In Case You Missed It: Cooper and Conrad Softball Chat 3.0, previewing today’s BCT quarterfinals even more
Bergen County Softball Tournament Quarterfinal Previews
No. 1 Indian Hills (26-0) vs. No. 8 Ridgewood (20-5), noon
How they got here: Indian Hills defeated No. 32 Wood-Ridge, 10-0, and No. 17 Park Ridge, 10-2; Ridgewood defeated No. 24 Glen Rock, 4-1, and No. 9 Paramus, 3-0.
Expected starting lineups…
Indian Hills: SS Nicole Leocata, 2B Nicole Mellone, C Maddie Levine, 1B Shelby Allen, P Devin Durando, LF Julia Ferraro, CF Karley Jo Greulich, RF Kelsey Coughlin, 3B Gina DeOliveira
Ridgewood: CF Lindsay Gray, 2B Kelly Skettini, P Nicole Parks, C Rachel Pizzuti, 1B Zoe Singer, DP Kali Wolfer, 3B Alexis Biagi, RF Emilie Morse, LF Mia Barbera, F/SS Teresa Funk
Notes: The two Big North Freedom division rivals will be meeting for the third time this season after Indian Hills swept the season series. On April 9, the Braves beat the Maroons, 1-0, scoring their only run in the fourth on a foul sacrifice fly from Allen. On May 2, Indian Hills won, 8-6, in an unexpected slugfest against two of North Jersey’s best pitchers in Durando and Parks — who both will be playing for the University of Albany next season. In that second meeting, Ridgewood led, 6-2, after a five-run fifth inning, highlighted by Parks’ three-run home run to score Gray and Skettini. Indian Hills wasted no time in its comeback though, striking for four runs in the bottom of the fifth. The Braves got a leadoff double from Greulich, a one-out single from DeOliveira, an RBI single from Leocata and a single from Mellone. Levine’s two-run double to brought Indian Hills within one and Allen’s RBI sac fly tied the game. In the sixth, Coughlin — who had a two-run home run in the second inning — ripped her second go-ahead RBI hit of the game to score — this time a single — to bring home Julia Ferraro and give the Braves a 7-6 lead. Leocata later followed with an RBI single to make it 8-6. Ridgewood used patience at the plate in that second meeting to score six runs — the most runs Indian Hills has let up in a single game this season. The Maroons drew six walks and had eight hits in seven innings. This has the potential to be the best game of the day — and maybe the best of the tournament.
No. 2 IHA (26-0) vs. No. 10 Pascack Valley (18-7), 10 a.m.
How they got here: IHA defeated No. 31 Hasbrouck Heights, 16-1, and No. 15 Paramus Catholic, 8-0; Pascack Valley defeated No. 23 Hackensack, 12-0, and No. 7 Saddle Brook, 4-2.
Expected starting lineups…
IHA: P Steph Thomas, CF Reese Guevarra, SS Daniella Ibarra, 2B Angelina McGuire, RF Rachel Pollard, C Jaina Sharma, DP Emilie Cieslak, LF Emily Walter, 3B Reagan Jones, F/1B Giulianna Coccia
Pascack Valley: RF Caroline Savianeso, 2B Rachel Squiccimarri, 1B Jenny Schneider, P Alex Pleasic, CF Carly Parenta, SS Olivia Beattie, C Carly Comito, LF Christine Franklin, 3B Dana Schulman
Notes: IHA, ranked as high as No. 6 in the country in one national poll, has won its first 26 games and the possibility of a second perfect season in the last three years is now within striking distance. Thomas has 108 career wins, four shy of tying the New Jersey all-time career mark, and has allowed just seven earned runs this season while striking out 234. Thomas is also batting a team-best .529 (46-for-87) and her often-used courtesy runner, Dani Monocky, has scored 41 runs. Freshman Reese Guevarra gives IHA a lethal 1-2 combo at the top of the lineup, as the UConn verbal-commit is batting .513 (40-for-78) with 35 runs and 29 RBI. Senior Angelina McGuire is batting an even .500 (42-for-84) with a staggering 53 RBI and 7 HR. Pascack Valley reached the quarterfinals after upsetting No. 7 Saddle Brook, 4-2, getting an opposite field go-ahead three-run home run from Beattie in the top of the sixth — her 5th of the year. Alex Pleasic is the expected starter. She allowed two runs on six hits in Sunday’s Round of 16 win over the Falcons.
