Matawan Softball Downs Colts Neck For Key Divisional Win

Photo's above: Veary letting loose on the mound and about to drill an RBI double at the plate

MATAWAN – The Matawan softball team picked up an important Shore Conference Class B North win Friday getting by Colts Neck 5-2 to pull within one game of the surprising Cougars (4-2, 4-1).

Junior Jess Veary worked six plus innings to pick up her third win of the season allowing two runs (one earned), six hits and two base on balls on the mound while going 3-for-3 at the plate with two doubles, two RBI and a run scored to lead the Huskies.

“The win was really big,” Veary said. “It puts us in a better spot based on their wins and gives us some power points and puts us up back in the division. Now we know we’re back in it where we should be and we got to keep going from here.”

Matawan – ranked sixth in the Shore Conference – was the preseason pick to win the division but after two one-run, extra-inning losses to division foes Red Bank Catholic and Ocean Township they were in danger of falling three games off the pace.

“It’s a big win for us,” head coach Bob Dubina said. “We’re not exactly were we wanted to be but both our losses were extra innings. So we’ve been competitive, it’s just we keep making mistakes as we did today. Both runs they scored we kind of gave it to them. It’s just mental breakdowns and it’s been our M.O. a little bit and we need to get over it. We got to be solid every inning and we haven’t, and if we can fix it, I think we’ll be a lot better for it.”

Veary, who has some big shoes to fill this season having to replace All-Class B North pitcher Erin Powers, battled all game working out of jams in the fifth and sixth innings without allowing a run before giving way to junior Megan Rutch in the top of the seventh.

“Jess has been doing well, she’s been doing really great,” Dubina said. “Today she didn’t have her best stuff but she battled; she doesn’t give in to anybody. The problem with her is that we haven’t been able to get her to close a game. Rutch has come in three of five games this year to close it out and it’s worked well for us. Jess knows if she gets in trouble sixth, seventh inning Meg can come in and do the job.”

The Huskies (3-2, 3-2) held a 5-1 lead entering the top of the seventh when Cougars left fielder Payton Mahoney led off with a liner right at Sami Boyne in left field who dropped the ball for an error putting Mahoney at first. Shortstop Olivia Sardoff then lined a double down the third base line putting runners at second and third with no outs and chasing Veary out of the game.

Rutch came in to face Natalie Farparan who hit a slow grounder to the mound with Mahoney running on the play and getting caught in a run-down between third and home after Rutch threw to third baseman Olivia Caponigro. Caponigro’s throw to the plate was high allowing Mahoney to score easily pulling the Cougars to within 5-2.

Now with runners on the corners and still no outs, Rutch got Olivia Terlizzi to foul out to first baseman Tracy Brereton before second baseman Jenn Lloyd made a fine leaping catch to snag a line drove off the bat of Jamie DiMario to save a run. Rutch then got Brianna Clamenti to ground out to third for the final out of the game.

“Closing games has been hard for me but Megan’s been there for me,” Veary said. “She always comes in behind me and that’s been a big plus.”

When Veary got in trouble in both the sixth and seventh innings she got out of it without allowing a run by getting the big pitches when she needed them.

“I just now I can rely on my defense behind me in situations like that,” Veary added. “They always help me get the outs when I need them.”

In the first inning, Matawan scored two runs with two outs. Back-to-back singles by Brereton and All-Shore shortstop Lauren Conroy put runners at the corners before Brereton scored when Conroy stole second base eliciting an ill-advised throw to second by the catcher. Veary then lined a shot off the fence in left-center that just missed going out to drive in Conroy for the second run.

An error produce an unearned run in the second for the Huskies before they tacked on another two runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 5-1 lead.

Conroy got things going with a line drive up the middle then stealing her second base of the game before Veary drove her home with a line double down the third base line. Sophomore catcher Amanda Hunter then drove in the second run of the innings with single up the middle to take a 5-1 lead.

The Huskies banged out 10 hits in the game with Conroy going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and Hunter finishing 3-for-3 with a RBI and run scored along with Veary’s big game at the plate.

“It was good to see Jess have a big game at the plate,” Dubina said. “She had a great preseason for us but has been a little inconsistent. So if she can give us that bat in the middle of the lineup it will help us protect Conroy a little bit.

“This win has to give us a lift; it’s a tough chase being down three (games). Now we’re down one game in the division, we play them again along with everyone else; it gives us a good chance and puts us in a good spot for tomorrow when we play Robbinsville.”

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