Courier-Post from Camden, New Jersey • Page 40

12C COURIER-POST, Sunday, June 7, 1998 mmm mmm whm take Wins 4th state title in 5 years 4, 1 And 2 1 v4 The Panthers made it 6-2 on a' two-out RBI single by JerryT Dorest. Then the Audubon defense fell apart as it committed two errors around two walks and a two-run double by Mike Torpey off Dexter, who had relieved! Smulktis. All of a sudden it was" 6-6 and Glen Rock (20-6) had new life. But the Green Wave quickly took the air out of Glen Rock's hopes thanks in part to thet Panthers themselves. With one' out in the bottom of the sixth, Matt Furman struck out, but he reached first when Glen Rock sophomore catcher Brian Hirsch-5" berg committed his fourth passed ball of the game.

ii After Dexter, who had hit a 370-foot two-run homer in the second, flied to left, catcher John Oehler lifted a towering drive to center for a double that chased Furman home with what proved, to be the winning run. "As soon as I hit it I thought it had a chance to get over his head," Oehler said. But Glen Rock came right back in the seventh. Jeff Peluse singled to right and losing pitcher Tom Dombrosky walked. After a sacrifice bunt advanced the runners, Dexter got the second out on an infield popup and then ended the game with his strikeout of Tyburski.

3 "Mark went out and pitched his heart out for us today," Horan said. Audubon was fortunate to even have Dexter for the game. He injured his knee in the semifinal game against Voorhees and he wasn't inserted into the lineup until 30 minutes before game time. "I felt all along I would be playing," Dexter said. "I have iced the knee at least 50 times since Tuesday.

I wasn't absolutely sure I would be in the starting lineup until the trainer came and checked my new brace out. I was able to run about the 75-percent level and overall I thought I played at 90 percent." The Green Wave, who had to battle through a rough 10 days centering around the tragic death of Audubon cheerleader and athlete Lori Hollinger, won despite having one of their poorest showings of the year in the field, committing four errors that led to five unearned runs. "Yeah, it was probably our worst game of the year in the field," Audubon coach Rich Hor-an said. "Glen Rock put the ball in play and kept the pressure on us. But the kids faced the adversity and came right back.

I have never had a team that could face adversity like this team did all season." The Green Wave took a 6-1 lead into the top of the sixth behind the strong pitching of Ryan Smulktis, who had allowed only an unearned run in the third until that point. By BOB VIGGIANO Courier-Post Staff TOMS RIVER As the drama unfolded in the top of the seventh inning of the Group 2 state championship baseball game Saturday, Audubon High School's Mark Dexter stood alone on the mound with only his thoughts and sore right knee. Dexter and his teammates were clinging to a 7-6 lead and were only one strike away from giving Audubon its fourth state championship in the last five years. But North Jersey champion Glen Rock had the tying and go-ahead runs at second and third, respectively. "The only thing going through my mind was I knew I had to throw strikes," Dexter said.

"I knew I was throwing a little below my average standard so I had to reach back for something extra." On his next pitch Dexter whistled a fastball at the Panthers' Doug Tyburski, who swung and missed to set off a wild Audubon celebration as the Green Wave completed their remarkable 30-2 season at Toms River North. Audubon is ranked No. 1 in the Courier-Post Top 20 Poll. "This is a perfect ending to a phenomenal season," Dexter said. "Just a great season to be part of and nobody could have had better teammates than I have had at Audubon." By Scott Anderson, Courier-Post scores as the ball gets away from Glen Rock catcher Brian of Saturday's Group 2 state championship game.

i Scores: Audubon's Tom Klein Hirschberg in the fourth inning lit decision for EE 1 lop Eustace Seniors lead softball team to 3rd straight state crown "tw jmiih mm. nimn -tv -mm jjimu wii wnu tf (At By LEE WAGNER Courier-Post Staff TOMS RIVER Bishop Eustace Prep School seniors Clarisa Apostol, Megan Johnston and Jen Moore have been a patient and dedicated trio. The last two years while the Crusaders were winning the Group (1996) and Group A (1997) state softball titles the three seniors dutifully did their jobs, allowing the seniors to lead those teams to championships. Saturday, it their turn. Apostol tripled home two runs with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, and Johnston scattered six hits and struck out five to lead Bishop Eustace to a 4-3 win over Immaculate Heart Academy in the Group A state championship game.

