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Sports

East Windsor Brings Its Winning Ways to Regionals

Softball team wins first two games, has two more pool play games before playoffs start

The members of the East Windsor 12-year-old softball team have waited two years to see how they would perform against squads from other states.

Turns out, they're doing just fine.

East Windsor, the New Jersey state champion, is currently playing in the Mid-Atlantic Region in Bristol, Conn. The team has already defeated teams from Delaware (16-0) and New York (7-3). It still has pool play games left against Maryland and Pennsylvania before the playoffs begin.

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When this same group of girls won the state title two years ago, 10-year-olds did not play in a regional tournament.

"The girls are playing with a lot of heart... with a purpose," manager Bill Giampolo said.

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East Windsor opened play in the regionals with a 16-0 win over Delaware on Saturday.

"We have all been through games like that before," Giampolo said. "You just try and be respectful. We scored 10 runs in the first and Delaware was having a rough time."

East Windsor added four runs in the second and two more in the third. East Windsor did not bat in the fourth because the game was stopped after Delaware batted in the top of the inning because of the 10-run mercy rule.

Holly Bridgman finished the game 4-for-4 with four runs scored and five RBI. Angela Giampolo was 3-for-3 with three runs scored. Ally Huelbig was 2-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBI. Brighid Douglas added two hits and four RBI. Chrissy Mayer had a hit and three runs scored. Nicolette Garthe had two hits, a run scored and two RBI.

Sam Dolan did the pitching for East Windsor, limiting Delaware to just one hit.

East Windsor also came away with a 7-3 win on Sunday against New York. In this game, East Windsor trailed before scoring five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.

"We were hitting the ball every single at-bat, just nothing was falling in," Bill Giampolo said. "We just kept knocking at the door because we knew it would eventually open."

In the fifth, Garthe reached on an error and Douglas walked to get the inning going. Kelli Swedish then tied the game with a double.

Dolan loaded the bases with a single. An out later, a run-scoring groundout by Mayer gave East Windsor the lead. Before the inning ended, East Windsor added a run-scoring walk by Huelbig and a two-run single by Bridgman.

"We knew we would get those runs in sooner or later," Bill Giampolo said. "They finally came in the fifth inning."

Angela Giampolo worked all six innings for the win, allowing just three hits and two walks.

East Windsor was scheduled off on July 25. It is scheduled to play Pennsylvania on July 26 and Maryland on July 27. Then the playoffs start on July 28.

"If we keep on winning, we will play five games in a row (and be the East Regional champs)," Bill Giampolo said. "Playing five games in a row would be tough on our pitching staff."

Of course, it's much better than the alternative of losing one of those playoff games and having its season ended.

"The girls are here with a purpose," he said. "They are not just happy to be here."

 

 

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