Summit HS Uses Two-Out Rally to Overcome Rahway

The Summit High School summer softball team won Monday, 12-11, at Myrtle Field. Marissa Montero hit a two-out, three-run double in the bottom of the seventh inning to complete the Summit comeback.

"We played great," Summit Head Coach Rachel Gordon said. "We made very few errors, although we had one bad inning, which really hurt us until the end."

Montero agreed, saying "our team played together."

"We had strong defense all game and the hitters were delivering, both of which are keys to the game," Montero said.

Rahway got off to a quick start, with the first four batters reaching base, including two hits and one run. Montero, however, got out of the jam by retiring the next three batters. Montero would not give up another Rahway hit until the fifth inning.

After Julie Schott led of the bottom of the first with a walk, Lisa Campanelli hit an RBI-single to tie the game at one-apiece. Campanelli finished with three hits and four runs batted in for Summit.

Montero began to settle in for Summit in the second inning. She recorded two strikeouts wrapped around a fly-ball out and a walk.

The bottom of the second inning began well for Summit, as Lauren Miller led off with a triple. Summit, however, could not get the run across.

Montero continued to fly through the Rahway lineup in the third, aided by a great Kristen Miller catch in left field to lead off the inning. Montero recorded her fourth strikeout to end the inning.

Summit broke things open in the bottom of the third, plating three runs to take a 4-1 lead. Alexis Spallone led off the inning with a walk, and Schott hit a bunt single to give Summit runners on first and second with nobody out. After a strikeout, Campanelli hit an RBI-single to give Summit its first lead of the game. After an out and a Montero walk, Lauren Miller hit a two-run single before the inning ended.

Summit's defense highlighted the top of the fourth, as they once again held Rahway to zero runs. Schott made a great catch in center field for the first out, Lauren Miller made a running grab into left field from shortstop, and Campanelli ran in to make a catch from first base.

"Our confidence is building defensively," Gordon said. "And we are gaining our confidence through experience. Defense is one of the reasons we cam out on top tonight."

Summit scored three more runs in the bottom of the fourth, creating a six-run lead with only three innings to play. Kristen Miller led off with a single, which was followed by a Spallone walk. Schott knocked one runner in, and back-to-back RBI's later in the inning by Campanelli and Gabby Sulley padded the Summit lead.

However, things fell apart for Summit in the top of the fifth. Rahway sent eleven batters to the dish, scoring seven runs and taking an improbable 8-7 lead into the bottom of the fifth. A Spallone double in the bottom of the inning gave Summit a little hope, but a run was not cashed in.

Rahway scored two more in the top of the sixth, and Summit answered with one run of their own in the bottom of the inning. Sulley smashed a home run past all the outfielders, her second consecutive extra-base hit in the game.

Rahway scored one more run in the top of the seventh and final inning, giving them an 11-8 lead heading into Summit's last at-bat.

Summit's unbelievable final inning began with a fly-out, a Spallone walk, and a strikeout. With two outs and the outcome in doubt, Alessandra DeFonzo hit a single to right field, putting runners at first and second. Campanelli followed with an RBI-single, cutting the Rahway lead to two runs. Sulley then came to the plate, but was hit by the fifth pitch of the at-bat. Then, with two outs and the bases loaded, Montero hit a gap-double into left-center field, bringing home all three Summit runs.

"I knew that if I made an out, the game was over," Montero said. "Even if I had gotten out, I know we're still a good team that played well today."

Gordon said the team had a no-quit attitude.

"We never gave up," she said. "The girls wanted to win, and the final score showed that."

Summit will return to action Wednesday against Union. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Myrtle Field in Summit.