- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 433,440
- Reaction score
- 44
Another week and another round of standout performances and impressive results around the Greater Middlesex Conference and southern Union County.
(Records through Sunday)
1. St. Thomas Aquinas (7-1) — last week No. 1 — The Trojans extended their winning streak to five games with lopsided divisional wins over Monroe and Old Bridge and a one-run, non-conference decision over Hightstown. St. Thomas has a busy week ahead with back-to-back meetings with Spotswood, followed by a rematch with No. 2 South Plainfield and non-conference battles with Warren Hills and Elizabeth.
More: Softball ballot: Vote for Central Jersey Player of the Week
More: Softball roundup: Daily results and links for Skyland Conference, GMC, area Union County
2. South Plainfield (4-1) — last week No. 2 — The Tigers defeated divisional foes Spotswood and Monroe and have won three in a row since losing to St. Thomas. South Plainfield will travel to Metuchen before a Thursday morning rematch at St. Thomas.
3. East Brunswick (5-0) — last week No. 3 — The Bears reeled off three more divisional victories, beating South Brunswick, Colonia and JP Stevens, and have outscored their opponents 81-10. East Brunswick has a second meeting with Sayreville, who it edged 5-4 earlier this season, with dates against Old Bridge of the Red Division, as well as North Brunswick over the weekend.
4. Spotswood (3-3) — last week No. 5 — The Chargers split two divisional games last week, falling to South Plainfield and beating Metuchen. Spotswood’s busy week begins with back-to-back dates with St. Thomas starting Monday, another divisional match against Old Bridge, a non-divisional date with South Brunswick, and a non-conference contest against Freehold Township.
5. Sayreville (5-2) — last week No. 8 — The Bombers move up after a 3-0 week which began with an 11-inning verdict over Colonia, a five-inning triumph over JP Stevens, and a one-run decision over Old Bridge. Sayreville is another squad that will be busy with divisional games, at South Brunswick, East Brunswick and North Brunswick, followed by non-conference games against Morris Hills and Gill-St. Bernards on Sunday at Jefferson Township.
6. Woodbridge (5-3) — last week No. 4 — The Barrons improved to 5-0 with a victory over Old Bridge, followed by losses to North Brunswick, Matawan and South Brunswick. Woodbridge will attempt to return to its winning ways with divisional contests against Colonia and J.P. Stevens this week.
7. Old Bridge (4-6) — last week No. 6 — The Knights fell to Woodbridge and St. Thomas, defeated Matawan, then suffered a 2-1 loss to Sayreville. Old Bridge hosts Robbinsville before beginning a three-game road trip against ranked GMC foes Monroe, Spotswood and East Brunswick.
8. Monroe (3-5) — last week No. 7 — The Falcons defeated West Windsor-Plainsboro between setbacks to the area’s top-ranked schools, St. Thomas and South Plainfield. Monroe begins the week with a non-conference game at Princeton, then host Old Bridge and travels to Metuchen for divisional games.
9. Colonia (4-4) — last week No. 9 — The Patriots fell to Sayreville in 11 innings and to unbeaten East Brunswick before pinning a five-inning setback on North Brunswick. Colonia hosts Lakeland and in a non-conference game before divisional tests from Woodbridge and South Brunswick.
10. South Brunswick (4-4) — last week unranked — The Vikings succumbed to East Brunswick before close divisional wins over North Brunswick and Woodbridge. South Brunswick takes on divisional foes Sayreville and Colonia, travels to Spotswood for a non-divisional clash, then hosts J.P. Stevens.
DROPPED OUT: Edison (7-1).
ALSO RECEIVING CONSIDERATION: Edison (7-1), J.F. Kennedy (4-4), North Brunswick (2-6), Perth Amboy (5-3), Rahway (6-1).
The phrase “Gold Division pitchers’ duel” may sound oxymoronic, but it aptly describes what took place last week when Woodbridge Academy nipped Wardlaw-Hartridge in a 2-1 thriller.
Woodbridge Academy sophomore Zora Shaikh (3-2) outdueled Wardlaw junior Sophia Riccio (2-1) in a taut contest that was scoreless until the victorious Hornets scratched out a run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Both teams scored in the sixth, before Shaik closed out the contest in the seventh.
Shaikh, who struck out 158 in 93 1/3 innings as a freshman, fanned 11 while walking four in tossing a four-hitter. Riccio was nearly as impressive, striking out 10 and walking six while hurling a one-hitter.
Riccio has been practically unhittable, yielding a mere five hits in 20 innings in the circle. She has compiled a 1.75 ERA with 42 strikeouts and 16 walks.
She’s also getting it done at the plate, batting .700 and slugging 1.200 with 11 career home runs. She’s not alone in contributing to Wardlaw’s 3-1 start as her team is averaging nearly 16 runs in its three victories.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ Softball rankings and notebook: GMC and southern Union County
Continue reading...
