SSI Softball Week 6 Top 10 Rankings

SSI Week 6 Softball Top 10

 

1. Red Bank Catholic (18-3) Last Week: 3 – Red Bank Catholic is the third team this season to reach the top spot in the SSI Softball Rankings. A combination of beating St. John Vianney for the second time this season and Donovan Catholic getting upset in the quarterfinal round of the Shore Conference Tournament moves the Caseys up two spots. Freshman Mackenna Savage was the hero in the semifinal round with a solo home run in the first inning which would prove to be the games only run. Senior Lily Hagan held SJV to just one hit to send RBC to their first SCT final since 2010. The Caseys will play 5th seeded Colts Neck on Monday at 7 p.m. at Count Basie Park in Red Bank for the SCT title. 

 

2. Donovan Catholic (20-1) Last Week: 1 – After winning their first 20 games of the season, Donovan was handed their first loss of the season and eliminated in the quarterfinal round of the SCT to Marlboro. This will be the first time since the 2017 season that Donovan will not be playing for a SCT championship. Donovan is currently the No. 2 seed in South Jersey Group A. They will travel to Point Boro on Monday, host Kingsway on Tuesday, and host Livingston on Wednesday in tune-up games. 

 

3. St. John Vianney (13-2) Last Week: 2 – After not allowing a run in both the second round and the quarterfinals of the SCT, the Lancers gave up one run against rival RBC in the first inning of the semifinal match-up. That lone run by the Caseys prevented SJV from going to their third straight SCT final. Both of SJV’s losses this season have come at the hands of RBC. The Lancers are currently the No. 3 seed in South Jersey Group A, less than a point behind RBC and Donovan. Currently, SJV is scheduled to host South Plainfield on Friday and travel to Steinert on Saturday as they prepare to defend their Group A title. 

 

4. Colts Neck (11-8) Last Week: 6 – Colts Neck is one of two public schools to play in the SCT final since Covid, and it will be their second time playing for a title since 2021 whe, they fell to Donovan by a score of 3-2. Colts Neck started the week with a 2-1 victory in 8 innings against divisional rival Middletown North. Gabriella Bryce hit the game winning home run in the top of the 8th after starting the game 0-3. Bryce continued the strong hitting with two home runs against No. 8 Middletown South in a non-divisional game and a solo shot against Marlboro in the semifinal round of the SCT. Pitcher Angela Sasso has been dominant both on the mound and in the batter’s box. She has only allowed three runs in the three SCT games, and she hit a 2-run home run in the semifinal round to get the bats going for Colts Neck. Colts Neck will play the No. 3 seed RBC on Monday for the SCT title at Count Basie Park in Red Bank. 

 

5. Marlboro (10-11) Last Week: 7 – Marlboro might be under .500, but they have two of the biggest wins of the season in the Shore Conference. After beating Cedar Grove, who was ranked No. 5 in New Jersey at the time, the Mustangs have gone 3-3, losing their next three games, but winning their first three games in the SCT. Marlboro shocked the state by defeating No. 1 Donovan Catholic by a score of 9-7 in 10 innings to advance into the SCT semifinals. Marlboro handed Donovan their first loss of the season. Marlboro’s SCT run came to end in a 5-2 defeat to Colts Neck on Friday. Marlboro will travel to Watchung Hills on Tuesday and Mount St. Dominic on Wednesday as they prepare to defend their Central Jersey Group 4 title. Marlboro, who has won back-to-back sectional titles, is currently the No. 3 seed in CJG4.

 

6. Middletown North (10-9) Last Week: 4 –  The Lions fell 2-1 to fifth seeded Colts Neck in the quarterfinal round of the SCT. Middletown North took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 4th, but Colts Neck tied it in the 6th and scored the game winner in the top of the 8th. Middletown North is currently the No. 8 seed in Central Jersey Group 3 and will travel to Barnegat on Tuesday in a tune-up game for sectionals. A win can move them up the power point standings. 

 

7. Southern Regional (12-7) Last Week: 5 – After beating Barnegat in a back and forth game to advance into the quarterfinal round of the SCT, Southern fell to third seeded RBC on Monday to end their SCT run. Southern defeated Mainland in a non-conference game on Thursday by a score of 7-2. Southern is currently the No. 4 seed in South Jersey Group 3 and will host No. 9 Pinelands on Tuesday before the Wednesday state cut-off. Southern will travel to Point Boro on Thursday to finish their Class A South schedule. 

 

 

8. Middletown South (13-5) Last Week: 8 – Middletown South played just two games last week due to the weather. The Eagles fell to the No. 2 seed St. John Vianney to open the week before falling to fourth seeded Colts Neck 4-1 in a tune-up before they start their run in Central Jersey Group 3. They are currently sitting as the No. 2 seed with the state cut-off being moved to Wednesday due to the rain last week. Colts Neck is right behind them as the No. 3 seed. Middletown South will travel to Howell on Monday and host No. 1 Red Bank Catholic on Wednesday. The Eagles will host No. 10 Raritan on Saturday to determine the Class B North division winner. Both teams have one divisional loss this season. Middletown South defeated Raritan 2-0 in 8 innings on 4/24.

 

9. Pinelands (15-3) Last Week: 9 – Pinelands picked up two wins last week after being eliminated from the SCT. They defeated Monmouth 6-1 and Brick Memorial 4-1 in non-divisional games as they prepare for South Jersey Group 3. They currently sit in 4th place in the section. Pinelands travels to No. 7 Southern on Tuesday in a tune-up game for the state tournament. 

 

10. Raritan (16-3) Last Week: 10 – Unfortunately, rain washed out all the games on the schedule for Raritan last week. The Rockets have five games scheduled next week as they prepare for Central Jersey Group 2. They currently sit in fourth place in the section with the cut-off being Wednesday. They travel to Brick Memorial on Monday and Freehold Township on Wednesday. Raritan hosts Point Beach on Tuesday and Woodbridge on Thursday. On Saturday, they travel to No. 8 Middletown South to decide the winner of Class B North. Middletown South defeated Raritan 2-0 in 8 innings on 4/24.

 

 

Bubble: Barnegat, Howell, Jackson Memorial, Holmdel