The Robbinsville High School softball team is back in familiar territory as the Central Jersey Group 2 champion.
And to get there, it had to go back to a familiar place where it suffered one of its toughest postseason defeats.
Robbinsville defeated Bordentown, 4-0, in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 2 softball final Saturday two years after losing on the same field in the same round, 10-0 - ending an era for a special group of seniors before last season was lost entirely because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I was nervous today, the last time we played here it did not go well for us,” said Robbinsville coach Lisa Rich. “It was really hard for my senior class that year, and I didn’t want that for my seniors this year. Our seniors this year were there and saw what it did to our team to not be able to fulfill what we were working towards all year.”
Robbinsville will travel to South Jersey Group 2 champion Cedar Creek for Tuesday’s state semifinal. The Ravens won a sectional title for the eighth time in the last 10 postseasons – advancing to the state final each of the previous seven times.
“Finally getting to hold a trophy gives them a purpose and brings some energy to them,” said Rich. “They’re excited to hold another one in two games.”
Robbinsville right-hander Shea Krebs started the game two years ago as a freshman and was knocked out in the fourth inning. On Saturday, she pitched one of the best and most meaningful games of her career, holding the Scotties to just three hits and three walks while striking out three.
“It means a lot, I really wanted to redeem myself and bring home the ‘W,’” admitted Krebs. “That loss two years ago was really tough. I didn’t want to let these seniors down this year. It definitely has had an impact on me and been motivation for me.”
Said Rich: “As a freshman that was really difficult. She felt she let those seniors down, which. ... She was trying her best as a freshman, so I’m happy she got the redemption she was looking for.”
The game was played brilliantly defensively by both teams. The Scotties turned a 5-3-2 double play to end the top of the third, and the Ravens answered in the bottom of the inning with a 5-4-1 twin-killing.
Second-seeded and No. 7 Robbinsville finally pushed a run across in the top of the fourth but could have had more after loading the bases with no outs. A dropped fly ball allowed Alexa Klepper to score, but after the drop the Scotties retired one runner at third on a fielder’s choice and another was called out after some confusion on the basepaths.
Top-seeded and No. 18 Bordentown nearly tied the game in the bottom of the fourth and fifth. But freshman shortstop Haley Krebs – Shea’s sister - came home for a putout to help squelch the fourth-inning rally and ranged deep into the hole before throwing out Hailey Cope with a runner on third to end the fifth.
“I rented out Derek Jeter,” said Rich. “I think Haley knew how hard that was for Shea (two years ago) and her little sister realized my sister is doing everything she can, I have to do the same. I said that to the whole team, defensively we had to have Shea’s back and they couldn’t have done any better.”
Robbinsville finally gave Shea Krebs some insurance in the top of the seventh. Freshman Sorella Gallucci snuck a line drive inside the left-field foul pole for a 2-0 lead, and Klepper hit a two-out, two-run double to deep center.
Unlike the semifinal, when Bordentown came from three down in the seventh to defeat Gov. Livingston, it could not answer.
“We definitely wanted our revenge,” said Klepper, a senior who played in the final two years ago. “Two different teams, but it’s always a good rivalry that adds a little extra.
“This was a close game and that added something to it too. We couldn’t let up, and Shea was amazing. She was our rock star. We couldn’t ask for anything more from her.”
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