7/28/2019 Softball2.Jpg

1/1

WWW .T HED AILYJ OUR NAL .CO M Friday, April 19, 2013 C3

Question 1) What have you enjoyed mostabout your senior year so far?

A: The trip to Florida (with the softball team). I

enjoyed that the most because we had a lot of

memories. Now, were just picking it up as a

team as we go along.

2) What is your favorite restaurant andwhats the best item to get there?

A: It has to be Friendlys. I like to get the bar-

beque chicken.

3) What is your favorite movie?

A: Any scary movie.

The senior third baseman is a four-year starter for

the Fighting Clan. With her sweet swing from the

left side, Garvey found her power stroke this week,

clubbing an area-best three home runs in a two-

game span. Entering Thursday, she led the team

with a .500 batting average. Garvey took some

time recently to chat about Vineland softball and

other things.

4) Game-winning hit or game-saving catch,which is better?

A: Game-winning hit.

5) If Americas got talent did a Vinelandsoftball edition, which player would win?

A: I would have to say Demi Murray. (Editors

note: Murray participated in the Miss Vineland

contest earlier this year.)

6) What would you like to major in at col-lege and why?

A: Im leaning toward criminal justice. I want to

be a state trooper.

7) What advice would you give to young-er players who are coming up in theVineland softball program?

A: Never underestimate yourself.

8) Without saying friends, what is yourfavorite thing about Vineland HighSchool?

A: The sports and how all the teams go and

support each other.

9) Aside from sports, what is your favor-ite thing to do outside of school?

A: Hanging out with friends.

BRIGITTEGARVEY

VinelandSeniorThird base

STARTING NINE

For catchers like Danielle Lugo,black and blue are the true colors ofspring.

The Sacred Heart High School juniorproudly shows off the bumps and bruisesthat mark her arms, the results of bitingfoul tips, like they were the latest accesso-ries to the catchers ensemble.

While pitchers and shortstops are of-ten considered the glamor positions on asoftball diamond, catchers are a differentbreed and they take pride in their abilityto handle the often unforgiving positionbehind the plate.

They are the ones that work in the dirt,covered in sweat from the bulky equip-ment and ready to flip their mask off overand over and over again.

You cant be a princess and be a catch-er, Lugo said. Youve got to be tough. Itsa tough position, but I love it. I love the ac-tion. Youre part of the game on every sin-gle play. Its great.

So why would anyone want to put them-selves through the grind of being a catch-er?

Were crazy, Vinelands Kylie Finleysaid. Any position on the field is hard, buttheres just something about being acatcher that makes this position the hard-est in my mind. The heat, the extra gear,the foul tips. Its also taxing on your kneesand shoulders. But I wouldnt want to playanother position.

Neither Lugo nor Finley started out be-hind the dish, but each followed a similarpath to those who ultimately strap up theshin guards and put the chest protectoron. Both were infielders for their townball teams, but when their coachescouldnt find someone to play the position,each gave it a try and quickly caught thecatcher bug.

Along with Millvilles Rachel Rivera,Buenas Ashley Surran, Delseas TristaMokienko and Cumberlands Jackie Mar-tin, Lugo and Finley make up an extreme-ly talented catching corps in the area.

It probably is the deepest positionaround here, theres some great athletesin that group, Sacred Heart coach Les Ol-son said.

While theres the tough, physical partof catching, theres also the cerebral side

too.For many teams, catchers are the ones

who call the pitches during the game, notthe coaches.

Surran earned the trust of coach PamPickett, who very rarely tosses the keysto her pitching game over to the receiver.

Shes done a very nice job backthere, Pickett said. Ill still make sug-gestions on pitches during the course of agame, but shes the one who has been call-ing it back there. Shes worked extremelywell with all of our pitchers.

And even when she doesnt call a pitch,the catcher still plays a key role in whatpitch is thrown in a particular situation.

If we have a runner on third base, Imstill able to call for any pitch because I

know (Lugo) will go down there and get itif its in the dirt, Olson said.

With that much influence on a game,its not surprising that the catcher is oftena vocal leader on a team.

I think you have to be, Filey said.You have to take charge. Youre the onewho sees the entire field, everything is infront of you. Youre checking the defense,you see where the hitter is lining up in thebox and you know what pitch is coming.

Lugo added, Youve got to be able tosettle down the pitcher if she gets intosome trouble, you have to be able to telleveryone to Bring it in, calm everythingdown and play ball.

A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN

SacredHeartsDanielleLugoreactsaftertaggingoutBuenasStephanieWalsh onTuesday.STAFF

PHOTO/

CRAIG

MATTHEWS

Catchers are a differentbreed of softball player

By Tom McGurk

tmcgurk@thedailyjournal.com

1. Washington Twp ............................9-02. Eastern .............................................12-23. Shawnee ...........................................6-44. Sacred Heart ....................................7-05. Haddon Heights..............................7-26. Glou. Catholic..................................6-37. GCIT ....................................................5-18. Buena ................................................5-29. Hammonton ....................................7-210. Gloucester.......................................8-211. Kingsway .........................................8-412. Burlington Twp. ............................6-013. Florence...........................................5-014. Paul VI..............................................8-215. Cam. Catholic.................................5-3

