With a convincing 8-2 victory over Emerson on Wednesday May 25, the girls softball team punched its ticket to the group sectional final next Tuesday, May 30.

The team went 19-4 in the regular season and won their conference championship.  They drew the one-seed in North 1 section 1 and so will host the sectional final against the Cedar Grove – North Warren winner.

Cadden Pelfree had three hits and Amber Reed had two hits and two RBI’s to lead the Lady Hillbillies’ scoring attack.  Kate Stanisci and Renata Primmer, who also had two hits, had RBI’s as well.  

Christina Colon’s pitching was dominant again as it has been throughout the playoffs.  She struck out 13 and did not allow any Emerson runs until their last at bat.   

In a first round win over Hopatcong, Colon had 9 strikeouts; in a second round defeat of New Milford, she had 14. 

Primmer and Reed also had two hits against Hopatcong.  Primmer, Pelfree, Kaityln Deo and Meghan Yeates all had RBI’s in that game. The hitting star against New Milford was Julia Rigney who had a key two-RBI double in that 3-0 win. 

Coach Angela Salisbury says the three playoff wins have “really been a full team effort.”  She thinks her team is a tough challenge for opponents not only because “every girl in the lineup is capable of getting a key hit, ” but because “with Christina on the mound and the eight girls behind her, teams really have to earn their hits.”

She is especially happy for her five seniors, Meghan Yeates, Kaitlyn Deo, Rebecca Russomano, Taylor Reed, and Kristen Selby:  “This is a great group of girls with a lot of softball experience and I’m glad they are getting this opportunity (to play deep into the playoffs).”