West Milford, DePaul to meet again in PCT final by Chris Iseman of The Record
DePaul and West Milford will meet again in the Passaic County tournament championship game.
The Spartans defeated the Highlanders, 2-0, in last season’s title game to win its fifth consecutive county title.
So tonight second-seeded West Milford will look to halt that run of dominance when it plays No. 1 DePaul at Back Beach Park in Wanaque at 7:30 p.m.
“It’s pretty coo. This group is a pretty cool group,” Highlanders coach Nikki Gwinnett said of her team. “They’re a lot of fun. …They love each other. It may not always be off the field, but they really do care about each other and that comes a lot from the seniors and my two captains, too. They’re fun.”
DePaul has been led by senior centerfielder Amanda Ayala, who has been one of the top all-around players in North Jersey.
The Tennessee-bound Ayala entered Sunday batting .598 with eight doubles, five triples, nine home runs, 31 RBI and 21 stolen bases.
She has already recorded her 100th career hit despite missing half her sophomore season and her entire junior season because of injuries.
Junior catcher Dominique Coiro has also been hitting well, coming into the weekend batting .415 with three triples, two doubles, one home run and 19 RBI.
So it’ll be up to West Milford senior pitcher Paige Masiello to try and shut down the Spartans’ bats, a task she’s up for as she’s been stellar in the circle.
Masiello entered the weekend 17-2 with a 1.19 ERA and 115 strikeouts in 141 1/3 innings.
West Milford’s lineup has also been backing her up with some run support.
Senior centerfielder Jessica Utter has been producing all season, as she’s hitting .467 with two triples and seven RBI out of the leadoff spot.
Sophomore rightfielder Natalie Marzalik is hitting .368 with three doubles and 17 RBI. Marzalik also had a clutch three-run double against Lakeland in the county semifinals.
So West Milford and DePaul are poised for another battle at Back Beach Park. Whether the Spartans emerge with their sixth straight county title remains to be seen.