Columbia junior Mady Rowell delivers a pitch against Nutley in the Essex County Tournament quarterfinals on May 10 in Nutley. Columbia lost, 5-0.
MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The ninth-seeded Columbia High School softball team had a good run in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s North Jersey, Section 1, Group 4, tournament.
Columbia defeated No. 8 seed Kearny, 9-3, in the first round on May 17. Freshman Charlotte Klepesch and junior Mady Rowell each had two singles and an RBI, and sophomore Sam Stein had a single and two RBIs. Sophomore Maisie Pietruski and junior Emma Buettner each had a single and an RBI. Rowell pitched a four-hitter with 13 strikeouts.
Columbia lost a tough 3-1 decision to top-seeded Bergen County Tech in the quarterfinals. The game was tied 1-1 on May 23 before play was stopped due to inclement weather. The next day, the teams resumed play. Bergen Tech scored two runs in the fourth inning to break the tie.
Columbia finished its season with an 11-13 record.
Photos by Steve Ellmore.
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