Schools
Spring Sports Preview: Johnson Softball on Track for a Successful Season
The Lady Crusaders are 6-3 heading into play this week.
The Johnson softball team will seek its third straight victory when it travels to face Roselle Park on Tuesday at 4 p.m. The 2011 season has been fairly successful already as the Lady Crusaders are already 6-3 under first-year coach Mike Mancino.
“We had a good start winning our first four games,” said Mancino. “But we had a three-day stretch where we lost three games. But we were playing pretty good teams in their own right.”
After its 4-0 start, Johnson dropped back-to-back games in the Colonia Classic Believes Tournament on April 9 to Iselin Kennedy and Woodbridge. The Iselin Kennedy game was a 3-2 loss that saw Johnson with the tying run on base when the game ended.
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On Monday, April 11, Johnson lost to Governor Livingston, 16-2 in five innings. Governor Livingston at 7-1 is ranked first in Union County by the Star-Ledger.
Johnson is led by senior right-hander Riechers, an All-Union County First Team selection last year, is coming off an 11-strikeout effort as Johnson defeated Summit, 11-3, on Saturday.
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The Lady Crusaders are situated in the Mountain Division of the Union County Conference along with Brearley, New Providence, Plainfield, Rahway, Roselle Catholic, Summit and Union Catholic and are currently 5-0 in divisional play. Governor Livingston and Westfield, which Johnson has also defeated this spring, are in the UCC Watchung Division.
A year ago, Johnson made a strong run in the Union County Tournament, reaching the Union County Tournament semifinal round where it lost to eventual champion, Cranford, 6-2. Johnson finished 15-9 in 2010 after losing to Cinnaminson in the first round of the Central Jersey, Group 2 state tournament.
Junior Allison Meagher has split some of the pitching chores with Riechers and has done well, going 2-1 thus far. “We’re blessed with two very capable pitchers so we’re going to try to balance them both,” said Mancino. “This team has a lot of talent on it. We have players that can play multiple positions and play them well. It should make for a fun season.”
2011 Johnson softball team: Seniors: Ali Calo, Allie Cocchia, Lexi Lasalla, Victoria Martin, Cat Riechers. Juniors: Elizabeth Lepler, Allison Meagher, Sarah Panetta, Jess Remo, Michelle Smorol, Cyndi Wilson. Sophomores: Pati Bailey, Gianna Cucollo. Freshmen: Michelle Pozyc, Veronica Zatko.
