POMPTON LAKES – It was a well-deserved win for a team that felt it, well, deserved it.
Pompton Lakes got nine strikeouts from Dez Cosgrove and sophomore catcher Emily Fitzpatrick went 2-for-3 with a key two-run double as the Cardinals defeated Saddle Brook, 6-1, in the first round of the North 1, Group 1 tournament Monday.
“Some games have gone our way and some haven’t, but we’ve come to play in the bigger games,” said Cardinals coach Karyn Hennessy. “I just think if you work hard and everyone accepts their role – which these kids have – they deserve to get something at the end.”
“I think we did deserve it,” said Cardinals senior shortstop Nicki MacDonald. “Everyone put in as much effort as they could.”
Saddle Brook and Pompton Lakes have an extensive softball history, having been rivals in the old B-PSL (Bergen-Passaic Scholastic League), but now are in different divisions of the North Jersey Interscholastic Conference. The teams still try to play an independent game if the schedule allows.
“I knew they’d be scrappy and well coached,” said Hennessy. “That was enough to get us ready.”
The Cardinals (14-9) looked prepared and went ahead 1-0 in the second inning on a booming triple by Noemi Gavazzi which scored Fitzpatrick from first. Meg Keating then laid down a safety squeeze which brought in Gavazzi.
Cardinals first baseman Nina Bruno led off the bottom of the fourth with a long triple and would score on a wild pitch.
Fitzpatrick added the decisive blow with a two-run double in the fifth to make it 5-0. Gavazzi tacked on the last run with an RBI groundout.
“Coach had talked to us before the game and said just focus on the little things,” said Fitzpatrick. “Just get base hits, don’t look for a home run, but just focus on trying to move the baserunners and score.”
“We talked about just not trying to do too much,” said Hennessy. “We might need the bottom of the lineup to get a bunt down, a girl to come in and run, we wanted to be heads up and aggressive, but also concentrating on whatever your job is, getting it done.”
Hennessy lauded Fitzpatrick’s contributions to the Cardinals this season. She has had to assume full-time catching duties because injuries forced Madison Hanna to play third.
“Emiy has been behind the plate the last few games,” said Hennessy. “She’s a pretty focused hitter. We recently moved her to the four spot and she tends to come through for us.”
The other big story for the Cardinals was Cosgrove in the circle. Saddle Brook (15-9) threatened with two on in the fifth, but Cosgrove made a nice play on a ground ball back to the mound to retire Gianna Leone. Then in the sixth, the Falcons had runners on second and third with one out, but Cosgrove got out of the jam with a strikeout on a brilliant change-up.
The Cardinals still rue the opportunity they had in the Passaic County quarterfinals against Passaic Valley, losing a heartbreaker 2-1, despite playing well. In the next round of the State Tournament they will draw second-seeded Hasbrouck Heights.
“I know they’re good,” said Hennessy. “We’ll take it.”
