Dodgers Softball Eliminated from County Tournament

Despite one of the Madison High School softball team's best defensive performances of the year, the Dodgers fell in the first round of the Morris County tournament to Roxbury on Saturday, 2-0.

"I didn't expect the game to be as low scoring as it was, but I knew we would battle with them," said Madison head coach Hector Martinez. "I knew they were a good team, but my team is good as well."

Ashtin Helmer controlled the game from the mound for Roxbury, striking out 14 and allowing only three hits.

"It was one of my better games," said Helmer. "But not everything was working … I worked with what I had."

The only Dodgers to hit Helmer were Nikki Caruso, Emily Klein and Mackenzie Ellis. All of those hits were singles.

"We got our bats moving toward the end," said Nicole Iannarone, who pitched the entire game for Madison, allowing only two runs. "I think the past two games we faced slower pitchers with less experience, but she had more experience."

Iannarone, a sophomore, has been gaining some experience herself, and at the beginning of the season it was unclear who would be pitching for Madison. Lately, the Dodgers have been giving up less runs than they were at the beginning of the season, allowing only two against Roxbury and four against Dover on Friday, and shutting out both St. Elizabeth and Walkill Valley, all with Iannarone on the mound.

"Me and J [catcher Juliana Vezza] have a good thing going," said Iannarone.

One of Roxbury's runs came from an in-the-park home run from their lead-off hitter, Lindsey Williams.

"It happens a lot when we play here. I get more in-the-park home runs than out of the park," said Williams. "This is my second this year, and overall I think it is my fifth."

Williams hit went right down the third base line, landing just fair then rolling outside of the outfield foul line, making it's way past Emily Klein as Williams flew around the bases. By the time the through even made it to the infield Williams had found her way home.

Although the Dodgers are now out of the running in the Morris County Tournament, they have another obstacle facing them next week. In order to make it into the state tournament, it is likely they will need a .500 record by May 1, and with their loss to Roxbury they are 5-7. They have two more games scheduled before that deadline.

On Tuesday in Madison the Dodgers face West Morris High School (8-6), who shut out Mountain Lakes in their Morris County Tournament match-up on Saturday, and on Friday the Dodgers travel to Parsipanny (7-3) to face the Red Hawks, who beat Madison 12-5 in their first game on April 4.

For a definite spot in the states the Dodgers will need to be perfect next week.