Courier-Post from Camden, New Jersey • Page 72

1 2D COURIER-POST, Sunday, June 4, 1989 State Softball Championships Shelfon leads Ocean City to a state championship Game-winning hit highlights sweet 1 6 birthday Group 3 'tt Sir i fSf fife! iCT f' jig-; Wx 1 vr we get on a roll." Ocean City's lineup is predominantly composed of underclassmen. But for Garrity, a senior shortstop, the victory was a culmination of four years of hard work. "It never entered my mind (winning the state title) until we beat Central in the South Jersey sectionals," said Garrity. "They had beaten us three of the last four tries and always seemed to be in our way. Then we lost to Millville and Mainland this week and that sort of put a damper on things.

"I don't think that we were that sure of ourselves early in the game. But once things started to happen, we got psyched. We're a sixth-, seventh-inning team. We've been rallying late all year." Garrity said that Ocean City had faced tough pitching throughout the tournament "I knew that it was a matter of time before we scored some runs off of her," said Garrity. "She threw hard but not as hard as what we've seen." Langanella went into the final with 14 shutouts and an 0.14 earned run average.

She had given up only seven earned runs all season. She finished with 11 strikeouts. By ED CUNEO Courier-Post Staff EWING Yesterday was Tri-cia Shelton's birthday. But it was Shelton who presented Ocean City High School with its greatest gift as she singled in two runs in the top of the fifth inning to give the Red Raiders a 3-1 victory over Paramus and the state Group 3 softball championship at Trenton State College. That was exactly what winning pitcher Beth Reeves, a sophomore, needed.

She finished with a six-hitter and struck out two. The championship was Ocean City's first and the first time the Red Raiders had reached the state final after winning six South Jersey sectional championships. Ocean City suffered a rough start, committing two errors in the first inning to give 25-3 Paramus a 1-0 lead. But Shelton, who turned 16 yesterday, and Ocean City managed to pull out the victory with a three-run fifth. Shannon Garrity, the team's sparkplug shortstop, drew a walk to lead off the inning.

After a strikeout, Jen Blizzard reached base on an error. Garrity and Bliz- zard pulled a double steal to put runners at second and third. Losing pitcher Melissa Langan-ella, 25-3, got Pam Schneider to pop up, but Shelton lined the first pitch from Langanella for a double to right-center to chase Garrity and Blizzard home. Jen Frank followed with a single to score Shelton. "There were two on and all I could think about was getting a base hit because I knew that we needed it," said Shelton.

"It was right down the middle. I decided that I was going to swing at the first pitch down the middle and it happened to be the first one that I saw." Until Shelton's heroics, Langanella had kept 19-6 Ocean City in check. The senior right-hander struck out nine and allowed only two hits through four innings. "I've been hitting pretty well since I came back about seven games ago," said Shelton, who missed most of the middle of the season with mononucleosis. "Langanella was throwing pretty well.

But once we get something going, Courier-Post photo by Rachelle Omenson Safe: Ocean City first baseman Tricia Shelton Baraty reaches safely during yesterday's state stretches for the throw as Paramus Danielle Group 3 championship game. Whippany Park, Courter stop Gloucester's magic carpet ride By ED CUNEO Courier-Post Staff Group 1 bunch also. From one to nine in the batting order there wasn't an easy out. We got this far. It's been a fine season." Courter said that Whippany Park is so good that anyone could have hurled the Wildcats to a title.

"I just happened to be the one on the mound, but I think that anyone could have pitched for this team because they hit and field so well," said Courter. "I'm just happy to win a state championship. I wanted to do this before I graduated." stride. The Lions' only hit came in the second inning when Cindy Coker tripled with one out. She was later caught off third when Denise Brandt grounded back to Courter.

"We lost to an excellent team," said Gloucester coach Pat Sarra-cino, whose team is 18-6. "Courter is an excellent pitcher who changed speeds very well. It wasn't only pitching. Whippany Park proved to be an excellent hitting team. I think that is the hardest that Nicole (Staiano) has been hit EWING Kathleen Courter felt the pain of a state championship loss in softball.

Yesterday, she wanted to experience the joy. So, the senior right-hander from Whippany Park High School took it upon herself to make sure that she would never feel the way she did last year again. Courter tossed a one-hitter to lead her team to a 4-0 victory over Gloucester in the final of the state Group 1 tournament at Trenton State College. "I didn't want the same thing to happen this year that happened to me last year," said Courter, referring to a 2-0 Group 2 state final loss to Shore Regional. "It's hard to come this far and lose." Courter, 19-3, changed speeds expertly and kept Gloucester oft- 5 LEONARP-HEARNS II JUNE 12, 9:00 PM IV.

WORLD SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP this year." Staiano, Gloucester's All-South Jersey right-hander, surrendered eight hits and was never really in control. It seemed like everything she threw to the plate was put in play. Whippany Park, the North Jersey Section II champion, scored its first run in the third inning. Gretchen Herudek stroked a one-out single but was forced at second by Toni Fortunate Fortunate stole second before scoring on a double by Karen Max. Gloucester's only threats came in the second, when Coker tripled, and the seventh.

In the seventh, Denise Brandt reached base on an error and went to third when Kim Birney also reached base on an error. But Courter got Staiano on a ground out to end the game. "I usually change speeds," said Courter, who threw a perfect game against Bernards in the tournament. "I threw a lot of drops. I was throwing the fastball over on the first pitch.

They weren't swinging at it, so I put it right down the middle. Then I would used my off-speed stuff." Whippany Park added a run in the fourth when Vicki Benson and D.L. Adamsky singled. Benson stole third before scoring on another single by Carol Yavorsky. The Wildcats capped their scoring with two runs in the seventh.

Adamsky singled and scored on a single by Herudek, who scored on an error later in the inning. It was a disappointing loss for Gloucester, the two-time South Jersey Group 1 champion. But it was also the first time the Lions had reached the state final. "I'm proud of my team," said Sarracino. "I knew that we would have a good team, but I didn't think we would get this far.

They're a confident bunch of kids. "Whippany Park was a tough Closed-Circuit TV NO FREE HOME I RADIO 'PENNSYLVANIA Spectrum Bala Theater Bala Cynwyd Devon Theater N.E. Phila. Fishers Tudor House Bensalem Keswick Theater Glenside Log Cabin Media Philadelphia Park Bensalem Shawnee at Highpoint Chalfont NEW JERSEY Broadway Theater Pittman Club International at the Showplace Camden Eagles Nest Country Club Sewell Enchante Cherry Hill Garden State Park Cherry Hill Shooters Sports Bar Voorhees Trump Castle Atlantic City (for tickets call 1-800-233-4050) Sheraton Valley Forge-King of Prussia Temple University McGonigle Hall Tickets available at the Box Office, all sw locations including selected Showcase and West Coast Video Stores and leading ticket agencies. To charge tickets by phone call (215) 336-2000, (609) 665-2500 or (302) 984-2000.

For further information call (21 5) 639-4053. SPONSORED BY KYWIOGO ALL NtWS ALL THE TIMfc. -v- Courier-Posi photo by Racnene Omenson Brandt waits to catch the ball during yesterday's state Group 1 title game. Ready and waiting: Gloucester High School's Cindy Coker watches as Denise j. 1 min in 1.11 mi 11 Group 4 Summer Savings at MEDFORB FORD Barber drives in three as Union captures title EWING Trisha Barber knocked in three runs to lead Union High School to a 3-1 win over Middletown North and the state Group 4 softball crown yesterday at Trenton State College.

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