Dayton Softball Falls To Glen Ridge In Playoffs

The Dayton softball team's magical season came to a halt after an exciting 8-5 loss to Glen Ridge, in the second round of the North 2, Group 1 NJSIAA state playoffs. 

The Bulldogs [8-10] let one slip away in the late innings in a game that carried much weight for a program hosting its first home state playoff game in over a decade. First year head coach Wendy Saladino said she felt a different aura of confidence from her team heading into the game but felt the pressures might've played a part heading into the sixth inning and Dayton nursing a 2-1 lead.    

"They've never been in this situation with the pressures, so I asked them if they were nervous and a good 80% raised their hands, so I think nerves had a factor in it," admitted Saladino. "But in the end, defensively we kind of fell apart a little bit. There were some well-hit balls by Glen Ridge but we needed to make those plays."

Inexperience or not, Dayton seemed destined to win, as pitcher Breanne Mooney was twice able to wriggle out of bases-loaded jams in the early innings. The freshman hurler loaded the bases twice in the first inning, only to escape with a 1-0 deficit. In the second inning, she had second and third with two outs but avoided a score. Her mettle was on full display until fielding errors and laced base hits doomed her in the sixth inning.

Mooney allowed five earned runs and admitted afterwards her arm began to tire in Glen Ridge's four-run sixth.

"It's tired but it's all good," Mooney said of a right shoulder that was engulfed in bags of ice. "It was an interesting game."

Mooney helped make things interesting with an RBI-triple in the sixth, driving in Rebecca Frank, to bring Dayton within three. Krista Delia drove in Mooney with an RBI single and reached third on an error. Catcher Casey Friedman followed with an RBI-single up the middle, as the Bulldogs closed out the inning trailing only by one, 6-5.

Saladino certainly felt as if the tide was turning, as the pulsating crowd confirmed how big a frame the seventh would be.

"There were things that came out of [the players'] mouths that I was shocked to hear," she said. "Positive things that we've been preaching all year. One of the girls said, 'We're not losing this game' and that was before we had that big rally [in the bottom of the sixth]."

Alas, Dayton failed to push any more runs across the board but that didn't stop Saladino from espousing her pride.

"I was proud of each and every one of them because they all stepped up to the plate," said Saladino. "Pre-game I could see they were mentally there, supportive of each other, and ready to go."

One positive surprise was the play of rightfielder Heather Fritzen. The freshman came up big early when she laced an RBI-double down the third base line in the third inning, giving Dayton a 2-1 lead.

As well as she hit the ball, however, the double almost didn't happen.

"At first I was upset because I thought it was a foul ball because it hit the line," Fritzen admitted. "But when I saw Coach wave in Aliza [Stone] home, I was like maybe I should keep running. I was really excited."

The lead almost held up. And had it, Fritzen would've been an unlikely hero. Also a basketball star, Fritzen said she's been more surprised with her success on the softball team because of the talented depth.

"I wasn't that surprised in basketball because there weren't that many people," she said. "But [softball] only took up two freshman in the beginning, Amanda [Stein] and Breanne, so when I got called up [mid-season] I was really excited because I didn't think I'd get to play [varsity]."

The future seems bright for Dayton, as they only lose three seniors: Friedman, third baseman Allie Policastro, and Melissa Mansur. And on Monday, the trio gets their due when they host Senior Day.    

"We have two winnable games next week," said Saladino. "I'd like to finish at .500 because they deserve that."

Although Saladino admitted Saturday's loss will stick with her for awhile, she beamed at the thought of a growing program that should only get better.

"Each and every one them has a lot of ability. They just haven't really brought it to the surface yet," said Saladino. "But the more successes they have, the more they know they can do this. That's why I tell them before every at-bat, 'Play your highlight film in your head,' meaning think of a big hit you've had and mimic it because that's 90 percent of it."

Opponents everywhere should shutter at the thought that Dayton softball is on the upswing.