April 21, 2012

Hoboken's Jayla Vega allowed just two hits in a complete game victory. (Photo: Jason Bernstein)

Kearny at Hoboken Softball Photo Gallery

HOBOKEN – Jayla Vega and her Hoboken teammates have a sense of unfinished business.

Sure this core of Red Wings have won plenty of games the previous two seasons, but each year came up short of its two biggest goals - a Hudson County championship and a state sectional title.

The playoffs have yet to begin, but if the first few weeks are any indication, the Red Wings and their eight senior starters are on a mission towards correcting those voids in their resume.

Behind a brilliant pitching performance from Vega, Hoboken improved to 9-0 on the year after holding off Kearny 3-1 yesterday at JFK Stadium.

"Our seniors made a point to make this a memorable year," coach Carmine Ronga said. "They all felt they fell a little short last year. They're doing everything in their power not to fall short. They understand what this year is. There is no coming back."

"We're very determined," said Vega. "We want to win it all basically. That's what we're going for and every game we're getting better and better."

Such lofty goals look very obtainable with the way Vega has been pitching. The senior hurler dominated from the start for the Red Wings, retiring the first eight Kearny (6-5) hitters she faced, four coming by strikeout.

"At the beginning I was a little iffy (out there)," said Vega of her performance. "But then I got into it and that's when it started coming. Towards the third or fourth inning I felt I was really getting into that groove and throwing more strikes."

"She hits her spots," Kardinals coach Jim Pickel said. "She had a lot off-speed pitches that we don't see a lot in our other games. She did a really good job of keeping us off-balanced. We were hitting really well before this game."

A Stephanie Murphy walk gave Kearny its first base-runner and opposing pitcher Ashleigh Amadeo ended Vega's no-hit bid with a sharp single in the fourth.

Centerfielder Nicole Kelly provided the one blemish on Vega's outing when she ripped an inside the park homer in the sixth inning to make it a 2-1 game. Otherwise, the Kardinals had little success against Vega and her screwball as she allowed just two hits and two walks on the afternoon with seven strikeouts.

"Jayla's coming into her own," Ronga said. "That's a good team we just beat."

As impressive as Vega was in the circle, Ronga was quick to point out the contributions made by his other seniors to secure the victory.

Senior leadoff hitter Sybil Lynch used her speed to bunt her way on base in the first and later score on a single from freshman Naomi Olacio. Senior 2B Nicollette Martinez delivered a long triple to right in the third to make it 2-0. After the Hoboken lead was cut to one, the Red Wings answered back with a run in the bottom of the sixth with a sacrifice fly by senior 1B Samantha Maldonado.

"We're a senior team and all the seniors step up," Ronga said. "We're led by seniors and Jayla is in good company with the rest of the seniors.

"I've got to give them credit. In close games they stay very confident and very calm."

"We've been playing together for a while so it makes it easier for us to win games," said Maldonado. "We have chemistry together."

Sophomore Kayla Morrisette scored two runs for the Red Wings and stole a base.

Amadeo was a tough-luck losing pitcher for Kearny. The senior allowed just one earned run on five hits and a walk.

Stephanie Murphy (l) and Sarah O'Neill (c) celebrate with Nicole Kelly (r) after Kelly's homer (Photo: Jason Bernstein)

Kearny at Hoboken Softball Photo Gallery