East Windsor Softball Ready to Take on the East Coast

Having already proven they are the best team in all of New Jersey, the members of the East Windsor 12-year-old Little League softball team are anxious to see how they stack up with the best the east coast has to offer.

East Windsor will open play in the Mid-Atlantic Regional Tournament on Saturday. By the time they leave Bristol, Conn., East Windsor is hoping to be the East Regional champion.

"We're aiming big," East Windsor Manager Bill Giampolo said.

Giampolo can aim big because he has the talent to back his ambitions. This team won the state title two years ago, which was as far as 10-year-old teams could go at the time. Now, East Windsor has the opportunity to play all the way to a world championship.

"We have eleven players that play for one common goal — to win games," Giampolo said.

The members of the East Windsor team are Kelli Swedish, Jesse Weingast, Nicolette Garthe, Chrissy Mayer, Holly Bridgman, Sam Castro, Angela Giampolo, Ally Huelbig, Kylie Olsen, Brighid Douglas and Sam Dolan.

Swedish is also an excellent soccer player, who decided not to compete with her travel team in that sport to concentrate on softball.

"She's a great right fielder and a good hitter," Bill Giampolo said. "She can also be used as a pinch runner because of her speed."

Jesse Weingast is an outfielder/second baseman that only has one speed — all out.

"She's a kid that gives 100 percent all of the time," Bill Giampolo said. "She never misses a practice and always does what the coach tells her to do to the best of her ability."

Nicolette Garthe is a center fielder who is very clutch.

"Nicolette is a Steady Eddie," Bill Giampolo said. "She always comes through under pressure. She had the big hit in the state semifinals in the sixth inning against Hammonton."

Chrissy Mayer plays third base. Just like Swedish, she gave up playing soccer to concentrate on this team.

"She's really been a force at third base," Bill Giampolo said. "She takes away all the bunts and everything. She's an excellent fielder."

Holly Bridgman is the catcher. Her coaches call her the "Eraser."

"Whoever tries to steal against her gets erased," Bill Giampolo said. "She also always comes through in the clutch at the plate."

Sam Castro is the left fielder.

"Never picked up a mitt before last year," Bill Giampolo noted. "There's no doubt she's improved the most on the team the last year. She has become a fine player."

Angela Giampolo is a top-notch pitcher that tossed a shutout in the state championship game.

"She's done a phenomenal job," Bill Giampolo said. "The bigger the game, the better she pitches."

Ally Huelbig is the shortstop and bats second in the lineup.

"She converted to short and has done an unbelievable job," Bill Giampolo said.

Kylie Olsen is an outfielder who had a great state tournament.

"She came up huge for us with key hits in the last two games of the state tournament," Bill Giampolo said.

Brighid Douglas is the team's second baseman. She is also a very reliable hitter.

"She was the best hitter in the districts and she carried that into the sections and state tournaments," Bill Giampolo said. "She ended the state semifinal game against Hammonton with a clutch hit."

Sam Dolan is the lone 11-year-old on the team.

"We've asked Sam to play a big role as a pitcher and she has been phenomenal," Bill Giampolo said.

This bunch of girls will be playing against the champions from Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland and Delaware in the Mid-Atlantic Regional. The winner of the Mid-Atlantic Regional will then play the winner from the New England Regional (Maine, Connecticut, Vermont, Rhode Island and Massachusetts) to determine the East Regional champion.

East Windsor is scheduled to play Delaware at 7 p.m. on July 23, New York at 4 p.m. on July 24, Pennsylvania at 4 p.m. on July 26 and Maryland at 5 p.m. on July 27.