Rampino, Kwiatkowski top All-District softball
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

Jill Kwiatkowski

Four-year starters Ashley Rampino and Jill Kwiatkowski certainly went out on top.

The seniors led the Manalapan High School softball team to its third consecutive Shore Conference A North Division title, a school record.

A mid-season slump jeopardized the Braves' drive for the championship hat trick. However, in the end, when they had prevailed, it made the championship that much sweeter.

In the postseason, the Braves advanced to the Central Jersey Group IV championship for the first time in the program's history. It was a freshman, Brianne Tanke, providing clutch home runs that supported Rampino's pitching, leading Manalapan to the title game. The season would end on a sour note with Hunterdon Central squeaking by the host Braves, 1-0, in a superbly played game.

Jeannette Bruno's Braves could still look back on an outstanding 22-7 season that saw the development of several underclassmen, including freshmen, who will be the team's foundation in the coming seasons. They will have a hard act to follow as Rampino and Kwiatkowski led the Braves to those three division titles and a Monmouth County championship during their run.

Colts Neck, which has steadily progressed as its once freshman-dominated team matured, gave the Braves all it wanted in the race for the A North crown. But two regular season losses to Manalapan did the Cougars in, and it was Manalapan that ended Colts Neck's season in the state sectional. Still, coach Chris Hoffman can find solace in the fact that all of his key players are returning in 2008. Their 19-9 record this year was the most wins in a season.

Manalapan and Colts Neck dominated the softball season and it is reflected on the News Transcript's 2007 All-Freehold Regional District Softball Team.

Rampino (pitcher) and Kwiatkowski (infield) head the team that includes teammates Nicole Gurrieri (catcher) and Tanke (outfield); Colts Neck's Nicole Wisniewski (pitcher) and Kate Kuzma (outfield); Freehold Borough's Kristi Lynch (infield), Julia Brown (infield) and Heather Woolford (catcher); Freehold Township's Christina Masitti (outfield); Howell's Michele Piscitelli; and Jocelyn Bellemare of Marlboro.

Rampino, who had been part of a starting rotation her first three years, had the starting assignment all to herself this spring, and delivered. She was one of the best pitchers in the state, going 22-7 with a 0.92 earned-run average.

She had a school record 339 strikeouts in 205 innings of work. She won 55 games (55-22) during her career. Rampino, who will next be seen pitching for Manhattan

College, helped herself out at the plate. She batted .329 and tied for the team lead in home runs (four) and RBIs (18). She also had a team-high seven doubles.

A new era will begin at Manalapan in 2008 without the familiar delivery of Rampino in the pitcher's circle.

Kwiatowski was in the middle of most of Manalapan's rallies. The third baseman batted a team-high .386 with six doubles and three home runs. She had 17 RBIs and scored a team-high 29 runs. Her steady play in the field helped make a difference in the one-run games.

Gurrieri made the biggest adjustment for the Braves moving to catcher, where she played like a veteran. She displayed a strong arm that shut down the opposition's running game and worked well with Rampino (the two had spent the previous summer and fall working out together). The junior blossomed offensively, batting .354 and leading the team with 35 hits. She had six doubles, one triple, 16 RBIs and 11 runs scored.

Outfielder Tanke saved her best for the tournaments, displaying her power. The freshman had an outstanding debut season with a .338 batting average and four home runs and five doubles among her 22 safeties. She had 12 RBIs and 12 runs scored. She has a bright future ahead of her.

Wisniewski's pitching has helped the Cougars climb from obscurity to contender. The junior had her finest season yet going 19-8 with a 1.28 ERA. She had 269 strikeouts in 191 innings. Offensively, she batted .279 scoring 18 runs and smacking one home run. Next year, she hopes to bring the team its first championship.

It was Kuzma's emergence as a power-hitting run producer that helped the Cougars win 19 games and challenge for the division title. The sophomore outfielder batted .438 on 42 hits. Included in the hits are nine doubles, three triples and four home runs. She scored 25 runs and had 22 RBIs as she led the team in every offensive category.

Slugh, a sophomore like Kuzma, confirmed what her coach thought of her before the season, that she is a good offensive player. She rapped out 27 hits while batting .303. She had two home runs and 13 RBIs while scoring 10 runs for the Cougars.

Lynch and Brown came up with very big seasons for the Colonials, who sorely missed the pitching of the graduated Ashley Forsyth. Lynch, a shortstop, was 30-for-61 batting .492 with 17 RBIs. Brown, who plays second base, batted .447 with a team-high 21 RBIs.

Woolford had another strong season with the bat (.400), and, on defense. She canceled team's running games with her quick, accurate throws.

Junior outfielder Masitti was the Pats' MVP, leading the team in all the important offensive categories. She batted .362 and had an on-base percentage of .439. She had five doubles. The Patriots will look to turn things around next year behind their 2007 MVP.

With play from underclassmen like Piscitelli, Howell has every reason to think it can be back in the postseason next spring. Piscitelli, a sophomore infielder, batted .343 with 24 hits. She had five doubles and a triple among those safeties, and she scored 10 times and drove in seven runs.

Things may finally be looking up for Marlboro softball. After a number of down seasons, the Mustangs turned things around under first-year coach Tom Mulcahey in the second half of the season, providing momentum for next year. Bellemare, a junior, was a catalyst of the team's turnaround as the lead-off hitter, and defensively at shortstop. She batted .348 with an on-base percentage of .440. She scored eight runs and had five RBIs. She had only six errors all season.

Those earning Honorable Mention for 2007 are: Sarah Leder of Colts Neck, Meghan Gibson of Freehold Borough, Nicole Callahan and Kaycie Ascolese of Freehold Township, Keri Hardiman and Kelly Mormino of Howell, Deanna Daluise of Manalapan, and Lisa Karmel of Marlboro.

2007 All-Freehold Regional District Softball Team

Pitcher

Ashley RampinoManalapansenior

Nicole WisniewskiColts Neck junior

Infield

Jill KwiatkowskiManalapansenior

Michele PiscitelliHowellsophomore

Kristi LynchFreehold Boroughjunior

Jocelyn BellemareMarlborojunior

DJ SlughColts Necksophomore

Outfield

Brianne TankeManalapanfreshman

Kate KuzmaColts Necksophomore

Christina MasittiFreehold Townshipjunior

Catcher

Nicole GurrieriManalapanjunior

Heather WoolfordFreehold Boroughsenior

Designated player

Julia BrownFreehold Boroughsenior