Saint John Vianney Beats Middletown North For MCTChampionship

Game photos by Tom Smith

WALL TOWNSHIP – After graduating Shore Conference Player of the Year Ashley Ventura and fellow first team All-State member Jess Carlucci, along with first team All-Shore selections Erica Krumbine and Claire Stefannelli, most thought this just might be the year No.1 seed Saint John Vianney took a step back from dominating the Shore Conference softball scene as it has for so many years.

But after beating second-seeded Middletown North 4-1 Saturday in Wall Township for their unprecedented seventh straight Monmouth County Tournament title, Saint John Vianney proved the naysayers wrong and once again stamped themselves as the team to beat in Shore Conference softball.

“We had some big-time players in the past,” Saint John Vianney head coach Kim Lombardi said. “We have a very young team now and you know what, my girls are getting it done this year. They’ve worked so hard and I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

Saint John Vianney, ranked No.4 in the state and No.1 in the Shore Conference, moved to 16-1 on the year while Middletown North, No.6 in the state and second in the Shore Conference saw its record fall to 20-2.

Lancers starting pitcher Demi Rivera, who only had six innings of work on the mound a year ago, may not be the dominant hurler that Ventura was for the Lancers a year ago, but she definitely knows how the get the job done.

Although Rivera gave up 10 Middletown North hits, she didn’t walk a batter and got the outs when she needed them. She held Middletown North’s two All-State players, No.3 batter Christine Gebhardt (Manhattan College) and clean-up hitter Kayla Gallo (Florida International University) to a combined 1-for- 8 on the day, including retiring them in the top of the seventh when she had her only 1-2-3 inning of the game.

Saint John Vianney has always prided itself on its rock-solid defense play and Saturday it was on full display once again bailing out Rivera on a game-changing play by sophomore centerfielder Lindsey Barron in the top of the second.

“Defense wins championships and I always tell my girls that,” Lombardi said. “They were there to pick Demi up today. Middletown North is a very good hitting team, a great team, but at the end of the day I feel very confident in our defense that we can hang with any team.”

Lions starting pitcher Riley Kernan led off the inning with a line-drive single to left field before Alyssa Vertrano’s one-out single into right field put runners at first and second base. Rivera then got Ryan Rasmussen on short pop-up to the shortstop for the second out.

With runners now on first and second, two outs and the runners going on the pitch, Payleigh Behan drilled a line-drive single into centerfield that Barron charged and fired a perfect strike to catcher Ally Jones who then made the tag for the out.

“I saw her coming around and I knew I had to get her,” Barron said. “It was for my team. They’re working hard for me and I’ve got to work hard for them. I came up throwing and I had to get her. I knew if I gave her a good throw, Alley would get the job done and tag her out.”

“That was a game changer,” Rivera said. “If she doesn’t make that play the game would’ve been different. It’s such a great feeling that I can go out there and trust my defense. I don’t throw a hundred miles an hour, I just trust my pitches and spin the ball. I’m confident in my defense so therefore I’m confident in myself.”

The Lancers put up their only runs of the game in the bottom of the fourth hanging four runs on Kernan in an inning the Lions would like to forget.

Gianna Mavica led off the inning with a walk. Then with one out, Antonia Pacillo hammered what looked like a sure home run to dead centerfield that Behan leaped for and had it in her glove for a second but couldn’t hold onto for a catch with Pacillo going to first with a long single and Mavica stopping at second.

Anne Manganiello followed with soft single just out of the reach of the shortstop Vetrano on the edge of the outfield grass loading the bases before Kernan uncorked a wild pitch scoring Mavica for the game’s first run and advancing the runners to second and third base.

Sophomore shortstop Shelli Rivard then grounded to first but instead of getting the sure out, the Lions instead went for a play at the plate. Pacillo beat the throw home and the ball got away from Rasmussen allowing Manganiello to also score for a 3-0 lead.

After Helena Coppola grounded out, Behan misplayed a sinking liner to center dropping it at the last second for an error as the fourth run of the inning crossed the plate.

Rivera ran into her only real trouble of the game in the top of the sixth. Kernan led off with a sharp double to left field and designated runner Gabi Cerbo advanced to third on a passed ball. Rivard then made a beautiful running over the shoulder catch for the first out of the inning before Vetrano brought Cerbo home with an RBI single to left.

Rasmussen followed with a soft liner to center for a base hit putting runners at first and second with one run already in and only one out.

Rivera then bore down without any further damage done, getting Behan on a fly ball to left for the second out and Milena Wilton on a 6-3 grounder to get out of sixth before mowing down the side in order in the seventh inning for a 4-1 win.

“I was just going after the batters,” Rivera said. “I think I keep my composure. Nothing really rattles me.”

The biggest difference in the game was that Saint John Vianney was able to capitalize on their breaks and make the plays while Middletown North failed to do that when it counted most.

“It’s who gets the big hit,” Lombardi said. “It’s who makes that play in the hole and who doesn’t, is who’s going to win a championship game.”

Middletown North, who stranded nine runners on base including three in scoring position, was led by Kernan who held Saint John Vianney to just three hits and two earned runs and complemented her performance on the mound going 3-for-3 with a double at the plate while Vetrano went 2-for-3 with an RBI.

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