It was the hat trick for the Crusaders softball program -three state titles in three years and it allowed the seniors to leave with a four-year record of 101-13. Ji VTop-to-bottom, this team never quit," Eustace coach Mike Sacca said. "We're not as strong as last year, hitting-wise, but we played good defense and waited patiently until someone made something happen. "I sometimes have wondered when the magic was going to run put, but it seems every time it was about to, someone has another trick up their sleeve." I time it was Apostol," who by her own admission, has not hit By Scott Anderson, Courier-Post Janine Kelley cannot hold onto the ball as Immaculate Heart's Group A state title game Saturday. Apostol, who had been hit by a pitch.

Immaculate Heart grabbed a 2-1 lead in the top of tha third on a double, single, an error and another single, but the Crusaders tied it in the bottom of the inning on a leadoff walk to McNamara and Johnston's RBI double. The Blue Eagles (23-8) regained the lead in the top of the fifth on a one-out single by leadoff hitter Meaghan Asselta, who stole second and third and scored on a throwing error. That set up the winning rally in the sixth, and Johnston took it Baseball team falls! short in Group A By WALT BURROWS Courier-Post Staff EAST BRUNSWICK Bish op Eustace Prep School ran the" bases'with reckless abandon all; season. The same style of base running proved the Crusaders' downfall in a 2-1 loss to St. Joseph of Montvale in the Group A stater championship baseball game Saturday on Middlesex Vo-Tech's neatly manicured field.

Bishop Eustace, 27-5 and ranked No. 2 in the fourier-Post Top 20 Poll, had one runner thrown out at home plate and two more trying to steal third The biggest mistake came in the sixth inning with the Crusaders trailing 2-1. 1 With one out, Eustace's Eric Voelker, who had singled in each of his two previous at-bats, was-hit by a pitch. He stole second but was thrown out by catcher1 Jeremy Askew trying to steal third. "It was a misread," Bishop Eustace coach Sam Tropiano said.

"We fake a bunt on the play and if the runner sees the third baseman charging, he goes. "But the third baseman didn't charge and the runner should have stayed put. We've done it all year. I like to be aggressive on the bases. It was just a bad read by us." The Crusaders didn't go down without a fight in their last bat.

With two outs, second baseman Nick Italiano, who, like Voelkef, had two hits in his team's seven-hit attack, successfully laid down a bunt for a single. Winning pitcher Nick Gallp (9-1) then got Brett Stambolian to loft a game-ending fly to left fielder Will Graziano. It was a tough loss for Marc Sauer, who limited the North Jersey champions to five hits while striking out four and walking none. "Marc threw a great Tropiano said of his 9-3 senior right-hander. We could have played better behind him.

"I feel bad for him. He carried us all year and we couldn't get it done for him today." St. Joseph's scored a run in the second inning' on a pair of doubles by Ron Cicatelli and Will Kibler both of which seemingly Please seet BASEBALL, Page 13ty as well this season as she would have liked. Eustace trailed 3-2 entering the bottom of the sixth, when junior Krissy Clewley started the winning rally with a chop single that was just over the glove of Immaculate Heart pitcher Patty Kern. Junior Lisa Ferraina followed with a successful sacrifice bunt something the Crusaders failed to do twice earlier in the game that moved Clewley to second.

"Coach told me to get the bunt down and if I got two strikes to slap it in the hole on the right side," Ferraina said. "I wanted to be patient but she threw a fastball down the middle on the first pitch, and I knew it was the one. I didn't want to chance her getting two strikes on me." After Kern recorded a strikeout, junior leadoff hitter Crista Farrell hit a bouncer to second that looked like the second out. But Blue Eagles second baseman Dana Pasini appeared to glance at Clewley as she headed for third and bobbled the ball, allowing Farrell to reach first safely. Farrell stole second and Apostol followed with a shot over the right fielder's head that scored Clewley with the tying run, and Farrell with the game-winner.

