It’s all in the numbers.
It took two different pitchers, six different batters and an extra baserunner to provide the St. John Vianney softball team with its eighth consecutive Monmouth County Tournament championship.
SEE A PHOTO GALLERY FROM THE GAME, HERE.
The top-seeded Lancers of Holmdel needed nine innings to defeat second-seeded Middletown North, 2-1, in the MCT final at Wall High School May 16. It was the second straight year the two teams met in the championship game and the Lions (18-3) came as close as anyone to giving SJV (21-0) its first setback this season.
But if the Lancers know anything, it is how to win a county title.
“St. John Vianney has a legacy here,” said sophomore Charley Baker, who scored the winning run. “Every year it’s just ours.”
“This means a lot,” said Lindsey Baron, the Lancers’ offensive and defensive star. “It’s the first step to the rest of our playoff season. We always want this tournament. Middletown North always puts up a good game. We knew it would be a tough game.”
It sure was.
Starting pitcher Demi Rivera danced in and out of trouble throughout the contest. She stranded nine Lions runners on base through the first six innings but could not survive a one-out error in the seventh as Adriana Cerbo’s two-out single plated the tying run.
Rivera had nursed the lead since the top of the third when SJV broke a scoreless tie. Megan Masi was hit by a pitch to lead off and bunted to second by Jess Campana. Baron then lined an RBI double off the top of the fence that initially looked like it would go over.
“It’s nice if it would have, but you never assume that,” Baron said. “I just tried to run hard until I knew for sure. I actually kind of tripped over first base.”
Baron was left on second as SJV was thwarted from getting an insurance run several times.
In the sixth, Baron came up with her annual clutch throw in an MCT final. Gabby Cerbo led off with a single to center and attempted to stretch it into a double. Baron cut the ball off and fired a bullet to shortstop Campana, who made the tag. Last year, she threw a runner out at the plate to short circuit what could have been a huge early rally by North.
“I try to help my team out any way I can,” Baron said. “Coming up with the big throw is something I am proud of and when I’m able to provide that for the team I try my best to get a good throw. I wasn’t surprised she went. I figured they were going to be aggressive, it was a tight game. It wasn’t necessarily a perfect throw but it got there.”
It was perfect enough to impress Rivera.
“Lindsay Baron . . . man!” she exclaimed. “Not only that throw, the (three) hits she had. She was clutch the entire game. She’s awesome. I’m lucky to have her behind me.”
Rivera appeared poised to become the first Lancers pitcher to win consecutive MCT games for the first time since 2012 but with runners on first and third she yielded Cerbo’s game-tying hit. She got a ground out to end, officially leaving 11 runners on base. Although the senior didn’t get the victory, she gave her team a chance to win.
“I’ve been playing for so long, I’ve been in these situations a million times,” said the Post University-bound hurler, who has allowed just three earned runs this year. “The biggest thing I tell everyone is to keep your composure out there and stay within yourself, do what you do best. That’s what I tried to do. I stayed relaxed the whole time. My defense played great behind me.”
Baron felt that after North tied it, SJV had no problem regrouping.
“We were just motivating each other and picking each other up and saying we wanted it more,” she said. “We just pushed ourselves through.”
In the eighth, two straight singles put Middletown runners on first and second with one out. Coach Kim Lombardi turned to freshman Julia Parker who got a fly ball and fielder’s choice to keep the game alive.
“My mentality was I need to win this for my team,” Parker said. “We needed two outs. We needed to come up and hit, and we did. We scored and I knew as soon as I came out again we need to win this.”
While Parker, who started the game as the designated player, sat in the dugout, she observed what was happening.
“I take notes on what the hitters are hitting and what pitches they are swinging at, and I just know the weaknesses,” she said. “That helped.”
In the ninth, Ally Jones hit a leadoff single and was run for by Charley Baker. Gianna Mavica sacrificed, and Alexis Agrapides walked to put runners on first and second. Masi then hit into a 4-6 fielder’s choice, but the North shortstop threw to first and the ball hit the dirt and was knocked down, giving Baker enough time to speed home with the winning run.
“Once I was on first and saw the bunt sign I knew Gianna would get it done to get me on second,” Baker said. “I was in scoring position so I knew my only goal was to score. Once the ball got hit and the play wasn’t at third, I hesitated at first, took my lead off third and once it was in the dirt I was off. I had to risk it.”
Parker then retired the side to improve to 7-0 and become the fifth different pitcher to get a win in the last five MCT championship games.
“If coach had to take me out and she felt it was right for the team, I was willing to do anything to win the game,” Rivera said. “I wouldn’t want anyone out there except for (Parker). She’s a really hard working kid and I tip my cap to her.”
Next up for St. John Vianney are the state and Shore Conference tournaments, from which they made early exits last year.
“This is just another thing on our list we’re checking off,” Rivera said. “Hopefully we’re gonna win a state title and a Shore Conference title. We’re not done yet.”