazzeo allowed five hits while striking out three and walking six ... O'Connor was given an RBI in her final at-bat as the official scorer deemed a run would have scored from second even if the ball had been fielded cleanly ... Bloomfield turned three double plays ...
---
Ellenberg walk-off HR in 7th beats West Morris, 9-8
DENVILLE - Whitney Ellenberg's walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning - her second bases-empty round-tripper of the game - capped a Morris Knolls comeback and gave the Lady Eagles a 9-8 victory over West Morris in a high school girls softball game played at Knolls on Saturday, May 22.
Morris Knolls (26-5) took a 3-0 lead in its first at-bat when Angela Maioran hit a three-run home run but West Morris (14-13) went ahead with a four-run second inning and then added another run in the top of the third for a 5-3 lead.
Ellenberg hit her first home run of the game in the fourth when Knolls closed to 5-4 and the Lady Eagles took their second lead of the game when they scored two runs in the fifth for a 6-5 lead.
But West Morris came back again and scored three times in the top of the sixth for an 8-6 lead only to have Knolls score twice in its half of the inning on a two-run single by Caitlin O'Connor to create the 8-8 tie, a tie that Ellenberg broke with her home run after winning pitcher Danielle Isenberg (2-1) retired the side without a run in the top of the seventh.
Maioran was 2-for-4 with four RBIs for the Lady Eagles. Kike Baldassari finished 3-for-3; Elaine Hua was 2-for-4; and O'Connor was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Isenberg pitched 5.1 innings in relief and allowed three runs and seven hits while striking out three.
Notes: Morris Knolls, the top-seeded team in what started out as a 16-team section, will face surprising Bloomfield at Morris Knolls on Tuesday, May 25, in a 2 p.m. semifinal ... Bloomfield, the No. 12 seed, stunned No. 4 seed East Orange, 14-2, in the opening round of the sectional and then went on to upset No. 5 seed West Orange, 4-2, in a quarterfinal-round game to earn its spot in the semifinals ... Knolls beat Bloomfield, 9-4, on Tuesday, May 4, with Kim Felix doing the pitching ...
---
O'Connor's 3-hitter puts MK into sectional semifinal
DENVILLE - The run Morris Knolls scored in the bottom of the second inning gave Caitlin O'Connor a 1-0 lead that she held for four innings.
The run that Roxbury scored in the top of the fifth not only tied the score at 1-1, but it ignited back-to-back two-run innings by the Lady Eagles as they went on to record a 5-1 victory over Roxbury in a North 1, Group 4 state sectional softball game played at Morris Knolls on Friday, May 21.
Morris Knolls, the top-seeded team in what started out as a 16-team section, will face surprising Bloomfield at Morris Knolls on Tuesday, May 25, in a 2 p.m. semifinal. Bloomfield, the No. 12 seed, stunned No. 4 seed East Orange, 14-2, in the opening round of the sectional and then went on to upset No. 5 seed West Orange, 4-2, in a quarterfinal-round game to earn its spot in the semifinals.
Knolls (25-5) took its 1-0 lead over Roxbury when Angela Maioran led off the second with a triple and Tori Clarke followed with a run-scoring single, one of three hits in three at-bats for Clarke, who also scored a run.
Roxbury (15-8), the No. 8 seed, tied the score when O'Connor gave up a one-out infield single, hit a batter and then walked the bases loaded. After getting a strikeout for the second out, O'Connor walked the next batter on a 3-2 pitch to force across Roxbury's only run for the day. O'Connor struck out the next batter to escape further damage.
Knolls took the lead for good in the bottom of the inning, scoring twice without the benefit of a base hit.
Gina Nappi led off the inning by reaching on an error and, one out later, Sam Hessler sacrificed her to second. Lady Eagles' leadoff hitter Elaine Hua followed with an infield bouncer that was thrown past first base for a three-base error allowing Nappi to score and, when Kiki Baldassari followed by dropping down a bunt in an attempt for a basehit, that ball was also thrown away for a three-base error allowing Hua to score.
In the Lady Eagles next at-bat - the bottom of the sixth - Whitney Ellenberg provided Knolls with a pair of insurance runs when her single up the middle drove in courtesy runner Kelly Felix and Clarke, who finished the day by going 3-for-3 - all singles.
O'Connor (21-3) gave up three singles - all to Roxbury leadoff hitter Lindsey Williams - while striking out nine and walking five.
Roxbury ace Ashtin Helmer (15-8) was touched for five runs (three earned) on eight hits while striking out four and walking two.
Julia Strother, Hessler and O'Connor also had singles for Morris Knolls.
Notes: Roxbury was the team that ended Knoll's early-season 15-game winning streak on Wednesday, April 28 ... the Lady Eagles lost their opener to Paramus, 3-2, and then reeled off the next 15 wins before losing to Roxbury and Helmer, 7-1 ... Morris Knolls beat Bloomfield, 9-5, on Tuesday, May 4 ... Bloomfield (13-10) has won five of seven since that loss ... O'Connor did not pitch in either of the two games ...
