SOFTBALL: Middletown Wins State Championship
• Nutley's Storybook Run Ends 5-2 Today in Toms River
Jun 4, 2010 – The Nutley High School Girls Softball team's storybook run ended two innings short of a state championship this afternoon (6/5) when the Raiders lost a 2-0 lead in the fifth inning and fell 5-2 to top-seeded Middletown South at Toms River North High School.
The first four innings featured a home run by Tara Petrocelli and an extension of the four-game-plus stretch of no earned runs by Raider pitching with Kayla Huegel continuing the amazing run for four frames.
The tide turned in the fifth inning, however, when Middletown South scored four times and added another run in the sixth run to close out the Group 3 Championship.
Coach Luann Zullo called the last five games "a great run."
"The kids played well to get that far," Zullo said. "There is nothing to hang their heads about. They came together."
Today's loss comes following Wednesday afternoon when the Nutley girls shut out their opponent for the second time in the state semifinal game, beating North 1 Champion Paramus 6-0 and capturing the North Jersey finals title in Edison.
Next came the Raiders' winning their first sectional title since 2006, a thrilling 2-1 squeaker over top-seeded South Plainfield on May 27. Those wins followed an opening 15-0 domination of seventh-seeded Newark Eastside May 18 and the first major upset, a 5-0 win over No. 2 seed Cranford the following
Thursday.
Nutley 6, Paramus 0 in Semifinals for State Championship
The Nutley High School Girls Softball team's amazing run continued Wednesday afternoon as they again shut out their opponent, this time in the state semifinal game, beating North 1 Champion Paramus 6-0, winning the North Jersey finals title in Edison.
This comes on the heels of winning their first sectional title since 2006, a thrilling 2-1 squeaker over top-seeded South Plainfield on May 27. Now they go for the state Group 3 Championship Saturday at 11 a.m. against state No. 1 Middletown South in a game to be played at Toms River North High School.
All this comes as the team begin this four-victory playoff run as the 10th seed in the tournament.
"I could not be more proud of them," Coach Luann Zullo said.
At Wednesday's game, the Raiders jumped out to a 3-run lead in the very first inning, then scored once in the fifth and twice in the sixth to clinch the victory, Zullo said.
Among the hitting stars was Kristen Mattia, who went 4 for 4, with two singles, two doubles and two runs scored.
Zullo recounted a familiar scenario in these playoffs, how Nutley starting pitcher Kayla Huegel led her team to victory in its fourth consecutive game, shutting the door on the top-seeded Paramus. Nutley's starting pitching has not allowed an earned run in the playoff tournament.
As for the team's chances of a state championship, Zullo laughed and asked, "What have they been all along? I like the way my team is playing right now."
These two wins follow an opening 15-0 domination of seventh-seeded Newark Eastside May 18 and the first major upset, a 5-0 win over No. 2 seed Cranford the following Thursday.
Nutley 2, South Plainfield (Friday, May 20)
The Nutley High School Girls Softball team pulled a huge upset Friday (5/28),
winning their first sectional title since 2006, but according to their coach, they'd
been preparing for such a shocking victory all season.
Coach Luann Zullo said playing in such a talented league has its advantages, even if
it meant the Raiders were seeded 10th in the tournament.
"Playing in the SEC prepared us for the tournament," Zullo said. "It's like playing
in a county final every day."
Having beaten top-seeded South Plainfield 2-1 Friday, Nutley advances to the Group 3
semifinals against North 1 champion Paramus at 4 p.m. Tuesday, June 1 at JP Stevens High
School in Edison.
For a short time though, Zullo wanted to revel in her team's accomplishment. "We
were the 10th seed, and they were number one," she said. "It was their home game. We
went to their place and won."
Zullo recounted how Nutley starting pitcher Kayla Huegel led her team to victory in
her third consecutive game, allowing only one unearned run and leaving the tying run
at third and the winning run at second as the game came to a thrilling end.
It was Huegel's third straight complete game with no earned runs. It followed an
opening 15-0 domination of seventh-seeded Newark Eastside May 18 and the first major
upset, a 5-0 win over No. 2 seed Cranford the following Thursday.
Nutley scored its two runs Friday in the fourth inning. Lauren Iradi led off the
inning with a single and Eileen Purcell reached on an error, with Iradi advancing to
third base. A Purcell steal led to an error, bringing home Iradi.
Next, Victoria Malanga singled, and pinch-runner Torianne DeMatteo scored on Tara
Petrucelli's RBI single, which turned out to be the championship-winning score. A
single by Angelica Madolo also figured in the rally, Zullo said.
So what are the chances of a victory against Paramus Tuesday? Zullo had this to say.
"At this point, when you get this far, it's anybody's game, but Paramus is a very
good team."
