SADDLE BROOK – Taryn DiGiacomo couldn’t sleep Friday night.
Sure, the junior had been pitching all season for Saddle Brook. But Saturday was the first time since late March that she would be allowed to hit against live pitching in a game.
DiGiacomo, the final piece to return to full strength in the Falcons’ injury-riddled season, went 3-for-3 with three RBI to help lead a 13-hit attack as fifth-seeded Saddle Brook rolled over No. 12 Park Ridge, 11-1, in the first round of the North 1, Group 1 state sectional softball tournament.
“If there was an obstacle to be faced this season, I think we faced it,” said the left-hander, who also scattered six hits and struck out two. “This is the first time we’ve all been on the field together healthy [since the preseason], and we really want it.”
The Falcons (16-9), who face fourth-seeded Hopatcong in the second round this week, are getting healthy at just the right time, going 4-0 this week while scoring just under 12 runs per game.
They have made themselves a much more dangerous team than they were at the state cutoff date a week ago.
