West Orange Softball Team Bracing for Busy Week

Heavy rain wiped out West Orange High School's softball team's Saturday morning game at Hanover Park. But off days shouldn't be common as rainouts are rescheduled - the coming week is one such week.

The Mountaineers, 9-2 on the season, are scheduled to play four games this coming week, important Super Essex Conference Liberty Division games.

The Mountaineers ended the week with a confidence-building 5-1 win Thursday afternoon over North Bergen, which came into the game with a 10-0 record. North Bergen was also ranked 20th by one state-wide poll.

"We played a really good game, everybody contributed," said West Orange coach Jamie Galioto. "We usually scrimmage them (North Bergen); we wanted to upgrade (the schedule). We knew they would be pretty good."

Sophomore right-handed pitcher Greer Manton threw a complete-game, four-hitter. She struck out seven and walked just one. Galioto said Manton, who has a 7-2 record, continually kept the North Bergen batters off balance.

"She had very good stuff," the coach said.

Junior Ariel Stanziale went 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBI and a run and senior right fielder Nora Crann slapped two hits. Stanziale triped in the second inning, driving in two runs and came home on an overthrow. Crann stole second after leading off the fourth inning with a base hit, then came home on junior Alissa Catanzarite's single to center for a 4-0 Mountaineer leader.

"Nora's very productive," said Galioto. "She plays solid defense, comes up with big hits, steals bases and hits for power and average."

The Mountaineers are gearing up for a busy week against Liberty Division opponents. 

Three home games Columbia (Monday), Montclair (Tuesday) and Newark Academy (Wednesday) before playing at Montclair Friday.

"At this point we're hitting on all cylinders," Galioto said. "Everybody gets a chance to play, everybody is playing together and learning their role, accepting their role and doing their job when they are called on. We're clicking."