Sports
Hurley, Watchung Hills Out-Dueled at Home
Pitcher's gem wasted as Warriors manage just two hits against Immaculata's Josie Novak.
Senior right-hander Grace Hurley fired a three-hitter for the Watchung Hills softball team Wednesday, but it wasn’t enough, as Immaculata freshman right-hander Josie Novak allowed just two bloop hits and the Spartans claimed a 1-0 victory.
IN SHORT
Hurley turned in one of her finest outings of the season, limiting the Spartans to just a walk, two hit batsmen and three singles, but Watchung Hills’ defense let it down in the second inning, as a botched rundown netted Immaculata the game’s lone run.
Leigh Ann Greenwald led off for for the Spartans and was hit by a pitch, before going to second on a sacrifice bunt by Alexis Aceti. Novak, who then singled to left field, with Greenwald being held at third base, got herself into a rundown, with Greenwald scampering home, beating the late throw.
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Hurley then retired 16 of the game’s final 18 batters—without allowing a hit—but the Watchung Hills offense remained stymied.
Novak retired the first nine Warriors batters, before Meghan Kovac led off the fourth inning with a bloop single, but was stranded. Jess Gaeta’s one-out pinch-hit single in the sixth inning proved the Warriors’ only other base runner.
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The loss marked the first time this season Watchung Hills has dropped two straight games. The Warriors lost to Montgomery 7-1 on Tuesday.
WARRIOR OF THE GAME
Grace Hurley—The senior pitcher allowed just one run on three hits, walked one, hit two batters and struck out three, but was saddled with the tough-luck loss to fall to 5-4.
OTHER KEY PERFORMANCES
Meghan Kovac—The freshman shortstop singled and stole second during the fourth inning.
Jess Gaeta—The freshman came up as a pinch-hitter during the sixth inning and dropped a single into center field before being stranded at first base.
THEY SAID IT
“This is the first time all year we’ve lost two games in a row, as we’re going to see how we bounce back. I was hoping we’d bounce back today, but obviously that didn’t happen."—Watchung Hills coach Mike D’Alessandro
UP NEXT— At Phillipsburg, Thursday at 3:45 p.m., before facing Hillsborough Saturday at noon on the road in the Somerset County Tournament semifinals.
