Brick National Juniors falls short in Section 3
BY WAYNE WITKOWSKI
Staff Writer

After putting together a fine 13-2 record in interleague play against District 12 teams, Brick National's Junior Softball All-Stars came into the Section 3 tournament battle tested.

It showed for the team that advanced out of District 18 with a bye - the only team in that district - in a pair of tough losses that eliminated it from the double-elimination tournament. It dropped a tough 9-5 game to Lincroft and then fell, 3-0, to Washington.

"I'm very proud of them. They played their hearts out," said manager Victor Wilenta. "They put in a lot of time and effort and they practiced hard for this."

Because it had a bye out of the district, Brick National did not have a tournament game for five weeks and scrimmaged some of the boys teams in Brick National, just to stay sharp.

"In practices and in the games, we looked solid on defense but I could see we needed more strength in our hitting," said Wilenta, who was assisted by coaches Mike Hart, Len Figula and Jeff Ellis. "It was hard because a lot of girls are involved in travel teams and we're trying to run a program."

Against Lincroft, Brick National left the bases loaded with one out on a popout and a hard ground ball hit by Rebecca Hart in which the third baseman was able to make a play. Brick National took an early 2-0 lead in that game as Claudia Gallagher stole home in the second inning and poked a run-scoring single in the third. Gallagher had two hits in the game and pitched the first four innings before Veronica Wilenta finished.

Katarina Kiseli, who also was one of two girls who played on the Brick National Cubs team that won the AAA League baseball championship, chipped in three hits, including a triple and a double. Veronica Wilenta also collected three hits.

Brick National scored two runs in the fifth inning when Kiseli lined her triple and rode home on a single by Wilenta and Nicole Binetti smashed a run-scoring single. Lincroft scored three runs in the fourth inning, four in the fifth and the other two in the sixth.

Brick National came back with a run in the last inning when Kiseli lined a double and scored on a single by Wilenta before eventually would leaving the bases loaded.

"Lincroft had two shots in the gap with two runners on that broke the game open for them," said Wilenta.

Hart and Heather Figula made sharp plays in the outfield and Wilenta made a diving stop for an out at third base.

Figula took the loss against Washington Township with five impressive innings, allowing runs in the first, third and fourth innings, while Nicole Brower had the only

hit leading off the first inning for Brick

National. Wilenta hurled the last two innings.

Kiseli, who played shortstop, made a diving stop that she played into an out and Hart again had some good catches in left field. Binetti was steady throughout at catcher.

Wilenta praised the efforts of all of his players, including Brower, who played at first and second base, first baseman Anne Kreutz, second baseman Carissa Pagnotta, Kiseli at short, Wilenta and Gallagher at third base and outfielders Hart, Figula and Sam Ellis, who played in right field. There also was Ashley Bezack in left field, Cortney Jones at first base and center field and Tina Scuttaro at second base and in the outfield.

Wilenta was especially pleased during the interleague season with a 4-0 victory over South Wall in which Figula, Gallagher and Veronia Wilenta shared in the pitching, while Figula, Gallagher and Kreutz hit well.

When asked whether he would return for next season amid reports he was not coming back, Wilenta said it is possible he will step down after many years of success with the program preparing girls for their high school careers, but said he has not yet made a final decision.