The Herald-News from Passaic, New Jersey • 31

ij-ij 1 AH 11 sWii 0 In 11 By BARRY GRAMLICH Herald-News Staff Writer WEST WINDSOR TWP. She doesn't pitch with her arm, she pitches, with her head. That's how Cherokee High School softball Jo Anne Ferrieri of Parsippany Hills coacn Jim caputo aescTiDesJO Anne Ferrieri. Ferrieri, the junior fireballer of Parsippany Hills, twirled a four-hitter as the Vikings captured the state Group 3 softball crown from Cherokee, 4-2, at- Mercer County Park Saturday. Parsippany Hills concluded its season with a perfect 27-0 ledger.

winds up I t9s -mp 8f 1 vyw 1 1 1 i a winner Tl v' in Group 3 softball Saturday. Group 3 softball wmm "Without a doubt, she is the best high school softball pitcher ever seen," said Caputo? whose team lost for the first time this season in 23 outings. "Sheworks like a perfect 1-2 machine with her catcher." Behind the plate for the Vikings was iuninr Lisa Rartoli. Althoueh ft 11 i llli A 1III Bartoli continually dropped one finger for her signal, Ferrieri would often change speed and height at will with her windmill delivery. "THERE'S MORE TO pitching than velocity," said Caputo.

"She knows when to make the ball rise and sink and when to let it break away. She is an intelligent pitcher. "She gets ahead of the hitters by using her brain." Viking fans were shocked only five minutes into the contest. Ferrieri (22-0) experienced her scariest start of the year when she walked leadoff batter Sharon Crabill and gave up back-to-back singles to Tra- tlT 1 4" 1 1 Heuw-Kexs Pikhos ft Clan vanced on a Viking error. Joari Fauser grounded to second base and Schwartz crossed the plate.

Ferrieri retired the side in In the sevenths inning. She finished i with eight 'strikeouts and didn't walk a batter after the first inning. "We learned a little bit today" i said Caputo. "Most of it was learnell Klebez. "We'll keep bunting, until they stop us and then bunt again.

There's always a good chance of getting on base that way. "Their first baseman liked to stay back, so I had the girls pushing the ball up the first base line. But their third baseman (Warren) was excellent and she played the bunt well. We stayed away from her." While Ferrieri hurled hitless ball for the next three innings, the Vikings scored their winning runs in the fourth. Linda Lacher reached on bunt single, moved to third on a base hit by Ferrieri and scored when Bartoli's grounder to shortstop was muffed.

Cherokee committed five errors in the contest The Vikings made three miscues. "Both teams were too keyed up to do anything right," said Klebez. "Everyone on the field came a long way this season. They had a right to be nervous." Cherokee scored its final run in the sixth inning. Cleanup hitter Schwartz singled to left and' ad- an.

error by the second baseman and was sacrificed to second by Bartoli. Traci Johnson reached on the second of three infield errors to put two men on. Jody Stein folllowed with a fielder's choice RBI and wound up safe on a late throw. She stole second, moved to third on another fielder's choice and scored on a wild pitch. PARSIPPANY HILLS picked up an insurance run in the fifth inning.

Weaver reached safely on another relieved to get away with one run in the first innning. There were a lot of butterflies on the field when the game started." Parsippany Hills came back to tie the score in the bottom of the first Brenda Weaver led off with a bunt single, stole second base and raeed to third on a wild pitch. One out later, Ferrieri's ground ball to third was misplayed enabling -Weaver to score. "WE'LL BUNT ALL day," said cy warren ana nooin ocnwanz one out later. Warren's base hit, a line drive to center field, gave the Chiefs an early 1-0 lead.

But Ferrieri got out of the inning by getting Jennifer Horner on a short fly ball and fanning Chris Richeda. "Jo Anne isn't used to that," said winning coach Rich Klebez. "I was from Ferrieri. ChireketJ2M) 108 801 I I 43 Ptftippmy Hills (27-0) 108 211 I 4 5 3 Winoini pitcher Ferrieri (22-0); LMinf pililier Horner (13-1.) 0 By MIKE KAIJJMAMS -Herald-News Correspondent WEST WINDSOR TWP. Becton coach Dot Maver's roster of three seniors, two junioTs, five sophomores and three starting freshmen has come a long way since the beginning of the 1981 softball season.