S.J. MEAN 15

BattingAverageKhyasia Floyd, Bridgeton............. ..... .667Lindsey Gaines, Cumberland............. .577Kodi Pollock, Cumberland................. .545Corie Collins, Millville.................. ..... .538Jenna Montana, Bridgeton ............... .529Jodi Cook, Cumberland..................... .500Brigitte Garvey, Vineland.................. .500Katie McCormick, Cumberland ......... .480Rachel Rivera, Millville ......... ............ .478Abby Pettit, Cumberland................... .476Casey Derella, Millville ......... ............ .469Danielle Lugo, Sacred Heart.. ............ .455Jenna Cali, Delsea............................. .450Carly Linus, Buena....................... ..... .450Kady Mae Makos, Millville................ .429Brittany Rivera, Millville... ................. .417

HitsCasey Derella, Millville..........................15Lindsey Gaines, Cumberland.................15Corie Collins, Millville............................14Brigitte Garvey, Vineland......................12Kady Mae Makos, Millville.............. ......12Katie McCormick, Cumberland..............12Kodi Pollock, Cumberland .....................12Jodi Cook, Cumberland ........ .................11Rachel Rivera, Millville............... ...........11Danielle Lugo, Sacred Heart ..................10Abby Pettit, Cumberland................. ......10Brittany Rivera, Millville.................. ......10

RunsSamantha Caterina, Sacred Heart ... ......10Katie McCormick, Cumberland..............10Jodi Cook, Cumberland ............. .............9Casey Derella, Millville .............. .............9Brigitte Garvey, Vineland........................9Carly Linus, Buena............................ ......9Emily Pettit, Cumberland........... .............9Rachel Rivera, Millville .............. .............9Lindsey Gaines, Cumberland...................8

Corie Collins, Millville....................... ......7Natalie Giannascoli, Buena.....................7Danielle Lugo, Sacred Heart....... .............7Brittany Rivera, Millville..........................7Alyssa Waddington, Sacred Heart ...........7

HRsBrigitte Garvey, Vineland........................3Julia Voluntad, Delsea ......... ...................3Casey Derella, Millville .............. .............2Rachel Rivera, Millville .............. .............2

RBIsLindsey Gaines, Cumberland.................17Natalie Giannascoli, Buena............. ......12Danielle Lugo, Sacred Heart...................11Kady Mae Makos, Millville......................9Jodi Cook, Cumberland ............. .............8Casey Derella, Millville .............. .............8Abby Pettit, Cumberland.........................8Julia Voluntad, Delsea ......... ...................8Samantha Caterina, Sacred Heart.... .......7Kodi Pollock, Cumberland................ .......7Brigitte Garvey, Vineland........................6Alex Lolli, Buena........................ .............6Rachel Rivera, Millville .............. .............6Alyssa Waddington, Sacred Heart ...........6

SBsKayla Rodriguez, Vineland......................4Corie Collins, Millville...................... .......3Brittany Rivera, Millville..........................3Amanda Buckson, Millville .............. .......2Casey Derella, Millville .............. .............2Jalene Garcia, Vineland............. .............2Cassidy Gorgo, Millville............. .............2Emily Pettit, Cumberland........... .............2Kodi Pollock, Cumberland................ .......2Katie Volov, Millville......................... ......2

PitchingWinsRosie LaGrotta, Sacred Heart..................6Sam Monfredo, Buena...................... ......4Demi Murray, Vineland...........................4Julia Voluntad, Delsea ......... ...................4Cassidy Gorgo, Millville............. .............3Shayla Loud, Cumberland................ .......3Alexa Calareso, Millville..........................1Sam Fiocchi, Buena......... ........................1Abigail DiJoseph, Cumberland ................1Jenna Montana, Bridgeton......................1Alyssa Waddington, Sacred Heart ...........1

InningsDemi Murray, Vineland.........................46

Rosie LaGrotta, Sacred Heart................40Shayla Loud, Cumberland.....................37Cassidy Gorgo, Millville........... .............33Julia Voluntad, Delsea ...... ....................30

ERARosie LaGrotta, Sacred Heart.............0.70Julia Voluntad, Delsea . ......................0.70Alexa Calareso, Millville.....................2.06Cassidy Gorgo, Millville..................... .2.12Demi Murray, Vineland......................2.28Shayla Loud, Cumberland..................3.02

KsJulia Voluntad, Delsea ...... ....................40Cassidy Gorgo, Millville........... .............33Demi Murray, Vineland.........................30Rosie LaGrotta, Sacred Heart................25Shayla Loud, Cumberland.....................24Alexa Calareso, Millville ............. ...........11*Statistics provided by coaches and com-piled through Wednesdays.For a larger list,please log onto our blog at thedailyjour-nal.com/playmakers

AREA LEADERS

Super Six1. Sacred Heart (7-0). The Lions have won 15 games in a row,dating back to last season; recorded back-to-back shutouts thisweek.2.Buena (5-2). The Chiefs have dropped two straight to Shawneeand Sacred Heart by a total of three runs;team didnt lose two in arow last year until its final two games.3. Cumberland (4-2). The Colts have scored 34 runs in their lastthree games, with two outbursts coming against top pitchers fromPennsville and Williamstown.4. Delsea (4-2). The Crusaders bats came alive again during an11-0 win over Schalick on Wednesday; team had scored eight totalin previous three games.5. Millville (5-4). After a thrilling comeback win over rivalVineland,the Thunderbolts could be in line for a nice long winningstreak.6. Vineland (4-3). The Fighting Clan have scuffled with threelosses in their last four games, including two one-run defeats.*Records through Wednesday.

Senior Trista Mokienko will lead Delsea into SaturdaysHammonton Invitational. The Crusaders face Shawnee inthe opening round. STAFF PHOTO/CRAIG MATTHEWS

LOCAL POLL