Nutley 5, Cranford 0 (May 20)
Nutley's varsity softball team shutout Cranford 5-0 yesterday (Thurs., May 20) in tournament play. Coach
Luann Zullo's team continues in NJSIAA tournament play tomorrow (Sat.) at South Plainfield.
Nutley was seeded 10th in tournament and the Thursday victory was a major victory over top-rated Cranford. Kayla Huegel was the winning patcher holding Cranford to six his while striking out three.
Nutley now has won is last seven games. Next Suburban Essex Conference game for Nutley is will be played 4 p.m. next Monday (5/25) against Cedar Grove at the new Orechio complex in Yantacaw Park.
Nutley HS(17-8) 0 2 2 0 0 0 1 -- 5
Cranford (20-4) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -- 0
Nutley 9, Ridgefield Park 2 (May 14)
Nutley had an easy time scoring 9-2 victory over Ridgefield Park yesterday (Friday, May 14.) Jaimie Towey pictured all seven innings for Nutley, allowing four hits, walking three and striking out three.
Ridgefield Park was not at its best yesterday scoring two runs with the help of a Nutley error.
Nutley shortstop Eileen Purcell's triple was the best hit of the day.
Coach Luann Zullo welcomes Ridgewood High School Monday for a 4 p.m. game at Yantacaw Park.
Ridgefield Park 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 -- 2
Nutley Raiders 4 0 2 0 0 3 x -- 9
Nutley 3, Newark Academy 2 (May 13)
Although Newark Academy held its early 1-0 lead until the fifth inning last night, Nutley's strong hitters came through with three runs late in the game for a 3-2 victory. Eileen Purcell, Victoria Malanga, Kayla Huegel and Angelica Midolo, each with two hits, overpowered Newark's lone run scored in the second inning.
Newark's strength came from Adrienne White's triple and two singles.
Eileen Purcell had two doubles for Nutley.
Kayla Huegel pitched all seven innings for Nutley.
Last night's game is followed today with a visit by Ridgefield Park. Game time 4 o'clock this afternoon at Yantacaw Park.
Nutley 5, Caldwell 2 (May 10)
Despite a disappointing 4-0 loss to Livingston on Monday (May 10), the Nutley girls softball squad snapped right back to a 5-2 over Caldwell on Tuesday when the Lady Raiders jumped off to a 3-0 lead in the first inning.
Tara Petrucelli's home run plus two scores by Lauren Iradi and another off the bat of Kristen Mattia accounted for the Nutley scores. Jamie Towey was Tuesday's winning pitcher. Nutley's record after the Caldwell victory was 11 wins against 8 losses.
In Monday's loss to Livingston, the 4-0 defeat came despite Nutley's having runners in scoring positions in the third, fourth and sixth innings.
Livingston's strength rested with its pitcher, Jess Pesiak, a freshman, who struck out 11 batters and walked no one.
Nutley 12, Red Bank 0 (May 6)
Cedar Grover scored three runs on Gabby Spinella's homer to capture a 7-5 victory over Nutley on Saturday, May ) in the quarterfinals of the Essex County Softball Tournament. The game played at Cedar Grove was the 18th win this season for the victors.
Nutley was seeded sixth in the county tournament while Cedar Grove was seeded third.
Nutley outfielder Kristin Mattia had three hits for Nutley. Victoria Malanga's home run scored two runs runs in the fifth inning for Nutley.
Nutley High (10-7) 0 0 0 0 5 0 0
Cedar Grove (18-3) 0 1 1 5 0 0 X
Nutley 12, Red Bank 0 (May 6)
Nutley's varsity softball team completely outclassed Red Bank Thursday (May 6) with a 12-0 shutout in Liver. While Nutley scored 10 hits including a home run by Eileen Purcell, Red Bank went the entire game without a single hit.
Pitching for the Nutley girls was Kayla Huegel who walked seven battered in the five-inning game.
Eileen Purcell batted .750 for the day including a homer run> LaurenIradi scored three runs while Heather Williams and Kayla each scored twice.
Red Bank's record stood at 9-6 at day's end. Nutley has won nine of its 15 games played so far this season.
West Essex 11, Nutley on Thursday April 22
West Essex handed Nutley a 11-4 defeat in softball in a morning game played April 22 in Nutley. The girls scored two runs to lead after the opening inning but from there on, the game was in the hands of West Essex. Nutley committed three errors, West Essex, one.
Nutley 8, West Orange 2 on April 16
With just a day's rest, Nutley's Kayla Huegel was back on the mound yesterday as the girls softball team scored an 8-6 at West Orange High School. Huegel also pitched the final crucial innings of Thursdays 3-2 Nutley win over Belleville.
Eileen Purcell and Victoria Malanga each batted .750 with three hits against West Orange while Kristen Mattia had a triple.
