South Brunswick softball rallies to win GMC Tournament title

EDISON - The South Brunswick High School softball team kept its winning tradition going on Saturday afternoon in the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament final. 

The second-seeded Vikings (18-2), which won their first GMC Tournament title last season, was making their second appearance in the final in program history. Down 3-1 to top-seeded South Plainfield (24-4) heading into the top of the seventh, South Brunswick staged a comeback for the ages. 

South Brunswick scored twice in the top of the seventh to tie the game 3-3 and send the game into extra innings. In the top of the ninth the Vikings made their move, scoring four runs to clinch a 7-4 victory and win their second GMC Tournament title in a row. 

READ: SOUTH PLAINFIELD ADVANCES TO NORTH 2 GROUP III FINAL

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It was the first time in the GMC Tournament a team won back-to-back titles since Bishop Ahr did it 2000-01. 

"It feels great, it's great to be back-to-back champs," South Brunswick left fielder Jess Risch said. "It shows that we're a really good program and that we don't give up, we keep battling and we have each other's back throughout the entire game."

With the game tied 3-3 in the top of the ninth, South Brunswick loaded the bases on a single to center, a bunt and a walk. With one out, right fielder Emily Collins singled to to left to give the Vikings a 4-3 lead. Risch, who celebrated her birthday on Saturday, then hit a bases-clearing triple to left which put South Brunswick ahead 7-3. 

"I was a little scared honestly," Risch said. "I hadn't had the best at-bats all day and I just knew I had to battle like I did last year against her until I got my pitch and I got my pitch and took it. We really prepared for it over the past few days, we knew (pitcher Katherine) Vill was going to throw outside, so we practiced hitting outside and we came in with the mindset of we knew they were coming to get us so we had to go harder for them."

South Plainfield, which was looking to win its first GMC Tournament crown since 2013, tried to muster a comeback in the bottom of the ninth. With one out Vill reached on an error and Schaeffer singled to left field. First baseman Cameron Marks singled and a single to center field by Danielle DeCarlo scored Vill to cut the lead to 7-4. A double play to South Brunswick third baseman Jaime Klemas ended the game. 

South Plainfield opened the game with three runs in the bottom of the first on two South Brunswick errors and a double to center field by catcher Camryn Schaeffer. 

"Definitely in the first inning we were a little shaky, but we came out strong in the seventh and we pulled through," said South Brunswick's Haley Grossi, who was voted tournament MVP. "Since last year when we played them in the final, we definitely wanted to come out strong and beat them again. We had that mentality through the whole game, we stuck through it and I'm really proud of all the girls." 

South Brunswick got one back in the top of the sixth on two errors, a bunt single and an RBI ground out by catcher Lindsey Warich. 

For South Plainfield, Vill allowed seven runs on 12 hits and struck out three in a complete-game effort. Gabriella Brancaccio started the game for South Brunswick and allowed three runs on five hits and struck out two in three innings. Alexandra Zetchus entered the game with a runner on second in the bottom of the fourth and allowed one run on eight hits and struck out one in six innings. 

South Brunswick, which saw its regular season come to an end with a 6-3 loss to Sayreville in the NJSIAA Central Group IV Tournament on May 23, didn't want to end its season with back-to-back losses. 

"It's great for our school, last year was the first time in history so this time is a really great win for all of us, especially since most of the girls have been on this team for awhile now," Grossi said. "We haven't had a lot of wins in recent years and now we're on the map because of two finals. We did really great and I'm really proud of everyone."

South Plainfield, which had a six-game win streak snapped, is still alive in the state tournament and will face top-seeded Middletown North in the North 2 Group III final on Tuesday. 

Staff Writer Lauren Knego: lknego@gannettnj.com; on Twitter: @laurenknego