---
O'Connor 2-hitter puts MK in quarters vs. Roxbury
DENVILLE - Top-seeded Morris Knolls scored four times in the bottom of the first to erase a 2-0 deficit and went on to defeat Passaic, 10-2, behind the two-hit pitching of Caitlin O'Connor in a first-round North 1, Group 4 high school softball game played at Knolls on Thursday, May 20.
The victory puts Morris Knolls into the quarterfinals where the Lady Eagles will face No. 8 Roxbury in a 2 p.m. game on Friday, May 21, at Knolls.
Passaic (11-16), the No. 16-team in the 16-team sectional single-elimination tournament, jumped out to a 2-0 first-inning lead before being shut down the rest of the way by O'Connor, who finished with 19 strikeouts and three walks as Knolls improved its season record to 24-5.
The Lady Eagles quickly tied the score in their half of the first when Kiki Baldassari singled, O'Connor reached on a two-base error and Angela Maioran followed with a single to drive in both runners. Whitney Ellenberg followed with a walk and then Gina Nappi hit a two-run double to put Knolls in front two two runs at 4-2, a lead that was never threatened.
Knolls scored two more runs in the second when Sam Hessler singled, Elaine Hua reached on a dropped third strike and, after both runners moved up a base on a steal, O'Connor and Maioran each followed with a sacrifice fly to give the Lady Eagles a 6-2 lead.
Morris Knolls made it 8-2 in the fifth when Maioran walked, Tori Clarke singled, Ellenberg doubled in one run and the second came in after Nappi walked, Julie Strothers sacrificed and Sam Hessler hit into a fielder's choice.
The Lady Eagles closed out the scoring with a pair of runs in the sixth when Baldassari singled, O'Connor drew a walk, Clarke had an RBI groundout and Ellenberg followed with her second RBI double of the game.
Ellenberg finished 2-for-3 with two doubles, two runs scored and two RBIs and Baldassari was 3-for-4 with two runs scored to lead the Lady Eagles' attack.
---
Knolls wins conference, turns focus to states
DENVILLE - Morris Knolls softball coach Keith Heinemann says he "believes" his Eagles won the American Division title in the first-year Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference when Caitlin O'Connor two-hit Mount Olive, 9-0, at Knolls on Monday, May 17.
"We have one game left in the conference (West Morris) and we have two conference losses," Heinemann said the morning after the game. "I think the next team closes to us has four or more losses."
The American Division consists of Randolph, Vernon, Roxbury, Morristown, West Morris, Mount Olive and, of course, Morris Knolls.
Even if there is a celebration to be had for a conference title, the Lady Eagles will probably put it on hold because they are now focused on the North 1, Group 4 state sectional tournament, where they have been seeded first in the 16-team field.
Their Tuesday, May 18, first-round game against No. 16 Passaic was rained out and rescheduled to Wednesday, May 19, at Knolls at 4 p.m.
"The girls are focused and understand it will be a tough road to the sectional final," Heinemann said. "If we get past Passaic, we have a very tough opponent in Roxbury in the quarterfinals ... they have a very good lefty pitcher who has been tough on us the past two years.
"We'll see what happens ... in state games, it's going to come down to which team hits when it counts the most."
No. 8 seed Roxbury advanced to the sectional quarterfinals with a 6-0 victory over No. 9 seed Clifton. Ashtin Helmer, the "tough lefty pitcher" Heinemann spoke about, threw a three-hitter for her shutout win.
It took four innings for Morris Knolls (23-5) to get its hitting in order against Mount Olive on Monday. The Lady Eagles broke a 0-0 tie with two runs in the fourth, added three in the fifth inning and then put the game out of reach with a four-run sixth inning.
"The girls got off to a slow start but really came on late," Heinemann said. "It was nice to see us score some runs and take a little pressure off Caitlin and the defense."
The Lady Eagles - only two days away from their disappointing 2-1 loss to Pequannock in the MCT title game - got things going in the fourth inning when O'Connor led off with a triple and her courtesy runner Cara Rubinaccio scored on a passed ball. Whitney Ellenberg singled in Tori Clarke later in the inning for a 2-0 lead.
In the fifth inning, Julia Strother reached on an error and, after Elaine Hua walked, scored on Kiki Baldassari's single. O'Connor singled home Hua and Baldassari eventually scored when Angela Mairoan hit into a fielder's choice.
Ellenberg doubled to lead off the sixth and scored when Sam Hessler followed with a triple. Strother's single drove in Hessler and, after Baldassari singled, O'Connor followed with a two-run triple to complete the scoring for the game.
O'Connor finished the game 4-for-4 with two triples and three RBIs. On the mound, she improved her record to 19-3, striking out 14 and walking only two.
---
Eagles lose MCT final on Pequannock run in 7th, 2-1
DENVILLE - Keith Heinemann took a page out of the Morris Knolls storied softball record book when the Lady Eagles softball coach talked to his team following its 2-1 loss to Pequannock in the championship game of the Morris County Softball Tournament held at Brundage Park in Randolph Township on Thursday (May 13) evening.
