Same Script, Same Result: Gaudio Lifts Marlboro Past RBC in 10

RED BANK —There is a common theme to this season’s Marlboro-Red Bank Catholic games. One, it will be a pitching duel, and two, they will need 10 innings to decide the outcome.

As was the case earlier this season, No. 3 Marlboro again edged No. 5 Red Bank Catholic in 10 innings. The first matchup ended with a 2-1 win; this time, the Mustangs added an insurance run for a 3-1 victory.

Senior Emily Gaudio once again proved her status as one of the Shore Conference’s best, excelling both in the circle and at the plate. She broke the 1-1 tie with a single to center just past second baseman Vivian Rudolph, scoring Samantha Gellis, who began the 10th inning on second and was bunted to third by Alyssa Abadiatokis.

“She is on fire,” Marlboro head coach Nick Scalzo said. “Everyone hears the name Emily Gaudio and says she can pitch, but let me tell you something. The girl can hit. She is a couple away from 100, and she bats third for us. She is the whole package, and we go as far as she wants us to.”

Earlier in the contest, Marlboro scored the first run in the 5th inning when Gellis reached on a dropped third strike and a mishandled throw to first. Gaudio, who tallied three hits, followed with her first RBI single of the game.

“She [Gaudio] is a player, man,” Scalzo said. “Once in a career, you really get someone special, and that is her. Obviously, she shows it out on the field with her pitching, but her being a teammate and a leader here is second to none. We have a lot of young kids here, and she has taken them under her wing, and they want to win for her.”

Savage’s pitching was also impressive. The dropped third strike on Gellis was one of her 15 strikeouts in the contest. In the 6th inning, she recorded three strikeouts and surpassed 200 for her career.

Not to be outdone offensively, Savage demonstrated her hitting skills as well. She brought the Caseys back even in the final inning with a solo shot to left-center, knotting the game at 1-1.

“That was a mistake on my end, missing my spot,” said Gaudio about the home run she gave up. “I think getting back into my groove was very important, especially in a tight game like this.”

Capitalizing on Gaudio’s go-ahead hit, freshman Savannah Joy added a critical 2-out triple to left-center, driving home Gaudio and giving the Mustangs a needed insurance run.

“I was just trying to punch a hole anywhere knowing that I had someone on second base,” Joy said. “I had a clear mind going into this at-bat. I wanted to clear my mind from the rest of the at-bats because I did not have a great start to the game.”

Gaudio, who finished with 12 strikeouts, allowed just one hit before Savage tied the game in the seventh. Jayden Kane doubled with two outs in the 4th, but Gaudio struck out the next batter. The Caseys’ other hit was Gabby Milievoi’s 8th inning lead-off single to center, but the runner didn’t advance.

RBC tried to advance Milievoi, but catcher Reese Grinberg reacted quickly, catching a foul bunt behind her—the first of two pop-up catches on bunts for her in the game.

“You will hear me say it over and over again that we are going to win with defense and pitching,” Scalzo said. “When you are playing a fantastic team like RBC, if you can get one, you need to hold on to it. They do not like it, but we call it fundamental practice. These kids continue to work hard on their technique. Their confidence is sky high right now, and I think that is our first game without an error all year.”

Looking ahead, Marlboro faces another challenging test this week, a trip to No. 2 Donovan Catholic on Friday. The Mustangs, now playing their best softball, have won eight of their last nine, with their only loss coming to No. 1 St. John Vianney. It’s a strong turnaround from their 2-2 season start, especially with several new faces and underclassmen in the lineup.

“I feel I take on the captain role, and I just want the freshmen to know they have a role too,” Gaudio said. “Obviously, Savannah Joy hit a triple when we needed it. That was huge for her, too. They need to know one day they’re going to have to fill the shoes. Scalzo says we don’t replace, we reload.”