New Providence Softball Advances in State Tournament

The New Providence varsity softball team had to defeat Brearley a third time — no easy feat — to advance to the Union County Tournament semifinals.

Now, the Pioneers will have to beat Roselle Park a third time – again, a very challenging task – to move on to next week’s North 2, Group 1 semifinals.

Both New Providence and Roselle Park easily won as expected in first round State tournament play on Tuesday. The second-seeded Pioneers defeated 15th-seeded Newark Arts, 18-3, in three innings at Salt Brook Elementary School’s field, while the 10th-seeded Panthers went to Newark and knocked out seventh-seeded Weequahic, 15-0, in five innings.

On Thursday at 4 p.m. it will be Roselle Park (13-12) at New Providence (17-6) in one of the section’s quarterfinal games, which will be played at either Salt Brook or Allen W. Roberts Elementary School.

The Panthers have won two straight since falling at New Providence last week.  The Pioneers are on a three-game winning streak since .

New Providence first defeated Roselle Park 7-3 in Roselle Park back on April 21. Sophomore right hander blanked the visiting Panthers 3-0 on May 19, tossing a two-hitter that included eight strikeouts and just one walk.

“We know their pitcher and we have to hit her,” said Squeri, with the Pioneers set to face either Melissa Carle or Brittany Longo, juniors, who both pitched in the first game against New Providence. “Roselle Park is a good team. I think both teams are coming on strong.”

In last week’s triumph over the Panthers, Squeri drove in Alex Esposito with a sacrifice fly in the first to give her team a 1-0 lead. Squeri provided New Providence and herself two important insurance runs when she belted a two-run double in the fifth.

Esposito, New Providence’s leadoff batter, went 2-for-3 and scored twice.

“The last time against them, I was able to move the ball around,” Squeri said. “There are a bunch of good teams in the section from here on out, so we need to play as a team.”

In the 7-3 road win against Roselle Park, the Pioneers scored two runs in the top of the second to take the lead for good at 3-2. New Providence added a run in the third and three more in the fourth for a 7-2 advantage before Roselle Park scored the game’s final run in the bottom of the fifth.

Jessica Pacheco had an outstanding game at the plate for the Pioneers, producing a 4-for-4 effort that included a double and two RBI. Michelle Ciarrocca was 2-for-3 with two runs and a walk.

Roselle Park received a 3-for-4 performance and two runs from Angela Fulinello, while Emily Swirz drilled a two-run double in the bottom of the first to give the Panthers a brief 2-1 lead. Swirz had a hit and a walk in last week’s game at New Providence.

“Cassandra pitched well in both games (against Roselle Park),” New Providence head coach Kelly Villa said. “We need to play cohesive and do the little things, like being aggressive on the bases. We’re taking the same attitude we had against Brearley the third time we played them and that game was not easy.”

After New Providence swept Brearley in Union County Conference-Mountain Division play, the Bears gave the Pioneers all they could handle before New Providence turned back Brearley, 3-0, in a UCT quarterfinal at Linden two weeks ago.

Roselle Park had a win over county runner-up Westfield, 5-4, on April 18 in Westfield and also took county champion GL to eight innings at 0-0 before falling 4-0 at home on April 27.

The Panthers captured Central Jersey, Group 1 last year before falling to New Egypt in the Group 1 semifinals.

NOTES: With Monday’s 7-4 home win over Rahway, New Providence finished 12-2 in the UCC’s Mountain Division. Johnson is 11-2 and is scheduled to play at Brearley on Wednesday at 4 p.m. in Kenilworth in its final Mountain Division contest.

If Johnson beats Brearley on Wednesday — the Crusaders defeated the Bears 11-1 at home on April 21 — then Johnson will also finish 12-2.

If that happens, either Johnson will win the division outright because they swept New Providence, or Johnson and New Providence will share the division title. The conference officials — going by conference rules — will have to decide that.

Gov. Livingston captured the UCC’s Watchung Division championship, while Kent Place won the Valley Division.

There is no conference champion, but what is appropriately called three division winners.

2011 NORTH JERSEY, SECTION 2, GROUP 1 SOFTBALL

SEEDS: 1-Whippany Park. 2-New Providence. 3-Dunellen. 4-Hoboken.

5-Secaucus. 6-Dayton. 7-Weequahic. 8-Brearley.

9-North Arlington. 10-Roselle Park. 11-North 13th St. Tech. 12-Glen Ridge.

13-Bloomfield Tech. 14-Technology. 15-Newark Arts. 16-Harrison.

FIRST ROUND

Tuesday, May 24

TOP SIDE OF THE BRACKET:

North Arlington 2, Brearley 0 – at Brearley

Whippany Park 15, Harrison 0 – at Whippany Park

Hoboken defeated Bloomfield Tech – at Hoboken

Secaucus 8, Glen Ridge 2 – at Secaucus

BOTTOM SIDE OF THE BRACKET:

Roselle Park 15, Weequahic 0 – at Weequahic

New Providence 18, Newark Arts 3 – at New Providence

Dayton 3, North 13th St. Tech 2 – at Dayton

Dunellen 1, Technology 0 - at Dunellen

QUARTERFINALS

Thursday, May 26

TOP SIDE OF THE BRACKET:

5-Secaucus at 4-Hoboken

9-North Arlington at 1-Whippany Park

BOTTOM SIDE OF THE BRACKET:

6-Dayton at 3-Dunellen

7-Roselle Park at 2-New Providence

SEMIFINALS

Tuesday, May 31

At the higher seeds.

FINAL

Friday, June 3

At the higher seed.