Fair Lawn’s Marissa Spinuzzi fired a 12-strikeout no-hitter on Wednesday against No. 10 West Milford to lead the Cutters to their second win of the year.
BIGGEST WIN: There were a few big wins on Wednesday, but I’d say Fair Lawn’s 2-1 win over No. 10 West Milford was the biggest, fueled by Marissa Spinuzzi‘s 12-strikeout no-hitter. This coming two days after Spinuzzi struck out 14 in an Opening Day win over Wayne Hills. The unranked Cutters are now 2-0 and making their case to enter the Top 25. In Wednesday’s win, Alexis Bush and Danielle Sibilio each drove in a run, as Fair Lawn broke a 1-1 tie in the third, then Spinuzzi took care off the rest.Â
BIGGEST WIN 2.0: No. 18 Hackensack, last year’s Bergen County Tournament Cinderella, picked up a nice 2-1 win over No. 7 Ridgewood, as senior right-hander Taylor Farro threw a no-hitter with four strikeouts, not allowing one ball to reach the outfield, and freshman RF Jaimie Parisi went 2-for-3 with a double and home run. The Record’s Greg Mattura covered this one and here’s his story.
BEST GAME: It’s hard to say without full game details, but what No. 11 Park Ridge did Wednesday against Waldwick sounded pretty exciting. The Owls jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first, getting RBIs from Emily Kline and Shayna McDermott, and pitcher Kline was cruising in the circle, up until the sixth (she finished with 13 strikeouts). In the top of the sixth, Waldwick tied the game at 2 and the outcome wouldn’t be decided until the 9th. In the bottom of the 9th, freshman Camryn Layne won it with a walk-off RBI base hit, to give Park Ridge the 3-2 win. Welcome to varsity softball.
BEST GAME 2.0: DePaul defeated Big North United rival Paramus Catholic on Wednesday, 3-1, in 10 innings, getting another dominant performance from Ashley LaGuardia in the circle. The junior ace struck out 16 and now has 30 through two games. The Lady Paladins tied the game at 1 with a run in the top of the seventh, but DePaul later struck for two in the 10th. Victoria D’Addario and Ronnie Vergara each drove in a run for the Spartans, while D’Addario, Christina Martinez and Bella Jachera all had two hits.
BEST GAME 3.0: Nice come-from-behind win for No. 22 Mahwah on Wednesday, scoring three runs in the top of the seventh to defeat River Dell, 8-7. Olivia Bell had three hits and two RBI for the Thunderbirds, while Katie Clarke had a pair of hits, scoring three runs and drove in two. Julieanne Verce and Anna Nielsen each scored twice.
BEST GAME 4.0: No. 14 Paramus pushed across a run in the top of the seventh to a break a 3-all tie with 21st-ranked Ramapo and held on for the 4-3 victory. Sophomore Nicolette Kupersmith and senior captain Courtney Siero each drove in a run, while Tori Petruzzella picked up the win in the circle.
PERFECTION: Indian Hills’ Devin Durando was in dominant form on Wednesday against No. 13 Northern Highlands, tossing a 17-strikeout perfect game to lead the Braves — The Record’s No. 2 team in the Preseason Top 25 — to a 7-0 win over the Highlanders. Nicole Mellone had a pair of hits and a pair of RBI, while Durando and Nicole Paiotti each drove in a run.
PERFECTION 2.0: Secaucus’ Danielle Roesing threw a five-inning perfect game with 13 strikeouts to lead the Patriots to their first win of the year — a 13-0 mercy-rule victory over Leonia. SS Julia McClure went 2-for-3 with two RBI, two runs scored and a pair of doubles for Secaucus — The Record’s 20th-ranked team in the Preseason Top 25.
PERFECTION 3.0: Bergen Tech’s Melanie Hrbek and Angelica Leventhal combined to throw a four-inning perfect game in a 16-0 win over Eastside on Wednesday. Tara Spendley and Jenna Mancini each drove in three runs for the Knights – The Record’s 24th-ranked team.
