ND, Steinert to meet for rubber match in MCT final
Although they have split a pair of games so far this season, there’s no doubt Notre Dame is the favorite when it squares off against Steinert in the championship game of the Mercer County Softball Tournament Thursday night.
You can say that because Notre Dame (17-3) has sophomore fireballer Rylee Michalak, who has clearly taken it up a notch ever since a 5-4 loss to Steinert in the Irish’s first-game of the season way back on April 5.
The fact Michalak has become stronger as the season went along was never more on display than in a 3-1 victory over Steinert on April 20 in which she struck out 17 batters. Following a 14-strikeout performance against Allentown in the MCT semifinals on Tuesday, Michalak now has an impressive 152 strikeouts in just 85 innings of work.
Because Steinert runs figure to be at a premium when the championship game gets underway Thursday at 7 o’clock at Ewing’s Armstrong Park, for the Spartans (14-3) to add yet another piece of softball hardware to their already overflowing trophy case they clearly will have to match the Irish in the pitching department.
With junior righty Isabella Bonacci, Steinert just might have the girl to do it.
Although she does not ring up strikeout totals to match Michalak, Bonacci does possess good heat and is averaging over a strikeout per inning. To date, she has yielded just 24 runs in 71 innings and only 10 of those were earned.
A lot of people might not realize this, but Bonacci also comes from good softball bloodlines. Her cousin is none other than ex-Robbinsville great Lauren Fischer, who pitched the Ravens to the first two of their five state titles in 2011 and 2013.
Obviously, the fact Bonacci gave up just three runs to Notre Dame in their last meeting suggests she is fully capable of keeping her team in the game.
The two girls who make Notre Dame go at the top of the order are sophomore slappers Helen Woloshyn and Ella McColgan. Woloshyn has already stolen 41 bases and McColgan has swiped 20 bases while hitting well over .400.
There are lots of other girls in the Notre Dame lineup who can run as well, making it crucial for Steinert to limit the number of Irish batters who get on base.
After a slow start to the season in the power department, Notre Dame has been hitting the long ball as well. Cara Mazzucco, who had the big hit against Allentown in the semfinals with a two-run homer, leads the team in that category with three.
Christa Andrusiewicz has been the most productive Irish hitter of all with 34 hits in 62 at bats with a team-high 26 RBIs. Isabella Antosiewicz, Madalena Creo, Alyana Giampolo, Victoria Delate, Emma Marchese (23 hits), and Michalak have also had key hits for a very young team that has the type of hitting depth not often found in a high school lineup. Mazzuco has the third most hits on the team with 21.
As might be expected from a team that is ranked fourth in the area and right behind No. 3
Notre Dame, Steinert has more than its share of productive hitters as well.
A four-year starter at shortstop, Avery Kontura blasted a three-run homer in the victory over Notre Dame and leads the Spartans with 26 hits.
Makenna Spak provides plenty of speed at the top of the lineup and has 21 hits. Bonacci (20 hits, three home runs), Ceara O’Neal (24 hits, six doubles) and Paige Schultz (20 hits, teamhigh five home runs) give the Spartans plenty of power in the middle of their batting order.
Making the game even more special is Notre Dame and Steinert have developed the biggest rivalry in Mercer County softball over the years. The two have constantly battled it out for division titles and each has made numerous appearances in the MCT finals.
Along with the rivalry and many memorable games, the two also have developed a healthy dose of respect for each other.
“Steinert has a great program and their coach (Jenn Melker) is all class,” said Notre Dame coach Marty Schafer. “Absolutely we consider them to be our biggest rival. When I asked the other CVC coaches who would play us twice this year (to fill out the schedule), Jenn said right away that she would do it. She didn’t have to do that and we really appreciated it.” NOTES » For those who can’t make the game, it will be videostreamed live at wbcbsports.com. … Although last year it was called the Colonial Valley Conference Tournament when it was limited to CVC teams, Notre Dame can be considered the defending champion. … Although Steinert won the Tournament of Champions in 2018 and was named New Jersey’s top team, it did not win the MCT that year in a season in which it lost three times to Robbinsville. … Steinert’s last MCT title was in 2019 when it beat Group IV state champion Hightstown, 1-0, in the final.