Nutley is now 5-3 for the young season. West Orange has won six of their 9 games so far.
The Raiders travel next to Livingston for a 4 p.m. game on Monday (4/19).
Nutley 3, Belleville 2 on April 8
Keeping with tradition, yesterday's (4/15)Nutley-Belleville clash -- this time in softball -- was a cliff hanger, counting down to the very last second before the Raiders could claim a 3-2 victory.
Nutley was ahead 3-1 at the start of the seventh inning when Belleville pinch-hitter Melissa Tayor walked and Gianna Veniero singled to put runners on first and third. Taylor then scored on a passed ball. With still only one out and a 3-0 count on the batter, coach Luann Zullo called on relief pitcher Kayla Huegel who threw three consecutive strikes followed by the next two batters' grounding out and giving Nutley the game victory.
Belleville actually has a better record, 6-2, than Nutley's 4-3. The game was played at high-noon under a warm sun, a perfect day to attract more than 100 fans from both neighboring towns.
Nutley left-fielder Kristin Mattia led off the second inning with home-run, her second in two days. Then in the sixth winning, Mattia led with a successful bunt that was followed by Tara Petrucello's single moving Mattia to third. Freshman Heather Williams then singled Petrucelli home to give the Raiders a 3-1 lead going into the final inning.
Nutley plays today (Friday) at West Orange and next Monday at Livingston before the Raiders' next home game on Wednesday, April 21 against West Essex.
Nutley 9, Bloomfield 8 on April 8
Nutley and Bloomfield saw the lead change six times before going into extra innings yesterday when Eileen Purcell blasted a line-drive into right field and scoring Kayla Huegel with the game-winning run. The hit was shortstop Purcell's second double of the day and gave Nutley its third win of the season against two losses.
Nutley opened the game with three runs in the first inning but Bloomfield snapped back with a run in the third and took a 5-3 lead in the fourth. Both teams are top contenders in the new Super Essex Conference.
Played on the new artificial field dedicated last week as part of the "Carmen Orechio Essex County Park" complex, Tara Petrucelli's first-inning home run propelled Nutley into an initial 3-0 lead,
Bloomfield came back with a run in the third, four more in the fourth and another in the top of the fifth inning as Bengals built its lead to a commanding 6-3. Nutley narrowed that margin to 6-5 on hits by Purcell and and Kristen Mattia.
Bloomfield scored once more in the sixth before Nutley came back in the seventh with Purcell's double scoring Iradi . Purcell later scored herself on a wild pitch sending a the game, now tied at 7-7 into extra winnings.
The Bengals retaliated quickly in the eight inning with a spectacular home run by Sara Prezioso's over the centerfield fence. That put Bloomfield ahead 8-7 but only briefly.
In the bottom of the eighth, Nutley countered with back-to-back singles by Malanga and Hugel. Purcell then blasted a line drive deep into right field and scoring pinch runner Victoria Youssef and Huegel. Seemingly in a wink of the eye, the Raiders had clinched the SEC victory.
Opening Day 2010 Will Go Down in History As New Park Is Dedicated
Before Nutley Softball Team Scores 5-0 Victory Over Caldwell
Opening day 2010 will go down in Nutley's softball history not only because of the celebration of the new Essex County softball field and park were dedicated in honor of retired Nutley statesman Carmen Orechio, but for the girls opening shut-out victory on the new artificial turf field.
Orechio threw out the first ceremonial pitch before a crowd of about 500 but then it was up to coach Luanne Zullo and her spirited girls who wasted no time in scoring two runs in the first inning and eventually celebrating a 5-0 victory over visiting Caldwell High School.
Kayla Huegel pitched the entire game, allowing five hits.
Nutley took an early 2-0 first inning lead and ended the afternoon with three more runs in the final sixth inning. Nutley first baseman Tara Petrucelli hit the day's only home run although third baseman Madison Goldenberg came close with a triple.
The lady Raiders were back in action at Paramus Catholic on Saturday for the Bergen-Essex Challenge Invitational hosted at Immaculate Heart High School in Washington Township.
Paramus Catholic broke a scoreless tie with two hits in the six winning. Final score, 2-0.
Huegel was back on the mound for Nutley and pitched the entire game, striking out three and allowing four hits.
The Nutley girls travel Monday (April 5) for a 4 p.m. game at Mt. St. Dominick Academy.
Nutley Scores for the Season
April 1 - Nutley 5, Caldwell 0
April 2 - Paramus 2, Nutley 0
April 5 - Mt. St. Dominick 5, Nutley 1
April 8 - Nutley 11, Montclair Kimberly 4
April 9 - Nutley 9, Bloomfield 9
April 14 - Cedar Grove 3, Nutley 2
April 15 - Nutley 3, Belleville 2