He went back 30 years so his team could focus on the next two weeks.
"I told them about the 1980 Morris Knolls team that lost the county final to Parsippany Hills, 1-0," Heinemann was saying the day after the 2010 final. "That team went on to win the state championship ... I told them that they, too, were more than capable of advancing deep into the state tournament and playing for a sectional championship.
"As for the Pequannock game, I told the players that I was very proud of them ... they never gave up and made a lot of big plays in big situations. I told them there were only two teams that could have played in this championship game and they were one of them."
The Lady Eagles won't have much time to dwell upon their loss to Pequannock, the second time in two years Morris Knolls had lost to Pequannock in the county final.
Knolls has a big conference game coming up Monday, May 17, against Mount Olive and the Lady Eagles open play in the state tournament the very next day with a game against Passaic. Both games are at Knolls and first pitch for both is scheduled for 4 p.m.
"We still have a lot of big games coming up and we need to focus on them," Heinemann said. "We win Monday and we win the conference and then we go right into the states where I'm sure we'll be tested again."
Morris Knolls earned the No. 1 seed in the North 1, Group 4 sectional while Passaic drew the No. 16 seed in the 16-team field. The winner gets the winner of the No. 9 Clifton vs. No. 8 Roxbury first-round game. No. 4 East Orange, No. 5 West Orange, No. 12 Kearny and No. 13 Bloomfield are also in the Knolls' half of the bracket.
No. 2 seed Montclair and No. 3 Ridgewood are the top two teams in the other bracket.
This year's Knolls-Pequannock championship game was nothing like the 20-8 Pequannock victory in the 2009 title game when the winners scored 13 runs in the sixth inning to seal the victory.
No. 2 seed Pequannock (20-4) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth on a single - one of six hits allowed by Knolls' starter Caitlin O'Connor - a wild pitch, sacrifice and a suicide squeeze.
Top-seed Morris Knolls (22-5) answered in its half of the fourth when O'Connor and Angela Maioran opened the inning with singles, knocking out Pequannock starting pitcher Kristin Brain. With cleanup hitter Tori Clarke at bat, Cara Rubinaccio (O'Connor's courtesy runner) and Maioran moved up a base on a double steal and Clarke followed with a bunt that scored Rubinaccio with the tying run.
Pequannock got the winning run in the top of the seventh on a two-out, bases-loaded single by Brain. On the play, the Pequannock runner trying to move from first to third was thrown out before the Pequannock runner trying to score from second base had crossed the plate.
Dana Nielsen (6-1), who replaced Brain in the fourth inning, retired the Eagles 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh to end the game.
Brain, voted the tournament's MVP, gave up the Knolls run and allowed three hits while striking out six and walking none in her three innings of work. Nielson threw four innings and allowed two hits while also striking out six and walking none.
O'Connor (18-3) pitched a complete game, allowing two runs (both earned) on six hits while striking out only four (well below her 10-plus Ks a game average), walking six and hitting one batter.
O'Connor got two of the Lady Eagles' five hits - her single in the run-scoring fourth and a leadoff double in the sixth. Maioran and Clarke also singled and Dana Hochstaedter singled in the third, was sacrificed to second, took third on a wild pitch where she was stranded as Brain struck out the next two Eagles.
With the Pequannock game now behind them, Heinemann is confident the team will continue to play well in their quest for conference and state sectional championships.
"These kids have been terrific all year long and they are a very close group, which is a big plus," Heinemann said. "They have a great desire to be the best they can and they work extremely hard each and every day in order to get better. I'm sure they will bounce back."
... the way the 1980 team did.
---
Eagles break two-game losing streak with 8-0 win
DENVILLE - Morris Knolls, behind the five-hit pitching of Caitlin O'Connor, broke a two-game losing streak with an 8-0 victory over North Hunterdon in a high school softball game played at North Hunterdon on Monday, May 10.
O'Connor, staked to a six-run lead when the Lady Eagles scored six times in the top of the second inning, struck out eight and walked two in improving her season record to 18-2.
Morris Knolls (22-4) made the most of its eight hits with Angela Maioran going 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs; O'Connor finishing 2-for-4 with an RBI; Whitney Ellenberg going 1-for-4 with a run scored; Tori Clarke driving in two runs; Dana Hochstaedter driving in a run and scoring a run; Kira Baldassari going 1-for-2 with a run scored; Julia Strother going 1-for-2; Kim Felix scoring two runs; and Elaine Hua, Gina Nappi and Cara Bubinaccio each scoring a run.
---
MK falls to Passaic Valley for 2nd loss in a row
DENVILLE - The Morris Knolls High School softball team suffered its second loss in as many days when the Lady Eagles lost a 3-2 decision to Passaic Valley in a game played at Morris Knolls on Saturday, May 8.
Passaic Valley (14-9) was held to one hit - a two-run double by Lez Devenio in the top of the first inning - and scored what proved to be the winning run in the top of the sixth.
Morris Knolls (21-4), which lost a 6-0 verdict to High Point a day earlier, scored single runs in the third and sixth and finished with seven hits.
