Down to Two in Bergen; Passaic County Final Set

Over at Main Memorial, West Milford pounds Lakeland, 11-0 in five innings, Caity Sacco with a no-no. Hawthorne Upsets Pompton Lakes, 2-0 (first loss of the year for Cardinals).... Also, bonus score, Mount St. Dominic's 7-0 over Cedar Grove to win the Essex County title.

The Bergen County semifinals are in the books, and what can I say? I called it. Ramapo vs. Saddle Brook. Oh wait. That was my prediction for 2007. Oh well.

But two great games today at IHA, yes, IHA. The field conditions at Ramapo College weren't good, and guess what? Its official, if the field at Ramapo College is not playable tomorrow. The county final will be at IHA tomorrow at 2 p.m. When I know for sure tomorrow morning, I will let you know. Also, the weather forecast tomorrow is not good.

You know, Saddle Brook and Ramapo have not played in over a decade at least. One way or the other history will be made because either Ramapo will be the first team to ever win 3 straight Bergen County titles, or Saddle Brook will be the first Group 1 school to win a county title.

The first game between Saddle Brook and Ridgewood started early and you know how much we appreciate that. These two teams played back in the EDSAF Tournament, with Ridgewood coming away with a 1-0 win, coming up with a run in the 7th inning.

The Falcons wasted no time in the first. Stephanie Gilronan led off the game with a bloop single on the 1st pitch. After Tricia Kirwan popped up a bunt try, Christina Esposito walked. Lauren Gramegna grounded out 4-3 (a productive out) moving the runners to 2nd and 3rd. Lauren LaCass then singled to left field, just like that, 1-0 Saddle Brook.

And here came one of the weirdest plays of the day. Runners on the corner, 1-0 pitch, Ridgewood C Theresa Kircher throws down to 2nd to try to get LaCass who is going (a common softball trick). The throw is cut off by Gabby Barbera (to get the runner trying to go home) but the throw skips off Barbera's glove and is retrieved by Kelly Hommen, the Ridgewood SS. She throws home. Esposito slides around the tag...and obviously, does not touch home plate. Kircher, still with the ball, then throws to third to get LaCass, but before the tag is applied there, Espo reaches back and touches home plate. So the run counted. Umps made a good call there. So it went 2-4-6-2-5 if you are scoring at home (or at the office), but it was 2-0 Saddle Brook.

The Maroons only got 1 hit through the first 3 innings, and I turned to Art Stapleton who was sitting next to me before the 4th and said "If Ridgewood is going to do anything, they will do it now). In the bottom of the 4th, with 1 out, Alex Scibetta singled hard to right. Kircher came up and bombed a shot to deep right center field. It missed being a homer by about 2 feet, maybe less. It was a standup RBI double, and now it was 2-1 and the Ridgewood folks were alive. SB coach Darren White called time to settle his team down and Kim Prevedel (throwing as hard as I have ever seen her throw) got Kelly Hommen to fan (a tough out) for the 2nd out. The next batter was Big Red (I can call her that, I cover gymnastics) Mary Callaghan. She smoked a ball into center field, here came the courtesy runner, Francesca "Frannie" Marino to the plate, LaCass threw her out. LaCass, by the way, is the Falcons back-up P. She has a very strong arm. So it stayed 2-1, but you kinda felt Ridgewood had some momentum now.

Saddle Brook had two on the top of the fifth, but Ali Vagianos struck out Kirwan to end the inning, but Ridgewood went down 1-2-3 in the fifth and sixth.

In the seventh, with two outs, Lori Hickey for Saddle Brook hit a meek pop up in the infield, it was in absolute no-man's land. Ali Vagianos just missed making a good play. It stank, but the assembled media said it had to be an error. (tough to do that). Kaitlyn LaCass came up and on a 3-2 pitch, Hickey was taking off from 1st. K. LaCass hit a ball to short, and the throw sailed way out of play and into the Ridgewood seating section. The umps awarded Hickey home because she had already rounded 2nd. No real protest from the Ridgewood side. 3-1 Saddle Brook.

The Maroons had 4-5-6 due up in the bottom of the seventh, but it was just Saddle Brook's day. Prevedel pitched the best I have ever seen her. She varied speeds, moved the ball up and down. I asked her after the game what she learned from the 1st game and she said she knew Ridgewood could make contact, so she tried to throw more change-ups. Ridgewood finished with 4 hits, SB had two, both coming in the 1st inning.

The Falcons will look to be the first Group 1 school to win a county title. They will play Ramapo, who beat IHA, 1-0, in nine innings in a classic.

