Pena’s 3-run blast lifts Dumont past Pequannock by Chris Iseman of The Record
DUMONT — Ariana Pena was just looking to drive in a run.
Dumont had two runners on base in the sixth inning. The Huskies trailed Pequannock by one run.
The junior third baseman was just looking to cut the Huskies’ deficit.
She did just that – and more.
Pena blasted a three-run home run over the center-field fence in the bottom of the sixth to lift the second-seeded Huskies to a 5-4 win over No. 7 Pequannock in the North 1, Group 2 quarterfinals on Tuesday.
“I was actually really nervous when I went up to bat,” Pena said. “Just hitting that gave myself a little sense of relief.”
Dumont will play No. 3 Jefferson in the sectional semifinals.
Pequannock threatened in the top of the seventh as Juliette Davis hit a two-out double and Hannah Brizek reached on an infield single.
Jonnalyn McClain then hit an RBI single to cut the Panthers’ deficit to one run.
That also put the tying run at third base, but Dumont starter Jennifer Sweeney got a strikeout to seal the Huskies’ comeback victory.
“All of us kept our energy up,” Sweeney said. “This was probably the loudest game we’ve had. We were all screaming and cheering at the top of our lungs. We just had confidence. No one ever put their head down.”
Pequannock swung the bat well from the start as Val Florio led off the game with a solo home run.
Jen Sigler then singled and scored on Brizek’s fielder’s choice to give the Golden Panthers a 2-0 lead.
Davis, who finished 3-for-4 for Pequannock, hit a solo shot over the center-field fence in the third to make it 3-0.
But Dumont began its comeback in the bottom of the third.
Jasmine Vera reached on an error with one out before Courtney Deloughery doubled to center field.
Vera scored on Lauren Naveo’s RBI groundout and Deloughery scored on an error to cut the Huskies’ deficit to one run.
Then Pena delivered in the clutch three innings later.
“She’s a great girl,’ coach Kendal George said. “She fouls everything off. She works very hard in the off-season. She comes to the field all the time to practice. Her determination really sets her apart from everybody else, and she works hard so she deserves it.”
This was a big win for Dumont, not only because it kept their season going, but because it helped the Huskies regain their confidence after falling to Ramsey, 10-0, in the Bergen County tournament semifinals on Saturday.
They were determined to make sure they didn’t face a similar result on Tuesday.
Dumont fell behind early, but never believed it wouldn’t make a comeback.
“We talked a lot about staying in the game and staying focused the whole time,” George said. “No matter what happens in the beginning, you can’t give up on yourself until the end. So I think they really proved that today, that they can stay in the game the whole time.”