
The Roadrunner Softball team has punched their ticket to the NJCAA Division III World Series by virtue of their 13-1 triumph Monday over Brookdale to win the North Atlantic District / Region 19 championship -- and Coach Steve DePasquale only needed a small crew to get the job done!
As he has dealt with all season, DePasquale and the Runners showed up with only a roster of 10 players. But, as they have shown all season, this group has proved to be resilient and scrappy, particularly in big games.
The No. 1 seed Runners, behind tournament MVP Gemma Galloway, finished the District championships with a perfect 3-0 record, claiming two wins over Brookdale and one over Northampton. They are No. 5 nationally in the NJCAA Division III rankings and possess a solid 24-8 overall record entering the DIII World Series.
Galloway, a Gateway High graduate, hurled another masterpiece on the mound, while teammate Anna Cirucci contributed three hits and three runs scored from her lead-off position.
Click Here to view photos from the Region 19 Tournament
"I have never seen such a scrappy bunch who always have each other's back," said Coach DePasquale, who has over 800 wins in his long career. "I've never had a team with just 10 players -- usually 14 or 15 -- so I am amazed at what these young ladies have accomplished."
The No. 3 seed Jersey Blues claimed an early 1-0 first inning lead, but that was short-lived. In the bottom of the first, Cirucci sparked the Runners; attack with a lead-off triple, which was followed by hits from Rylee Shappell and Grace Huber for a 2-1 Roadrunner lead.
The Runners built the lead to 3-1 in the third inning and then broke it open by erupting for 10 runs over the next three innings.
"It was great to have that support, and I knew my teammates would come through at the plate," said Galloway, who won two games and picked up a save in the tournament while picking up several timely hits herself. She is a returning All-American.
Cirucci, another returning All-American, can't wait to compete once again in the upcoming DIII World Series.
"We really want to prove we can win against the best teams in the country, so this will be a real challenge coming up," she said.
Next up for the Runners will be a return trip to the NJCAA Division III World Series, to be held May 22-25 at Frost Stadium & Warner Park in Chattanooga, TN.