Tori Clarke was 2-for-3 with an RBI triple to lead the Lady Eagles. Whitney Ellenberg drove in the other run for Knolls.
---
MK suffers first shutout loss of the season
DENVILLE - Morris Knolls suffered its first shutout in 24 games this spring as the Lady Eagles lost a 6-0 decision to High Point in a high school softball game played at High Point on Friday, May 7.
Knolls' record is 21-3 following the loss. The two earlier defeats came at the hand of Roxbury in a 7-1 loss on April 28 and in the season opener (April 1) when the Lady Eagles lost to Paramus, 3-2.
The win improved High Point's record to 9-8.
---
MK beats Par Hills in MCT, faces Pequannock in final
DENVILLE - Caitlin O'Connor and her Morris Knolls teammates got their wish when they beat Parsippany Hills, 3-1, and defending champion Pequannock beat Roxbury, 5-1, on Thursday (May 6) evening in a Morris County Softball Tournament semifinal doubleheader played at Brundage Park in Randolph Township.
The two winners return to Brundage on Thursday, May 13, for a 6 p.m. game that will determine this year's MCT champion.
Knolls and Pequannock met last year and Pequannock broke open a close game in the last two innings and went on to a 20-8 football-score victory over the Lady Eagles. O'Connor left that game in the sixth inning with a sore elbow and was sidelined with the injury for several months after the game.
Her elbow had been fine this season as she improved her record to 17-1 with her complete-game, five-hit victory over Par Hills in which she struck out nine, walked but one and hit a batter.
O'Connor now has 202 strikeouts in 16 innings this season.
Morris Knolls, the tournament's top seed, is now 21-2 for the season and has won its last six games. No. 5 seed Par Hills is 14-4 after having an 11-game winning streak snapped by the Lady Eagles.
Morris Knolls took a 1-0 first-inning lead when when O'Connor doubled and Angela Maioran followed with a double to score Cara Bubinaccio, who had gone in to run for O'Connor as a courtesy runner.
Par Hills tied the game in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Kara Phillips.
The Lady Eagles scored the final two runs of the game in the bottom of the fifth when Kiki Baldassari reached on a one-out bunt single, took second on a passed ball, and scored when Elaine Hua beat out a hit to deep short, Hua taking second on an error on the play. O'Connor followed with a single to right to bring in Hua with the final run of the game.
Baldassari finished with two infield singles as Par Hills losing pitcher Alex Hill gave up only five hits in the game.
---
O'Connor wins 16th as Knolls reach 20-win plateau
DENVILLE - Morris Knolls notched victory No. 20 for the season and its ace pitcher Caitlin O'Connor picked up win No. 16 when the Lady Eagles defeated Montville, 10-2, in a high school softball game played at Morris Knolls on Wednesday, May 5.
O'Connor (16-1) threw a complete-game three-hitter with eight strikeouts and one walk.
Tori Clarke led the Lady Eagles 12-hit attack by going 4-for-4 with four RBIs. Angela Maioran was 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and three runs scored and O'Connor helped her own cause by going 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored.
Knolls (20-2) took a 1-0 lead in the first when Clarke got her first RBI when her single drove in Maioran, who had reached on an error.
O'Connor's double and an RBI single by Maioran in the third gave Knolls a 2-0 lead.
Montville scored its only two runs in the top of the fourth to tie the game at 2-2 but, in the Knolls half of the inning, a single by Kiki Baldassari, a walk to Kim Felix and two Montville errors put the Lady Eagles back out in front, 4-2.
Knolls put away the game with a four-run fifth with Clarke's two-run single and an RBI single by Gina Nappi the key hits of the inning.
Singles by Elain Hua, Maioran and Clarke in the sixth inning led to a pair of insurance runs for Knolls.
Montville's record dipped to 8-8 following the loss.
---
Felix (3-0) scatters seven hits to beat Bloomfield
DENVILLE - Kim Felix scattered seven hits and fellow Morris Knolls pitcher Caitlin O'Connor was 3-for-4 as Morris Knolls defeated Bloomfield, 9-5, in a high school softball game played at Knolls on Tuesday, May 4.
Knolls (19-2) scored two runs in the first inning on Angela Maioran's two-run single and then put away the game in the third when the Lady Eagles scored five more times for a 7-1 lead.
O'Connor opened the Knolls' third with a single and Mairoan and Tori Clarke reached on errors with O'Connor scoring when Clarke got on base. Whitney Ellenberg followed with an RBI single and, after a walk loaded the bases, Sam Hessler drew another walk to force in the third run of the inning. Kiki Baldassari followed with an RBI single and Gina Nappi drove in the fifth and final run of the inning when she grounded into a fielder's choice.
The Lady Eagles got another run in the fourth when O'Connor singled and eventually scored when Ellenberg grounded out into a fielder's choice. In the fifth, Kim Baldassari reach on an error, stole second and third, and scored on another error.
Bloomfield slipped to 8-8 with the loss.