Building up a ledger of 22-2 with-skeins of six and 12 wins in a row, including three rounds of state competition, the Wildcats captured the North Jersey Section 1 and 2, Group 1 title to be the first Becton squad to make it into the state finals. Quite an accomplishment for a young team. "It feels real good just to be here." Maver said, speaking for the team after losing 2-0 to Immaculata (23-5-1) of Somerville and Janet Sidotti (one-hitter). "They have come this far and that says a lot for them." The game was a close one, with six Becton players left on base and nine Spartans. But a shaky start for the Wildcats allowed home-team Immaculata to score a run in the first inning.

Three infield singles by Cathy Graham Sirtotti and Rettv Clifford in who sports an 18-3 record. The sophomore right-hander had a relatively medium-slow delivery but her wind-up was a bewildering wide figure eight. Sidotti's one-hitter is her second of the season. She fanned eight and walked four. THE WILDCATS first managed to get a player on base in the third frame.

Leading off was Patti who was walked but Sharon popped up to the catcher on a bunt attempt and Dario was thrown out at first Another pop-up ended the inning. The Spartans second run was unearned in the fourth. With two outs, Joann Glennon got to first on catcher's interference. Lori Berkuta walked and Lori Ficorelli smacked a single up the first base line that hopped over the base and into the right field foul area. A runner-check before the throw to second base enabled Glennon to score.

Maver, in her second year at Becton, was also in her first appearance in state final play. No doubt that competing in the top tournament spot in the state will make goals higher for the squad. Only three leave the ranks of the talented Wildcats, and hopefully Becton wjll work to be there again. BctM(22-3) mm I 111 bimuttlita (23-5-1) 100 18t I 2 I 2 Winntof ertcker Sidotti (18-3); Ltsine pitcktr C. Fitzpatrick (21-3) leen Fitzpatrick led-off with a walk and pinch-runner Terri Dario was called in.

Dario went to second on a wild pitch and was sacrificed over by sister Patti Dario. With two outs, Sharon Fitzpatrick was called out looking at a high, 1-2 pitch. High, period. Group 1 softball The sixth looked good for the losing Cats as freshman Nancy Barra got on by an error and senior Lee-Anne Ranzinger waa walked with no outs. However, three pop-ups, all to the first baseman, ended the In the final inning, Colleen, in another lead-off time-at-bat, singled past the mound for the only Wildcat hit of the game.

Another pop-out and Fitzpatrick hefd her base. Patti jammed one to the third baseman, eyeing a double-play but threw in the dirt and an error was charged. A strikeout followed and still another pop-up ended matters, "I use a very positive approach with the girls and I don't get on them for mistakes," Maver said, "but we were not as strong as we have been. We didn't get anything from their pitcher. She was excellent" The winning hurler was Sidotti, i (RBI) scored the run.

"We had tough time getting started," Maver said. "That first inning really cost us. It wasn't until the last couple of innings that they really came through." IN THE fifth frame, junior Col '4 HaraM-Naws PlMo by bU Cllf Becton's Lee-Anne Ranzinger is about to put late tag on ImmacuJata's Cathy Graham. log's late rally 'stuns Jefferson, 76 hind, though," she said. "We wem down by seven runs with two outs in the seventh in one game this We scored eight runs and won the game." "Games like this just eat away at your stomach," said Levens.

"We came down here for the first time-and marveled at this beautiful com-, plex. Minutes later we were in our toughest game of the season. The school should be proud because our fans Stuck behind us all the way." GRAMLICH beat out an infield grounder and went to third base when Renee Gourvellec's sacrifice bunt was mis-played by the first baseman. Tighe scored on a double steal and scored the sixth run on a base hitbyLisaKlepp. STERLING HAD TAKEN a 5-3 lead in the fourth inning on a single by Conard and a two-run- homer by Monica Maryasz.

