Winning a Tradition for Caldwell Softball Program

Few teams have a history that can match what the Caldwell High softball team has accomplished over the past three decades.

It's a tradition the Chiefs expect to continue this season.

Since 1978 when the team finished 21-2, the Chiefs have compiled at least 18 victories nearly every season.

Last spring was no different when Caldwell went 20-8 and captured the North Jersey Section 2, Group 2 championship—beating Parsippany 4-3—before losing to Pequannock in the Group 2 semifinals. 

Caldwell coach Mike Teshkoyan, who has compiled a 534-111-12 record as he enters his 24th season with the team, is looking for another state championship run this spring.

"We're going to defend it tooth and nail," he said.

Techkoyan doesn't consider there to be increased pressure to continue the success of the program. Instead, the coach believes his team's work ethic will translate to results on the field.

"Success is a byproduct of that [working hard]," Teshkoyan said. "That [wins and losses] is not something that we can control. We just have to play it inning by inning. We want them to have fun playing the game."

Caldwell lost only a couple of players to graduation, two of whom— Caitlin Marek and Kaitlyn Frazza—are now playing for the University of Scranton.

Perhaps the biggest difference for this year's team is the adjustment to the new American Division—the upper echelon—of the Super Essex Conference after competing in the Northern Hills Conference. 

The Chiefs received a taste of the high level of competition in Thursday's season-opening 5-0 loss to Nutley, which struck for two runs in the first inning and three more in the bottom of the sixth off Caldwell pitcher Brittany Trivino.

Trivino, a junior, was a first team All-Northern Hills Conference selection who went 20-8 with a 1.88 ERA, allowing only 48 earned runs while striking out 190 batters in 178 innings last season.

"She's very poised and tough on the mound," Teshkoyan said.

Trivino, a three-year starter, throws several pitches including a fastball, changeup, knuckleball and drop curve.

Catching Trivino again this season is be junior Paige Johnson, who Teshkoyan calls a "lethal weapon." Along with her .987 fielding percentage, Johnson is the top slugger on the team with five home runs last season to go along with a .695 slugging percentage, .427 batting average and 29 RBIs.

Johnson is expected to be batting in the cleanup spot, while the Caldwell coach is looking for senior second baseman Gianna Jamison to ignite the offense in the leadoff spot. In addition to Jamison, the team's other seniors include Sara Ciccone, Jennifer Marek, Kasey Bohnert and Alice Costa.

Jamison had the best batting average last season at .538, while stealing 17 out of 18 attempts and scoring 22 runs.

Behind Jamison is junior shortstop Chelsea Columbo and junior first baseman Jennifer Toron in the No. 3 spot. Toron hit .347 last season with 14 RBIs and had a fielding percentage of .984.

After Johnson, Teshkoyan has some more punch in Trivino and senior designated hitter Kasey Bohnert at fifth and sixth, respectively.

At the bottom of the lineup, the Chiefs have some fresh faces with a pair of freshmen in right fielder Gabriella Roselle and center fielder Carleigh Trivino, Brittany's younger sister.

Teshkoyan is eager for the new conference and the opportunity to face neighborhood rivals Mount St. Dominic and West Essex, as part of the best division in the county. Other teams in the American Division include Nutley, Bloomfield and Livingston.

Another change will be the distance of the pitching rubber, which was moved back from 40 to 43 feet. Teshkoyan said the new distance will be the in line with other states and college softball.

"I think it is great for the game and it is good for all aspects of the offense," Teshkoyan said.

(Games at 4 p.m. unless noted)

April 1 at Nutley
April 5 at Montclair Kimberly
April 7 at Bloomfield
April 9 Dayton
April 10 at Parsippany Hills, 2 p.m.
April 12 Cedar Grove
April 14 Livingston
April 15 Wayne Valley
April 16 at Columbia
April 17 at Kittatinny, 11 a.m.
April 19 at West Essex
April 21 at McNair Academy, 4:15 p.m.
April 23 Mount St. Dominic
April 26 Nutley
April 27 Wayne Hills
April 28 Montclair Kimberly
April 30 Bloomfield
May 4 at Parsippany
May 5 at Cedar Grove
May 7 at Livingston
May 10 West Essex, 11 a.m.
May 12 St. Mary
May 13 Hackensack
May 17 at Mount St. Dominic
May 19 Verona