Kaylee Whittaker seen here in a file photo, helped out her own pitching efforts with her bat as Steinert went on to win the opening game of the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions.
By Rich Fisher
Fish4scores.com
June 5: Evidently the Steinert softball team is not content just being a state champion.
The Spartans made history tonight, becoming the first Mercer County softball team to win an NJSIAA Tournament of Champions game, which they did by defeating No. 5 Roselle Park in a first-round game at Ivy Hill Park on the campus of Seton Hall University. Steinert became the second Hamilton Township public school in any sport to win a TOC game, joining Nottingham basketball from this past winter.
Granted, the softball TOC just started last year, but someone from Mercer had to be the first team to win one and at this rate, why not the Spartans? All Steinert (24-5) had to do was come off the high of beating Indian Hills in the Group III final for its second state title in two years, and get ready for Roselle Park three nights later.
“We were all really happy about the win obviously,” second baseman Nicole Cerasi said. “But since we didn’t have the Tournament of Champions when we won my freshman year, we knew we had to refocus and get ready for another game this time. We were all just happy to spend more time together as a team and prepare to put our best foot forward.”
Steinert didn’t mess around. After Kaylee “The Salad Princess” Whittaker stranded two RP runners in the top of the first, she gave herself the lead by doubling home Dara Kelly in the bottom of the inning. The Spartans made it 2-0 in the second when Cora Bridgers walked and scored when Taylor Hawkes’ sacrifice resulted in an error.
Whittaker allowed her only run in the third, but Steinert got it back in the fourth when Cerasi walked, stole second and scored on Dara Kelly’s slap single. With Whittaker in control, Steinert kept tacking on, getting an RBI single from Carli Backlund and a sacrifice fly from Whittaker in the sixth to double the lead.
The SP took it from there, finishing with a three-hitter with three walks and 11 strikeouts. She was also the lone Spartan with two hits.
“Kaylee threw well today and was hitting her spots,” Cerasi said. “I was confident she would come out and deliver like she always does.”
Steinert’s reward for the victory is a 7 p.m. semifinal date with top-seeded St. John Vianney (27-1) Wednesday night. The Lancers, led by Monmouth-bound shortstop/centerfielder Lindsey Baron, won a tense 2-1 game over Mount St. Dominic in Saturday’s Non-Public A championship game immediately after Steinert beat Indian Hills.
But SJV proved human Monday night, when it allowed seven first-inning runs en route to an 11-4 win over Donovan Catholic in the Shore Conference Tournament championship game. It was the same DC team the Lancers beat in the South Jersey A finals.
So, either SJV will be a reeling team wondering what hit it, or a very angry team bent on bouncing back strong.
Either way, Steinert is ready.
“I know that St. John Vianney is a good program, but I also know that we are pretty good ourselves,” Cerasi said. “We are definitely up for the challenge.”
Bring on the Final Four!
Craig Haley contributed to this story
