PART 7: PITCHERS

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

BLOG SCHEDULE
LAST SATURDAY – First basemen
LAST MONDAY – Second baseman
LAST TUESDAY – Shortstops
LAST WEDNESDAY – Third basemen
LAST THURSDAY – Outfielders/Designated hitters
YESTERDAY – Catchers
TODAY – Pitchers
TOMORROW, Sunday, 6/24 – The 2007 Courier News All-Area team hits the street.


Pitching wins ball games, and that is even truer in softball. Without a good hurler in the circle, teams have virtually no chance at success on the varsity level, and this year was no different. Both pitching and – to a lesser extent – hitting stats were considered for pitchers. And, once again, expect to see a pitcher or two appear in a designated hitter or utility spot on the top three teams.



THE CANDIDATES
(Players listed alphabetically by last name)


STAT KEY: SHO = Shutouts; NH=No-hitters; ERA=Earned runs allowed per 7 innings; K/7=Strikeouts per 7 innings; AvgVs=Batting average against

DANI ACCARDI, Sr., Mount St. Mary
Pitching Stats: 22-2, 13 SHO, 3 NH, 0.45 ERA, .153 AvgVs., 8.49 K/7
Hitting Stats: .538 avg., 9 2BH, 4 3BH, 4 HR, 29 RBIs
Upside: Dominant in the circle and at the plate. Was the complete package in leading MSM to the Skyland Raritan crown.
Downside: Her numbers came against the Raritan and Valley Divisions of the Skyland Conference. Didn’t play an out-of-conference schedule, though we’ll give MSM athletic director/coach Denise Materia a break on the scheduling since the Raritan and Valley Divisions teams not only had to play everyone in their own division twice, but also the teams in the other division two times. That doesn’t leave much room on the schedule for non-conference opponents.


LINDSAY BROWN, Sr., Westfield
Pitching Stats: 11-7, 5 SHO, 1.67 ERA, .203 AvgVs, 9.51 K/7
Hitting Stats: .281 avg., 3 2BH, 3 3BH, 1 HR, 9 RBIs
Upside: Great pitching numbers. Walked just 1 batter per 7 innings while striking out 9.5.
Downside: Her pitching numbers probably should have been better considering some of the opponents Westfield got to face. Her hitting stats were fair at best. Westfield was upset in the county tournament and was eliminated in the first round of states.


NICOLE CARAVANO, Sr., Union Catholic
Pitching Stats: 12-9, 2.04 ERA, .265 AvgVs., 6.21 K/7
Hitting Stats: NA
Upside: Decent pitching numbers. Not great. Walked just 0.74 batters per 7 innings, which is outstanding.
Downside: ERA and batting average against were fairly high.


ALEX CARISONE, Fr., Rutgers Prep
Pitching Stats: 16-4, 1.53 ERA, .275 Avg.Vs, 7.47 K/7
Hitting Stats: .400 avg., 6 2BH, 1 HR, 17 RBIs, 15 SB.
Upside: Very good hitting stats, and it is not often a pitcher steals as many as 15 bases. Her pitching numbers were also very good, overall, for the Prep B state champs and Somerset County Tournament quarterfinalists.
Downside: Her batting average against was rather high, plus Rutgers Prep’s schedule wasn’t exactly suffocating.


JENNA CARMON, Jr., Hunterdon Central
Pitching Stats: 14-6, 5 SHO, 1.17 ERA, .292 Avg.Vs., 4.09 K/7
Hitting Stats: .363 avg., 4 2BH, 4 3BH, 1 HR, 12 RBIs
Upside: Great control, walking just five batters in 143 2/3 innings. Emerged as Central’s ace during a 17-game winning streak. Was winning pitcher in semifinals and final of Hunterdon/Warren Tournament.
Downside: Very high batting average against -- but made up for that with lack of walks. Did not strikeout a lot of batters, relying on the Red Devils’ defense to make plays. Hitting stats were good, but not great.


CAPRI CATALANO, Sr., Governor Livingston
Pitching Stats: 24-1, 19 SHO, 4 NH (1 perfect), 0.14 ERA, .077 Avg.Vs., 18.95 K/7
Hitting Stats: NA
Upside: The state’s all-time strikeout leader had mind-blowing numbers across the board. Allowed just six runs all season – three earned – and averaged just under 19 strikeouts per game – two less than the 21 outs a pitcher must get in a regulation contest. Won a Group II state title. Threw four no-hitters, including a perfect game in the Group II state semifinals. Shall I continue?
Downside: Did not hit.


