By Kyle Kondor
“Storybook ending” is a term often coined within the world of sports.
More times than not, that story ends with a win. Although that wasn’t the case for this year’s EHS girls’ softball team — it lost 8-5 to Indian Hills High School in its first-ever state championship game on June 6 — the team still made history with a fairy tale-type season.
As part of its run towards the state championship game, the Blue Devils won the Central Jersey Group III for the first time in 33 years.
In winning the sectional title on May 30, the team defeated Middletown South 8-2 and become the first Ewing softball team to accomplish that feat since 1981. Only one other Ewing team has ever made it to the sectional championship in that time span (1996).
Playing a significant role in the success of this year’s team were senior softball players, Samantha McQueen, Nicole Capuano, Nicole Rinaldi, Jodi Crutchley, Elisa Zuczek and Kasey Schneider.
“Overall this is the best team we’ve ever had here,” said manager Den Bernoski, who just completed his 30th season as manager of the team.
The team may have suffered defeat in the title game, but they did not go down without a fight against the Indian Hills juggernaut, which became the first New Jersey high school softball team to ever win 34 consecutive games.
In fact, the Blue Devils became just the second team to notch at least five runs against pitcher Devin Durando and the Braves all season long. Durando struck out 376 batters this season.
The five Ewing seniors who played in that game combined for six of the team’s seven hits against Durando. Three of those hits came off the bat of catcher Jodie Crutchley. Second basemen Nicole Capuano also contributed to Ewing’s last hurrah with three RBI.
Leadoff hitter and center fielder Sam McQueen didn’t quite end her high school softball career the way she might have liked — going hitless in the state championship game — but she played a significant role throughout the season. She had more than 100 hits in her EHS softball career.
“Even though we didn’t end up winning the state championship, I still can’t help but reflect on the entire season with a smile on my face,” McQueen said.
This year’s team finished with 23 wins and five losses, and broke several school hitting records, including a new record of 288 hits, shattering the previous mark of 238, which was set by the 1981 team.
They also broke the school record in batting average and extra base hits.
Amongst all of those extra base hits were 15 home runs split between Sam McQueen (6), Nicole Rinaldi (6), Sarah Bystricki (2) and Jodie Crutchley (1).
McQueen and Rinaldi are now tied for the most home runs in a single season in EHS softball history.
McQueen, Rinaldi, Capuano, Zuczek and Crutchley have all earned significant playing time since they were freshman, but this is the first time in their careers that they’ve been apart of team that made that list.
“I knew when these girls were freshman that they could hit and that they were very good defensively,” said manager Dan Bernoski. “It was just a matter of getting all the chemistry right and obviously that wasn’t a problem either.”
All six of the seniors played recreational softball together since they were second graders.
To add to that, all but Schneider began playing for the Ewing Edge travel softball team at 10 years old and will complete their local softball careers with the team this summer.
“We’ve created so many memories,” McQueen said. “It’s upsetting to think that this will be my last summer playing with the girls that I’ve played with my whole life.”
McQueen received an athletic scholarship to play softball at the University of Massachusetts Lowell next year.
Both Rinaldi and Capuano received academic scholarships to St. Joseph’s University and they’re both considering trying to walk on to the Hawks’ softball team.
Crutchley has received an athletic scholarship to play field hockey at Farleigh Dickenson University, and she is also considering playing softball there as well.
Zuczek will play field hockey as well at Arcardia University and Kasey Schneider will join the women’s soccer team at Mercer County Community College.
“I was just in the right spot at the right time,” Bernoski said. “It’s not very often that you get to a coach a group of girls like this.”
Despite the loss of the six seniors, the Blue Devils will take the field in 2015 with a strong roster consisting of pitchers Killian Kueny, Sara Bearden and Natalie Schwab. The three of them were the only Ewing players to take the mound at the varsity level this season.
Third basemen Alexis Pope, first basemen Courtney Bartkowski, and outfielders Kelsey Basich and Sarah Bystricki also saw significant time at the varsity level as underclassmen this season.
Jenna Capuano will also contribute more at the varsity level next season by trying to fill the shoes of her older sister Nicole at second base.
“We’re fortunate that our supporting cast is returning,” Bernoski said. “They will all be practicing hard this summer to fill the roles of our graduating players.”
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