In the 34 year history of the Ocean County Tournament, Pinelands has advanced to the finals just once, losing by two runs to Central Regional in 2000.
After a shaky start, Pinelands scored two runs in the bottom of the third to erase a one run deficit and added an insurance run in the sixth as Pinelands defeated Jackson, 3-2, to capture its first-ever Ocean County Tournament championship.
“It meant a lot for the girls and the community. It really made them aware of all the hard work, not just this season, but for a long time, has paid off to win a championship like that,” Pinelands head coach Keith Lowe said. “There was a lot of relief there. We got over the hump.”
That hump was losing in the OCT semifinals in the past two seasons. Lowe is in his eighth season at the school and before 2012, Pinelands had never advanced to the semifinals in back-to-back seasons. Lowe’s squad returned to the semifinals for a third straight year and this time beating Monsignor Donovan by the same score Pinelands beat Jackson, 3-2.
Junior pitcher Naomi Stas has led the way for Pinelands all season long, posting a 17-2 record. The title match was not her best pitching performance of the year, but she allowed just one earned run, one walk and struck out seven against Jackson.
“Jackson did a good job with two strikes, putting the ball in play and they found some holes. They fought, they didn’t give up on any at-bats,” Lowe said. “She (Stas) threw seven innings, seven hits scattered, seven strikeouts. She was good. She wasn’t great, but she was good. She made some big pitches to get us out of jams.”
No jam was bigger than runners on first and third with two outs in the top of the seventh. Jackson had already scored a run in the inning to cut the lead in half. Stas induced a ground ball to second base to end the game.
Nine hitter Madison Dancisin led off the bottom of the third with a single to center field and advanced to third base when the next batter reached on an error. Dancisin scored on a wild pitch, and catcher Stephanie Healy drove in the second run on a single to left field.
Pinelands added an insurance run, which turned out to be the winning run, in the sixth. Healy led off with a single and with one out, Shannyn Herron singled to center field. The ball went between the Jackson center fielder’s legs and Healy scored from first.
The last two years Pinelands advanced to the semifinals as an underdog being the fifth seed in 2012 and the third seed in 2013, but this year, the school was seeded No. 1 for the first time in tournament history.
“This year was a little bit different because we had the target on our back. We were the number one seed. We felt like everybody was gunning for us,” Lowe said. “It’s a different feeling.”
It was just one of many different feelings Pinelands has felt this season as the school won its first OCT title.
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