Steinert softball sitting on the doorstep of history after Group III semifinal win

Fish 4 Scores Sports
steinert robbinsville softball
Courtney Danser drops a bunt against Robbinsville.  File Photo by Michael A. Sabo

By Rich Fisher
Fish4scores.com

June 1: Take a look at the Steinert Athletic Hall of Fame and notice that it’s heavily populated with boys’ soccer and baseball players. There’s a good reason for that.

Those teams own the most state championships in school history, and are the only programs to boast consecutive championships, with soccer doing it several times and baseball winning three straight in the 1990s.

And while there have been a lot of outstanding girls programs, none have ever ruled the state for two straight years.

But your 2017 softball team is one victory away from making that happen.

With sophomore Kaylee “The Salad Princess” Whittaker continuing to show she is one of the best tournament pitchers in the state, the Spartans defeated Pinelands Regional, 5-0, Thursday in the NJSIAA Group III semifinal at Rowan University.

The Spartans (22-3) will attempt to defend their state crown Sunday (time TBA) at Kean University against South Plainfield,

Steinert vs Robbinsville

(File Photo) Steinert pitcher Kaylee “The Salad Princess” Whittaker pitched a solid three-hitter with seven strikeouts. Photo by Michael A, Sabo.

Whittaker fired a three-hitter with two walks and seven strikeouts to boost her state tournament record to 6-0, having allowed five runs in 40.2 innings. This season she is 3-0, having allowed two unearned runs in the opener and notching shutouts in the CJ III title game and today.

Courtney had to pitch out of some trouble early on, leaving runners on second and third in the first and on first and second in the third. Her teammates got Whittaker all she needed with three runs in the bottom of the third.

Nicole Cerasi singled and stole second. After Kelley Keane walked, there was a strikeout. Courtney Danser then laid down a bunt and an errant throw scored Cerasi. Morgan “The Menace” Comfort then slammed a two-run single to make it 3-0.

Whittaker shifted into cruise control, and Steinert gave her some insurance in the sixth inning.

After Madison Balke drew a leadoff walk she was forced at second by Cora Bridgers. Kasey Giordano walked and, after a strikeout, Olivia Owens drew a pinch-walk and Keane and Danser followed with RBI singles. It capped a three-hit day for Danser, as she wages war with Comfort as to who is the best GALARE softball player in school.

Steinert will try and make history in more ways than one on Sunday. A victory would also land the Spartans in the historic first-ever NJSIAA Tournament of Champions.

Make some room in that Hall of Fame. There could be a few female softball entries to consider 10 years from now.

About The Author


Rich Fisher has been around the Hamilton Township sports scene for so long that he actually got Rich Giallella’s autograph when Giallella was still a player! Proud product of Hamilton YMCA and Lou Gehrig baseball leagues and former teammate of Jim Maher on a very average Barton & Cooney rec basketball team, Fish graduated from Nottingham Junior High and Steinert High school and has covered township sports since 1980. His goal in life is to convince Maria Prato that Jersey tomatoes are at least 100 times better than California tomatoes.