Ksiezopolski Nearly Perfect in Hillsborough Win

The Hillsborough High School softball team rebounded from a tough loss on Saturday at East Brunswick to defeat the visiting Phillipsburg Stateliners 10-0 Monday afternoon behind a dominant pitching performance by Brittany Ksiezopolski.

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

Total

Hits

Phillipsburg (1-3)

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Hillsborough (3-1)

0

2

6

2

x

10

12

IN SHORT
The Raider bats were alive, pounding out 12 hits, including five doubles, and the pitching was near perfect as the Raiders dominated the Stateliners, winning 10-0, in a game shortened to five innings by the 10-run rule.

In the bottom of the first, the Raiders left two on as Ksiezopolski grounded out with runners at the corners to end in the inning. It would turn out to be the only inning the Raiders would not score.

The Raiders were able to plate two in the second despite a base running mistake by Emma Hornich who interfered with the Phillipsburg shortstop on Krista Ann Ivone’s ground ball as she was going from second to third.

Hornich was called out; Alex Wells who had originally scored on the play was called back to third base and Ivone was awarded first on the fielder's choice.  With one out and runners on first and third the next batter, right fielder Angela LoBrutto got the Raiders the lead with an RBI groundout to second. It would turn out to be the winning run and the only run Ksiezopolski would need.

Handed the lead, Ksiezopolski struck out the side in the top of the third and the Raiders put the game away in the bottom half of the inning batting around the order and scoring six runs. In the inning, Ivone, Alexis Pezza, and Ashley Lamont each had two RBIs.

RAIDER OF THE GAME

Brittany Ksiezopolski—Ksiezopolski struck out seven and held the Stateliners hitless as she came within one batter of pitching a perfect game. The Stateliners only runner came on a swinging third strike passed ball to start the fifth inning. Ksiezopolski was so dominate that only two balls left the infield. There was only one really hard hit ball, a comeback line drive that Ksiezopolski snared for the second out of the fifth.

Ksiezopolski’s line score—5 innings pitched, no runs, no hits, no walks, seven strikeouts. She also went 1-for-3 at the plate with a run scored.

OTHER KEY PERFORMANCES

• Alexis Pezza was 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs and a run scored
• Ashley Lamont was 1-for-3 with a double and 2 RBIs
• Alex Wells was 3-for-3 with 2 doubles and 3 runs scored
• Krista Ann Ivone was 2-for-3 with a double, 3 RBIs and 3 runs scored
• Angela LoBrutto was 1-for-2 with a double, 2 RBIs and a run scored

THEY SAID IT
“Today was a good rebound win. After the loss Saturday we had something to prove to ourselves”—Head Coach Cheryl Iaione

“We didn’t hang our heads from Saturday and came out strong”—Brittany Ksiezopolski who has started all four games for the Raiders

Up Next—At Immaculata on Thursday at 3:45 p.m.