Wednesday,
May 27, 2015
By Rich Barton
NJS.com Staff Writer
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Sophomore Marissa Semeraro got the win in the circle and pounded two home runs for Ridgefield, which beat Secaucus, 10-3, in the North 2,
Group 1 state sectional semifinals. |
SECAUCUS – Although just a sophomore, Ridgefield’s Marissa Semeraro, by virtue of being the starting pitcher, has had to take a leadership role. She is the one who takes the ball into the circle every time out and therefore the one in charge of leading the Royals. Semararo has grown comfortable with that type of responsibility as she has led Ridgefield to a historic season, one in which Ridgefield won its first league title in 37 years.
In the state tournament on Tuesday, Sememaro's added a career day at the plate and moved the Royals down the road toward even more unprecedented success.
Semeraro had the first two HR game of her career, going deep in both the first and fifth innings. Taylor Loof and Gioia Abreu, the No. 8 and 9 batters, combined to go 6-for-8 with five RBI as sixth-seeded Ridgefield pounded out 16 hits and advanced to the North 2, Group 1 section final with a 10-3 victory over No. 2 Secaucus at Secaucus High School.
“Marissa helped us jump on them early with the homerun and the bottom of our lineup came up with big hits in big spots,” said Ridgefield head coach Jack Casimiro. “We came out with confidence and we just kept tacking them on. With a team like Secaucus, you have to keep piling on when you can because they can score runs in bunches.”
Secaucus southpaw Jen Petruzzelli got two quick outs before a walk to Vivi Carrero brought Sememaro to the plate. She helped her own cause by jumping on a high fastball and roping it over the outstretched leap of Patriots' right-fielder Alyson Toman. Once the ball hit the grass it took off and allowed Semeraro to beat the throw to the plate and give the Royals an early 2-0 lead.
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Melissa Dehnert hit a home run for Secaucus, which finished the season with a 15-12 record. |
“I've been in a slump lately, so I kept it simple and just looked for a pitch to drive,” said Semeraro. “My whole team can hit and we've worked at getting better every day. That gives me confidence as a pitcher to do my job knowing that we're going to score runs.”
Secaucus got a run back in the bottom of the third from an unlikely source. Junior Melissa Dehnert was given the start in the No. 9 slot in the batting order as the designated player. With two outs, nobody on base and down 1-2 in the count, Dehnert, a lefty batter, got a hold of a Semeraro riser and ripped it just over the head of Ridgefield shortstop Jonice Concha. However, the ball was hit so hard and the grass has been so starved of rain that it just kept rolling and Dehnert came all the way around for her first career homer that cut the lead to 2-1 after three innings.
Ridgefield bounced right back by putting up three runs in the top of the fourth. Loof and Abreu had back-to-back RBI singles with another run scoring on a throwing error to make it 5-1. Secaucus got one of those runs back in the bottom half of the inning. However, Semeraro led off the fifth and took it right back, along with any momentum the Patriots had, with one swing of the bat.
Semeraro crushed a letter-high fastball to center. With no fence at the Patriots' home field, the ball kept rolling and rolling as Sememaro scored easily before the ball could get back into the infield. For the second straight inning, Roof and Abreu had consecutive run-scoring singles to stretch the lead out to 8-2.
It was a seven-run lead when Secaucus made one last stand by loading the bases with nobody out and one of North Jersey's biggest homerun threats, Patriots' four-year standout Julia McClure, at the plate. Semeraro jammed McClure inside, but it looked like her pop-up might drop in no man's land. Third baseman Jackie Lara reacted quickly and made a sliding catch to save a run. Semeraro then induced another pop-up and a groundball to end the game.
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Taylor Loof had three hits for Ridgefield, which will face Brearley for the section title. |
Semeraro went 3-for-4 at the plate with two homers, along with seven strikeouts against just one walk for Ridgefield (22-5). Roof and Abreu also had three hits apiece.
Dehnert paced the offense for Secaucus (15-12) by going 3-for-3. McClure and Toman each had two hits and Nicole Gallo had an RBI single. This was a bittersweet ending for the Secaucus seniors, especially for Andie Lennon (injured), third baseman Kendall Caruso, and McClure. Together, they will go down as likely the most successful trio of athletes ever to come out of one class in Secaucus history.
“I don't think it's really hit me yet that it's all over and it's the last time I'll be playing on this field,” said McClure, who will play basketball at Division 1 Wagner College. “I thought we hit them better, way better than we have before, but we didn't make the plays they did. I promised myself I wouldn't cry, but it's tough. It's just a weird feeling.”
With the win, Ridgefield is now one win away from a section title. They will face fourth-seeded Brearley Regional on Friday for the North 2, Group 1 crown. It is a game they expected to be in all season and now it is finally here.
“We're really excited but we know it's not going to be easy,” said Semeraro. “We're such a close team and we all play for one another. We'll just take it day-by-day just like we have all season.”
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