Daily Record from Morristown, New Jersey • Page 21

Daily Record, Northwest N.J. Tuesday, June 11, 1985 B9 SCHOLASTIC REPORT uendham ba ftisall honor sirs "7 Kennedy winds up unblemished year Minutemen get lift from Baker's play By J.D. DEVINE Daily Record Staff Writer By SANDY SEEGERS Daily Record Staff Writer I WEST WINDSOR TWP. When junior shortstop Mi-chelanne Baker contracted mononucleosis the second week in April, she thought the next time she'd see her name in the Mendham softball lineup would be next season. Seeing her teammates ride an unbeaten record all season on the way toward a state championship certainly couldn't have helped Baker either.

All she could do is read about the team or stop by at practice now and then until last Monday, that is. i She wasn't just visiting that day she practiced. She had earned a starting spot for Sunday's state final championship game, her first action in 21 games. "I went to see the team the day before the Pascack Hills group semifinal game," said the 17-year-old Baker. "I found out the right fielder, April Kater, was sick so I called up coach (Dave) Togno.

I him if ha ntmAaA fl A perfect ending to a perfect season. Traci Kennedy, Softball pitcher extraordinaire for Mendham High School, capped an unblemished season for the Minutemen by tossing a couple of two-hitters to lead Mendham to the Group III state title this past week. On Tuesday, Kennedy blanked Pascack Hills in the Group III semifinal. The shutout was important because her teammates pushed across only one run. But with Kennedy on the mound, it was enough for a victory and a trip to the finals.

Athlete of the Week Then on Sunday, Kennedy spun her second two-hitter of the week and struck out 12, as the Minutemen defeated Collingswood, 6-0, to win the group title and finish the season at 26-0, with Kennedy winding up 25-0. The one game she didn't win, she saved the game in relief. In those 26 appearances, she struck out 260 batters, walked only 40 and allowed a meager 18 runs. "he was our ace," Mendham coach Dave Togno said of the Daily Record Athlete of the Week. "All we had to do was score a run or two and play some defense and I knew we'd win with her on the mound.

I always felt confident with her toeing the rubber." But at times it wasn't all that easy. The pressure of trying to go undefeated and win a state title can be tremendous; witness the 1-0 victory over Pascack Hills. "Something that added to the pressure was the fact that we were undefeated," said Kennedy. "I was a little nervous in the Pascack game because there was no room for error." Pitching in 26 games presents quite a bit of wear and tear for a 16-year-old arm. But Kennedy's right arm never felt the strain.

"She's a very hard worker," noted Tongo. "She's developed to a point where she's in such good condition that she won't hurt her arm." Kennedy has worked long and hard to become the pitcher that she is. She attended the Starmaker Camp to work on her pitching, and throws just about every day during the off season. Finally, she is reaping some of the benefits of her hard work. "I've been practicing real hard and it finally paid off," Kennedy stated matter-of-factly.

"But I never thought it would be this good." As good as she is on the mound, Kennedy knows the value of having a solid team behind her. Without the defense and the hitting support, she would have been hard pressed to have the type of season that she enjoyed this year. "Everybody thinks that I've done everything, but without the team behind me I couldn't have done anything." Being only a junior, Kennedy gets to do it all over again next season. What she will do for an encore only time will tell. But how can she improve on the type of season she had? "In anything you do, there is room for improvement," i i Daily RecordKAHEN FUCITO Dave Togno on Traci Kennedy: "She was our I always felt confident with her toeing the rubber." me, I'd be there." Michelanne Baker Baker was there, and her play was as reliable as her promise.

While Kater spent another day at Morristown Memorial Hospital with a kidney infection, Baker went only 0-for-2 but caught three fly balls to help the Minutemen to a 6-0 Group III championship victory over Collingswood at Mercer County Park. "I felt bad for April," said Baker. "All I wanted to do was help. It was great being a part of the team again. It felt so good." "It was strange having Mikey out there," said first baseman Lori Welles.

"She put out a great effort and we all had confi3ence in her. We lost one experienced player but got back another one. We were lucky because our bench isn't that deep." "I feel good about both April and Mikey," said Togno. "It was really no psychological thing for the kids. They supported Mikey and she was there for them." At 8:15 p.m.

on Sunday, Kater heard a rowdy group coming down the hospital corridor. They were her teammates and, with them, they had their coveted trophy and a game ball signed by the entire team. "I was surprised when they all came in at once," said Kater. "I could hear them as they came down the hall. I sat here all afternoon hoping that they'd win.

No, I knew they'd win." relief and singled in the winning run in the ninth inning for a 4-3 win for the North Jersey, Section 1 Group II championship. Montville's Jim Price also used his arm and his bat to lead his team to a sectional title, pitching five innings and stroking a two-run single in the Mustangs' 5-1 semifi nal win over Cranford Tuesday, then throwing a six-hitter with 13 strikeouts and hitting a solo homer to beat Randolph 6-1 for the North Jersey Section 2, Group III championship. Boys track: Fred Bonner of Morris Hills captured a gold medal in the 800 meters at Friday's Meet of Champ ons in South Plainfield. Bonner won the race with a personal best of 1 minute, 50.6 seconds. Girls track: West Morris junior Meghan Lee set a Mor ris County record in the girls 1,600 Friday when she ran 4:57.1 to place third at the Meet of Champions in South Plainfield.

said Togno. "You never know what can happen next year." This summer, Kennedy will attend the same camp that taught her to be the outstanding pitcher that she is. But her role this year will be reversed; she's going to be doini the teaching, sharing her perfection of the art with would-be star Softball pitchers. Togno refers to his ace as a "finished" pitcher. Unfortunately for the local Softball teams that had so much trouble figuring her out this year, he doesn't mean she's finished her task.