---
O'Connor one-hitter puts MK into MCT semis
DENVILLE - Caitlin O'Connor pitched a one-hitter with 16 strikeouts as top-seed Morris Knolls defeated No. 9 seed Whippany Park, 2-0, in a Morris County Softball Tournament quarterfinal game played at Knolls on Saturday, May 1.
It was O'Connor's second one-hitter in a row as she one-hit Sparta by the same score with 15 strikeouts on Friday, April 30.
Whippany Park (12-4) got its only hit of the game in the second inning when Jill Hall singled, depriving O'Connor (15-1) of her second no-hitter of the season. She now has four one-hitters, has struck out 15 or more batters in five games and has 185 strikeouts in 102 innings for Morris Knolls (18-2). She walked only one batter against Whippany Park.
The Lady Eagles scored in the second inning when Tori Clarke led off with a single and Gina Nappi followed with a double to drive her in with the game's first run.
In the sixth inning, the Lady Eagles scored an insurance run for O'Connor when Whitney Ellenberg led off with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by Dana Hochsteader.
Morris Knolls finished up with six hits - Ellenberg's triple and Nappi's double and singles by Clarke, Ellenberg (who finished 2-for-3), O'Connor and Kiki Baldasarri.
Morris Knolls will meet fifth-seed Parsippany Hills (13-3) in one of the semifinals game scheduled for Thursday, May 5, at Brundage Park in Randolph Township. Parsippany Hills beat No. 13 seed Morristown, 3-2, in nine innings of their quarterfinal.
No. 2 seed and defending champ Pequannock (15-3) will face No. 11 seed Roxbury in the other semifinal on Thursday. Roxbury (11-5) upset No. 2 seed Chatham (11-5) in an eight-inning 1-0 game Saturday. Roxbury is also the team that halted Morris Knolls' 15-game winning streak with a 7-1 victory over the Lady Eagles on Tuesday, April 27.
Thursday night's winners will meet a week later on Thursday, May 13, for the championship game back at Brundage Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
---
O'Connor beats Sparta, 2-0, on 15K one-hitter
DENVILLE - Caitlin O'Connor and the Morris Knolls softball team warmed up for their Morris County Softball Tournament quarterfinal against Whippany Park by one-hitting Sparta, 2-0, in a game played at Sparta on Friday, April 30.
O'Connor (15-1) struck out 15 and walked but one and lost her bid for a no-hitter when Sparta's Courtney Noone led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a single. O'Connor followed by striking out Sparta's No. 3 and No. 4 hitters and getting the final out of the inning and the game when the No. 5 batter popped to short.
Morris Knolls (17-2) scored in its first at-bat when O'Connor reached on an error, was forced at second by Angela Maioran and, after Maioran was replaced on the bases by courtesy runner Kelly Felix, Felix stole second, took third on the overthrow and then came all the way around to score when the outfield relay was also misplayed.
The Lady Eagles scored again in the fifth when Dana Hochseadter singled and eventually came around to score on a passed ball.
Elaine Hua's sixth-inning single was the only other hit the Lady Eagles managed off Sparta starter and loser Sam Greiner, who finished with 11 strikeouts. Sparta is now 15-3.
---
Lady Eagles hold off sister-school Morris Hills
DENVILLE - Morris Knolls jumped out to a quick lead against Morris Hills and winning pitcher Kim Felix made it stand up as Knolls beat its sister school, 8-4, in a high school softball game played at Morris Hills on Thursday, April 29.
Morris Knolls (16-2) scored three runs in the top of the first inning and added two more in the second to take a quick 5-0 lead. Felix pitched the first six innings and Caitlin O'Connor got out of a no-out, bases-loaded jam in the seventh for the save.
Whitney Ellenberg drove in two runs for the Lady Eagles and Angela Maioran, Dana Hochsteadter and O'Connor each finished with one RBI.
Elaine Hua opened the game with a walk and scored on O'Connor's double. Maioran walked and Tori Clarke singled to load the bases. Dana Hochsteadter followed with a bunt to drive in Maioran and Kiki Baldassari bunted in Clarke for a 3-0 lead.
Knolls made it 5-0 in the second when Hua led off with a single but was forced at second by O'Connor; Maioran followed with a walk and then Ellenberg doubled home both runners.
The Lady Eagles scored twice in the fourth inning when Gina Nappi reached on an error; Baldassari followed with a sacrifice bunt; Felix helped her own cause with an RBI single and, after Hua Singled and O'Connor was walked to load the bases, Maioran bounced into a fielder's choice to drive in the second run of the inning.
Knolls scored a singleton in the seventh on singles by Hua, O'Connor and Maioran.
The Lady Eagles got out of a bases-loaded threat in the sixth when Morris Hills (11-8), with two runs in to make it 7-4 and bases loaded with just one out, Knolls escaped further damage by ending the inning on a double play.
In the seventh, Morris Hill threatened again as the Lady Knights loaded the bases with no outs.
Connor relieved at this point and got out of the inning without a run being scored by striking out the first two batters she faced and getting the third batter on an infield lineout.
