By Dan Cleary

And sure enough, just as the Cougars were trying to rally against the Panthers, the first crack of thunder was heard and the field was cleared. Kittatinny was trailing 1-0 in the top of the sixth, but had the bases loaded and its best hitter coming to bat in Sara Stocklinski with just one out.

 

Just a few minutes after the first sound of thunder, the heavens opened and those nasty-looking clouds delivered on their promise and released a torrent of wind and rain that pounded the field with the ferocity of a Mike Tyson blow to the chin.

 

As players, coaches and fans scattered for cover, the prevailing thought was the game would be called and Pequannock, the No. 2 seed, would advance with a rain-shortened 1-0, five-inning victory. A tough break for third-seeded Kittatinny, for sure, considering it had the bags full and Stocklinski in the box, but those are the rules, fair or not.

 

But just as fast as the storm had arrived, it swept through the area in about hour and the sun was shining again. The only problem was the field was soaked and looked unplayable.

 

The umpires took a look at the field and determined that if somehow the field could be made playable within a half hour they would resume the game, if not, it would be lights out for the Cougars.

 

But then it happened.

 

With the determination and speed of a NASCAR pit crew, seven Kittatinny supporters went to work with a couple of rakes, brooms and bags of dry-sand. At first, the impromptu grounds crew was told there were just one rake and one bag of sand. Undeterred, Kittatinny AD Chris Carroll found another rake, some brooms and enough bags of sand to stop a flood in a nearby shed.

 

Carroll, who was in a dress shirt, slacks and tie, then rolled up his sleeves and went to work along with Kittatinny coaches Joe Mate, head coach Heather Mate’s husband, Steve Butler, Jeff Gely, Sussex County Community College softball coach Nick DeGennaro, a teacher at Kittatinny and Kittatinny parents Ed LaCouture, and Dennis Hullings.

 

The gang put the grounds crew at Yankee Stadium to shame and they didn’t have to do the obligatory YMCA dance, to boot. But as I watched the crew feverishly work the field, I noticed something odd. Only two people from Pequannock decided to chip in. It was their home field, wouldn’t you think they would lead the charge?

 

Not so very much.

  

The Pequannock players, fans and parents watched the Kittatinny crew whip the field into shape, and as they did, they watched their victory evaporate right before their eyes. You would think in the name of sportsmanship, something the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association shoves down every member school’s throats, there would be an equal amount of people working the field, especially on their own field.

  

Now, I’m not a mind reader, but I hope they weren’t hoping Mother Nature would help the Panthers wiggle out of the bases-loaded jam. If so, shame on the people of Pequannock. Yes, the rules state in softball if a team is winning after five innings it is an official game. 

  

But if there is an opportunity to finish the game to its seven-inning conclusion, shouldn’t everything be done to do so?   I think so, but apparently not too many of the Pequannock people felt the same way.

  

However, in the end, justice prevailed and the Cougars posted a stunning 3-1 win as Stocklinski tied the game with a walk and Kelly Moyer and Meg Frawley added RBI to propel the Cougars into the final.

 

To her credit, Pequannock coach Maryann Goodwin did not use the delay as a crutch, saying it was a stressful situation for both teams. Good for her because her players didn’t see anyone really step up and help clean up the field when it mattered the most.

  

And kudos to the Cougars for not wasting the grounds crew’s efforts and going on to win their first North 1, Group 2 section crown since 1992 when they bumped off Hawthorne 3-1 Thursday. Kittatinny (19-6), which shared the Sussex County Interscholastic League crown with Jefferson, will now face another tough squad in Rutherford (19-5) in the Group 2 state semifinals at 4 p.m. at Belleville High School.

  

The North 2 champion Bulldogs won their first section title in 31 years by topping Chatham 2-0. Tuesday’s winner will play in the Group 2 state final Saturday, June 7 in Toms River against either Central champ Carteret or South champion Sterling.

 

But you have to like the Cougars’ chances. Any team that can take a punch from Mother Nature, and still tell the tale, is not a team to bet against.

  

WHO’LL STOP THE RAIN?—There has been a lot of talk this week about the difference in the rules pertaining to the completion of state tournament games in baseball and softball. Tuesday’s storms wreaked havoc on the state tourney schedule and left a lot of people upset, and rightfully so.

  

Here is the problem. The state says all state tournament baseball games must be played to its seven-inning completion. If a game is called due to weather or darkness before five innings, it is to be replayed from the start. Fair enough. But after five innings, if a game is stopped, it will be resumed where it was left off until seven innings are completed or a winner is declared in extra innings.

 

Now here is the rub. When it comes to softball, if a game has completed five innings with a team holding a lead, it is official and the game is called. That is why the Kittatinny faithful were so determined to get the field ready. If it were a baseball game, the game would have resumed the next day.

  

Doesn’t seem fair, does it? According to Darren Cooper of The Record of Hackensack, some Bergen County softball coaches who were affected by the rain are going to petition the state to change the rule, and I think that is a great idea. I know there are different rules for pitching in baseball with innings limits, but when it comes to weather, it rains just as hard on a softball field as it does on a baseball diamond.

FOND FAREWELL—Lenape Valley’s baseball team sent its coach Dave D’Olivio out with a great state tourney run which ended Friday a deceiving 7-1 loss to Hanover Park in the North 2, Group 2 final.

 

The gritty Pats erased a seventh-inning deficit and posted a wild 8-7 win over West Essex in the semifinals in D’Olivio’s final home game at the Stanhope school to gain a berth in the final.

  

The Pats, led by seniors Mike Groome, Todd Leister and Sean Galligan, battled and worked hard for four years for D’Olivio and the coach was very appreciative of their efforts. In his speech to the team after the game, an emotional D’Olivio thanked them for all their hard work and dedication.

  

D’Olivio is stepping down to spend more time with his family and watch his own son, Dave, play Little League. He said he is at peace with his decision and now is the right time.

 

Good for Dave. Coaches spend endless hours with other people’s kids, so when they have the chance to be with their own, they should take it before it is too late. D’Olivio has always been a class act and I wish him the best.

  

That’s it for now, see you on the sidelines.