Cowell’s Hustle Play Lifts Middletown South Past RBC in SCT Quarterfinals

MIDDLETOWN — After needing extra innings in each of their first two meetings against Red Bank Catholic, Middletown South finally secured a regulation victory over the Caseys, earning a 4-3 win on Saturday to advance to the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals.

The Eagles and Caseys battled through five scoreless innings, with both teams stranding runners in every frame except the top of the first. Middletown South finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring four runs in what proved to be the decisive stretch of the game.

What initially appeared to be a routine infield play ultimately became the difference. Sophomore Jordyn Cowell hit a hard ground ball between third base and shortstop. RBC shortstop Grace Lombardi made a strong play on the ball, but Cowell narrowly beat the throw to first, allowing Mia Collins to score and extend the Eagles’ lead to 4-0.

“Jordyn Cowell’s hustle down to first base was a game changer,” Middletown South head coach Lisa Smith said. “Lombardi [Grace] made a great play in the five/six hole. Without that run, we are probably going to extra innings.”

Middletown South sent 10 batters to the plate in the inning while executing a small-ball approach. The Eagles collected six singles, along with a walk and a hit batter. Junior Riley Smith ignited the momentum with a hard-hit single, and Cowell capped it with another sharp base hit.

“I just wanted to get a single,” Cowell said. “Contact helps everything in a game when it is this close, especially when you need it. My thought process was just to go up and tap it, tap it out of the infield.”

Junior Nora Sarcone was then hit by a pitch in a moment that sparked disagreement from the RBC dugout, as the Caseys believed the pitch did not make contact. Sophomore Quinnlynn Heaney followed with the game’s first run-scoring hit, lining a single to right field.

Sarcone, who stole home in Middletown South’s second-round win over Middletown North, successfully executed another double steal to give the Eagles a 2-0 advantage. Junior Ciara Sparandero later added an insurance run with a two-out RBI single to right field, scoring Chloe Testa, who had reached on a fielder’s choice.

Middletown South consistently put pressure on Red Bank Catholic offensively, reaching base with the leadoff hitter in every inning through either a walk, single or error. The Eagles placed the first two batters aboard in the bottom of the first inning, but RBC pitcher MacKenna Savage escaped the threat by retiring the next three hitters, including two strikeouts.

“There was some frustration inside, but we did a really good job not showing it,” Cowell said. “There is a lot of frustration when the leadoff girl does her job and gets on base and then we can not produce.”

Like Savage, Smith repeatedly worked out of trouble and kept RBC scoreless through six innings despite several scoring opportunities for the Caseys. In the top of the fourth inning, RBC loaded the bases with a single, walk and error, but Smith responded by striking out the next two batters to end the threat. She again escaped trouble in the fifth inning, stranding runners on the corners to preserve the scoreless tie.

“Riley [Smith] is one of the best pitchers in the Shore Conference,” Cowell said. “She has the best mentality no matter what happens. Being able to have her as our pitcher, but also having an amazing catcher [Sarcone], who calls every pitch for Riley. Riley is able to produce and then have a strong defense behind Riley that she can trust.”

Red Bank Catholic mounted a late rally in the seventh inning and refused to go quietly. Sophomore Vivian Rudolph, who finished 2-for-2 with a sacrifice bunt, opened the inning with a single to left field and was one of two Caseys players with multiple hits.

After a groundout, Lombardi delivered a two-run home run to left field, cutting the deficit to 4-2.

RBC continued to apply pressure with two outs when Savage reached third base following a dropped fly ball in center field and later scored on a single by Brooke Rodriguez. With the tying run on base, Riley Smith regrouped and recorded a game-ending strikeout to secure the victory.

“Our first game and even our second game against them there were runners on base,” Riley Smith said. “There was pressure and there was tension and things were happening, so I have been there before. The first game I got a little shaken up but we wound up coming out on top, but it was not as pretty as I wanted it to be. This game I knew I have been there before and I can do it and I just had to calm myself down.”

Middletown South will travel Monday to face top-seeded St. John Vianney in the SCT semifinals. The Eagles dropped both regular-season meetings against the undefeated Lancers, falling 5-0 and 8-0.

Competing in the highly competitive American Division has helped prepare Middletown South for another deep postseason run. The Eagles believe the level of competition they faced throughout the regular season has positioned them well heading into both the SCT semifinals and the upcoming Central Jersey Group 3 tournament.

“This year has probably been the best pitching we have seen,” Riley Smith said. “The A-North Division has amazing pitching. I think going into sectional play you are going to see a little less good pitching and be able to hit more. We know we have been in big games before so it will keep us grounded.”