WARREN ? Pitchers have always relied on their defenses to pick them up when things are going awry, but the Wednesday, June 4 win by the Watchung Hills High School softball team in the North 2 Group 4 semifinals might have been a case of its pitcher picking up the defense.
Junior right-hander Riley Bobrowski fired a no-hitter in her second-straight state tournament start, scattering five walks over six innings and striking out 12 to lead the reigning state Group 4 champs and No. 1 seed to a 10-0 win over No. 4 seed Bridgewater-Raritan in the semifinals of the North 2 Group 4 Tournament semifinals.
The Warriors' ace side-stepped three errors behind her, using strikeouts in key spots to strand seven runners, including four in scoring position.
“There’s a part of me that just wants to rip my hair out after errors, but you also realize that she’s capable of striking out three kids in a row,” said Watchung Hills coach Brian Figueiredo, whose team graduated nine players from last year’s state-championship winning team, including its entire starting infield. “It’s an incredibly comforting feeling to know she can get us outs no matter what happens defensively. You don’t want to live that way, but I would be lying if I said it doesn’t enter my mind (when runners are on base).”
“I think it keeps me and my whole team poised,” Bobrowski added. “We all trust each other.”
Watchung Hills will play host to second-seeded Columbia at 4 p.m. Friday, June 6 in the final.
Bobrowski, who no-hit Woodbridge in last Friday’s quarterfinals, didn’t need any help from her defense at the outset Wednesday. The junior made short work of BR in the top of the first, striking out the side, closing the frame with the 400th K of her career.
But after the Watchung Hills offense left the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning, Bridgewater-Raritan mounted its first threat of the game in the second.
Sienna Newsome reached on a one-out error by the third baseman, and after a walk to Cai Mahovetz, Bobrowski got a popout and a strikeout to end the rally.
The Warriors finally broke through against soft-tossing Bridgewater-Raritan Rachael Eng in the third inning. Mia Simon blooped a two-out single to right field that Ciser almost grabbed with a dive, before Madison DiSarno ripped a double to left field that hit the top of the fence on a hop and managed to go over, costing the Warriors a run in the moment.
But after Lia Long drove a ball to left that looked destined for the left fielder’s glove, the ball popped out of the glove for an error, allowing two runs to score.
Bridgewater-Raritan mounted its best rally in the top of the fourth. Evelyn Fresco led off and reached on a throwing error before Briana Cacchio drew a walk. But, as her counterpart was unable to do, Bobrowski was able to get out of trouble, even when it got worse. She got a popped-up bunt and a strikeout to make it two outs, and after a walk to Madalyn Dolly loaded the bases, struck out the next hitter to end the frame.
Bobrowski then allowed a one-out walk to Ciser in the fifth and a leadoff walk to Cacchio in the sixth, but that was it.
A year ago, it took every ounce of will for Bobrowski to finish out the season, culminating with the Group 4 state title. The Villanova commit suffers from an arm issue that limited her innings down the stretch last year, and instead of putting her in the same position this year, the ace and senior Mia Simon have alternated starts in the circle.
Both have been phenomenal, making this spring far less painful for the junior.
“From last season, we’ve learned to not throw me every single time,” Bobrowski said. “Mia and I have tremendous trust in each other and have both been pitching well, so that helps a lot, knowing I don’t have to go every single inning, and that even when I’m not at my best, she’s behind me.”
Eng battled all night despite her vaunted defense letting her down at times, finishing with three errors. She allowed just six earned runs on 10 hits, walked five (two intentional) and struck out just one.
Watchung Hills struck for two more unearned runs in the fourth inning, as Bobrowski and Leila Romero drove in runs. They then pulled away over the final two frames, hitting for four runs in the fifth, highlighted by Simon’s two-run double, and closed it in the sixth with Kelly Shikar's two-run double.
Shikar finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs, while Simon went 2-for-2 with two intentional walk and two RBIs and Romero added two hits, a walk and two RBIs.
“We ran into a buzzsaw today,” said Bridgewater-Raritan coach Sandy Baranowski, who coached her final game Wednesday after 28 seasons at the Panthers’ helm. “The kids were tremendous all season. Their enthusiasm and the way they play together, carefree and fun. I don’t know the last time we had 15 wins (it was 2017). It was a great year. Rachael worked her butt off out there, but this team can hit and they can pitch.”