Saturday, April 30, 2011

By Rich Barton
NJS.com Staff Writer

Pascack Valley senior Jess Prinzi had four hits and four strikeouts to pick up the 3-2 win over Emerson in the opening round of the Bergen County Softball Tournament.

HILLSDALE – When Pascack Valley catcher Nicole Sandner suffered an injury before her team even came to bat and then it offense left runners in scoring position in each of the first four innings against Emerson on Friday in a Bergen County Tournament first-round game, it seemed like it just was not going to be the Indians’ day. But they kept plugging away with good defense and putting the ball in play in their turns at bat while hoping to catch a break or two.

And the eventually came for 12th-seeded Pascack Valley, which took advantage two errors in the bottom of the fifth inning to turn a one-run deficit into a one-run lead. Then with Emerson, the No. 21 seed, threatening to tie the game, PV first baseman Julianne Darcey and left fielder Danielle Cuite each made defensive gems on the same play to help the Indians avoid an upset with a 3-2 victory at Pascack Valley High School in Hillsdale.

“It wasn’t the cleanest win, but make no mistake that we’re happy to move on,” said PV head coach Craig Nielsen. “We learned on the fly today and we made big plays when we needed them. Two huge plays from Julianne and Danielle in the top of the seventh really saved us, or who knows what might have happened.”

Pascack Valley was dealt two blows during the same at-bat in the top of the first ininng. First, a foul tip off the bat from Emerson’s Marissa Cerniglia hit Sandner, PV’s starting catcher and No. 3 hitter, in the jaw and she was forced to leave the game. Two pitches later, Cerniglia lined a single to plate Molly McKendry for an early 1-0 Emerson lead.

Emerson starter Ashley Johnston gave up seven hits and one walk while striking out three.

The Indians tied the game in the bottom of the third when Jess Prinzi helped her own cause with an RBI double to tie the game. But on the play, Cerniglia’s throw to the plate cut down a runner to end the inning.

The Cavos moved back in front in the top of the fifth on one of a handful of wacky plays throughout the game. On a pop-up in foul territory near the Emerson dugout, Darcey raced over to make a basket catch. She recorded the out, but her momentum carried her into dead ball territory, allowing a run to score and give Emerson a 2-1 lead.

It did not last for long as the Indians responded with two runs despite having only one batted ball, Alexa McManus’ leadoff single reached the outfield. Kelly Bischoff followed with a bunt single and a throwing error allowed McManus to score the tying run. Then, a routine ground ball that would have ended the inning was booted, which allowed Bischoff to race home with the go-ahead run for a 3-2 lead.

“This is a tough loss because we had our chances, especially in that seventh inning,” said Emerson head coach Steve Mondadori. “We had our (No. 3 and 4) hitters up with two runners on nobody out. I thought we played hard, we just didn’t play a clean game and you can’t do that on the road against a team like Pascack Valley. Not the result we wanted and we hung tough, we just couldn’t pull it out at the end.”

Leftfielder Danielle Cuite made one of sevel standout defensive plays for Pascack Valley.

Prinzi struggled with her control in the circle allowing a season-high seven walks, but she allowed just four hits and had four strikeouts along wit a 2-for-3 day at the plate for Pascack Valley (9-6). DeMaio also went 2-for-3 and scored a run.

McKendry scored two runs, stole two bases, and scored a run to pace Emerson, which had its seven-game winning streak snapped and fell to 8-5 on the season. Johnston took the loss allowing seven hits with one walk and three K’s.

With a first round win on Saturday by defending champion Indian Hills, Pascack Valley could get another shot at one of their fiercest rivals over the years. Their last meeting came last week when Indian Hills’ head coach Joe Leicht picked up his 300th career victory in a 7-2 Hills triumph. Pascack Valley has been a heavy favorite in early-round games in recent years, but does not mind their new status of underdog from here on out.

“We know it’s going to be tough, especially if we get Indian Hills, but we’ll be ready,” said Prinzi, PV’s senior right-hander. “Coach Nielsen always tells us to be better than we were the day before and that’s our mindset from every game for the rest of the season. We got away with some mistakes today, but we know we can’t make those mistakes if we want to keep advancing. But now that we have nothing to lose, I think that will definitely help us and give us some more motivation.”

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