---
Roxbury halts MK winning streak at 15 with 7-1 win
DENVILLE - The Lady Eagles of Morris Knolls had their 15-game winning streak halted with a 7-1 loss to Roxbury in a high school softball game that was played at Knolls on Wednesday, April 28.
Morris Knolls (15-2) had not lost since losing to Paramus on Opening Day, Thursday, April 1.
The Lady Eagles were held to six hits and one run, that coming in the first inning when Angela Maioran singled in Elaine Hua, who had also reached on a single.
Hua finished with three hits;Maioran had two; and Tori Clarke hit a double.
Danielle Isenberg was the losing pitcher for the Lady Eagles, allowing seven hits while striking out two and walking four.
Roxbury improved to 8-5 with the victory.
The Lady Eagles, the top-seeded team in the Morris County Softball Tournament, face Whippany Park at home in a 3 p.m. quarterfinal game on Saturday, May 1.
---
Maioran RBI in 9th nips Randolph in MCT
DENVILLE - Angela Maioran's double in the bottom of the ninth inning drove home Cara Rubinaccio with the winning run when top-seed Morris Knolls defeated 16th-seed Randolph, 2-1, in a Morris County Softball Tournament first-round game played at Knolls on Tuesday, April 27.
Winning pitcher Caitlin O'Connor (14-1) opened the ninth with a double and, after Rubinaccio was sent in as a courtesy runner for her, Maioran delivered her game-winning hit to spark the Eagles (15-1) to their 15th straight victory.
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the sixth when O'Connor's RBI fielder's choice gave Knolls a 1-0 lead.
Randolph (7-7) tied the game in the top of the seventh on an RBI single by Michelle Kovary and, after Knolls was retired without a run in the bottom of the seventh, the game went into extra innings.
O'Connor (13-1) allowed but five singles and struck out 15 and walked seven in her nine innings of work. Randolph pitcher Caitlin Betz pitched one-hit ball through eight innings (a single by O'Connor) before giving up the game-winning doubles to O'Connor and Maioran in the ninth.
The Lady Eagles move into the quarterfinals of the MCT where they will meet No. 9 seed Whippany Park at Knolls on Saturday, May 1, at 3 p.m.
---
Lady Eagles top Morristown for 14th straight win
DENVILLE - Gina Nappi, Angela Maioran and Tori Clarke gave Caitlin O'Connor a five-run first-inning lead and the junior righthander took over from there and allowed but four hits and struck out 11 in five innings of work when Morris Knolls defeated Morristown, 8-1, in a high school softball game played at Morris Knolls on Friday, April 23.
Nappi hit a two-run double and Maioran and Clarke added RBI singles in the first inning when the Lady Eagles (14-1) took a 5-0 lead en route to their 14th straight victory.
O'Connor doubled home a run in the second inning and Dana Hochstedter added a run-scoring single in the fifth inning as the Lady Eagles finished with 12 hits.
Morristown's record slipped to 6-6 with the loss.
---
O'Connor, Maioran lead MK to 13th straight win
DENVILLE - Caitlin O'Connor pitched a two-hitter and triples by O'Connor and Angela Maioran factored in both runs as Morris Knolls stopped River Dell, 2-0, in a high school softball game played at Knolls on Thursday, April 22.
The win was the Lady Eagles' 13th straight after an opening-day loss and O'Connor improved to 11-1 with her complete-game effort in which she struck out 13 and walked only one.
Knolls broke a scoreless tie and O'Connor got the only run she would need in the fourth inning when she led off with a triple and scored when the outfield relay was misplayed.
The Eagles added an insurance run in the sixth inning when O'Connor singled and scored on when Maioran followed with a one-out triple.
River Dell (9-4) pitcher Sara Recanati allowed only two other hits in the game, an infield single by Whitney Ellenberg in the second inning and a bunt single by Julia Strother in the third.
---
Knolls tops Morris Catholic behind Hua, Hessler
DENVILLE - Elaine Hua's two-run double and an RBI triple by Sam Hessler gave Morris Knolls an early lead and junior righthander Caitlin O'Connor made it stand up by pitching six innings of one-hit ball as the Lady Eagles beat Morris Catholic, 6-0, in a high school softball game played at Knolls on Tuesday, April 20.
Hua finished 3-for-4 for the day as Knolls (12-1) ran its winning streak to 12 games.
O'Connor finished with 13 strikeouts and the only hit she allowed was a bunt single by Jeanne Drury.
Morris Catholic is 6-4.
---
O'Connor no-hits Randolph as MK wins 11th in a row
DENVILLE - Caitlin O'Connor pitched a no-hitter for her ninth straight victory as Morris Knolls ran its winning streak to 11 games with a 5-1 victory over Randolph in a high school softball game played at Randolph on Monday, April 19.
O'Connor (9-1) struck out 14 but walked five in her complete-game, seven-inning effort. The junior righthander how has 131 strikeouts in 73 innings pitched this spring.
Gina Nappi was 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored and Tori Clarke finished he game 2-for-3 with an RBI and run scored to pace the Lady Eagles' eight-hit attack.
