Lady Knights Softball Falls to Dumont

Youth – and maybe a case of tournament jitters – got the best of the New Milford High softball team, which suffered an 8-3 loss to Dumont in the North 1, Group 2 opening round on Tuesday afternoon at home.

“These kinds of losses are the toughest to take, when we beat ourselves,” said head coach Mike Mayer, whose roster boasts just three seniors. “I can accept a loss if we played our best, but today, we didn’t play our best.”

The 8th seeded Lady Knights (16-9) got off to a rough start, yielding two unearned runs in the first inning.

“I think we were rushing and playing nervous,” said Mayer.

But sophomore pitcher Mackenzie Holowach settled down and her defense hung tough as New Milford made quick time of the Huskies through the top of the fourth.

Then the Lady Knights got to work.

Danielle Bejian smacked a grounder through the legs of the Dumont pitcher and shortstop, and Angela Coughlin walloped a clean double to put runners at second and third with two outs. Erin Bigger hit a shot to center and Carly Lasko drilled a double to score Bejian and Coughlin to even things up at 2-2.

Dumont, the ninth seed (12-7), added a run in the sixth for a 3-2 lead after a series of Lady Knights miscues set up runners. But Lasko made a nice catch on a lively line drive and tossed to Ashley Lignos at third for the double play to avoid any more damage.

New Milford replied with a run to tie the game 3-3 in the bottom half of the inning. Lignos led off with a single to left field, and pinch runner Meredith Farley flew to third and eventually scored when Bigger’s grounder was bobbled.

Dumont, however, posted five runs in the top of the seventh to put the game out of reach.

“We didn’t make the plays that were routine for us all season,’ said Mayer. “Losing this way is so disappointing.”

The season is not yet over for the Lady Knights, who meet Leonia in a road game on Wednesday afternoon.

“Hopefully, we can end the season on a high note with 17 wins,” said Mayer.