By Rich Fisher
Fish4scores.com
Apr. 18: The Colonial Valley Conference did Steinert’s softball team no favors when putting the Spartans into the Patriot Division this year.
That meant two guaranteed games against Robbinsville in division play, plus a third potential game in the Mercer County Tournament.
Steinert’s shortstop waits for the throw on a steal that hit the Robbinsville runner. Photo by Michael A, Sabo.
And in case you haven’t been paying attention, Robbinsville has had Steinert’s number.
It happened again Tuesday as the Ravens scored three unearned runs to take a 3-1 victory over the visiting Spartans.
The loss snapped an 18-game winning streak by the defending state champion. Its last loss was May 11, 2016, which came against – you got it – Robbinsville. The Ravens took a 3-2, eight-inning victory in the Mercer County Tournament semifinal before Steinert won its final 11 games of last year and first seven this year.
Robbinsville also took a 2-0 win over Steinert last April and have won three of the last four meetings. The Spartan victory came in walk-off fashion on a Ravens error last Thursday, but Steinert returned the favor today by committing four errors.
Kaylee “The Salad Princess” Whittaker pitched a solid three-hitter with three strikeouts and two walks, but did not get the usual strong defensive support her teammates usually supply.
Steinert pitcher Kaylee “The Salad Princess” Whittaker pitched a solid three-hitter with three strikeouts. Photo by Michael A, Sabo.
In the first inning, a throwing error set up two unearned runs and in the sixth, a dropped fly ball resulted in the Ravens getting a key insurance run heading into the final inning.
Unable to play for a tying run after being down two, Steinert had to swing away after Whittaker led off the seventh with a single. Kate Hunter got through the final three batters easily, completing a five-hitter with 10 strikeouts.
Steinert’s run came in the second when Whittaker tripled and Kasey Giordano delivered an RBI ground out.
The Spartans definitely had their chances throughout, but Hunter had the answers.
In the first, Courtney Danser walked and stole second but was left there. In the third, Cassidy Wood got a bunt leadoff single and moved to second on a wild pitch but did not score. In the fourth, Whittaker reached on an error and Giordano singled to put runners at the corners with two outs, but Hunter got a strikeout on a devastating change-up.
Morgan “The Menace” Comfort collides with a Robbinsville baserunner making a tag play at second base in the fourth. Comfort thankfully was not seriously injured on the play. Photo by Michael A. Sabo
Wood opened the fifth with a single but was caught stealing by cannon armed catcher Shea Walsh. In fact, the only time the Spartans went down in order was the sixth.
About the only positive to come out of the day was that Morgan “The Menace” Comfort did not have a concussion after a fierce collision making a tag play at second base in the fourth. After testing in the dugout her dad, John, reported that it did not appear to be a concussion but more of a whiplash type injury that was causing the pain.
The most impressive part of the play was that Comfort held on to the ball after absorbing a hard but clean hit.