O'Connor was 1-for-4 with an RBI; Kiarra Baldassari was 1-for-4 with a run scored; and Whitney Ellenberg finished 1-for-3 with a run scored for Morris Knolls.
The loss evened Randolph's record at 5-5.
---
Knolls beats Glen Rock, Newton for 'Junkyard' title
DENVILLE - The Morris Knolls High School softball team won the "Junkyard Jamboree" championship by beating Glen Rock and the host Newton team in games played at Memory Park in Newton on Saturday, April 17.
The Lady Eagles (10-1), who are now riding a 10-game winning streak, beat Glen Rock, 5-3, in the opening game and then came back and beat Newton, 3-0, in the championship game.
Danielle Isenberg (1-0) got her first career varsity victory when she pitched six-hit ball with seven strikeouts and one walk for six innings of the title game. Lady Eagle ace Caitlin O'Connor closed with a perfect seventh with one strikeout.
Isenberg also helped herself at the plate, drving in Knolls' first run of the game with a third-inning single. O'Connor was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI in the fourth inning to account for the Lady Eagles' second run. Whitney Ellenburg drove in Knolls' final run in the fifth inning.
In the opener, O'Connor allowed three hits and struck out 11 before Kim Felix came on and finished up.
Tori Clarke led the Lady Eagles' batting attack by going 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
Both Glen Rock and Newton slipped to 7-3 after their losses to the Lady Eagles.
---
O'Connor's 18K two-hitter sends Knolls to 8th straight
DENVILLE - Caitlin O'Connor's 18-strikeout two-hitter led Morris Knolls to a 5-1 victory over Mendham in a high school softball game played at Mendham on Thursday, April 15.
O'Connor (7-1), who has now struck out 106 in 60 innings for the season, also finished 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs and a run scored ast the Lady Eagles (8-1) won their eighth straight game.
Knolls took a 1-0 first-inning lead when Kim Felix led off the game with a single, stole second, took third on a sacrifice bunt by Kiarra Baldassari and scored on a single by O'Connor.
In the third, the Lady Eagles made it 2-0 when Cara Rubinaccio led off the inningd with a single, stole second and third and scored on O'Connor's fielder's choice.
Mendham got its only run of the game in the bottom of the fourth when Laura Gallagher led off the inning with a home run.
Morris Knolls added three insurance runs in the top of the sixth, loading the bases on a O'Connor's second single of the game, a single by Angela Maioran, and a walk to Whitney Ellenberg.
Tori Clarke followed with a fielder's choice that scored courtesy runner Julia Strother; Gina Nappi followed with another fielder's choice to drive in courtesy runner Sam Hessler; and Ellenberg scored the third run of the inning on a strike-three, passed ball.
Cara Rubinaccio singled for the Lady Eagles only other hit as Mendham pitcher Melanie Budney pitched a six-hitter.
---
Maioran sparks Lady Eagles to 6-1 win over Pope John
DENVILLE - The Morris Knolls High School softball team scored all of its runs in the first two innings to beat Pope John, 6-1, in a high school softball game played on Wednesday, April 14, at Pope John in Sparta.
The win was the seventh in a row for the Lady Eagles (7-1).
Angela Maioran paced Knolls' six-hit attack by going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored as the Lady Eagles scored two first-inning runs and then added four more in the second to complete their scoring for the day.
Gina Nappi was 1-for-2 with an RBI; Elaine Hua was 1-for-4 with a run scored; Kiarra Baldassari was 1-for-3 with two runs scored; Tori Clarke was 1-for-3; Kim Felix scored a run; and winning pitcher Caitlin O'Connor was 1-for-4 with a run scored.
Connor (6-1) pitched a complete seven-inning game four-hitter and gave up one unearned run while striking out seven and walking four.
---
MK's 3-run 5th edges Livingston, 3-2
DENVILLE - Morris Knolls scored all its runs on five straight singles with two out in the third inning and Caitlin O'Connor pitched a three-hitteras the Lady Eagles beat Livingston, 3-2, in a high school softball game played at Livingston on Monday, April 12.
The victory for Knolls was its sixth straight since an opening-day one-run loss to Paramus.
Kiarra Baldassari started the Lady Eagles' winning rally in the third inning when she reached on a two-out single. O'Connor followed with a single and Angela Mairoan gave Knolls a 1-0 lead when she singled in Baldassari.
Whitney Ellenberg followed with another RBI single and Tori Clarke got the Lady Eagles' fifth single in a row to drive in Mairoan with the third run of the inning.
Livingston (1-3) scored twice in the bottom of the sixth and had runners on second and third with no out in the bottom of the seventh but did not score.
The Lady Lancers' No. 9 hitter led off the bottom of the seventh with a single. An error on a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third with no out and then O'Connor took over.
The Knolls pitcher got the first out of the inning on a come-backer with the runners holding; fielded an attempted squeeze bunt and threw out got the runner at the plate for the second out; and then struck out the cleanup hitter to end the game.
Baldassare finished 3-for-3 with a run scored for Knolls and Maioran was 2-for-3 with an RBI and run scored.
