Watchung Hills Girls Softball Comes Up Short in State Finals

The Watchung Hills softball team took on the girls from Washington Township Saturday in the State Group 4 finals. Washington Township was able to put up four runs in the top of the first and never looked back, defeating the Warriors 10-3.

For the Warriors, this was their first trip to the Group 4 State finals; the school did play in the Group 3 finals in 1995, losing to Nutley.

The Warriors finished their season with a 25-6 record and captured the Somerset County title and the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 sectional title along the way.

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

6th

7th

Total

Washington Twp (30-2)

4

0

0

0

0

2

4

10

Watchung Hills (25-6)

0

0

0

0

0

3

0

3

 IN SHORT

The Minutemaids bats were alive from the opening pitch as seven of the first eight batters reached base on 7-hits and a walk. The big blow was a two-run homer by Kristen Turner over the left field fence that put the Minutemaids up 3-0.

The Warriors had a chance in the bottom of the first to get a couple back after walks to Stephanie Huff and Deanne Gonnella but were unable to come up with the big hit.

After the first, the Warriors and starting pitcher Abby Cline settled down shutting out the Minutemaids for the next 4-innings.

The Warriors had another chance in the fourth as they loaded the bases with 1-out but as in the first inning the key hit was not to be.

The Minutemaids were able to extend their lead to 6-0 in the top of the fifth as they put together a pair of singles and a long double.

The Warriors were able to cut the lead in half in the bottom of the sixth as Dana Mertz drove in 2 with a triple and scored on a groundout.

Any chance of a last inning rally though was stopped as the Minutemaids scored 4 in the top of the seventh. The Minutemaids finished the game with 20-hits with Kylie Mulholland and Kristen Turner going a combined 8-for-10.

"I don't think it was anything we did or didn't do today. Their middle of the order really had their bats going today," said head coach Mike D'Alessandro. "Abby [starting pitcher Abby Cline] pitched very good. They were just swinging the bats really good."

COACHES TAKE

"I told the girls after the game that I was as proud as a coach can be," said head coach Mike D'Alessandro. "When you make it to the state finals you can't hang your head."