GLEN RIDGE, NJ (updated Monday May 22, 9:44 p.m.) – The Glen Ridge High School varsity softball team made tremendous strides this season.
The Ridgers, under head coach Rachael Hogan, finished with an 8-10 record, a significant improvement from last year’s two-win campaign.
GRHS, seeded ninth, lost at eighth-seeded Secaucus, 9-2, in the first round of the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2, Group 1 state tournament May 17 to end the season.
Helping the Ridgers was the fact that they moved down to the Super Essex Conference-Colonial Division. That gave the Ridgers the opportunity to compete against teams that were on the same level of skill, resulting in good competition.
“We played some really good games this season,” said Hogan, a former standout softball player at GRHS, Class of 1996. “The best win was against MKA (Montclair Kimberley Academy) in the beginning of May. I was so happy with our performance and throughout the season, and to see the younger kids really show improvement as well, I was very please.”
Indeed, the Ridgers’ future is bright. The team featured six promising freshmen: Taylor Townson, Ali Cerruto, Ava Rollo, Hannah O’Connor, Leah Chodosh and Sarina Robik.
Townson, a center fielder, led the team with 25 hits in 64 at-bats for a .391 average, including one double, two triples, and three omers. She also had 13 RBI, seven stolen bases and six walks, and only struck out eight times.
As a center fielder, Townson had 22 putouts and only two errors this season. “She was instrumental in many wins this season,” lauded Hogan.
Cerruto, a pitcher, finished with a 4-4 record. “She filled in nicely with our sophomore pitcher Lizzie Wiede injured,” Hogan said.
Rollo led the team in walks and was a standout shortstop. She recorded 21 putouts and 26 assists for the season.
O’Connor also stepped in nicely at third base. “She played fearlessly at the hot corner and she also was an integral part of the big win against MKA, driving in two runs,” Hogan said..
Chodosh, a left fielder, and Robik, a catcher, split time with upperclassmen during the season.
Abbie Robik and Lucy Smeets provided tremendous leadership as senior captains. “They did such a great job, on and off the field,” said Hogan of the captains.
Abbie Robik, primarily the designated player, finished the season with 12 hits, including five doubles, for a .285 average. She also had 12 RBI. Smeets played first base for the past two years and was a solid defensive player, recording 120 putouts and four assists for the season. At the plate, she was second on the team in hits with 18 and drove in 10 runs.
Malorie Iovino, a junior, was the catcher for most of the season for both pitchers. She recorded 66 putouts and five assists. Offensively, Iovino had a team-high 15 RBI, tied for most doubles with Abbie Robik with five, and finished with 14 hits.
Sophomore second baseman Brooke Scanlon also was a solid defensive player. Offensively, she had 14 hits, including two doubles and one triple, and 13 RBI.
With an experienced group of rising sophomores, Hogan is looking forward to next spring.
“We have a good portion of our team returning, which makes the team cohesiveness even better,” Hogan said.
(correction: Hogan is a Class of 1996 alumna, not 1995).
Glen Ridge HS softball team enjoys solid strides this season added by Joe Ragozzino on
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