Fast Start Powers Jackson to 7-2 Win Over Central
JACKSON — Every now and then, one of the old adages in sports is wrong. In this case, the phrase “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish”, does not apply, at least to the offense. Jackson came out of the gates firing with one run in the first inning and six runs in the second inning in a strong, 7-2 win over Central. Nearly all the action occurred in the first two innings as neither team scored a run beyond that point.
Sophomore pitcher Mia Ingenito was a force in the circle and at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a triple, a double, and a single. In the lead-off spot, she cracked an early double and scored the first run for the Jaguars. She finished the game with two runs scored and two RBI’s.
“My approach is to swing at the first strike that I see, and my thought is just to get on base, and my teammates will hit me in,” Ingenito said.
Jackson pitcher Mia Ingenito (Photo by Samantha Mayer)
Junior OF Emily Galvin gave the Jaguars a big lift, going 3-for-4 and scoring a run during Jackson’s early spurt that gave them a 7-0 lead.
In the bottom of the 2nd inning, the Golden Eagles received a jolt of energy after junior Kayla Fedor crushed a 2-run dinger over the left field fence. Despite the temporary momentum, Ingenito settled in with a strong defense behind her and ultimately shut down Central for the rest of the game.
Central’s Kayla Fedor celebrates a 2-run home run (Photo by Samantha Mayer)
“My teammates were able to score seven runs, and having the lead we did, I knew we would be fine,” said Ingenito in reaction to the home run she gave up in the second inning.
It is no secret that the Jackson school system went through a major merger this past year. While the school has been unified since September, the softball team, as a spring sport, was among the last teams to begin the acclimation process. Head Coach Laura Borelli, who was the Jackson Liberty coach before the merger, is pleased with the team and the process.
“Honestly, it’s been great,” Borelli said. “The girls have been so excited to be playing together. They’re all super close, so it’s brought a new energy and everything else gives us a ton of options. We have a lot of great athletes, so it just makes the possibilities, you know, limitless for what we can do. It’s just a matter of bringing everything together.”
Jackson’s Brianna Reilly catches a pop-up (Photo by Samantha Mayer)
The Jackson softball team has a good balance of former Memorial and Liberty players. Last year’s Jackson Memorial team was the Ocean County Tournament champions.
“I know everybody started the season slow with the weather and everything else,” Borelli said. “This winter was the first time we were able to bring everyone together, and we are all coming from different backgrounds. Everyone has been patient, open and buying in, which is exciting. I think everybody is kind of finding their place, and realizing that everyone here is supporting them wherever they are, and they’re just taking advantage of the opportunities given to them.”
Jackson is gaining momentum with two wins in a row after three early-season losses to Donovan Catholic, Southern, and Barnegat. The Jaguars’ win over Central looks strong on paper as the Golden Eagles have wins against Southern, Pinelands and Lacey, along with a close game against Donovan Catholic to start the season.
Jackson (2-3, 2-2) is right back to it next week with games against Pinelands and Southern.
Central (3-2, 1-2) will host No. 9 Raritan on Friday.