O'Connor (6-1) fanned 10 and now has 81 strikeouts in 46 innings. Her ERA is 1.44, and she has given up 21 hits and walked 20.
---
Ellenberg three hits, three RBIs spark MK
DENVILLE - Whitney Ellenberg finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs and Caitlin O'Connor and Kim Felix combined on a four-hitter as Morris Knolls won its fifth straight by beating Vernon, 12-3, in a high school softball game played Friday, April 9, at Knolls.
Angela Maioran hit a two-run homer and O'Connor finished 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs to help her own cause.
O'Connor struck out 10 in her three innings of work and left with a 7-3 lead, thanks to a seven-run uprising by her teammates in the second inning. Felix finished up for Knolls and didn't allow a run.
Knolls hasn't lost since an opening-day 3-2 loss to Paramus; Vernon is winless in four starts this spring.
---
MK's 5-run 7th beats state-ranked Bishop Ahr
DENVILLE - Caitlin O'Connor pitched a three-hitter with 12 strikeouts and Morris Knolls broke a 1-1 with five seventh-inning runs as the Eagles beat state-ranked Bishop Ahr, 6-1, in a high school softball game played at Bishop Ahr on Thursday, April 8.
Knolls (4-1) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth but Bishop Ahr (2-1) answered in the bottom of the fifth when Samantha Valasquez homered for one of the three hits off O'Connor.
In the top of the seventh, Gina Nappi led off with a double and eventually scored what proved to be a winning run on a dead ball situation.
Kim Felix, Elaine Hua and Kiki Baldassari follwed with singles to give the Eagles a 3-1 lead; O'Connor singled in a run; and Whitney Ellenberg drove in the final two runs of the game with a long double that hit the top of the fence in left field and bounced back into the field.
Bishop Ahr came into the game rated 13th in the state by the Star-Ledger.
---
O'Connor fans 15 in one-hit win over Par Hills
DENVILLE - Caitlin O'Connor is stuck on 15.
For the second game in a row, the Morris Knolls junior pitcher struck out 15 batters - this time in a one-hit 5-0 victory over Parsippany Hills in a high school softball game played at Par Hills on Monday, April 5.
O'Connor walked only one batter in raising her record to 2-1. She struck out 15 and threw a two-hitter in a 4-1 victory over Morris Hills on Saturday, April 3.
O'Connor had to be on her game because Morris Knolls (3-1) was held to three hits by Par Hills' Alex Hillr, who finished with eight strikeouts. The Lady Eagles didn't score until the fifth inning when the Lady Eagles pushed across five unearned runs thanks in part to the three errors Par Hills made during the game.
Morris Knolls improved to 3-1 with the win; Par Hills dropped to 1-1.
---
O'Connor's 15-strikeout two-hitter beat MH, 4-1
DENVILLE - Junior Caitlin O'Connor threw a 15-strikeout two-hitter and freshman Kim Felix pitched a five-hit shutout as the Morris Knolls High School softball team won the Morris Hills Softball Tournament at Hills on Saturday, April 3.
Feliz beat Hanover Park, 4-0, in the opening-round game and O'Connor threw her gem in the championship game to beat host Morris Hills, 4-1.
The Lady Eagles (2-1) gave O'Connor a three-run lead before she even threw a pitch in the title game.
Elaine Hua opened the top of the first with a walk and was bunted over by Kiarra Baldassari. O'Connor doubled in Hua for the first run and, after Angela Maioran walked, Whitney Ellenberg hit a sacrifice fly for the second run and Tori Clarke made it 3-0 when she followed with a single.
Clarke got her second RBI of the day in the fourth inning when she drove in Cara Rubinaccio with a two-out single. Rubinaccio was the courtesy runner for O'Connor, who had led off the inning with her second double of the day.
O'Connor struck out the side in four innings - including the fifth when she got all three outs on called third strikes - and walked four to even her record at 1-1 with a complete-game effort.
Morris Hills scored its run in the bottom of the fourth inning when the Knights reached O'Connor for a two-out walk, a double and a single only to have Maioran, O'Connor's catcher, work a pickoff move with Clarke to retire the side.
In the opening-round game, Felix (1-0) struck out four in her first varsity start and the Eagles finished with 11 hits to beat Hanover Park, 4-0.
Ellenberg went 2-for-3 with a triple and an RBI; O'Connor and Baldassari each had two hits and Clarke had an RBI single to lead the Morris Knolls attack.
In other games in the tourney, Morris Hills beat Whippany Park, 6-5, in a first-round game and Whippany Park beat Hanover Park, 12-4, in the consolation.
---
Paramus' 2-run 7th spoils MK opener
DENVILLE - The Morris Knolls High School softball team opened its season with a 3-2 loss to Paramus when Paramus scored the tying and winning runs with a two-run flurry in the top of the seventh and final inning in a game played at Morris Knolls on Thursday, April 1.
Caitlin O'Conner, who took the loss for the Lady Eagles, struck out nine.
The Lady Eagles were held to four hits by Paramus winning pitcher Tori Feorenze, who struck out seven.
|
|
|
|
