SSI Softball Week 5 Top 10 Rankings

SSI Week 5 Softball Top 10

 

 

1. Donovan Catholic (20-0) Last Week: 1 – The last undefeated team in the Shore Conference continues to roll as the Shore Conference Tournament begins. The Griffins defeated No. 7 Marlboro before the start of the Shore Conference Tournament. After a first-round bye, the Griffins defeated Wall to advance into the quarterfinal round. Sophomore Isabella Cino hit her 9th home run of the season which ties her total from last season. She has hit seven in her last eight games. Donovan will host Marlboro, who is the No. 9 seed , on Monday in the quarterfinal round. If Donovan wins they will play the winner of the Middletown North/Colts Neck game on Wednesday in the semifinal round. 

 

2. St. John Vianney (12-1) Last Week: 2 – The Lancers are on an eight game winning streak since their loss to Red Bank Catholic on 4/15. They have only allowed four runs during that time span. Sophomores Emma Fitterer, Brynn Utter, and Mia Favato have combined for 11 home runs this season. The Lancers edged No. 5 Middletown North by a score of 1-0 in a pitchers’ duel and had zero issues in their second round game of the Shore Conference Tournament against New Egypt, winning 18-0. St. John Vianney will host No. 7 seed Middletown South on Monday in the quarterfinal game. If the Lancers win, they will play the winner of the Red Bank Catholic/Southern Regional game on Wednesday in the semifinal round. 

 

3. Red Bank Catholic (16-3) Last Week: 3 – The Caseys have won four straight games since losing to SJV and Donovan Catholic. RBC has only allowed two runs in that four game win streak with senior Lily Hagan and freshman Mackenna Savage splitting time on the mound. Hagan had 19 strikeouts while Savage 16 strikeouts during that run. After winning two non-divisional games, RBC defeated Holmdel in the second round of the SCT 8-0. Hagan only allowed one hit over five innings in that game. RBC will host No. 6 seed Southern on Monday in the SCT quarterfinal round. If RBC wins they will play the winner of the SJV/Middletown South game on Wednesday in the SCT semifinal round. 

 

 

4. Middletown North (10-8) Last Week: 5 –  Middletown North had a milestone week on the mound and only allowed one run in three games. Madilynn Boyce became the 26th player in the history of New Jersey to reach 1,000 strikeouts after striking out 18 against Manasquan in a 1-0 win. Sophomore Grace English followed that by not allowing an earned run against No. 2 St. John Vianney in a 1-0 defeat. After having a first-round bye, Middletown North defeated Central 7-0 in the second round of the SCT. Boyce struck out 11 batters to raise her total strikeout count this season and drove a run in. Middletown North will host No. 5 seed Colts Neck on Monday in the quarterfinal round. They split the season series with Middletown North winning the first game 2-0 and falling 4-0 in the second game. If the Lions win they will face the winner of the Donovan Catholic/Marlboro game on Wednesday in the semifinal round. 

 

5. Southern Regional (11-6) Last Week: 9 – Southern was the biggest mover this week as they finally moved up from the No. 9 spot. The Rams started the week with a 7-3 win over No. 4 Colts Neck. Emily Evans worked out of jams on the mound and hit a solo home run in the victory. In the second round of the SCT, Southern came from behind in a back-and-forth game with a walk-off win in the bottom of the 7th. After giving up three runs in the top of the 7th to trail 9-8, sophomore Abigail Krill hit a walk-off home run. Southern will travel to No. 3 seed Red Bank Catholic on Monday. Southern fell to the Caseys on 4/25 by a score of 11-5. Southern has won six out of seven since that game. If Southern wins, they will play the winner of SJV/Middletown South on Wednesday in the SCT semifinals. 

 

6. Colts Neck (8-8) Last Week: 4 – Colts Neck opened the week with an 11-9 victory against Howell, but fell to No. 9 Southern 7-3 in a tune-up game before the SCT. The Cougars earned a first round-bye and defeated No. 12 seed Jackson Memorial 5-2 in the second round. Colts Neck scored all five runs in the bottom of the 3rd, and Angela Sasso struck out 10 batters and allowed only four hits in the game. Colts Neck will play the No. 4 seed Middletown North for the third time this season in the quarterfinal round. In the first game they lost 2-0, but they followed that with a 4-0 win in the second game. If they win, they will play the winner of Donovan Catholic/Marlboro on Wednesday in the SCT semifinal round. 

 

7. Marlboro (9-9) Last Week: 7 – After falling to No. 1 Donovan Catholic in a tune-up game before the Shore Conference Tournament, Marlboro won their first two games of the SCT without giving up an earned run. The Mustangs have also scored 22 runs in the first two games of the SCT with Sarah Huang driving in four runs in the opening round against Jackson Liberty, and Lily Fitzpatrick and Reese Grinberg driving in three runs each in the two games. Junior Emily Gaudio struck out six batters in both games and held Raritan to just four hits in the second round. Marlboro will travel to No. 1 seed Donovan Catholic on Monday in the quarterfinal round. They lost to Donovan 6-0 on 5/7 in a tune-up game before the SCT. If the Mustangs win, they face the winner of the Middletown North/Colts Neck game on Wednesday in the semifinal round. On Tuesday, they host Allentown in the semifinals of the Monmouth County Tournament. 

 

8. Middletown South (13-3) Last Week: 8 – Middletown South has won seven out of their last eight games which includes their second round SCT game against No. 10 seed Pinelands. After having a bye in the first round, sophomore Riley Smith held Pinelands to just two hits and struck out 11 batters in the shutout victory. Middletown South will travel to No. 2 seed St. John Vianney on Monday. SJV beat the Eagles 10-0 on 5/2 in the Monmouth County Tournament. If Middletown South wins, they will play the winner of the RBC/Southern Regional on Wednesday in the SCT semifinals. The Eagles will host No. 10 Raritan on Wednesday to determine the Class A North champion. Both teams have one loss in the division with Middletown South holding the head-to-head advantage after a 2-0 win on 4/24 in extra innings. 

 

9. Pinelands (13-3) Last Week: 6 – Pinelands lost in a classic 9 inning battle against Jackson Memorial in the Ocean County Tournament final on Tuesday. Senior Elianna Meola pitched 8 shutout innings until the Jaguars scored in the bottom of the 9th. Meola only allowed six hits and one walk over the 9 innings. Meola followed that up with a 7 inning shutout in the opening round of the SCT against Toms River East. She allowed only three hits on the mound and had two hits at the plate and two runs scored for the Wildcats. Pinelands was eliminated in the second round by No. 7 seed Middletown South 5-0. Pinelands will travel to Monmouth on Monday before hosting Howell on Tuesday and Brick Memorial on Wednesday as they prepare for the South Jersey Group 3 playoffs.

 

10. Raritan (16-3) Last Week: 10 – Raritan won their first two games of the week  including an opening round game in the Shore Conference Tournament against Trinity Hall, but fell in the second round to No. 9 seed Marlboro. After defeating Toms River North in a tune-up game, Katelyn Ruta and Payton Fleming combined for 15 strikeouts in a 7-2 win against Trinity Hall. Marlboro was able to take advantage of several fielding miscues and held Raritan to just four hits in the second round game. Raritan hosts Point Boro on Tuesday in a non-divisional game and travels to No. 8 Middletown South on Wednesday in a game that will determine the Class B North winner. Both teams hold one loss, but Middletown South has the head-to-head after defeating Raritan 2-0 in extra innings on 4/24.

 

 

Bubble: Barnegat, Holmdel, Jackson Memorial