Staff Report
The Egg Harbor Township softball team has always been a tough out in the state playoffs. That was true for many years under former coach Mary Dunlap, and the same holds true under current coach Kristi Troster.
Troster picked up her 100th victory — in just five seasons — on Monday afternoon as seventh-seeded EHT bounced No. 2 Vineland in the South Jersey Group 4 quarterfinals. The 9-4 victory was the seventh straight for the Eagles, who at one point were 6-13 but now sit just one win away from playing for a sectional title. They’ll take on No. 3 Rancocas Valley on Wednesday in the sectional semifinals.
Troster took over during the canceled 2020 Covid season, so her first true season of coaching was in 2021, when she led EHT to a 19-5 record. The following year, the Eagles made it all the way to the Group 4 state championship game, posting a 25-2 record that included a 5-1 mark in the state playoffs. That season also saw the first of three straight Cape-Atlantic League Tournament championships.
In all, Troster is 100-32, including 13-4 in the state playoffs.
Against Vineland, it was the EHT offense that paved the way, as the Eagles (13-13) pounded out 11 hits, including two doubles, a triple and a home run. Laura Mack led the way with a three-run home run, while Sofia Spatocco and Elizabeth Mayer added two RBIs each. Mary Del Re and Kaci Velardi each had two hits, while Sadie Van Dine went 1-for-3 with two runs scored and a pair of RBIs. Gabi Jones picked up the win inside the circle, allowing four runs on six hits in seven innings.
The Eagles avenged a pair of regular-season losses against Vineland, as well as last season’s sectional championship, when the Fighting Clan rallied from an early 2-1 deficit to beat EHT, 4-3.
