PART 1: First Basemen

This is the first installment of a seven-part blog-series highlighting the candidates for the 2007 All-Area softball teams.

BLOG SCHEDULE
TODAY – First basemen
MONDAY – Second baseman
TUESDAY – Shortstops
WEDNESDAY – Third basemen
THURSDAY – Outfielder/Designated hitters
FRIDAY – Catchers
SATURDAY – Pitchers
SUNDAY 6/24 – The 2007 Courier News All-Area team hits the street.



THE CANDIDATES
(Players listed alphabetically by last name)


LINDSAY DURANT, Jr., Bridgewater-Raritan
Stats: .355 avg., 13 R, 6 2BH, 1 3BH, 1 HR, 14 RBI, 4 E
Upside: Bridgewater-Raritan’s No. 3 hitter led the team in batting and tied Lauren Fitzsimmons for the team lead in RBIs. Was the offensive anchor on a team that won a program-best 20 games and finished second in an ultra-competitive conference.
Downside: While she boasts some of the better numbers from among first basemen, and she played a first-class Skyland Delaware and Group IV schedule, it was a down year, offensively, for the Panthers. B-R also didn’t win any major championships, nor did they beat any quality opponents in the state tournament.


KAYLEE FRY, Jr., Bound Brook
Stats: .329 avg., 11 R, 7 2BH, 3 3BH, 0 HR, 10 RBIs, 3 E
Upside: Had a nice little year with seven doubles and three triples, and a respectable .329 average. Made just three errors at first base.
Downside: Doesn’t really compare, statistically, with the other players at the position, plus the Crusaders won just 10 games in an awful conference.


LAUREN FRY, Sr., South Plainfield
Stats: .390 avg., 24 R, 12 2BH, 1 3BH, 2 HR, 24 RBIs, 3 E
Upside: Struck out just once all season, which is amazing, and drove in or scored 25 percent of all the runs South Plainfield tallied all season. The Tigers went to the GMC and sectional finals.
Downside: Did not play quite as tough a schedule as some of the other candidates, as South Plainfield won eight games by nine runs or more.


JOELLE JACOBSEN, Sr., Hunterdon Central
Stats: .391 avg., 16 R, 5 2BH, 2 3BH, 1 HR, 20 RBI, 5 E
Upside: Her .391 batting average is no joke, as the Red Devils play in one of the toughest conferences in the state, as well as playing, perhaps, the most competitive out-of-conference slate in the area. Her 20 RBIs was third on the team, batting from the No. 3 spot for the Hunterdon/Warren Tournament and Skyland Delaware West champs.
Downside: Her power numbers are a little low for a No. 3 hitter, as she managed just eight extra-base hits


JILLIAN LUSK, Sr., Scotch Plains-Fanwood
Stats: .343 avg., 6 2BH, 0 3BH, 2 HR, 16 RBI, 12 SB
Upside: It is unusual for a first baseman to have enough speed to swipe 12 bases. She posted a .987 fielding percentage and hit two homers. Scotch Plains-Fanwood enjoyed mild success, notching the upset of the state tournament over Union County champion Cranford in the sectional quarterfinals before falling to eventual sectional champ JFK.
Downside: Here batting average is decent, at best, and 16 RBIs isn’t that impressive for a team that won 10 games by 10-run mercy rule. The Raiders also didn’t win any major tournaments or their conference, and played a decent, but not overly exciting schedule (see 10 10-run mercy rule victories).


NICOLE RUGGIERO, Sr., Governor Livingston
Stats: .301 avg., 2 2BH, 1 3BH, 4 HRs, 18 RBIs.
Upside: Co-captain of state Group II champions. Hit four homers for a team that didn’t score a lot of runs. Delivered several big hits for the Highlanders.
Downside: Batted just .301 against a Group II schedule and hit eighth in the order. Though she hit four home runs, she managed just two doubles and one triple, which makes me question her ability to drive the ball consistently.


NICOLE SGROMOLO, Sr., Delaware Valley
Stats: .402 avg., 20 R, 5 2BH, 5 3BH, 0 HR. 15 RBIs, 3 E (one in OF)
Upside: Her batting average and low error total are impressive. The Terriers went to the sectional finals before losing 1-0 to Capri Catalano and state Group II champion Governor Livingston, and finished second in the Raritan Division to Mount St. Mary, which ran the table in the conference.
Downside: A low RBI total and a subpar slugging pct., compared to some of the other candidates at the position. The Terriers’ fattened up against some of the pushovers of the Raritan and Valley Divisions, and didn’t face nearly the quality of pitching the others did. Was also not among the top 1 or 2, statistically, on her team in most categories.