Brookdale Softball Has The Look of Champions

LINCROFT – NJCAA Hall of Fame Coach Bo Scannapieco has fielded some very good teams in his 27 seasons at Brookdale, including 15 Region XIX Championships, 14 GSAC Titles and three National Championships (2002-05-10).

Ranked number one in NJCAA DIII play, this year's team is currently 28-1, 10-0 and have won 24 straight games after Sunday's double-header sweep against DI Harford. They are beginning to solicit comparisons to some of Scannapieco's great teams of the past.

"This team is very similar to my 2002 championship team," Scannapieco said. "That team had the dominant pitching that this team does, and like this season's team, they had a solid offense and played very good defense."

In Sunday's first game 13-0 victory, freshman pitcher Sam Hosey (Keansburg HS) threw her third no hitter of the year. Hosey has been dominating this season, going 13-1 with a 0.55 earned run average (ERA). Her lone loss (4-2) was against Rutgers University-Camden in the Snowbird Classic, in which she pitched a complete game and struck out ten.

In 77 innings of work, she has hurled three no hitters, including a perfect game, struck out 123 batters (11.18 K/G), walked eight, given up 26 hits and allowed only six earned runs all season; she has been  overpowering.

Sophomore Carly Gleason (Brick Memorial HS) picked up her tenth win of the season without a loss in Sunday's second game 15-1 victory. After going 22-2 with a 1.70 ERA last season for the Blues, Gleason has pitched brilliantly this season. She has 83 Strikeouts in 57 innings pitched (10.19 K/G), a 0.98 ERA, allowed only eight earned runs and 33 hits, and has one save.

There's not a better one-two punch in NJCAA DIII softball this season.

Sophomore Angie Hauser (Brick Twp. HS) is sporting a perfect 5-0 record, including a no hitter, and a 1.65 ERA. Hauser has 44 strikeouts in 34 innings pitched (9.06 K/G), walked only nine batters and given up a mere eight earned runs. She's also batting .480 with 4 doubles, one triple, one home run and 12 RBI.

As a team, Brookdale's batting average (BA) is .449 while it's opponents BA is .169. They've scored 331 runs and allowed 19 runs. Opponents have gotten 64 hits off Brookdale pitching, while the Blues have banged out a total of 372 hits; these are eye-popping statistics.

Sophomore catcher and team leader Kathleen Sharp (Toms River East) is batting .473 and leads the team with 44 RBI and 14 doubles. She has one home run (HR) and has 39 runs scored (R). Sharp also holds a 1.000 fielding percentage (FPCT) in 249 total chances from behind the plate.

Allie Muratore (Middletown South HS) is having an outstanding sophomore season at third base for the Blues. Muratore averages .457 with 14 doubles, two home runs and 32 RBI.

Right fielder Courney Paone (Middletown North HS) leads the team in total hits with 47 with an impressive .500 batting average. She also leads the team in stolen bases with 19 thefts and has one home run and 27 RBI.

Sophomore Molly Carroll (Keyport HS) is a vacuum at first base with a .984 FPCT in 127 total chances, and is a threat at the plate as well, averaging .456 with 41 hits, nine doubles, two home runs and 32 RBI.

Newcomer Keara Homan (Manasquan HS) has stepped in at second base and has excelled with a .979 FPCT (1 error) and is consistent at the plate, averaging .378 with 34 hits, eight doubles and 24 RBI.

Freshman Bobbie Boehler (Raritan HS) has been sensational at shortstop for the Blues (.936 FPCT), banging out 43 hits with a .489 average. She has seven doubles, two home runs and 38 RBI.

Cassidy Brzozowski  a freshman from Howell High School has had a solid first season batting .400 with four doubles, two home runs and 24 RBI, while playing flawless center field (1.000 FPCT).

Sophomore Brianna Davidson (Monroe HS) patrols left field and has been letter-perfect with a 1.000 FPCT. She's hitting at a .406 clip and has six doubles, one home run and 19 RBI.

Stephanie Grainger, a freshman from Howell HS (.545 BA, 24 H, 3 2B, 3B, 11 RBI) can play anywhere in the field and has been invaluable for the Blues wherever she plays, while sophomore Ashley Rodriquez (.357 BA, 3 2B, 10 RBI) provides a spark off the bench. Freshman Devon Camey (South Amboy HS) has speed and has stolen seven bases and scored eight runs.

"Even though we've been dominating teams I think we may be hitting a wall, I can see the girls getting a little tired." Scannapieco said. "We have a tough week ahead against some good DII teams and Middlesex, who's 15-1 in the conference. If we get through this week I think we'll really be running downhill, because then we got nothing but region games left and I think we'll catch a second wind."

Brookdale seems to have it all, unhittable pitching, air-tight defense, explosive hitting and unparalleled coaching. But the one intangible this team possesses that doesn't show up in the statistics is their camaraderie. They genuinely like one another and appear to be friend's as-well-as teammates. They are totally dedicated and seem to be having an immense amount of fun on-and-off the field.   

By Mike Ready