Somerset County Tournament final preview

THE MATCHUP
Fourth-seeded Hillsborough Raiders (9-8) vs. second-seeded Immaculata Spartans (10-3)

WHEN/WHERE
First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday at North Branch Park in Bridgewater.


DIRECTIONS
Take Route 202 South to Milltown Rd. (just past 4-H overpass). Make a right, and the field is about ¼ mile down on your left.


HOW THEY GOT HERE
Hillsborough rallied past top-seeded Montgomery 6-5 in the semifinals, and beat No. 5 Mount St. Mary 2-1 in the quarters.

Immaculata rallied past third-seeded Bridgewater-Raritan 5-2 in the semifinals, and beat No. 10 Rutgers Prep 5-0 in the quarters.


TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Hillsborough is playing in its sixth straight final, a run that included three consecutive titles from 2002-2005. Overall, Hillsborough will be playing in its 12th final in the tournament’s 33-year history, and is looking for its sixth championship (1974, 1975, 2003, 2004, 2005).

Immaculata is making its first final appearance since 2000 when it was winning its second championship in a row behind right-hander Erica Bell, who is now the Spartans’ coach. Immaculata is making its ninth overall appearance in the final, and is vying for its seventh championship (1977, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1999, 2000).


PITCHING MATCHUP
Hillsborough: Megan McInaw (6-8), junior right-hander
Immaculata: Kaitlyn Piazzolla (6-3), junior right-hander


OFFENSIVE PLAYER WHO COULD MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
Hillsborough: Katie Yard, senior, third base
Immaculata: Jen Lapicki, senior, catcher


COACHES
Hillsborough: Cheryl Iaione (12th season)
Immaculata: Erica Bell and Bob Gillespie (first seasons)


HILLSBOROUGH REPORT
After losing seven regulars to graduation, the Raiders have struggled at times in the Skyland Conference Delaware Division East. The lowlight for the Raiders came last Thursday with a 9-1 loss to Hunterdon Central, prompting Iaione to challenge her team to play to its ability or defer their spot in the lineup to someone who will. McInaw has not only been pitching lights out, but she has delivered several clutch hits for Hillsborough over the past few games, including a two-run homer in the first inning against Mount St. Mary in last Saturday’s quarterfinals to account for all the Raiders’ runs. Katelyn Derewecki, Courtney Fedor and Katie Yard are also at the heart of the Raiders’ offensive attack, which must produce in key situations. Hillsborough is undefeated in games where it’s scored two runs or more this season, but the Raiders are winless in games where they score one run or less. Center fielder Caitlin Katzelnick and freshman catcher Margaret Gilroy were key, defensively, in Hillsborough’s victory over Montgomery in the semifinals, and Hillsborough must continue to play good defense and avoid mistakes if it is to have a chance here.


WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO WIN:
“Score some runs. I think both pitchers, if they’re on tomorrow night, you’re not going to see eight or 10 hits per team. You’re might see three. Whoever takes advantage and capitalizes on that is going to win the game. Good pitching silences goods hitting.”
-- Cheryl Iaione


IMMACULATA REPORT
Immaculata won the regular-season meeting between these teams, 1-0 on April 10. Piazzolla tossed a two-hitter and struck out 12, while Lapicki drove in the only run with a sixth-inning single (the teams are scheduled to play again Tuesday in a regular-season game). With Piazzolla in the circle, Immaculata doesn’t have to worry about having to score too many runs, as long as the defense plays its game, but the Spartans cannot expect to win if they’re held to just one or two. Immaculata has experienced offensive trickles at times this year, surprising, considering they have, arguably, the best hitter in the county in Lapicki, as well as Piazzolla and some other solid bats all over the lineup. Immaculata will get a huge boost tonight with the return of Caitlin Bay to the starting lineup, leading off and playing center field. Bay, who was the starting shortstop last season, broke her pinky in the preseason and hadn’t played at all this year until she pinch-hit in the bottom of the seventh inning in Wednesday night’s semifinals. Though Bay was retired, Bell believes her presence was the catalyst that sparked the Spartans’ rally. McInaw held Immaculata to one run in their last meeting, and the Hillsborough right-hander has been pitching her best softball of the season of late. The Spartans must get to her for at least a couple, preferably early, if they are to take home the trophy. If Lapicki, especially, can hit like she did against Bridgewater-Raritan in the semis, Immaculata should be fine.

WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO WIN:
“Hit. My No. 9, No. 1 and No. 2 (hitters) have to get on base for Piazzolla and Lapicki. We have to stay focused, defensively. I have a lot of young kids in the field. They told me they got their nerves out Wednesday night (in the semis), so let’s hope they’re right.”
– Erica Bell


OUTLOOK
My analysis of this tournament, especially when it’s come to Hillsborough, has been way off in the latter rounds, so far. But, for the record, I’ll make another prediction here.
I expect Piazzolla and McInaw both to pitch excellent games – this game has had some classic pitching performances over the years – and the winner is going to be decided by a clutch hit or a mistake late in the contest.
I give Piazzolla a slight edge over McInaw both in the circle and at the plate, and with Lapicki’s bat in the Immaculata lineup; you’ve got to give the Spartans the nod offensively, especially if Bay is near 100 percent. The key for Hillsborough, at the plate, will be Katie Yard, who has yet to break out big in this tournament. If she can provide some firepower, this could be Hillsborough’s day. Defensively, I will give Hillsborough the edge.


PREDICTION
Immaculata 2-0... but hey, what do I know?


*****

NOTES: In the interest of telling both sides to the story, I spoke with Hillsborough coach Cheryl Iaione on Friday and she wanted to set the record straight in response to Thursday's guest blog by Jerry Carino concerning some of the extra-curricular activity that went on during the Montgomery-Hillsborough semifinal Wednesday night.

Jerry wrote:
"It was exciting because of the sheer intensity and emotion of the rivalry, which has to be Top 5 in all sports in the Courier News area. There is bad blood here and you could feel it. At times the intensity spilled over into poor sportsmanship.
One instance was when Montgomery catcher Tara Bucci's mask broke while Hillsborough was starting to mount a rally, and it took Rooney almost 10 minutes to fix it. Hillsborough fans were jeering him, accusing him of stall tactics -- I was sitting four feet from home plate and the mask was BROKEN, people.
When Rooney finally did fix it he got a Bronx cheer, to which the coach tipped his cap as he walked to the dugout.A couple of Hillsborough's adult fans were really obnoxious, riding the players on both sides, Rooney, the umpires, everybody but the park rangers. Boorish behavior and a poor example -- adults should know better.


According to what Cheryl told me, it was not the Hillsborough fans that were acting obnoxious Wednesday night, but some of the remaining fans of Immaculata, who stayed to watch the second game after the Spartans had topped Bridgewater in the opener.

Cheryl said Montgomery coach Johnny Rooney had delayed action to fix his catcher's helmet the previous day when Montgomery and Immaculata played, and those fans felt that he was doing it again Wednesday to try and break up Hillsborough's momentum.

I plan to ask Rooney about the delay(s), and confirm whether or not he had indeed spent time fixing Bucci's mask during the Immaculata game, as well as which school's fans he thought was riding him Wednesday.

More on this as it becomes available.