BCC softball team in Region XIX final

Coach Bo Scannapieco and the Brookdale Community College softball team will be in a very familiar position today. The Jersey Blues will be trying to win another Region XIX championship when they play at 2 p.m. at Ocean County College in Toms River.

The Jersey Blues, who are the No. 1 seed in the region tournament, advanced to the final by winning two games on May 2 before the remainder of the tournament was washed out. Brookdale defeated Cumberland, 17-6, and Gloucester, 7-6.

Today, the Jersey Blues will defend their Region XIX title at 2 p.m. when they play the winner of a noon game between Gloucester and Northhampton, Pa.

Because this is a double-elimination tournament, if the Jersey Blues lose the 2 p.m. game, a final game will be played at 4 p.m. The winner of the Region XIX Tournament will advance to the National Junior College Division III Fast Pitch Softball Championships to be held in Rochester, Minn., May 14-16.

Brookdale (33-13) earned the No. 1 seed for the regional tournament by winning the Garden State Athletic Conference title on the last day of the regular season.

The Jersey Blues traveled to Gloucester County College, then the No. 1 ranked team in the country, needing to sweep a doubleheader to win the conference championship and earn the top seed for the regional tournament.

It wasn't close as Brookdale beat Gloucester 9-1 and 8-0 with pitcher Alexis DeRasmo (Shore Regional) winning both games. Brianne Faynor hit two runs for the Jersey Blues.

The sweep completed a big comeback for the Jersey Blues, who were playing .500 softball 20 games into the season and had to play catch-up with Gloucester all season.

"I told the girls on the bus (back from Gloucester) that what we did was heroic," said Scannapieco. "We had no margin for error. We were like the racehorse on the outside. We nipped them (Gloucester) at the wire."

There were two big factors behind Brookdale's comeback. The first was the return of Faynor (Manchester) from injury. The entire infield defense jelled when she returned at shortstop. That allowed Kelly Mormino (Howell) to return to her natural position, third base, and for Sam Wagner to play her natural position, second base.

Once everyone returned to her familiar position, the defense was airtight.

The second move was the switch of Danielle Davenport (Matawan) from the middle of the batting order to the top of the order. Because of Davenport's high on-base percentage and base-running talents, she was the perfect fit at the top of one of the school's most potent offenses.

"We had enough sock in the middle that I could move Danielle up to the top," Scannapieco said. "It's worked."

Davenport has been the spark that ignites the offense. Four times this season she has led off a game with a home run. She has hit a team-high nine home runs. In the twinkilling over Gloucester, Davenport led off the first game with a double and scored, and in the nightcap she led off with a single, stole second and scored.

Brookdale was always playing with the lead and that took the pressure off De- Rasmo, who threw only 50 pitches in the first game.

Davenport is hitting .451 and leads the team in runs (62) and is second in RBI (52).

Sam Deixler (Southern Regional) is batting .477 with a team-high 56 RBI. She has 18 doubles, one triple and five home runs for the Jersey Blues.

Wagner (Tottenville/Manalapan) is hitting .384 with 39 RB and 41 runs scored; Mormino is hitting .453 with 37 RBI; Stephanie Horn (Middletown South) is hitting .400 with 49 runs scored; and Christine Masitti (Freehold Township), is hitting .364 with 38 runs scored and 31 RBI.

As a team, Brookdale is hitting .386.

DeRasmo is 19-6 on the mound with a 2.10 ERA. Jessica Carroll is 14-6 on the mound with a 2.96 ERA.

Brookdale has moved up to No. 5 in the Division III national poll.