Home News Tribune softball Top 10
(Records through Sunday)
1. St. Thomas Aquinas (7-1) — last week No. 1 — The Trojans extended their winning streak to five games with lopsided divisional wins over Monroe and Old Bridge and a one-run, non-conference decision over Hightstown. St. Thomas has a busy week ahead with back-to-back meetings with Spotswood, followed by a rematch with No. 2 South Plainfield and non-conference battles with Warren Hills and Elizabeth.
More: Softball ballot: Vote for Central Jersey Player of the Week
More: Softball roundup: Daily results and links for Skyland Conference, GMC, area Union County
2. South Plainfield (4-1) — last week No. 2 — The Tigers defeated divisional foes Spotswood and Monroe and have won three in a row since losing to St. Thomas. South Plainfield will travel to Metuchen before a Thursday morning rematch at St. Thomas.
3. East Brunswick (5-0) — last week No. 3 — The Bears reeled off three more divisional victories, beating South Brunswick, Colonia and JP Stevens, and have outscored their opponents 81-10. East Brunswick has a second meeting with Sayreville, who it edged 5-4 earlier this season, with dates against Old Bridge of the Red Division, as well as North Brunswick over the weekend.
4. Spotswood (3-3) — last week No. 5 — The Chargers split two divisional games last week, falling to South Plainfield and beating Metuchen. Spotswood’s busy week begins with back-to-back dates with St. Thomas starting Monday, another divisional match against Old Bridge, a non-divisional date with South Brunswick, and a non-conference contest against Freehold Township.
5. Sayreville (5-2) — last week No. 8 — The Bombers move up after a 3-0 week which began with an 11-inning verdict over Colonia, a five-inning triumph over JP Stevens, and a one-run decision over Old Bridge. Sayreville is another squad that will be busy with divisional games, at South Brunswick, East Brunswick and North Brunswick, followed by non-conference games against Morris Hills and Gill-St. Bernards on Sunday at Jefferson Township.
6. Woodbridge (5-3) — last week No. 4 — The Barrons improved to 5-0 with a victory over Old Bridge, followed by losses to North Brunswick, Matawan and South Brunswick. Woodbridge will attempt to return to its winning ways with divisional contests against Colonia and J.P. Stevens this week.
7. Old Bridge (4-6) — last week No. 6 — The Knights fell to Woodbridge and St. Thomas, defeated Matawan, then suffered a 2-1 loss to Sayreville. Old Bridge hosts Robbinsville before beginning a three-game road trip against ranked GMC foes Monroe, Spotswood and East Brunswick.
8. Monroe (3-5) — last week No. 7 — The Falcons defeated West Windsor-Plainsboro between setbacks to the area’s top-ranked schools, St. Thomas and South Plainfield. Monroe begins the week with a non-conference game at Princeton, then host Old Bridge and travels to Metuchen for divisional games.
9. Colonia (4-4) — last week No. 9 — The Patriots fell to Sayreville in 11 innings and to unbeaten East Brunswick before pinning a five-inning setback on North Brunswick. Colonia hosts Lakeland and in a non-conference game before divisional tests from Woodbridge and South Brunswick.
10. South Brunswick (4-4) — last week unranked — The Vikings succumbed to East Brunswick before close divisional wins over North Brunswick and Woodbridge. South Brunswick takes on divisional foes Sayreville and Colonia, travels to Spotswood for a non-divisional clash, then hosts J.P. Stevens.
DROPPED OUT: Edison (7-1).
ALSO RECEIVING CONSIDERATION: Edison (7-1), J.F. Kennedy (4-4), North Brunswick (2-6), Perth Amboy (5-3), Rahway (6-1).
GOLDEN ARMS
The phrase “Gold Division pitchers’ duel” may sound oxymoronic, but it aptly describes what took place last week when Woodbridge Academy nipped Wardlaw-Hartridge in a 2-1 thriller.
Woodbridge Academy sophomore Zora Shaikh (3-2) outdueled Wardlaw junior Sophia Riccio (2-1) in a taut contest that was scoreless until the victorious Hornets scratched out a run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Both teams scored in the sixth, before Shaik closed out the contest in the seventh.
Shaikh, who struck out 158 in 93 1/3 innings as a freshman, fanned 11 while walking four in tossing a four-hitter. Riccio was nearly as impressive, striking out 10 and walking six while hurling a one-hitter.
Riccio has been practically unhittable, yielding a mere five hits in 20 innings in the circle. She has compiled a 1.75 ERA with 42 strikeouts and 16 walks.
She’s also getting it done at the plate, batting .700 and slugging 1.200 with 11 career home runs. She’s not alone in contributing to Wardlaw’s 3-1 start as her team is averaging nearly 16 runs in its three victories.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ Softball rankings and notebook: GMC and southern Union County
Continue reading...
