Chapter 8: Jersey Girls

 



Shortstop Veronica Gumerlock takes a pitch



     "Tony!" squeals black-haired and tube-topped sophomore Patti Stine from the football bleachers along left field after our third baseman makes a diving catch and then leaps up to jam the tagging-up runner in the chest.

"You saved my ass on that one," Sean Doremus grins as he snags Izzo's toss and steps back to the mound, a one-run lead preserved by the solo double play.

"Finish 'em off, Sean," trills beautiful junior and future actress Heidi Bohay from behind our happy-go-lucky scorekeeper Sharon Barber as the next Watchung batter steps to the plate in the top of the fifth inning.



     It was Sean's first start since a rotator cuff strain, and the rising heat of early June had loosened him up over the first four innings of the Somerset County championship game. We'd already knocked off longtime rival Somerville, Group 3 Bridgewater East, and highly ranked Immaculata to get to the final. That summer sun had also brought out some of our female classmates to cheer on the team that was getting press as a top ten New Jersey team. 

     Other girls from our school were playing a different game at a makeshift upper field. It was the first year of interscholastic softball for Bound Brook High School. Strong-willed health education teacher Nancy Yuzuik had lobbied for and obtained funds for equipment, conference membership, and the all-red spandex uniforms with white lettering. We baseballers were excited to see our softball-playing friends taking infield warm-ups - Patty Weldon on first, Amy Kohut on second, Ronkie Gumerlock at short, Connie Kowalski on third, and freshmen phenom Maryann Tarentino behind the plate - as our metal spikes clanged out of the fieldhouse. These were the type of spirited young women who would soon turn the town into a perennial softball power.



     "No worries," reassures Coach Martin from the bench after Sean's slider fails to break and strikes the left-handed batter in the shoulder for a hit-by-pitch walk. "One more out will end this inning."

"Settle down Sean," soothes catcher Matt Vischetti moving mitt and hand earthward as our pitcher paces the mound before facing their stout cleanup hitter, shortstop Chris Palumbo.

"Hey Sean, hey Sea..." I start to chatter from short, interrupted by a hard line drive whistling over my head into the gap in left center field.

"Fucking asshole!" Sean screams, heaving glove toward the bench and stomping off as Palumbo chugs around third base and heads for home.



Final score: Watchung Hills (25-5) 5 - Bound Brook (19-3) 4




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