"Today it seemed I was hitting everything to the right side and she threw me a fastball outside and I was able to get it up into the wind," said Apostol, who flew out to right in the second inning then don't blink, don't dare Lr i oiinx they re seniors trying on caps and gowns. One day they're young and and improving, with everything front of them. The next they're all grown, all finished in day all nostalgic. "It's going to be so hard leave." said Jnhnsrnn to un- furled another tough, tenacious pitching performance in another big game, securing her 75th career victory on a sunny, windy day at Toms River North High School. "It's like, next March 8, I don't know what I'm going to do since I won't be playing for this team." Said Moore: "Well be in total denial.

We'll be like Ace Ventura when he goes to the mental institution, saying, 'Put me in Well just be dying to play one more game for this team." It ends for everybody, but it's a rare, rare group that can walk away with as many accomplish-mentsin the scrapbook as this AnastasiaFor 3 Bishop Eustace seniors a nostalgic, but winning, feeling Run in: Bishop Eustace catcher Meaghan Asselta scored in their and grounded out to second in the fourth. "I don't think I've been hitting like I should all year, and the team has been picking me up, so it feels good to be the one doing the picking up. "I was extremely nervous going into the batter's box. I knew it was the bottom of the sixth, and I'm just a person who believes the home team shouldn't have to bat in the bottom of the seventh, was the biggest hit of my career." Eustace (27-2, with 18 straight victories) took a 1-0 lead on sophomore Lindsey McNamara's first-inning single that scored trio of Bishop Eustace seniors. They were four-year letterwin-ners (Johnston and Moore both started as freshmen, while Apostol was a substitute) for a program that went an incredible 101-13 during their time in school, including four South Jersey titles.

All three started as sophomores, juniors and seniors, as the Crusaders won game after game, title after title. "One thing they said before the season was that the two previous groups of seniors went out as state champions and they weren't going to let it end," Bishop Eustace coach Mike Sacca said. "We weren't as powerful a team as we were last year, with l-to-9 (hitters) who could pop the ball. "But those girls pull this team through. They're tough kids, great kids, great leaders." You win that many games, there's going, to be some sweet victories, some memorable mo from there.

Taking the lead into the top of the seventh, Johnston, who threw 102 pitches 69 of them for strikes and struck out five, struck out the first two batters and watched as third baseman Moore threw out Immaculate Heart freshman Liz Kenyan at first for the final out. "The adrenalin was really high in that last inning because I wanted to win this game really bad," said Johnston, who finished her Eustace career with 75 victories. "Winning the last two titles was great, but winning this one is extra special." It's like a dream." Said Moore: "That was awesome, that it was Clarisa that got the hit." Johnston struck out the first two batters in the top of the seventh, and Moore fielded the last ground ball of her career, and made the last throw from third, for the last out, the very last out. That produced the familiar mid-field mob scene of joyous teammates, although this celebration probably felt a little different, a little bittersweet, for three of the girls in black-and-white uniforms. "To play your last game ever and to win like this, it's the best feeling," Apostol said.

"I can't even describe it. We left our hearts out there on the field." Phil Anastasia is the sports columnist for the Courier-Post. He can be reached at 486-2424 or by fax at 663-2jB31. i 'Continued from Page 1C i But this was different the tone of it, the whole feel of They knew it, too. 1 "It's definitely different," said Moore, the third baseman and 3 hitter in the lineup.

"When you're a junior and a sophomore, it's like you're doing it for the seniors. You want to win tor them, because it's the end for them, and that's the way you want them to go out. "But now we're the seniors and (everybody on the team is behind trying to push us through." It's one of the best and worst things about scholastic sports, fleeting nature of the whole iDusiness, mis Dittersweet lmper- nanence. No matter how enad thev arc no matter how much they win, no nlAVpr ran ulnar ihe rolonHnr jfThey just don't last, not these 'i One day they're freshmen and then, boom, they're juniors, and ments. But this one was one of the best, if not the best.

The Crusaders fell behind twice, 2-1 and 3-2, as a little bit of shaky fielding undermined Johnston's strong pitching, as a few runners were left on bases in the early innings. "I was definitely worried," Apostol said. But the Crusaders rallied the first time as Johnston's RBI double tied the score at 2-2. They came back again as Apostol the center fielder and No. 2 hitter in the lineup came through with the biggest hit of her career in the last at-bat of her career, a two-out, two-run triple to give the Crusaders a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth.

"I was extremely nervous," Apostol said. "I knew that was it. I just wanted to see the ball and hit the ball. I kept my fingers crossed. "It's the biggest hit I ever had..