The Nutley High School softball team gathers before its home game against Bloomfield on Friday, April 5, at Yanticaw Park field.
NUTLEY, NJ — The Nutley High School softball program has a rich tradition of success under head coach Luann Zullo. This season, the Raiders are enjoying another solid season, with a 9-3 overall record through Monday, April 22.
Nutley also was in first place in the Super Essex Conference–Liberty Division with a 5-0 mark.
The Raiders defeated Newark Academy, 6-0, Monday, April 1, at Yanticaw Park, and won at Millburn, 11-1, Thursday, April 4, to start the season.
In the third game, they hosted Bloomfield on the morning of Friday, April 5, at Yanticaw Park. The earthquake occurred while the game was being played, but no one on the field felt it. Nutley went on to win, 12-2.
The Raiders lost the next two games to Glen Ridge, 4-1, Monday, April 8, and Caldwell, 12-0, Tuesday, April 9, both at Yanticaw Park.
But Nutley regrouped to win its next five games, beating Payne Tech, 11-4, Wednesday, April 10, in Newark; Verona, 10-9, Thursday, April 11, home; Paramus Catholic, 8-5, Sunday, April 14; Newark Academy, 10-7, Wednesday, April 17, in Livingston; and Millburn, 9-6, Friday, April 19, home. The win over Paramus Catholic came in the Anthony LaRezza Invitational hosted by Immaculate Heart Academy.
After losing to Hanover Park, 13-3, in the Black and Gold Invitational hosted by Cedar Grove on Saturday, April 20, the Raiders defeated Bloomfield for the second time by a score of 4-3 in Bloomfield on Monday, April 22.
The Raiders are young this year. The seniors are Gianna Haines and Sasha Wanko. The rest of the team consists of juniors Gabriella Mariano, Skye Stoeckel, Sianna Kantor and Gabriella Botti, sophomore Queenie Chavez and freshmen Makenna DeJianne, Camryn Ortega, Kaitlyn Nellegar, Natalia Kit, Sophia Rocha, Olivia Miller, Thea Defabbio and Zoey Von Roth. Zullo, a NHS alum, also was close to reaching her 500th career victory. She has been the NHS head coach since 1999. Previously, she was the head coach at West Essex.
Photos by Joe Ragozzino
Nutley vs. Bloomfield (April 5)
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