DeMARCO 2-4, ORR RBI 1B, ALVAREZ-GOMEZ SCORES
One more win would give the thirdseeded Cranford High School softball Cougars an opportunity to vie for their fourth straight Union County Tournament (UCT) crown but first they had to get past the second-seeded Jonathan Dayton Bulldogs in the semifinal round at Kean University in Union on May 16. The result was a very strong pitchers’ duel between Cougar Sophia DeMarco and Dayton’s Lila Carroll that went in favor of the Bulldogs, 4-1.
The 14-11 Cougars defeated the 14th-seeded Union Farmers, 7-3, in the first round then ousted sixth-seeded Elizabeth in the quarterfinal round. The Bulldogs shut out the 15th-seeded Rahway Indians, 12-0, then defeated the seventh-seeded Brearley Bears, 10-7, to reach the semifinal round.
DeMarco yielded four runs on eight hits and no walks, while striking out three Bulldogs. Carroll permitted five singles and three walks, while striking out seven Cougars. DeMarco had two of those hits. Ava Orr had an RBI single. Ellie Queenan singled and stole a base. Sarah Hartmann had a bunt single. Sophia Alvarez-Gomez walked twice and scored. Maddie DeLong walked and stole a base.
The Bulldogs scored a run in the bottom of the first inning but not before the first two batters grounded out to shortstop Alvarez-Gomez. Natalie Mignone (2-for-3, RBI, run) grounded a single past first and Carroll smashed a double to leftfield. Charley Badalamenti slapped an RBI single past first. The Cougars answered with a run in the top of the second. Alvarez-Gomez drew a leadoff walk. Brooke Jones laid down a sacrifice bunt then Orr punched an RBI single over third.
The Cougars threatened to take the lead in the third. DeMarco hopped a one-out single over second base. After DeLong popped up to shortstop, Queenan lined a single to left. DeMarco scooted to third and Queenan dashed to second on a passed ball. Carroll walked Alvarez-Gomez to load the bases but got Jones to line out to second for the third out.
Once again, the Cougars posed a threat in the fifth. Hartmann led off and beat out a 10-foot bunt single. DeLong drew a one-out walk. Queenan grounded into a force play that got Hartmann at third. DeLong stole third base but Carroll struck out the next batter to avoid any damage.
The Bulldogs did answer, however, in the bottom of the inning. Olivia Douglas (2-for-3, run) bopped a leadoff single over third. Kate Buckley curled a looper into shallow center andAlyssa Santangelo yanked an RBI single to right. Mignone’s infield single toward short brought home Buckley with the second run of the inning then Santangelo scored on Carroll’s grounder to first giving the Bulldogs a 4-1 lead.
After each team went down in order in the sixth, DeMarco tried to get something going in the seventh with a two-out single up the middle. Carroll struck out the final batter, so the 18-6 Bulldogs would play the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Raiders, 3-0 winners over AL Johnson, at the same location on May 20.
Cranford 010 000 0 1 Dayton 100 030 x 4
