Pictures by: Jesse Brothers – The Jersey Journal

Story By Jason Bernstein – The Jersey Journal
Sophie Chong was a 9-year-old outfielder when her father and softball coach Argenis had her pitch to twin sister Samantha for the first time.

“We needed a pitcher and my dad was the coach so he just put us there because he knew we could do what he needed us to do,” Samantha said. “We were kind of just thrown into it and it just clicked.”

With Sophie in the circle and Samantha behind the plate, the Weehawken softball program has enjoyed a dramatic turnaround. The Indians, who won just four games prior to the arrival of Samantha, Sophie and five other three-year starters, have gone 42-32 since, and are poised to enter the spring as legitimate contenders for Hudson County and Group 1 championships.

At the forefront of the Indians’ revival have been the twins. Samantha is a vocal leader behind the plate with an even louder bat, hitting .493 with four homers, 33 RBI and 22 runs scored.

Sophie, who is 80 minutes older, is the quieter of the two, but sets the tone with both her arm and bat. This spring, she hit .519 with three homers, 30 runs scored and 22 RBI. In the circle, she went 15-9 with a 1.49 ERA and 227 strikeouts in 155 innings.

Not only are the two among the best batteries in North Jersey, but few, if any, can match their chemistry.

“It’s a big advantage since we’ve been doing it for so long and she calls the game so we know each other,” Sophie said. “Honestly, there are times I don’t even have to look at her fingers, I’ll already know what to throw.”

“When Sophie and I go to tournaments and we see other pitchers and catchers, sometimes it’s hard to find the right two who match up,” said Samantha, who called her own pitches this spring. “Chemistry doesn’t come easy so I think having the advantage of being sisters and being pitcher and catcher with the chemistry that we have with each other is a huge advantage.”

Like most siblings, there are the occasional disagreements – usually confined to the dugout over pitch selection. The two also have a friendly, yet competitive rivalry in virtually everything they do, from the diamond, to the basketball court – where both are starting forwards – as well as the classroom.

Such sibling rivalry was even an underlying theme during their pursuit of individual milestones. They were neck and neck in a race to see who could get their 100th career hit first. Both Samantha and Sophie needed three hits entering a May 10 game against Secaucus.

Each had two hits going into the top of the sixth when Sophie roped a double for her 100th career hit. Then, just a few minutes later, Samantha doubled for her 100th hit, scoring Sophie.

“It was pretty crazy. I don’t think you could get something more perfect,” Sophie said. “Honestly, if I were to get it before her or if she got it before me, the other would never be able to live it down.”

“It was absolutely insane. I didn’t think it would happen any other way,” Samantha said. “Right now, it’s about supporting each other. If Sophie got her 100th hit before me would I have been upset? Yes, but what I would be more proud than upset because we both want each other to do the best that we possibly can.”

Both girls have college interest from multiple Division II and Division III programs. Each is aware that this could be their last time playing together and are prepared to make the most of it.

“I just want to have something to prove that we were good athletes,” Sophie said. “Right now we don’t have any banners in the (Weehawken) gym, just talk. I want to have something to show people. My dad has a couple of banners up in the high school and my mom (Donna) has the plaque. I just want something like that to show me kids or my friends.”

 

Weehawken