Barons almost at .500 mark after win over Piscataway
BY SHAWN LAYTON Staff Writer
Five walks in the sixth inning helped propel the Woodbridge High School softball team to a 10-4 over Piscataway last week as the team improved to 5-7 on the season.

JEFF GRANIT staff Woodbridge High School's Stacey Jacovinich is tagged out at home plate by South Brunswick's Katie Jansson during a game on April 17, which Woodbridge eventually won by a score of 3-2 in nine innings.

Freshman Brianna Pichalski picked up her third win of the season. Pichalski has been splitting time with senior Nicole Caggiano as the Barons' starting pitcher. Caggiano heads into this week's action with two wins.

"We're not hitting as well as I think we should be at this time," Woodbridge head coach Stew Jago said. "We had one of our best offensive games against Piscataway and were able to score runs after drawing walks. Our hitters showed some nice patience at the plate."

LeftfielderMegan Bruno came up with a key hit in the sixth when she laced a three-run triple with two outs. Catcher Erin Johnson also came up big with the bases loaded. Johnson cleared the bags with a double.

"We got the clutch hits when people were aboard," Jago said. "This is always the key to success in this game."

Earlier in the week the Barons pulled out a thrilling 3-2 win over South Brunswick in a nine-inning affair. Down 1-0 in the sixth inning, senior first baseman Alicia Pichalski evened the score with an RBI double.

In the ninth inning it was sophomore right fielder Stacey Jacovinich's leadoffwalk that set things inmotion.Alicia Pichalski followed the base on balls to Jacovinich with a single. The two runners advanced after a South Brunswick wild pitch. Junior third baseman Jamie Hircay drove in Jacovinich, and Johnson reached base on an error that scored two more Barons runs. Caggiano picked up her second win of the season with theWoodbridge victory.

"That was a nice win for us," Jago said. "We were coming off two straight losses, and to get this one in extra innings was a big lift for us."

The Barons opened the week with a 7- 6 loss to Sayreville. The Bombers won the game in the bottom of the seventh. A 2-0 loss to Old Bridge, in which the Barons only managed two hits, followed the Sayreville loss.

"We were in both games, and we've been in most games this season," Jago said. "We've played tough, but we just need to get a few more clutch hits.

This week the Barons opened with games against Kennedy and East Brunswick prior to a 3:45 p.m. match-up against visiting Perth Amboy on April 24. Woodbridge will then hit the road for a 3:45 p.m. meeting against South Plainfield on April 25.

The first time around the division schedule, the Barons lost to East Brunswick and defeated Perth Amboy.

"We're hanging in there," Jago said. "We'd like to get on a roll, with the state cut-off date and the county tournament coming up next month."