Dolinko's Pitching Leads West Orange in Tournament

West Orange High School softball coach Jamie Galioto told senior pitcher Jill Dolinko she was going to get thestart for Tuesday's North Jersey, Section 1 Group IV playoff game with Fair Lawn after the Mountaineers lost to Belleville Monday afternoon.

"She deserved to have the start," Galioto said. "She made the most of it."

The three-year varsity player certainly did.

She pitched a seven-hit, complete-game victory, beating 11th-seed Fair Lawn 4-1. The sixth-seeded Mountaineers, who improved their record to 18-7, now play at third-seed Ridgewood Thursday afternoon in a sectional quarterfinal. Ridgewood beat Bergen Tech Tuesday.

For Dolinko, the philosophy to the game was a simple one.

"The team was very ready for it," said Dolinko, who, along with right fielder Nora Crann and shortstop Kim Reitmeyer were the only three seniors in the lineup. "If we wanted our season to continue, if we wanted to keep going, we had to win."

Dolinko, who is 6-0 for the season, has been the team's No. 2 pitcher behind sophomore Greer Manton. The two have worked well together in their roles, Dolinko said.

"Greer and I make a great team," Dolinko said. "If I'm not having my perfect day, she can come in. If she's not, I can come in."

Manton encouraged Dolinko throughout the game.

"We're very open; we critique each other if need be," said Dolinko, who'll attend Ithaca College next year."

Crann came through with a two-out, two run single in the third for West Orange. Sophomore Gabby Badurke went 2-for-2 with an RBI in the fourth and junior Ariel Stanziale added an RBI in the same inning. The game went smoothly with Dolinko in the circle. She struck out three and walked one.

"All I threw was my fastball — inside, outside, down the middle, up and in," she said.

"I would hate to say that her performance surprised me, because it's the kind of effort I know she can give us," Galioto said.

She also made some strong defensive plays and got her first hit of the year — in her first at bat.

"We were hitting on all cylinders," said Galioto.