Shore Sports Insider 2025 Freshman of the Year and All-Freshmen Team

As the school year draws to a close and the first year of Shore Sports Insider, we will start the wrap up the spring post season awards. Over the next couple of weeks, SSI will be publishing the Coach of the Year, Hitter of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, Most Improved Player of the Year and the All-Shore Teams.  The first postseason award to be giving out is the SSI Freshman of the Year and All-Freshmen Team.

 

2025 SSI Freshman of the Year

 

Mackenna Savage, Red Bank Catholic

 

Similar to the other sports in the Shore Conference this past school year, the freshmen class for softball was deep and loaded with talent. Picking the Freshman of the Year came down to three players, but Mackenna Savage from Red Bank Catholic was selected for her ability to step up against some of the best pitchers in the Shore Conference. 

Playing in Class A North, Savage went up against the best pitchers in the Shore Conference. She had to face Angela Sasso of Colts Neck, Emily Gaudio of Marlboro, Madilynn Boyce of Middletown North and Madison McDougall of St. John Vianney two times during the regular season and faced Sasso and McDougall a third time during the Shore Conference Tournament. 

“One of the most impactful freshmen seasons as far as her ability to handle the pressure,” RBC head coach Tony Flego said. “Being surrounded by a strong senior group and she fit right in as if she was playing with them for 4 years.”

Savage went 6-for-12 against McDougall, who was last year’s New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year. One of her biggest hits of the season was a solo home run against McDougall in the Shore Conference Tournament semifinal round against SJV. Savage’s home run was the lone run of the game to send the Caseys back to the SCT final for the first time since 2010. 

Savage also came up with a clutch hit in the championship game to tie the game and eventually help the Caseys win their first SCT title since 2010. Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the 1st inning, she hit a triple in her first at-bat to score Nicole Knox and tie the game. Savage would draw a walk later in the game and score.

Besides finishing the season with 32 hits, 19 RBIs, and a .395 batting average, Savage also pitched 36 innings. She finished with a 2.89 ERA and struck out 47 batters. In her first start against Colts Neck, she struck out 10 batters in the victory. In what might have been her best pitching performance, she only allowed one earned run and struck out 8 batters against No. 1 Donovan Catholic.

“No situation seemed too big for her,” Flego said. “She stepped up when Lily Hagan was sick and beat Colts Neck and pitched well enough for us to beat Donovan Catholic. She will most likely be our #1 starter next year.”

 

2025 All-Freshmen Team

 

Catcher:

Caroline Davis, New Egypt

.364 AVG, 15 RBIS, 25 Runs, 6 2B, 15 BB, 3 SB

 

Olivia D’Erasmo, Point Beach

.400 AVG, 17 RBIS, 4 Runs, 1 3B, 3 2B, 3 BB, 3 SB

 

Infield:

Brooke Rizzo, Barnegat

.500 AVG, 34 RBIS, 26 Runs, 2 HR, 1 3B, 19 2B, 7 BB, 6 SB

Essie Harr, Wall

.400 AVG, 10 RBIS, 12 Runs, 5 2B, 2 BB

 

Lila Houlihan, Raritan

.385 AVG, 26 RBIS, 23 Runs, 3 HR, 1 3B, 7 2B, 9 BB, 3 SB

 

Ella Fischer, Toms River South

.426 AVG, 14 RBIS, 12 Runs, 1 HR, 1 2B, 8 BB, 2 SB

 

Outfield:

Olivia Lombardi, St. John Vianney

.403 AVG, 20 RBIS, 27 Runs, 2 HR, 3 2B, 8 SB

 

Jillian Heyser, Colts Neck

.407 AVG, 27 RBIS, 19 Runs, 4 HR, 1 3B, 9 2B, 1 SB

 

Kayla Rasmussen, Central

.387 AVG, 18 RBIS, 18 Runs, 2 HR, 4 2B, 3 SB

 

Flex:

Mackenna Savage, Red Bank Catholic

.395 AVG, 19 RBIS, 17 Runs, 3 HR, 3 3B, 5 2B, 5 BB

36.1 IP, 47 K, 2.89 ERA, 4 Wins

 

Leah Curry, Henry Hudson

.438 AVG, 15 RBIS, 16 Runs, 6 2B, 8 BB, 5 SB

 

Colleen Zdan, Ocean

.610 AVG, 30 RBIS, 24 Runs, 2 HR, 5 3B, 9 2B, 2 BB, 5 SB

 

Pitchers:

Katelyn Ruta, Raritan

110 IP, 85 K, 1.97 ERA, 14 Wins

.343 AVG, 11 RBIS, 16 Runs, 2 2B, 9 BB, 7 SB

 

Samantha Mahoney, Monmouth

101.1 IP, 60 K, 4.14 ERA, 8 Wins

 

Mia Ingenito, Jackson Memorial

54 IP, 54 K, 2.33 ERA, 4 Wins

.286 AVG, 8 RBIS, 19 Runs, 2 2B, 6 BB, 1 SB