34 AND COUNTING: Immaculate Heart improved to 2-0 on the year, extending its winning streak to 34 games, with a 2-0 win over Holy Angels. Freshman Emilie Cieslak drove in both Blue Eagles runs with a two-run double in the third, scoring Steph Thomas and Rachel Pollard. Thomas was in the circle and threw a one-hitter with five strikeouts. And by the way, Holy Angels has now given both DePaul and IHA good games in the first week of the year. AHA was tied at 3 with the Spartans in the fifth on Monday. Pitcher Lauren Saxenian only allowed three hits on Wednesday at IHA.
QUICK PITCHES…Â
– No. 7 Saddle Brook cruised to a 20-0 win over Weehawken, getting four RBI from Katie Garabino and a homer and 3 RBI from Darian Kreuder. Pitcher Danielle Archibold struck out 10 in five innings.
– No. 9 Rutherford’s Ally Paskas seems to have picked up right where she left off last year, as the senior All-County OF tripled and homered in the Bulldogs’ 10-2 win over No. 23 Elmwood Park. Gina Viggiano also tripled and drove in one.
– Big day for No. 15 Old Tappan’s Kristen Farrell in the Golden Knights’ 13-4 win over Tenafly. Farrell homered, drove in five runs and earned the win in the circle, striking out nine.
– No. 19 New Milford improved to 2-0 with an 18-0 win over Ridgefield. Alexandra Sauer had a big day, doubling twice and driving in six. Pitcher Mackenzie Holowach threw her second straight shutout to start the year and also drove in three. Jamie Ashman added three RBI.
– No. 25 Lyndhurst exploded for 11 runs in the first inning and cruised to a 14-0 win over Harrison. Winning pitcher Casey Zdanek tripled, homered and drove in four. Grace Tomko also had a big day, tripling three times and drove in three runs.
– One day after its’ come-from-behind win over Hawthorne, Eastern Christian cruised to a 20-3 win over Manchester, getting a grand slam and five RBI from Tara Kleinmanns and 3 RBI each from Kayla Van Lenten and Julie Van Buiten.
– It was Hawthorne’s turn to experience a walk-off win Wednesday (after suffering a walk-off loss to Eastern Christian on Tuesday), as the Bears rallied for six runs in the final three innings (two in each) to overcome a five-run deficit against Lodi for the 6-5 win, giving coach Jackie Turco her first career win. Hayley Dougan doubled twice and drove in one, while teammate Renee VanOlden drove in a pair.
– Wayne Valley’s Amanda Squicciarini, replacing the injured Niki Carillo in the circle for the Indians, struck out 13 in an 11-5 win over Wayne Valley. Cassandra Gerard, Madison Galligan and Shayna Ocello all drove in two.
– Clifton’s Amanda Marakovitz tossed a four-inning no-hitter with nine strikeouts in a 19-0 win over Kennedy, as the Mustangs improved to 2-0. She also scored four runs and drove in three. Jen Chupick went 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles, one triple, four runs scored and five RBI. Janine Giordano reached base four times (two hits, two walks) and scored four runs.
– Midland Park improved to 2-0 with a 10-0 five-inning win over Cresskill. Gabby Spatucci drove in three runs, while Katie Kontos tossed a one-hitter.
– Glen Rock also improved to 2-0, with a 7-1 win over Garfield. Carly Benjamin drove in three, Rebecca Nathanson tripled and drove in one, and Morgan Foley picked up the win in the circle.
– Ramsey defeated Westwood, 12-2, with Jess Juhlin picking up the win in the circle. Abby Triglia tripled, homered and drove in two, while Christina Esposito doubled and drove in three.
– Pascack Valley beat Teaneck, 7-0, as Jennifer Schneider threw a two-hit shutout, while teammate Rachel Squiccimarri doubled twice.
– Bergenfield’s Victoria Miranda threw her second two-hit shutout to start the year (nine shutout innings) in the Bears 10-0 win over Demarest. Teammate Casey Bergman doubled twice and drove in three.