Watchung Hills Advances to State Group IV Softball Finals

The Livingston Lancers came into Tuesday's game with Watchung Hills ranked No. 2 in the state and heavily favored to win—but the Warriors seemed to thrive on being the underdog, handing them a defeat.

1

It was a beautiful afternoon at Nutley's Yantican Park, the site of the semi-final round of the NJSIAA Group IV Championship.  When the teams took the field, it took a minute to realize that you were not seeing double but that the two teams were dressed in all in black.

Livingston blasted out to an immediate advantage when lead off batter Kaylie McLaughlin hit a soaring shot over the left center field fence for a home run.  Unshaken, the Warriors, behind pitcher Abby Cline, would make that the Lancers' only run of the game. 

Cline would finish the game with three strike outs and giving up only five hits.

In the second inning, Deanna Gonnella got a single to lead off for the Warriors.  Dana Mertz walked and McKayla Brady placed a sacrifice bunt, putting Gonnella's courtesy runner Annie Suitovsky on third and Mertz on second base.

That's when Jess Gaeta came to the plate, driving a base hit that scored a run for the Warriors to tie the game at 1-1.

The pitching of Lancer Jess Preslak halted the Warriors with a five strike out, six hit performance backed by a diving and relentless defense.

Both teams went scoreless through the middle innings, but the Warriors found some magic in the sixth inning.  With Dana Mertz on third base and McKayla Brady on second and two outs, Jess Gaeta came to the plate. 

With the count full (two strikes and three balls), Gaeta made contact for a second base hit—sending Mertz home for the second and game winning RBI.

"Watchung was incredible defensively," said Livingston head coach Jason Daily.  "They were extremely sharp. I am just blown away by the pitcher, she is very tough, she works quick, keeps the ball down and away, and she is extremely effective. That is the reason they won the game. I think both teams played incredibly well defensively."

"When you get to this spot, and there are only so many teams left in the state tournament, it is going to be a one run game and you have to be ready for it," added coach Daily. "We were ready for it, but in four of the six innings, we had the lead off runner on and we just couldn't execute and put the ball through.  That is a credit to Watchung's defense and their pitcher."

"Beautiful!" said Watchung Hills head coach Mike D'Alessandro. "We just have a great bunch of kids that are believing they are going to get the job done.  I honestly think that as other people doubt us, we are playing a team that is ranked No. 2 in New Jersey, that just gets us just that much more determined.

"I was feeling real good the way the girls approached this game," he added. "They had a great attitude, we had a great practice yesterday. All 15 of us in the dugout knew we were winning this game today."

"One of the things I stressed from the beginning is we are a team," added Coach D'Alessandro.  "And it takes every one of us to do our things.  Some have better speed, some have better bat control, some have strong arms and we are somehow going to pull this all together and contribute.  That is what I really love about this group, we don't rely on one girl, we rely on everyone to contribute."

"Jess Gaeta had a great game today," he said.  "She doesn't usually get a lot of attention, but I know she can play and it is nice to see her get two big hits for us today."

"Awesome, awesome game," said Dana Mertz. 

"I say it every time—my team is amazing," said winning pitcher Abby Cline.  "I would not be here without my team. They make every play in the field, they hit so many times in clutch situations, it is actually insane. Wow is all I can say."

"A lot of people were expecting us to lose this game and I knew on the bus that we were not going to lose," said Jess Gaeta. "We had total confidence in ourselves because we knew everybody is thinking against us and we said we've done it plenty of times before, why not do it today. And that is what we did."

Watchung Hills will play for the Group IV Championship against Washington Township Saturday at Toms River. The time is to be determined.