Raiders Softball Takes Familiar Spot in SCT final

Senior right-hander Brittany Ksiezopolski came up big when it counted, and sophomore third baseman Alison Shinko’s first-inning RBI single proved all the offense the Raiders needed Saturday, as the top-seeded and defending champion softball team claimed a 2-0 victory over fifth-seeded Watchung Hills to make it to the Somerset County Tournament final.

IN SHORT
Ksiezopolski made a ton of big pitches in big spots, as she side-stepped seven Watchung Hills hits and three errors behind her to top the Warriors for the third time this season.

The senior, who only fanned four, did a fine job bearing down and inducing weak pop ups with runners in scoring position. Watchung Hills had two runners on in each the first, second, fourth and sixth innings, and Ksiezopolski escaped by getting the Warriors to hit it weakly in the air the first three times, before Shimko turned a pretty 5-5-3 double play to end the threat in the sixth inning.

Shimko got the Raiders offense started in the first inning when she singled in shortstop Alexis Pezza with one out. Pezza had singled to start the inning and went to second on walk by Ashley Lamont.

Hillsborough added an insurance run in the fifth inning when Angela LoBrutto walked with one out, stole second, went to third on an error, and scored on another miscue.

The trip to the final is the Raiders’ ninth since 2002, and Hillsborough will look to win its fifth title during the span–and its second straight–when it faces third-seeded Bridgewater-Raritan at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Nap Torpey Athletic Complex in Bridgewater.

The Panthers knocked off second-seeded Montgomery 6-5 in Saturday’s other semifinal.

RAIDER OF THE GAME
Brittany Ksiezopolski–The senior pitcher did it with her arm and her bat Saturday. Ksiezopolski recorded her 15th victory of the season, allowing no runs on seven hits, walking none and striking out four. The senior also went 2-for-3 at the plate, including a double.

OTHER KEY PERFORMANCES
Alison Shimko–The sophomore drove in the Raiders’ first run with a first-inning single, and was key in the field, as well, playing a grounder with first and second and one out in the sixth inning, stepping on third base to record and out and firing to first to complete the double play and end a threat.

Angela LoBrutto – The junior right fielder walked in the fifth inning, stole second and came around to score on a pair of errors to give the Raiders a much-needed insurance run.

Alexis Pezza – The sophomore shortstop singled to start the first inning and scored the first run. Pezza also hit a screaming line drive to center field that nearly beheaded Watchung Hills center fielder Jamie Schoenbach, who caught it in self-defense. 

THEY SAID IT
“We always have a feeling that teams are going to come back. Every time we went in (to the dugout) we said we can’t win with one (run). So when we got that second one, things were a little more stable.”–Raiders ace Brittany Ksiezopolski on the importance of an insurance run in a tight game

UP NEXT–Montgomery, 3:45 p.m. Monday at Hillsborough