Best Ever? Millers Softball Concludes Successful Season

Another spring has passed and once again the Millburn softball program has taken another step forward. For the first time in team history, the girls reached the state sectional semifinals, knocking off two favored opponents on the road in doing so.

If you asked Miller head coach John Childs, he'd have no problem telling you this year's 15-11 team was the greatest softball team in Millburn's history. It's not very easy to argue against him either.

This season was one of change for the Miller girls and the rest of North Jersey. With the conferences realigned, the Millers moved from the now dissolved Northern Hills Conference to the Super Essex Conference Liberty Division. On top of that, the pitching circle was moved back three feet to help ensure the safety of pitchers.

Perhaps it was the change in leagues, perhaps the moving of the circle or maybe it was that star pitcher Kaitlin Zampino was recovering from off-season shoulder surgery. But whatever the reason, things did not start out well for the Miller girls this year.

"We weren't playing our best defense at the time," Childs said. "We weren't doing the little things as far as moving runners over and coming up with big hits."

On April 17, after losing to Governor Livingston in the Millburn Tournament Final, the Miller softball squad found its record at 4-6 and were at 7-7 after defeating Columbia on April 30. The Columbia match up, in which the Millers had to rally from behind to win, is what Childs said was the turning point in the season. From that game on, the girls went on a tear, finishing up 8-4 the rest of the way.

"We really started to play well after that Columbia night game," Childs said. "Everything just started to come together from midseason right on through the tournament."

In the state tournament, they went on the road as a 14 seed and knocked off third-seeded Colonia in the first round and sixth-seeded Voorhees in the second, both with 4-2 wins. Against Voorhees, the girls were down 2-1 with two outs in the bottom of the seventh and nobody on base. Ali Graebner drove in the eventual tying run and Zampino drove in two runs to give Millburn the lead for good.

Their season eventually ended at the hands of the eventual sectional champs, Nutley. After two close playoff games, the Millers had no more magic left, losing 8-0 to Nutley.

"We did an outstanding job. It was tough because I don't think we played as well as we could have," Childs said. "I really believe the girls absorbed what they've done."

Over the last six seasons, the Millers have continued to build an attitude of winning despite who they've lost. In 2005, the Millers won eight games. They won 12 in 2006 and a school record 18 in 2007 with superstar and current Notre Dame athlete Alexa Maldonado. The following year, also with Maldonado, they Millers won 17. Last season, they took a step back with the wins, picking up 11, but won a state and a county game for the first time ever and qualified for the state playoffs for a third consecutive season, also a first in school history.

This season they accomplished more than any other Miller team. If there is any testament to what John Childs and former coach Jim Colabelli (who Childs replaced last season) have been able to do in revitalizing this program, it's the four graduating seniors.

Millburn's foursome have accumulated a win-loss record of 61-41, which is by far a school record. During their four-year stretch they've qualified for the state playoffs every season and have averaged 15 wins per year.

"They set the tone," Childs said of his seniors. "I really believe that as far as they've gone and who they've beaten, they may be the best team in Millburn history... I have no problem saying this is the best team ever."

However, the returning players will face a strong challenge next season, with the loss of its seniors. With Zampino, Graebner, Brigid Cunningham and Rachel Bain all graduating in a week, the Miller girls will have to find a way to replace three .300 hitters, 11 homeruns, over 60 RBI, their starting centerfielder, pitcher, shortstop and second baseman.

"We depended a lot on Kaitlin, Brigid and Ali. We will sorely miss their bats," Childs said. "We will be more of a small ball team."

Zampino had a monster year in the circle and at the plate. She led the team with a .391 batting average, four doubles, three triples, five homers, 27 RBI and a whopping .695 slugging percentage. Let's not forget about her 117 strikeouts in 115 innings pitched to go along with a 2.80 earned run average.

"Kaitlin really works hard at it," Childs said. "She worked on her hitting as much as her pitching."

Needless to say, it will be difficult if not impossible to replace the production of the graduating seniors.

But Childs has faith in his returnees continuing the new trend of winning at Millburn. The two captains are pitcher Danielle Kirchner, who went 5-2 backing up Zampino, and Lydia Vollavanh, who bat .306 this year out of the nine hole and likely will bat leadoff next year.

Aside from them, they'll be returning catcher Emily Benerhoff, who has started since her freshman year; Lauryn Fiore, who played a big role as the number four hitter in the lineup; and Samantha Abrams, who was outstanding defensively at first base this season, committing only three errors.