Ventura Pitches Lancers to First SCT Title Since 2011
By Mike Ready
WALL TOWNSHIP – After being eliminated in Tuesday’s NJSIAA Non-Public South A semifinal and therefore missing the state final for the first time since 2009, there was no way Saint John Vianney was going to let this game get away from them.
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Add to the fact that they hadn’t won the SCT title since 2011 when this year’s seniors were only freshman, and you have recipe for disaster if you’re the opposing team. Unfortunately, for third-seeded Pineland (27-3) they were that team.
Relying on years of tournament and playoff experience, the Lancers came out loose and confident, while the Wildcats - playing in their first-ever SCT final - let their inexperience take over en route to a 12-0 five inning loss at Wall Township High School.
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Playing as the visiting team, the top-seeded Lancers came to bat in the top of the first and quickly put three runs on the board. A walk and an error off shortstop Corine Huber’s glove put runners on the corners with two outs before catcher Michelle King beat out an infield hit scoring pinch runner Demi Rivera from third.
Jessica Carlucci then singled to left to bring home Katie Baron, who had reached on the error, and Gianna Mavica followed with a single to center driving in Victoria Mahoney, running for King.
Carlucci went 2-for-3 on the day with a homer and three RBI.
In the top of the second, the Lancers tacked on another three runs – all unearned – when the Wildcats committed three errors in the inning. Senior third baseman Marlena Bevilacqua had the only hit of the inning and also stole a base.
“I’m glad we picked up our game after yesterday,” Bevilacqua said. “That was a really tough loss but we bounced back. We had to put it behind us and end on a high note, especially for the seniors.”
Lancers junior pitcher Ashley Ventura retired the first six batters she faced in order before running into her only trouble of the game in the bottom of the third.
Lexi Carmen dropped a single into short centerfield to lead off the inning. After a strikeout and a fielder’s choice out at second, pitcher Naomi Stas (22-4) reached on an infield hit and stole second putting runners on second and third with two outs. Ventura then got senior Emma Neuweiler on strikes to end the inning in true Ventura fashion.
Saint John Vianney blew the game wide open in the top of the fourth scoring six runs on six hits and two walks, including Baron’s RBI double and Carlucci’s line-drive two-run homer over the left field fence.
“I’m proud of the way my team came out and played today,” said Baron, who will play for Monmouth University next year. “I’m just glad the seniors get to go out with a win after yesterday’s depressing loss. We overcame a lot of injuries this year and this SCT title means a lot, not only to the seniors but to everyone who worked so hard to get here.”
Three batters after the Carlucci blast, senior and four-year starter Jackie Gallagher, who was hitless in three at bats, came to the plate with the bases loaded in probably her final at bat as a Lancer. Down to her last strike, coach Kim Lombardi called her over for a short pep talk.
“She said, ‘You deserve this hit. So keep your head down and hit it,’” Gallagher said. “I knew it was my last time up so I had to focus. I’m never going to play softball again so it was good to win this.”
Gallagher, who will attend Fairfield University next fall where she’ll play field hockey, promptly lined a two-run single into centerfield scoring Mavica and Megan Masi, increasing the lead to 11-0, before Helena Coppola capped the scoring with a single to left to bring in Bevilacqua, who had singled and moved to third on Gallagher’s hit.
Ventura, who allowed only three hits, struck out three and didn’t walk a batter retired the side in order in the top of the fifth for her 26th win of the season with Bevilacqua handling an easy pop up for the final out of the game and of her career as a Lancer.
“It was like a perfect ending catching the final out,” the Fairleigh Dickinson recruit said. “It was hit high in the air so I had time to think about that, but I was also thinking ‘I better not drop this.’ As seniors this is what we’re going to always remember, this is special, this is what we have to hold on too.”
Senior Katie Beriont, an All-State pitcher as a junior last season but out all season with a knee injury, celebrated with her teammates and was proud the way her team battled all season. “It was awesome, I got to see them grow as a team this year and I felt like I was a little bit of a teacher and coach this year. I'm so happy for them them all, they deserve it.”
Beriont will be off to the University of Notre Dame next week where she’ll be pitching for the Fighting Irish next spring in South Bend, Indiana.
The Lancers were also playing without starting second baseman Erica Krumbine, who was lost for the season after injuring her knee in the Howell game. She was a vital part of the Lancers success this season hitting .458 with 31 runs scored, 18 RBI and eight stolen bases.
“Coming off yesterday’s loss our team could’ve gone two different ways,” Lombardi said. “Prior to the game I talked to them about how important it was to win and they responded. The seniors started their freshmen year with a SCT title and what a way to go out with another. I’ll definitely miss them.”