Also In the spotlight Baseball: In state championship play this past week, two area players sparked their teams to victories. Eric Pedersen of Newton hurled an eight-hitter Tuesday to lead the Braves to a 4-2 victory in the sectional semifinals, and then on Friday pitched five innings of scoreless After Jefferson's 3-1 loss to Delaware Valley in the Group II final Falcons coach Ed Levens lingered in the stands and the dugout alone. Newton, KViontville pursue state finals By ED MILLS Daily Record Staff Writer "I hate to leave this place, said Levens, whose team finished the year 22-4. "If I could, I'd sit here all day. It's an absolute thrill to be here.

"You can have a great team and still not make it. The saddest thing is you never know when and if you're com- ing back." Mendham catcher Jen Chelton acquired the nickname of Gumby her freshman year because of her lanky 5-foot-9 frame. Earlier this season, Chelton began toting three Gumbys to all the games as mascots, sometimes hooking them to the backstop so they could watch the action on the field. Then the passing of Gumbys became a ritual before important tournament and state games. "Every day before school Jen would give me the Gum-by keychain," said pitcher Traci Kennedy.

"I'd wear it on my hand and not even take it off for gym. Somehow, it became a good luck piece. It kept us loose." Kennedy and Chelton kept everyone loose Sunday after the game as they went searching for souvenirs from their state title. They considered home plate and the pitching rubber before filling their pockets and then a plastic bag with infield dirt "We were thinking of bottling it and selling it," said Kennedy. "But I don't think anyone would buy it.

We're still going to bottle it, but instead we'll give it out at the sports banquet." Braves fall in SCIL HAMPTON TWP. Newton committed nine errors and gave up six walks, losing to Kittatinny 7-4 yesterday, and leaving the Braves in a tie with Jefferson for the Sussex County Interscholastic League baseball championship. Both Newton and Jefferson finished 13-5 in the SCIL. 'The team was probably looking to tomorrow said Newton coach Bob Melillo, referring to today's Group II state semifinal game against Millburn. "We just didn't play well." Kittatinny scored all seven of its runs in the first four innings.

Only one of the runs was earned. It scored on a third inning single by George Dunning. Winning pitcher Greg Kylish went 2-for-3 with a triple and two runs scored. Montville beat Randolph 6-1 for its second straight sectional championship on Friday. A year ago in the Group III semis, the Mustangs lost to Indian Hills, but they seem to be confident for Northern Highlands, which has won 15 of its last 20 games after a 1-5 start.

"We've been building our momentum little by little ever since we lost in the counties to Delbarton (5-4 in the 11-inning championship game)," said pitcher Jim Price. "We're one step away from where we want to be, and we don't want it to end like last year." Price, 10-2, a S-foot-5, 225-pound senior right hander, will start for Montville against Tom Rehain, 9-3, a junior right hander who owns all four of the Bergen County school's wins in the state tournament. The top offensive threats for Northern Highlands are senior shortstop Tom Newton (.480, 50 hits, 30 RBI), senior center fielder Jim Lappert (.330, 25 RBI) and senior catcher Greg DiFelice "We really never expected to be in this position with only three senior starters back from last year," said Northern Highlands coach Mike Healy. The kids kept a good attitude in the early going and they never lost their perspective on winning. We feel as if we have a fighting chance against Price.

We look at it as a terrific challenge." The way the Newton baseball team has been playing lately, it's rare to see the Braves lose a big game. After all, eight straight times the Braves were in an important league or state tournament game, and they didn't falter once. Now, though, they'll have to find i way to rebound. After yesterday's loss to Kittatinny that dropped them into a tie with Jefferson for the Sussex County Interscho-lastic League championship, the 21-6 Braves have another big test at 4 p.m. today, facing Millburn, 24-7, in a Group II state semifinal game at Mendham High School.

The other local baseball team still in state contention is Montville, 22-3, which will go against Northern Highlands, 16-10, in a Group III semifinal game at Wayne Valley High School at 4 p.m. In state play, Newton has won all four of its games, the last a 4-3, nine-inning triumph over Lodi on Friday to win the North Jersey Section 1, Group II championship. The Braves also won four of their last five SCIL games over the same period to keep afloat in that race. "We're playing great baseball and we're not making any errors, and although we're not getting many hits, we're getting them all at key times," Newton coach Bob Melillo said before yesterday's game. "Each one of the wins has been a confidence builder, and now we seem to be at our peak." Leading Newton has been pitcher Erik Pedersen, 13-2, who will start against Millburn.

Pedersen won both of Newton's state games last week over 22-3-1 Rutherford and 26-4 Lodi, knocking in the winning hit in the Lodi game. Shortstop George Mendel, center fielder John Hen-dershot and first baseman Mike Bell are also key offensive figures for Newton. Coach Phil King's Millburn Millers probably will send senior righthander Jim White, 7-2, to the mound. Millburn, which has won the North Jersey Section 2, Group II state title two years in a row, is led by Brad Bedell, Brad Remig and Rogert Cantor. Cantor hit a grand slam and Bedell had three hits in the Millers' 13-4 sectional title win over Clark.

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