ELORA DANIELE, Jr., Montgomery
Pitching Stats: 16-5, 1.34 ERA, .201 Avg.Vs., 8.23 K/7
Hitting Stats: .406 avg., 4 2BH, 3 3BH, 3 HR, 19 RBIs
Upside: Her pitching numbers are excellent, especially her strikeout numbers against a tough Skyland Delaware schedule. Pitched Montgomery to the Skyland Delaware East Division title. Her hitting numbers are stellar, especially against the Cougars’ schedule. The fact she drove in 19 runs while hitting leadoff half the season is also impressive.
Downside: Walked 62 in 131 innings, which is obscenely high. Some of her numbers were overshadowed by some of the other hurlers in the conference. Was blasted for eight runs in a first-round state tournament loss to East Brunswick – a significant upset -- and failed to return the Cougars to the county final.


LYDIA DEMARTINO, Jr., Watchung Hills
Pitching Stats: 9-11, 6 SHO, 0.95 ERA, .167 AvgVs., 7.8 K/7
Hitting Stats: .286 avg., 4 2BH, 2 3BH, 2 HR, 6 RBI
Upside: Excellent ERA and batting average against, nice strikeout numbers, too.
Downside: Tended to lose her cool and meltdown when things didn’t go her way in the circle. Sub-.500 record for a team that didn’t make the state tournament, though you gotta give the Warriors somewhat of a break playing in the Skyland Delaware. Her hitting stats weren’t terrible, but they weren’t great.


JOSIE DENNY, Sr., Dunellen
Pitching Stats: 17-6, 2.38 ERA, 0.333 Avg.Vs., 6.73 K/7
Hitting Stats: .450 avg.
Upside: Nice batting average. Won 17 games.
Downside: Dunellen won a share of the GMC Gold with its offense. Denny’s pitching stats were not great, especially against a Group I and Gold Division schedule, but it was enough with the Destroyers’ bats – including her own – behind her. She gave up a lot of hits and a lot of walks, though she did get her share of strikeouts.


LAUREN FITZSIMMONS, Jr., Bridgewater-Raritan
Pitching Stats: 18-6, 8 SHO, 2 NH (1 perfect), 1.04 ERA, 1.81 AvgVs., 11.17 K/7
Hitting Stats: .269 avg., 4 2BH, 0 3BH, 4 HR, 14 RBI
Upside: Arguably the most dominant pitcher in the Skyland Conference, she was downright unhittable when she was focused and had everything working. Struck out a ton of hitters and walked just over 1 batter per game.
Downside: Sometimes lost focus when facing adversity in the circle, which turned harmless hits into big innings for the opposition. Hitting stats were not good, overall, but she did come up with several clutch hits – including a couple of longballs -- in big spots for the Panthers.


ALI FREEDMAN, Sr., North Hunterdon
Pitching Stats: 10-5, 1.54 ERA, .260 AvgVs., 4.41 K/7
Hitting Stats: NA
Upside: Stepped up down the stretch to emerge as the Lions’ ace and pitched North to its second straight sectional title. Walked a phenomenally low 0.56 batter per seven innings.
Downside: Wasn’t dominant in terms of strikeouts, and her .260 batting average against is a bit high. A victory over Hunterdon Central with the conference title on the line would have given her a nice leg up.


LINDSAY GIBBONS, Jr., RIDGE
Pitching Stats: 11-14, 1.72 ERA, .275 Avg.Vs, 3.06 K/7
Hitting Stats: NA
Upside: Posted a respectable ERA, especially against the Delaware Division. Walked a mere 0.75 batters per 7 innings.
Downside: Had a losing record and a high batting average against. Struck out just 3.06 hitters per 7 innings.


JENNA GONZALEZ, Jr., North Hunterdon
Pitching Stats: 11-2, 1.48 ERA, .161 avgVs, 7.82 K/7
Hitting Stats: NA
Upside: Got off to a hot start before an injury forced her into a limited role for North. Great pitching numbers across the board.
Downside: Did not pitch in the state tournament.


