Archer fans 13 as NBC blanks Steinert
HAMILTON » Although it wouldn’t be unreasonable for Steinert to hope things will somehow be different should they meet again, it was the Northern Burlington softball team establishing itself as the early favorite in the Central Jersey Group III Tournament.
With sophomore flamethrower Haylei Archer cranking up a one-hitter with 13 strikeouts and Julia Mayernik belting a three-run homer, No. 2-ranked Northern Burlington beat No. 3 Steinert, 4-0, on Saturday afternoon.
As good teams do, NBC (8-1) really made Steinert (6-3) pay when an infield error with two outs in the sixth allowed the winning and first run to score. This led to NBC breaking the game wide open on Mayernik’s shot over the left field fence.
“You know what we are trying to do,” said Northern Burlington coach Brian Wolverton. “We are trying to play as many good teams as possible to get ready for the state tournament. This was a very good game for us.”
For five innings Archer and Steinert junior Kaylee Whittaker matched goose eggs by working their way out of whatever trouble came along.
Northern Burlington nearly broke through in the first, but Whittaker got Megan Berg out on a liner to left.
NBC also nearly scored in the third with runners on second and third, but Steinert was able to tag out a runner at third on a grounder to shortstop Carli Backlund. This was a base running mistake on NBC’s part because the runner should have stayed at second and forced Backlund to make a long throw to first.
Steinert, meanwhile, loaded the bases in the first on an error and the first two of three walks by Archer. The hard-throwing righty got out of that jam with a strikeout on a 3-2 pitch.
The Spartans also got a double for its only hit of the day by Taylor Hawkes in the third inning on Archer’s only change-up of the game. A fly ball, however, ended that threat.
After Whittaker sailed through the fifth, NBC got going when Nicole Bondoc walked on a 3-2 pitch. After Whttaker came back for the second out with one of her nine strikeouts, Bondoc stole second.
Up stepped Madison Sisz, who hit a hard grounder that got through a Steinert infielder and Bondoc raced home on the error. It was a tough break for Whittaker, who should have been out of the inning.
Northern then removed all doubt when Berg reached on a bloop single to right and Mayernik homered.
Although Steinert has struggled at the plate this year and is having trouble replacing hitters such as the graduated Courtney Danser, Morgan Comfort and Madison Balke, the bottom line Saturday was Archer can that be good when she’s on top of her game.
“I think the reports of her demise are a bit premature,” said Wolverton with a smile in reference to a loss to Rancocas Valley and giving up four runs in a win over Bordentown. “Haylei made that error and walked two people (in the first), but she settled in. She’s starting to show the maturity she needs out there.”
No. Burlington (8-1) 000 004 0 — 4 6 3 Steinert (6-3) 0000000—011
WP-Archer. LP-Whittaker. 2B-Hawkes (S). HRMayernik (NB). RBIs: Mayernik 3.