ATLANTIC CITY — The Red Raider softball team built a four-run lead over the first three innings in the opening round of the South Jersey Group III playoffs, then held off Toms River East in the sixth to preserve the win.
Pitcher Jessica Mooney bailed herself out of trouble when the TRE girls loaded the bases and put the tying run at the plate, but her nine strikeouts over the course of the game and pitching that caused pop-up outs late helped seal the 4-0 victory.
The game was played Thursday, May 28, at Pop Lloyd Stadium in Atlantic City because Ocean City’s field was still one big puddle after the heavy rain from the day before. The Pop Lloyd field is artificial turf. The Red Raiders (15-9) entered the game as the No. 6 seed; TRE (5-12) was ranked 11th.
Ocean City coach Carrie Merritt said she jumped at the chance to play in that stadium even though they were scheduled for a home game.
“I can’t imagine more energy or enthusiasm going into a round-one playoff game. Between the walk-in dugouts and the turf and the music and the commentator, it just built such a great atmosphere to play,” Merritt said. “It gave off college stadium vibes.”
That enthusiasm showed up right off the bat, so to speak.
“Any time we can get on the board early, I always feel good about our chances. When we score in the first or second inning, it gives our kids a little boost of confidence,” Merritt said. “And I really have faith in them any time we get them an early lead.”
In the bottom of the first, Taylor Vaugh and Mooney both singled to get on base. Brooke Douglas was thrown out at first on an infield hit, but earned the RBI by bringing Vaugh home. Carlee Hiddeman then singled to score pinch-runner Aubrey Pinter. Annabelle Shumski stepped up and singled to score Hiddeman for the 3-0 lead.
In the bottom of the third with one out, Mooney singled to get on base. Douglas hit to the outfield, but Mooney’s pinch-runner was caught trying to reach third. With Douglas on second base, Hiddeman hit to the outfield. As TRE threw to home to prevent the run, Douglas moved to third and Hiddeman to second. Shumski walked.
With the bases loaded, Kiley McCorristin hit a dribbler up the third base line, scoring Douglas.
Mooney allowed Toms River East base-runners in the top of the fourth and fifth innings, but TRE could not convert them to runs, and Ocean City wasn’t able to add to its lead in the bottom of those innings.
The top of the sixth is when things got hairy for the Red Raider girls.
TRE’s Alexa DeMarco started off the inning with a single to the outfield. Kylie Paladino singled next to put two on with no outs, and then Cameron Carr laid down a nice bunt and outraced the throw to load the bases.
Mooney struck out the next batter. With one out, TRE’s Maya Ballaccomo hit a strong shot right to the third baseman, but Douglas picked it up and fired it home to her catcher, McCorristin, to keep the runner from scoring.
TRE still had a chance to tie the game with the next batter, but Mooney struck the girl out to end the threat.
Ocean City didn’t score in the bottom of the inning and Mooney fanned the first TRE batter up in the top of the seventh. She allowed a single from Gianna Capone, but a pop-up to the infield was the second out. A line drive by the next batter was handled with ease by Hiddeman for the final out, leading the Red Raider girls to celebrate.
“Mooney’s performance on the mound was just fantastic,” Merritt said. She noted the announcer “kind of started really cheering for Toms River East for a bit, I think because they were losing. And I could see our kids getting a little rattled.”
She calmed her players down and then the commentator started boosting Ocean City.
“I’ll give Toms River East credit. They had a bunch of hitters who fouled off eight to 10 balls,” the coach said, acknowledging that Mooney just kept working through those tough at-bats.
“She just found a way to either make them pop up (or strike out). She just threw a great complete game. She really dug deep and that’s really one of my favorite things about Jess is she can get herself in that situation and nine times out of 10, she remains composed,” Merritt said.
The coach noted that over the course of the season, her team has had that one inning “that crushes us,” and that could have been the sixth. She said when the team would play No. 3 seed Absegami on Monday, the Red Raiders “can’t have what we call a bleed-out inning.”
The Raiders beat Absegami 14-3 when the teams met mid-season, but she didn’t expect that Monday.
Mooney, McCorristin and Hiddeman each had two hits and McCorristin and Hiddeman each had a double. Vaugh, Douglas and Shumski had singles. Douglas, Hiddeman, Shumski and McCorristin all recorded an RBI and Vaugh, Douglas and Hiddeman each scored a run.
Paladino was the losing pitcher, but struck out six. She had two hits in the game and Capone had three. Cruz had a double.
Absegami 7, O.C. 0
Ocean City’s run in the sectional ended Monday when the Raiders lost to No. 3 seed Absegami 7-0.
Absegami (21-6) scored four runs in the second inning and three more in the sixth. Douglas, with three strikeouts, took the loss on the mound and split time with Mooney, who had five.
Mooney had two singles and Douglas and Vaugh had one each. Ocean City finished the season 15-10.
– STORY and PHOTOS by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