"We went into this game with a hit or miss attitude," said Foster. "I didn't know anything about Jeffer- son. They could have bunted a lot or swung away we didnt know what to expect "We're used to coming from be committed a two-base error on Lori Conard's fly ball before Stacey Wetter reached on a bunt single. Mayeski followed with a long triple to left for two runs and Mayeski came home on a wild pitch. "We made a lot of errors and I think it settled the girls," said Sterling coach Kris Foster.

"They usually don't make a lot of errors so they got mad at themselves and became more determined. "We've got a young team," she added. 'T have five sophomores and two juniors that start This team hasn't reached After an error scored Jefferson's run in the fourth, the Falcons added two tallies in the fifth inning. Tighe Saddle Brook, Kaeser ran into trouble in the late innings. STERLING'S TRACY Mayland, who was on base three times, sin-i gled to center field leading off thai Group 2 softball seventh and went to second base on a line single to left by Beth'Wed-man.

Teri Cinelli then walked to load the bags. Kaeser fell behind in the count to Lomas, 3-1, before firing a strike for a full count On the next pitch, Lomas lofted a loop single to center for the winning runs. "They hit the hell out of the ball," said Levens. "But it was a tough way to go in the seventh inning. It wa.s very dramatic and great for the fans.

Still, there's no loser in a state Jefferson 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Barbara Longo and Patty Burke singled and Karen -Canino drew a free pass to load the bases. Then No. 9 hitter Theresa Pastrana stroked an RBI single to left for one run. Burke scored a wild pitch by Mary Mayeski and Sheila Tighe's ground out provided the third tally.

THE SILVER Knights deadlocked matters in the bottom half. Pastrana WEST WINDSOR TWP. Jefferson softball coach Ed Levens accepted defeat even better than usual. "It was the best way to lose," he said proudly. Sterling High School rallied behind Lori Lomas' two-run single in the bottom of the seventh inning to trim the Falcons, 7-6.

and capture state Croup 2 softball crown at Mercer County Park Saturday. "At least we didn't error," said Levens. "They earned the victory at the last minute and they deserve it" Jefferson clung to a 6-5 lead entering the seventh inning behind strong defensive play and the six-hit pitching of junior Lisa Kaesej. But like her semifinal outing against (1M) 130 120 0 0 0 1 Str1me(H-5) zm I I I TrtM (S) Mayesta. Hwm rm (S) Maiyau WiMMif ttfchtr IfeyesiQ (1-5); Ucfcf AdNr Kaeser (16-8) asiside misses out in -opportunity and was charged with an error, -ai- lowing Williamson to score.

KALLIMAMS I I Entti MM) 101 182 0 4 1 2'! Urn 121-2) 830 OV I 8 I i DMMe: (Li Hal Triti: (L) Hit Wimt ittdwr Oppenheimer (16-2); Uom yitdwr Williamson (16-3) i- ketball? to a tough Atlantic City squad. The Ghosts got on the scoreboard first in the opening stanza. With one out Balmer and Williamson walked. Louella Johnson got to first on a fielder's choice (Balmer out). Annette Mitchell grounded to the second baseman who threw to second Lenape, in its half of the sixth, saw Hall bounce back from her previous error and smacked a triple to right field.

A passed ball on Mary Ram's full count walk scored Hall. The top of the seventh went one-two'-three for the Lady Ghosts as they lost a second state championship this year. The other was in bas deficit to tie the game at 4-4 in the sixth inning. Jeanice-Hanna led-off Group 4 softball with a walk and was sacrificed to second by Bernice Johnson. Sharon Robinson and Wanda Grier both reached base on errors to load the bags.

With two outs, Angel Balmer walked in the first run and Kay Williamson banged a shot to shortstop Kelly Hall who bobbled the ball allowing Robinson to score before managing to throw to third for the final out WEST WINDSOR TWP. Nancy Oppenheimer hurled a one-hitter and despite her team's six errors as Eastside could not bowing to Lenape, 5-4, in the Group 4 state championship softball game Saturday. Eastside managed to cut a two-run.