SPORTS

Online Exclusive: Butler wins first MCT title

Dave Howard
Correspondent

ROCKAWAY – Larissa Spellman led the way and her teammates provided plenty of support.

The Butler senior pitched a five-hitter with eight strike outs and also went 3-for-3 with a two-run double to help the top-seeded Bulldogs to an 8-2 victory over second-seeded Jefferson in the Morris County Tournament final at Peterson Field on Thursday night.

The championship was the first title in program history for Butler (23-1), which lost to Morris Knolls 3-1 in last year’s title game.

The Bulldogs got their offense going quickly, scoring in each of the first four innings to provide run support for Spellman.

Spellman led off the first with a single, was sacrificed to second by Allison DePuyt and came around to score on an error. In the second inning, Spellman’s two-run double up the middle with the bases loaded brought Kayla Carr and Kellie Faber home to provide the Bulldogs with a 3-0 lead. Faber’s two-run single and Caitlyn Monohan’s sacrifice fly in the third gave Spellman a six-run advantage to work with.

“It was phenomenal to have those runs,” said Spellman, who allowed one earned run and issued three walks. “Everybody wanted to win and everybody worked hard. I threw okay, it wasn’t my A-game, but it was effective enough for me and my defense behind made the big plays. We all wanted this after last year.”

Butler struck for nine hits, including two apiece from senior catcher Marlene Arabia and Carr.

“It’s really exciting for me because I haven’t been hitting my greatest in the last few games,” said Carr, a freshman. “Today was a perfect game to break out of my slump. I was just so excited to get those hits and those runs for my team.”

In addition to singling and scoring on Spellman’s double in the second, Carr delivered an RBI single in the fourth.

“It was just an overall great game and it was an honor to be here and to win for the first time in school history,” Carr said. “It feels great.”

Senior right fielder Amber Haslett provided the defensive play of the game for Butler.

In the third, Nina Thoguluva led off for Jefferson (16-10) with a double to right and was sacrificed to third by sophomore Claire Bohn. Junior catcher Dianna Gatto followed with a deep fly to right that Haslett ran down, then cut loose with a throw to the plate where Arabia was waiting to apply the tag on Thoguluva tagging up from third for an inning-ending double play.

“I knew that if the ball came out to me that I had to catch it and then throw home because there was only one out,” Haslett said. “Knowing that, I caught and it pumped me up. I knew I had to throw home, and when I did, I was surprised that it made it to the plate. I was happy that we got the out.

“I was a little nervous because we came here last year and didn’t do so well, but tonight was just amazing. Everyone on the team contributed. Everyone has been hitting so well lately and that’s what helped us to win.”

Senior center fielder Amanda Delfino finished with two hits and Gatto delivered an RBI single in the fifth for Jefferson.