CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE — The Caper Tiger softball team fell behind the Cape May Tech Hawks 9-2 in the first inning and trailed 13-4 by the bottom of the fourth during a frigid game April 10, but that didn’t discourage the girls.
They had a six-run rally in the fifth and another five-run rally in the top of the seventh. It wasn’t enough to catch the Hawks, but showed the fighting spirit of the young and lightly experienced team. In the end, the girls lost 17-15.
Kiersten Price, head coach of the Lower Cape May Regional High School softball team, said the girls are starting to get their hits into the outfield.
LCMR was shut out 16-0 and 20-0 by Our Lady of Mercy Academy and Williamstown, respectively, but rebounded with a 21-5 win over Pleasantville. After falling 15-3 to Wildwood Catholic, it was a football score game against Bridgeton, with the Caper Tigers winning 33-23. Then came the late surge in the loss to the Hawks.
“The first couple of games … we were putting the bat on the ball but just couldn’t break it through the infield,” Price said. “We’ve been trying to put the emphasis on line drives so it was really nice to see them pound the ball and getting those line drives.”
“We start four freshmen. We’re a little young,” Price said. “I only have three returning starters on the field.”
“With our youth it can either hurt you or be great. It’s a little hard sometimes because we have to work on them to get more confidence. It’s nice to see them grow and become more confident with themselves and more confident with each other.”
Price’s returning starters include senior first baseman Kaylei DeLeon, senior second baseman/outfielder Isabella Arbelo Miranda and junior Bailey Leninger. DeLeon scored four runs in the game. Miranda had two hits and two RBI and Leninger had two singles.
Freshman Raegan Notch almost hit for the circuit, with a triple, two doubles and a single. Sophomore Abigail Pellicano had a double, single and two RBI, freshman Taylor Stietler had a double and two RBI, freshman Kailyn Tait hit a double and two RBI and freshman Sophia Crecca a single.
“It’s nice that they’re learning how to continue to attack the ball and get the runs even if we’re behind,” Price said. “They’re not giving up on that end, which is great.”
Freshman Kylie Winslow started the game, but DeLeon came on in relief after the rough first inning. Stietler was the starting catcher, Notch at short and Crecca at third. In the outfield, Leninger was in left, Pellicano in center and junior Kylie Saltzman in right.
Price said the senior starters are both quiet players but lead by example.
“You can see their calmness and their demeanor; they don’t break under the stress.”
The coach added that even when things aren’t going well for the team, the seniors “just continue to play and continue to go through he motions, which shows their maturity because they don’t get mad at the other girls and start yelling or get upset.”
The LCMR girls were 2-4 to end last week. They are back at OLMA on Thursday then host Middle Township at 10 a.m. Friday.
Photos & Story by DAVID NAHAN/Cape May Star and Wave
