Trojans on roll behind Morris' dominance
Bishop Ahr looks like Blue Division's top team
BY SHAWN LAYTON
Staff Writer

EDISON - The Bishop Ahr High School softball team improved to 5-2 on the season with wins over Roselle Catholic and Union Catholic to capture its own Bishop Ahr Invitational Tournament over the weekend.

The Trojans blanked Roselle Catholic 8-0 in their opening game of the tournament behind the arm of pitcher Stephanie Morris. Morris scattered three hits over seven innings.

Battery mate Maureen Sharlow provided the big hit, a three-run homer that broke the game wide open in the second inning. Ashley Brewer knocked in two runs off three hits in the win.

In the second game of the doubleheader, the Trojans gave the ball to Brewer and their ace came through as she tossed her second consecutive no-hitter. She blanked Spotswood Friday in a 12-0 victory. Against Spotswood, Brewer was a base-runner away from a perfect game as a Spotswood player reached base on an error.

In the game against Union Catholic, Brewer again flirted with a perfect game but was a base-runner short due to a base on balls.

She fanned six in the Union Catholic game and 10 against Spotswood.

"Ashley has just been amazing," Bishop Ahr head coach Stan Domin said. "She's currently 3-1 and she hasn't allowed an earned run through 23 innings of work. She's been just as fantastic offensively going 5-6 in our invitational tournament to bring her average close to .700. She is on her way to having the best year of any player I've ever coached."

Against Union Catholic, Brewer collected three hits and drove in a run. Teammate Marie Sharlow also finished with three hits.

In the win over Spotswood, Marie Sharlow provided the key hit. Against the Chargers, the left fielder belted a grand slam that slammed the door on an overmatched team

Earlier last week, sister Laura left the yard with a three-run homer of her own against Belvidere.

"Each of the Sharlow sisters had a home run that took a close game and turned it into something else entirely," Domin said.

"They're obviously hitting the ball with some power and doing some damage."

First baseman Vicki Lijoi has also been swinging a hot stick. Lijoi went 4-for-6 in Saturday's action with four RBIs.

The Trojans are hoping to keep the bats alive with a loaded schedule this week. The team will play nine games over the course of seven days against some stiff competition.

After opening the week with South Plainfield on Monday, the team travels to East Brunswick for a 3:45 p.m. game today before playing host to Cardinal McCarrick for a doubleheader tomorrow.

Friday, the team squares off against Bridgewater-Raritan before Saturday's morning matchup against Highland Park at 10 a.m. and a 1 p.m. road game at Middlesex. The team wraps up the busy week with a doubleheader against Montclair-Kimberly Sunday.

"It's going to be a tough week, but if Ashley pitches the way she's been pitching and our defense holds up, we should be fine," Domin said.

"The way Ashley's been pitching three runs should be enough to win most games we play."