Livingston Edged by West Essex Late in Game

LIVINGSTON—No matter the mindset, it worked for the West Essex softball team on Saturday.

While catcher Allissa Kerr imagines zebras while at the plate, Alexa Ramos prefers a more traditional approach.

Either way, the two recorded back-to-back RBI hits in the top of the seventh inning and senior pitcher Austin Leigh escaped a jam in the bottom of the frame by striking out the final two batters as West Essex remained undefeated with a 5-4 come-from-behind win over Livingston. 

"When I go up to bat I think of zebras," Kerr admitted. "It's something silly to think about and it makes me relax."

After Livingston (6-6) scored four times in the bottom of the sixth to grab a 4-3 lead, West Essex left fielder Jackie Branco began the rally in the top of the seventh with a double—one of her three hits in the game.

Livingston pitcher Alex Pizzoli intentionally walked Leigh to get to Kerr and Ramos.

"I wanted to get up," Kerr said of the intentional walk to Leigh. "That got my adrenaline going."

Indeed, as Kerr roped a game-tying double that scored Branco and Ramos followed with a single that scored freshman courtesy runner Heather Prinzo for a 5-4 lead.

"If it is fat and looks good, I am going to hit it," Ramos said. "I just kept focused and kept my head down."

The Knights—and Leigh—remained focused in the bottom of the frame when Livingston left fielder Reid Singer recorded one of her three hits and Alex Bell reached on an error.

But with two on and none out, Leigh induced a ground ball right back to her off the bat of Livingston catcher Jessica Icolari before striking out Pizzoli and Rachel Wasilak, whose foul tip was held onto by Kerr for the final out as West Essex improved to a perfect 10-0.

"I'm proud of my kids, because we fought back," Livingston coach Jason Daily said. "It was a fun game and you have to give them credit. They hit the ball hard."

The Lancers, however, were on the verge of pulling off the upset when they erased a three-run deficit in the bottom of the sixth inning.

The rally began when Leigh walked Icolari. After Pizzoli sacrificed courtesy runner Michelle Millman to second base, Wasilak smacked a base hit that scored Millman to cut the deficit to 3-1.

Livingston right fielder Becky Herman then reached after being hit by a pitch. 

Amy Zhou then laid down a sacrifice bunt that was fielded by West Essex third baseman Alyssa Witte, whose throw to shortstop Brianna Schauer—covering third—went astray and allowed Wasilak and Herman to score to tie the game at 3.

With Zhou on third base, Livingston first baseman Melissa Pence drove in the go-ahead run with a fly ball to left field.

Suddenly, the Lancers were three outs away from a stunning upset and ending the Knights' undefeated run.

"It shows that one miscue can open up an inning," Daily said of the error that turned the sixth inning around.

Heading into the sixth, Leigh and Pizzoli were locked into a pitchers' duel. Leigh finished with 10 strikeouts and two walks while surrendering five hits. 

Pizzoli kept the Lancers in the game, allowing a run in the second inning and a pair in the fifth. Ramos scored the Knights' first run when she came home on a sacrifice fly, while Branco and Leigh each recorded RBIs in the fifth.

In addition to Branco, Jackie Martorana also had three hits for the Knights, while Candice Travis had two hits and an RBI sacrifice fly that scored the game's opening run.

"No matter it is zebras, lions, any animals," Ramos said, "whatever, just so you get it done."