No. 3 Immaculate Conception (24-1) vs. No. 6 Northern Highlands (20-3), 2 p.m.
How they got here: Immaculate Conception defeated No. 30 Lodi, 3-0, and No. 14 Rutherford, 7-0; Northern Highlands defeated No. 38 Teaneck, 8-0, and No. 22 Demarest, 11-3.
Expected starting lineups…
Immaculate Conception — CF Gabby Slade, C Lea Georgatos, 1B Ali Moran, 2B Andee Lupica, DP Nikki Kupersmith, LF Sam Krakower, 3B Amanda Zielinski, RF Ashley Cantone, SS Gabby Fredette, F/P Sarah Piening
Northern Highlands — SS Christine Griffith, C Sasha Brown, 2B Fiona Walley, 1B Katie Duncan, P Sarah Gunderson, 3B Madison Bialkowski, LF Meghan O’Donnell, DP Nicole Gattoni, RF Gabby Lagana, F/CF Jenn Vincent
Notes: Northern Highlands has one of the most dangerous lineups remaining in the tournament, as all nine players who started Sunday’s Round of 16 win are batting .300 or higher, led by Duncan (.532, 3 HR, 21 RBI), Gunderson (.463, 2 HR, 21 RBI), Griffith (.398, 27 runs), Brown (.392, 6 HR, 26 RBI) and Walley (.376, 2 HR, 35 RBI), who continues to be one of the biggest freshmen surprises this year. Battle-tested in the Big North Freedom, Highlands has played a tougher schedule than IC this season and suffered losses only to Indian Hills (twice) and Ridgewood. The Blue Wolves have Piening, though — one of the best remaining pitchers in the tournament — a lineup featuring two Player of the Year candidates in Slade and Lupica, who both homered in Sunday’s win over Demarest (including a grand slam from Slade), and the more experienced county tournament team.
No. 5 Ramsey (20-4) vs. No. 13 Mahwah (14-9), 4 p.m.
How they got here: Ramsey defeated No. 28 Ramapo, 4-1, and No. 21 Dumont, 5-0; Mahwah defeated No. 20 Ridgefield, 3-0, and No. 4 Fair Lawn, 7-6.
Expected starting lineups…
Ramsey: C Nicole Mazzella, 3B Deven Hadeler, SS Sophie Blasius, 1B Abby Triglia, DP Holly Cook, RF Christina Esposito, 2B Brianna Rosa, LF Ashley McNaboe, P Jess Juhlin, F/CF Brianna Popolo
Mahwah: CF Taylor Ziman, 2B Danielle Altamuro, SS Alyssa Baldi, 3B Anna Nielsen, 1B Olivia Bell, P Danielle Iacovo, C Dominique Maio, DP Mara Senchak, RF Brittany Wright, F/LF Caitlin Doyle
Notes: The pair of Big North Patriot rivals will be going at it for the third time this season, after Ramsey won, 3-1, on April 11 and 1-0 on May 2. In the most recent meeting, Juhlin threw a two-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts and Cook drove home the lone run in the second inning. Mahwah, last year’s tournament Cinderella, will be attempting to reach the BCT semifinals for the second straight year as a No. 13 seed. The T-Birds upset No. 4 Fair Lawn last Sunday, 7-6, scoring two runs in the top of the seventh and getting three RBI each from Nielsen and Bell. These two rivals know each other well and another close game is expected, with a trip to the Final Four on the line.