Shore evens record with 26-run against Red Raiders
Michelle Polozois wins second and third games of rookie year
By chris kelly
Staff Writer

CHRIS KELLY Shore Regional’s Lauren Koenig tries to tag out Keyport’s Amanda Stumpf during the Blue Devils’ recent 26-0 win over the Red Raiders.

A coach can teach players many things about hitting, but discipline and patience are aspects of the game that need to be self-taught.

Shore Regional’s girls’ softball team showed its ability to exhibit patience at the plate last week, burning Keyport for 20 hits, and a 26-0 victory last Wednesday.

Anchored by rookie right-handed pitcher Michelle Polozois, and a solid defensive effort from the whole field, the Blue Devils held the Red Raiders to just two singles on the day.

The first hitter to reach first for the Raiders was Cheri Pearce, who was then thrown out by catcher Missy Somers as she tried to steal second.

Kaitlin McCann was able to beat the throw to first to lead off the visitors’ side of the fifth inning. However, the first baseman was stranded by two flyouts, and a putout at first.

As the Blue Devils’ defense was stranding the occasional runner, their own offense was clicking on all cylinders.

Shore averaged 12 batters per inning, sending a total of 48 hitters to the plate in four innings. They showed poise at the plate as Keyport’s four pitchers for the game combined for 88 balls thrown, and 16 walks.

The Blue Devils watched five batters earn two hits or more, and a total of 12 players put a ball safely in play.

Leading the 20-hit barrage was Lauren Hennessey, Meredith Corradino and Kristen McConville, who all turned the bat for three hits a piece; while Mary Marino and Somers cranked out two hits.

Other hits were turned in by Koenig, Dempsey, Kim Plesnarski, Robyn Apicelli, Caitlin Petschauer, Brittney Smith, and Ashley Stubbington.

Five hits, seven walks and two batters hit by pitches not only allowed the Blue Devils to bat through their order in the first inning, but it also earned them 11 runs.

Even though Shore Regional already scored enough runs for the "Mercy Rule," the game would only become official after five innings of play.

Keyport managed to hold Shore in the second inning but would give up 15 runs over the third and fourth.

Polozois won her second game of the year, improving her record to 2-3. The righty fanned two batters, walked two and only hit one batter. Through the course of five innings of work, Polozois threw 27 strikes and only 17 balls.

The win evened Shore’s overall record to 3-3. They improved to 4-3 win to win over Holmdel April 18. Polozois was once again the winning pitcher, and the Devils used a balanced offensive attack to plate a run in the second, three in the third and two more in the fourth. Meanwhile, Polozios held the Hornets to just two hits on the day.

The Devils entered this week trailing Rumson-Fair Haven and Mater Dei, a pair of teams that squared off Tuesday, in the Shore Conference’s Class B Central. Mater Dei entered the game at 9-1, and seemed poised to claim the division’s top spot.

The Seraphs did just that, knocking off RFH 2-1 in a thrilling come-from-behind effort. Rumson got their run in the first when Heather Immesberger doubled in Kaitlin Severini, but Immesberger gave up a pair of runs in the fourth inning to squander the lead.

The loss dropped the Bulldogs to 5-5 entering Wednesday’s game with Shore in West Long Branch.