Stafford 12U Softball Squad Reaches District 16 Title Game, Loses to Northfield

ALMOST: The Stafford Little League 12-and-under softball all-star team gathers after one of the victories during the District 16 tournament last week. Unfortunately, Stafford lost by one point to Northfield in the championship game. (Provided photo)

Summer is the time for the Little League baseball and softball all-star tournament and several teams from Stafford Township still compete for the District 16 championship.

On June 28, the Stafford Little League all-star softball team for ages 12 and under narrowly missed out on the district title, losing 3-2 to Northfield in the single-elimination championship round after going undefeated in pool play and crushing Hammonton to reach the finals.

Stafford got things rolling in the first inning when Bella Breslow doubled in, but Northfield answered with a run in the bottom of the first. An RBI single by Kieran Merlo brought in Stafford’s second run in the third. Unfortunately, Northfield scored twice in the fourth and held on from there.

Annabelle Skwirut started in the pitcher’s circle for Stafford, allowing two earned runs on five hits and striking out five batters. Marley Lombardi relieved Skwirut and completed the fourth and fifth innings without allowing a hit and striking out five batters.

During a 17-0 win over Hammonton on June 26, the Stafford offense delivered eight doubles, while Breslow, Emilie Krill and Skwirut each had a pair of doubles. Merlo was the winning pitcher in the circle, throwing just 45 pitches in three innings for the shutout.

In the pool stage, Stafford went 36-1 in three games to start the tournament. The team posted a 10-1 win over Dennis-Lower Township, with Merlo striking out 16 and allowing just two hits while Caryl Platt went 3-for-3; an 11-0 win over Hammonton, with Lombardi throwing a no-hitter; and a 15-0 crushing of Greater Wildwood, with Brantley Anderson throwing a perfect game with 10 strikeouts, Skwirut driving in four runs and Ava Cooper hitting two doubles and a triple.

During Stafford’s fourth pool-play game against Northfield on June 24, the team came from behind to win a 6–5 game. Stafford trailed 5–1 in the bottom of the sixth inning when Cooper started the rally with a two-run single. Then, with two outs, Riley Weisz hit a bases loaded single to drive in two runs and tie the game. Breslow scored the winning drive when she raced home on a wild pitch.

The Stafford squad is coached by Stephanie Krill, Heather Weisz and Ronnie Bayer. The rest of the squad consists of Molly Bayer, Claire Campoli, Miley Fredericks and Raelynn Machotka.

Stafford 10 and under play for title

The Stafford Minor League softball team for players 10 and under, led by William Ballinger, Bryan Wallach, Michael Horner and Joel Montgomery, qualified for the District 16 championship after finishing 5-1 in pool play.

The roster includes Rose DeAlessandro, Kynlee Diaz, Hailey Ballinger, Navarah Horner, Mia Rogers, McKenzie Zorda, Maisie Bayer, Adrianna Groschel, Renatal Montgomery, Kayla Wallach, Summer Wilgus, Alaina Fuller and Journey Torres.

Stafford began its journey with a 23-5 win over Hammonton on June 18, followed by an 11-0 victory over Dennis-Middle Township two days later, an 18-8 triumph over Northfield on June 20 and an 11-1 victory over Hammonton on June 25. After a 6-5 loss to Dennis-Middle on June 27, Stafford rebounded with a 13-5 victory over Northfield to close out pool play on June 28.

Stafford was the top-seeded team for the single-elimination bracket match and was scheduled to face Hammonton in the semifinals on July 1. However, Hammonton forfeited the match and Stafford went on to face the winner of the other semifinal matchup between Dennis-Middle and Northfield in the title match on Tuesday, July 2.

One Stafford baseball team still survives

The Stafford Little League All-Stars posted a 3-1 record in Pool B, earning them third place in the double-elimination pool. However, they were sent to the losers’ bracket after a 5-3 loss to Hammonton in the quarterfinals.

During pool play, Stafford defeated Northfield 16-1 on June 17, followed by a 10-7 victory over Ocean City-Upper on June 19 and a 12-2 triumph over Lower Cape May on June 24. Somers Point defeated Stafford 3-0 to complete pool play on June 26.

Stafford was scheduled to play Dennis-Greater Wildwood on Monday, July 1, but the final standings were not known as of the afternoon of July 2. A win for Stafford would have set up a matchup with either Hammonton or Somers Point — the loser of that semifinal would have been dropped into the losers’ bracket — on Tuesday night, with the winner facing Hammonton and needing two wins to clinch the championship.

The Stafford 11-and-under all-stars went 1-3 in pool play before a 1-0 loss to Absecon in the elimination bracket semifinals on June 28 ended their stint. After a 24-6 win over Ocean City-Upper on June 19, Stafford lost three straight games to end pool play: a 5-2 loss to Absecon on June 21, followed by a 5-4 loss to Dennis-Greater Wildwood on June 24 and a 7-2 loss to Hammonton on June 26.

Unfortunately, the Stafford under-10 baseball team did not advance beyond the pool stage, finishing with a 2-3 record. Stafford first lost to Hammonton, 6-2, on June 16, followed by a 9-1 loss to Linwood two days later. Stafford bounced back with an 11-1 drubbing of Absecon on June 20, but lost to Ocean City-Upper Township, 13-1, on June 25, before closing out the tournament with a 15-2 win over Greater Wildwood.

— David Biggie

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