You know, looking back, this game changed in the 2nd inning. Top. IHA up. Taylor Cosentino singled to lead off the inning (IHA only had two). With one out, she stole second (we heard Ramapo C Maggie Scarpelli was under the weather). She then went to third on a wild pitch by Brittany Baiunco, hmm, have we reached first name status yet with Brittany? Like, "Magic" or "Michael"? Anyway, Nikki Osofsky walks, so now its 1st and 3rd, one out. Osofsky moves up...no throw. So its 2nd and 3rd no outs. Now, dont tell IHA coach Anthony LaRezza this, but I think I know the squeeze sign. I knew it was coming. Jen Keller tried to squeeze twice, but couldn't get it down. She then struck out. Kaitlin McGillCuddy then struck out on a 3-2 pitch.

Ramapo had trouble with IHA sophomore Christina Miquel in the circle. They had 2 on the 2nd, an error and a walk, but nothing.

In the fourth, though, I would be remiss if I didnt mention the Play of the Day, and probably the year. Brittany is up with 2 out in the bottom of the 4th. She drove a ball into the gap in right center, McGillCuddy ranged back to her right and made a tremendous leaping, diving, over the shoulder grab. I mean, it looked like that Jim Edmonds play a few years ago, full extension. That really have IHA a boost.

But Brittany wasn't gonna let them have it. McGillCuddy led off the 5th with a walk, and stole 2nd with two outs, but she got no farther.

In the Ramapo 6th, Jess Brennan and Maggie Scarpelli got back-to-back singles with 2 outs, but Mallory Brown struck out. Miquel was really hitting her spots well.

This one was destined for extra innings.

Alyssa Sceppaguercio singled to left in the eighth with 1 out for IHA. She promptly stole 2nd. But Brittany roared right back, she fanned Alexis Durando (her 17th K of the day) and Kelsey Trujillo fouled out as Brennan made a really nice over the shoulder grab. That was Ramapo's defensive gem.

In the Ramapo 8th, with 1 out, Kaitlin Taranto singled. Jess Brennan put down a sac bunt, interesting move to sacrifice your 3 hitter, but you only needed a run. LaRezza called time. Scarpelli was up, she got hit on the foot....maybe...it was close. She went to 1st. Then both of them moved up a base on a wild pitch to Mallory Brown. But here Miquel really stepped up, she threw some awesome pitches to Brown who struck out looking to end the threat.

IHA went 1-2-3 in the 9th. Brittany with Ks 18 and 19. Brittany then led off the 9th with a single to right. Julie Shaw put down a sacrifice bunt, and now its Amanda Schellaci's turn. The junior smoked a 1-1 pitch up the middle. It might have just been a single, or at least a close play at the plate, but then ball then hit 2nd base on a hop and took a right hand turn. No one could get it. Emily Brown, (courtesy runner) scored. Ballgame. 1-0 Ramapo.

So either way, we will have history tomorrow. Either Ramapo is the 1st team to win 3 straight county titles, or Saddle Brook will be the 1st group 1 school to win it. I will make my pick in a sec. Ramapo is also in its 4th straight county final. We dont know if that is a record or not.

Afterwards, Ramapo coach Leslie Stephen said she was worried a bit about her team being emotionally drained for tomorrow's final, but I asked Brittany about it and she said she was ready to play "right now." By the way, I have a strong feeling Brittany is getting the ball tomorrow to start, but Julie Shaw could come in if needed.

For LaRezza, man, his girls really played well. If they play like that, they can win the section. And if it had gotten to a tiebreaker, I think IHA would have won, they had better speed and I think would have been able to generate some offense.

Ok, tomorrow. SB-Ramapo...just as I picked it (in 2007) My pick this year was Ramapo-Ridgewood (next year its Paramus Catholic-Ridgewood, but thats a very early guess, obviously). You know, they have not played in at least over a decade. They usually scrimmage down in Florida, but not this year. The two teams are usually real close, friend wise, this year a little bit. Brittany said she is friendly with some of the girls and she said that always makes things more "juicy."

Who do I like? I give Saddle Brook a ton of credit for getting this far, and I think it will be close. They need to put pressure on Ramapo, try to steal some bases and put pressure on the Green Raiders defense, but that's the catch-22, how do you get on base? You don't. Brittany looked real strong, 19 strikeouts? Against a very good hitting team. I truly do think these are the best 2 teams in Bergen County, but Ramapo has Brittany and Saddle Brook doesn't. Kim Prevedel and the Falcon defense will make things interesting, but Ramapo 2-0.