SCT Semifinals Preview

Since I began covering softball in 1999, the Somerset County Tournament has always been the pinnacle of the season. Not only is it the only tournament in the state where every team involved is in the Courier News coverage area, but it has produced some of the most exciting, well-played games I have seen on the high school softball field.

After a great quarterfinals round Saturday, I expect we are in for an even better semifinals Wednesday evening at North Branch Park in Branchburg as the top four seeds in the tournament battle for a spot in Saturday's championship game.

We will be double-staffing the games, as yours truly will cover the 6 p.m. opener between second-seeded Immaculata and third-seeded Bridgewater-Raritan, while my colleague, Jerry Carino, covers the 8 p.m. nightcap between fourth-seeded Hillsborough and top-seeded Montgomery.

If you aren't able to get out to the game, we will bring you full coverage in the print and online editions of Thursday's Courier News.

Here's a preview:

No. 2 IMMACULATA vs. NO. 3 BRIDGEWATER-RARITAN

Bridgewater-Raritan hasn't been to the final since 2001, while Immaculata hasn't played for the title since 2000 when coach Erica Bell was a senior pitcher for the Spartans and was winning the second of two straight championships.

This is a rematch of last Monday's matchup in which Bridgewater when Panthers ace Lauren Fitzsimmons threw a no-hitter and struck out 14, outdueling Katelyn Piazzolla.

Piazzolla should be able to limit Bridgewater-Raritan's offense to a run or two, so the difference here will be whether the middle of Immaculata's batting order -- Jen Lipicki and Piazzolla -- can come up with a big hit or two against Fitzsimmons, who has been lights out since that game last week. The junior held Watchung Hills to single runs in two games last week, one of which went 11 innings and the other which went eight.

This tournament has featured some classic pitching performances over the years -- often two in the same game -- and with two of the best hurlers in the county facing off Wednesday, I don't expect many runs.

PREDICTION: Bridgewater-Raritan 2, Immaculata 1

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NO. 1 MONTGOMERY vs. NO. 4 HILLSBOROUGH


Hillsborough showed in Saturday's quarterfinals that no matter how much it might have struggled at times this season, when it comes to a county tournament they have pretty much owned over the last five years, you can't count out the Raiders.

Despite being the No. 4 seed, Hillsborough was considered by most to be the underdog when it faced then-undefeated Mount St. Mary in Saturday's quarterfinals. But the Raiders stepped up, and took a 2-1 decision from the fifth-seeded Mount Lions as junior righty Megan McInaw not only pitched a three-hitter, allowing no earned runs and fanning nine, but delivered a two-run homer in the first inning to account for the Raiders runs.

Wednesday night, as they face defending champion and arch-rival Montgomery, Hillsborough will need every bit of that SCT magic if it hopes to advance to its sixth straight county final and vie for its fourth championship since 2003. Add that to the fact that Hillsborough needs every win it can get if it hopes to qualify for the state tournament before Friday's cut off day -- then Raiders play Bridgewater on Tuesday and Phillipsburg on Thursday and have to win two of three this week to get in -- and Hillsborough has all the motivation it needs.

Montgomery ace Elora Daniele gave up five runs to Ridge in the quarterfinals -- though it was the second time she'd faced the Red Devils in three days -- so if Hillsborough can capitalize on its opportunities the Raiders definitely have a chance here.

The Cougars have lost just twice this season, and have continued to find ways to win. Montgomery has to be considered the favorite here, but, as Hillsborough has shown, that doesn't mean much. Montgomery's defense has been suspect at times, but the Cougars have been able to perceiver. Those types of mistakes in this game and this tournament could spell doom.

PREDICTION: Montgomery 4, Hillsborough 3


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Programming notes:

The fifth edition of the Bats and Balls podcast ran into some technical difficulties Monday night and we only got about half of it recorded before equipment problems forced us to cut it short. We were able to cover the impending state tournament cutoff, highlighting the teams that are on the bubble, so that should be posted sometime Tuesday. We hope to record the second half of the podcast Wednesday night, which will include a review of the SCT quarterfinals and semifinals and a preview of the final, as well as reviews and previews of the Hunterdon/Warren and Union County Tournament. That should be up sometime Thursday.

Also, Look for a preview and predictions of the HWT and UCT semifinals on The Inner Circle later this week.

Finally, check out Wednesday softball notebook in the print and online editions of the Courier News for, among other things, a look at who's in, who's out and who's on the bubble for state tourney berths. I will update those scenarios each day here.