Combined team bonded, excelled
PARSIPPANY _ The girls wearing the royal blue and white Parsippany uniforms seemed as if they had known one another forever yet their journey together commenced in late June.
Par-Troy East and Par-Troy West, both short on players, joined forces to form a 10-and-11-year-old squad, one that would compete in Section 1.
Morristown National headed to state tournament
MORRISTOWN _ Hannah Guenther, Morristown National's first baseman, has no qualms about offering advice to her teammates.
For example, in the second inning of Morristown National's game against Pompton Lakes-Riverdale on Monday, July 23, a ball slipped through the infield. Guenther felt the ball could have been stopped and reminded a fellow infielder to hustle.
Robbinsville blanks Pequannock in Little League state final
WALLINGTON _ The video inspired the Pequannock High School softball team at critical junctures in the spring.
Perhaps the YouTube video, featuring clips from well-known sports movies, could do the trick again.
Miscues doom Pequannock
WALLINGTON _ The Robbinsville 12-Year-Old Little League Softball All-Star team prides itself on confidence and familiarity with one another on and off the field.
After playing together for five years and having already won a state championship at the 10U level, the team has collectively experienced both victory and defeat and is battle tested.
Youngest Thomas plays large role for Pequannock
PARSIPPANY _ Witnessing success on the softball diamond is nothing new for Pequannock pitcher Cat Thomas.
With her older sisters, Ally (Pequannock) and Stephanie (IHA), winning high school state championships this past spring, as well as Little League state championships in past years, the youngest Thomas sister hopes to follow the winning example that has been set for her.
Dara, Carr wield big bats
WALLINGTON _ Pequannock center fielder Lexi Toback left Plucinsky-Ward Memorial Field feeling a bit lighter and a whole lot more confident.
Toback viewed Pequannock's four-inning 12-2 victory over Rutherford in the Little League State Tournament opening-round game on Friday, July 13 as "a big relief."
PTW's Carifi is 'perfect'
PARSIPPANY _ Eighteen strikeouts. No walks. Sixty-nine pitches. Absolutely no sweat.
Par-Troy West pitcher Jaclyn Carifi approached her perfect game on Friday, June 29 like any other. Carifi simply went through her motions and unleashed pitch after pitch.
Dara's clutch hit helps Pequannock move on
PARSIPPANY _ Katie Dara has most often batted second for the Pequannock Little League 12-And-Under Team.
For the final game of the best-of-three Section 1 series against Par-Troy East, Dara was hidden away in the No. 7 spot as Pequannock manager Kristin Carr shuffled the batting order in an attempt to shake things up.
PTW repeats in District 1
PARSIPPANY _ Par-Troy West pitcher Izzy Mansur was not at all pleased with her warmup prior to the final game of the 9-10-Year-Old Little League Softball District 1 Series.
Mansur's pitches were low. They were high. Few were in the strike zone.
Rocco, PTE prevail to even District 1 Series
PARSIPPANY _ Par-Troy East's Bella Rocco, who represented the winning run, wanted more than anything to cross home plate in the first game of the 9-10-Year-Old District 1 Softball Finals.
As it turned out, Rocco was left stranded on first base when Par-Troy West closed out a 9-7 eight-inning victory over Par-Troy East on Thursday, July 5.