MICHELLE JENSEN, Sr., Delaware Valley
Pitching Stats: 23-6, 11 SHO, 1.34 ERA, .231 avgVs., 9.16 K/7
Hitting Stats: .292 avg., 6 2BH, 17 RBI
Upside: Solid overall numbers. Won 23 games and pitched Del Val to sectional final. Threw 11 shutouts and struck out 9.16 per 7 innings. Hitting numbers are decent.
Downside: Failed to win the big game and got knocked around by some of the better teams she faced – not that her defense did her any favors, especially in the county semifinals against Central.


LINDSAY LEHMAN, Jr., Somerville
Pitching Stats: 14-7, 2.72 ERA, .276 avgVs, 8.2 K/7
Hitting Stats: .333 avg., 4 2BH, 3 3BH, 1 HR, 12 RBIs
Upside: Hitting stats are better than her pitching stats. Remained Somerville’s ace, even with the arrival of highly touted transfer Lindsey Ciresa. Won 14 games and struck out 8-2 per 7 innings. Walked just 0.89 per 7 innings.
Downside: Her ERA was extremely high, while her batting average against wasn’t too impressive, either. While her hitting stats are solid, they aren’t good enough to set her apart.


JEN LITTLE, Sr., South Plainfield
Pitching Stats: 19-8, 5 SHO, 1.30 ERA, .265 avgVs., 6.33 K/7
Hitting Stats: NA
Upside: Solid numbers, overall. Won 19 games, while several of her 8 losses were the product of poor defensive play behind her. Her five shutouts against fairly solid competition is also impressive.
Downside: Her ERA is not as good as some of the top pitchers in the area, while her batting average against, strikeouts per 7 and walks-allowed – 1.30 per 7 – doesn’t separate her from the pack.


BRIANNE MAHONEY, Sr., Scotch Plains-Fanwood
Pitching Stats: 14-8, 2.13 ERA
Hitting Stats: NA
Upside: Won 14 games for a good Raiders team.
Downside: Her ERA was high, plus Scotch Plains-Fanwood didn’t win anything.


MEGAN McINAW, Jr., Hillsborough
Pitching Stats: 9-11, 3 SHO, 1 NH, 1.71 ERA, .235 avgVS, 9.21 K/7
Hitting Stats: .349 avg., 4 2BH, 0 3BH, 2 HR, 10 RBI
Upside: Another total package. Her pitching numbers were more than solid across the board, despite a sub-.500 record. Hitting numbers are good batting cleanup for the Somerset County Tournament finalists. Single-handily beat Mount St. Mary 2-1 in the SCT quarterfinals, pitching a three-hitter and smacking a two-run first-inning homer to account for Hillsborough’s runs.
Downside: Her ERA and walks-allowed were a bit high, especially compared to some of the other candidates, while her hitting stats were solid, but not excellent. Hillsborough failed to win a title and were ousted in the first round of the state tournament after barely sneaking in at the cutoff.


KAITLYN PIAZZOLLA, Jr., Immaculata
Pitching Stats: 11-8, 6 SHO, 0.66 ERA, .135 avgVs., 7.00 K/7
Hitting Stats: .323 avg., 3 2BH, 1 3BH, 2 HR, 15 RBI
Upside: Also a part-time catcher, her pitching numbers are phenomenal. Walked just 0.71 per 7 innings, while pitching the Spartans to their first Somerset County Tournament championship since 2000. Was an offensive threat in the middle of the Immaculata batting order, hitting behind Jen Lapicki. Delivered a key sacrifice bunt in the county final to set up the game-winning squeeze.
Downside: Lost eight games, though she gets a partial pass due to the level of competition and the fact that Immaculata didn’t score a lot of runs as a team. Couldn’t find a way to beat Mount St. Dominic and advance to the sectional final, as she gave up four runs. She also lost a lot of head-to-head battles with some of the conference’s other great hurlers.


CAITLIN ROSS, Sr., New Providence
Pitching Stats: 17-3, 14 SHO, 5 NH (3 perfect), 0.73 ERA, .131 avg.Vs, 12.15 /7
Hitting Stats: .492 avg., 4 2BH, 4 3BH, 7 HR, 31 RBI.
Upside: Her hitting stats are just as impressive as her pitching stats for the Mountain Valley Conference Valley Division champions.
Downside: Her numbers came against a Valley Division schedule. New Providence failed to make any noise in the state tournament.



DON’T FORGET TO PICK UP THE COURIER NEWS TOMORROW, SUNDAY, JUNE 24, WHEN THE 2007 ALL-AREA TEAMS WILL BE REVEALED!!