Water-logged Warriors flattened by Panthers

Sophomore right-hander Abby Cline was tagged for 12 hits and the Watchung Hills High School softball team committed five errors behind her during the first three innings, and the Warriors were blasted by Bridgewater-Raritan 12-2 in six innings Thursday at Watchung Hills Regional High School.

IN SHORT
Five Warrior miscues during the first three innings helped the Panthers to an 8-0 lead, while a base-running miscue took Watchung Hills out of a potential big inning in the first.

Bridgewater-Raritan poured it on with a run in the fifth and three more in the sixth to send the Warriors to defeat for the fourth time in five games.

Watchung Hills scored its runs in the fourth inning when Cline led off with a walk, and, after an out, went to third on a double by McKayla Brady. Grace Hurley then drove in a run with a groundout, before Brianna Paltan delivered an RBI single.

Bridgewater-Raritan senior righty Alicia Gonnella picked up her eighth victory, allowing two runs on six hits, walking one and striking out three.

WARRIOR OF THE GAME
Brianna Paltan–The sophomore right fielder went 2-for-2 with a two-out RBI single in the fifth inning.

OTHER KEY PERFORMANCES
McKayla Brady–The freshman left fielder crushed a double off the left-center field fence with one out in the fifth inning and scored the Warriors’ second run.

Erin Furer –The senior notched a pinch-hit single to lead off the sixth inning, but was stranded at second base.

THEY SAID IT
“They hit her (Cline), we did not make plays early, and I think it just set the tone. It’s one of those games you can’t even begin to explain. I thought we were flat and we just didn’t play our best game. No excuses.”
– Watchung Hills coach Mike D’Alessandro

UP NEXT – Morris Knolls, 11 a.m. Saturday at Watchung Hills Regional High School