By BRIAN TORTELLA
Correspondent
@tortreports on Instagram
PENNSVILLE — The Pennsville Memorial High softball program has been a steady group 1 contender the last few years, but just couldn’t break through in the postseason.
Until Thursday.
Behind a stout defense and a highly efficient offense, the Eagles dominated their way to their first South Jersey Group 1 title since 2008 with a 10-0 triumph over rival Woodstown in six innings.
“This is about the girls,” said star senior catcher Kylie Harris, who delivered an RBI double during a five-run fifth inning. “It’s always been and always will be. It’s about my pitcher, it’s about my first baseman, it’s about every position on the field. We play for each other, that’s the message. I’m so happy, this doesn’t even feel real.”
Harris was in diapers the last time Pennsville hoisted the trophy 18 years ago. Now, she’s one of the best catchers in the region and plans to take her talents to Shenandoah University in the fall.
Graillyn Weber continued her stellar playoff run, pitching all six innings in the shutout. She allowed just three hits and recorded four strikeouts — forcing plenty of groundouts.
“This means a lot, I’m super excited. I’m glad we sent them home,” said Weber, who said she didn’t pitch until she was playing 12U travel ball, and actually prefers fielding. “They are our biggest rivals, so I’m so glad that we got it done and I’m really happy for myself and our team.
“I threw pretty well. I don’t think I actually threw my best game, but I think I was just avoiding the middle of the strike zone and just not making every pitch so hittable. They took a lot of bait. Not a lot of my pitches were that good, and I definitely put a lot of spin on the ball.”
Although pitching isn’t her favorite, she doesn’t mind stepping inside the circle during big-time games.
“I’ve never pitched on my travel team, and I probably never will, but I like it a lot now and I’ve definitely gotten a lot better,” the junior said. “I was definitely a second-, third-string pitcher (in youth softball).
“It mostly came naturally. I’m definitely a better fielder, and I enjoy shortstop a lot more. But in games like this, I love pitching.”
After building a 4-0 lead after the four innings, Pennsville (18-7, 10-0 Tri-County Classic) broke the game wide open with a five-run frame in the bottom of the fifth. Weber started the inning off with a single, while Harris and Avery Watson each recorded doubles. The Eagles finished the contest with nine hits from six different players.
Fittingly, Weber ended the game with a line drive double to put the 10-run mercy rule into effect.
The victory also marked the first sectional championship under the reign of coach Beth Jackson. Jackson won the crown as a player during her scholastic days at the Salem County school back in the 1990s and as an assistant on the 2008 squad.
This is her first taste of the ice bath after winning the blue trophy as the program’s boss.
“It’s a great group of girls,” Jackson said. “I’m going to start crying again, I’m just so happy for them. They’re a bunch of hard workers and they really come together and work together in the playoff — hitting the ball, playing defense, cheering each other on. All around, everyone has done a wonderful job.”
Woodstown (19-9, 6-2 Tri-County Diamond) finished its season with a 19-9 record, reaching the sectional final for the first time since 1979. In his first two seasons at the helm, coach Rob Hildebrand has guided the Wolverines to 33 wins.
“It’s super special. We weren’t really meant to be here to begin with,” Hildebrand said of his seventh-seeded squad. “Everyone was kind of counting us out of the Schalick game — not everyone but a lot of people.
“We are a better team than Pennsville, but today, they beat us. They were a significantly better team… today they outplayed us and beat us in every facet of the game. Do I think we’re still a better team at heart? Yes. But they just beat us today.”
WHAT’S NEXT: Pennsville hosts Bound Brook on Monday in the Group 1 state semifinals, with the winner advancing to the state championship game. Woodstown’s season is complete.
