Improved Bears Can't Catch Chiefs

The Montclair 10U softball team might have lost 11-7 to Caldwell for the New Jersey Baseball-Softball League title at Jefferson School in Caldwell, but Bears head coach Nicole Degenhardt could not have been prouder of her team.

For some of the girls this season, it was the first time they picked up a softball or hit a softball, which made their performance that much more admirable. "When I got them at the beginning of the season they really didn't know what softball was," said Degenhardt. "They had a real good season."

Degenhardt was especially pleased with the team's offense scoring seven runs in the title game. "The hitting was 100 percent better at the end of the season," she said.

For a couple of times Tuesday the Bears held the lead against the Lady Chiefs, only to see their leads disappear.

Shorthanded, the Bears' head coach had to go to Amber Matthews, who fired a complete game. "We were missing a few players including our starting pitching," said Degenhardt. "Amber came out and pitched a great game. She usually is our catcher."

Ury smacked a single that scored Bridget Hall to take a 1-0 lead. After Matthews shut down Caldwell in the first inning, Knapp scored in the second inning to give the Bears a 2-0 lead. In the third inning, Rael Crews and Tessa Ury scored to give the Bears a 4-2 lead.

After being down 7-4, Montclair made a comeback and scored three times from Alyssa Barnhardt-Asbury, Bridget Hall and Matthews for a seven-all tie in the fourth inning.

But Caldwell would go on to score the last seven runs.  Montclair could not come back again.

Montclair 10U roster: Kaitlyn Stivers, Rael Crews, Alyssa Barnhardt-Asbury, Bridget Hall, Molly Miller, Amber Matthews, Emily Kaloudis, Emma St. John, Olivia Knapp, Francesca Testa, Tessa Ury, Laura DePasquale and Sofie Fachin.