Rancocas Valley Advances to Group 4 Championship Game

The area’s group championship was coming to an end with Rancocas Valley and Toms River North looking to advance to the South Jersey Group 4 game. Both of these teams fought their way to this game and neither wanted their season to be over. Now looking back on this game, it was over right at the start. Only three runs were scored in the first inning and that’s all Rancocas Valley needed to win this game. Starting pitcher Lisa Sweeney took over from there, only allowing three hits to lead the Red Devils to the 3-0 win.

For the recap of how both of these teams positioned themselves getting to the semi-finals match up. The seventh seeded Toms River North defeated Cherry Hill West (seeded 10th) and their neighboring school and second seeded Toms River East to make it to this game. The Red Devils, seeded third, defeated the fourteenth seeded Atlantic City and the sixth seeded Millville.

Sweeney took matters in her own hands, and bat, as she was a key to Rancocas Valley’s success on this day. She would come through with a big hit scoring two runners during the first inning. After that, the defense supported Sweeney efforts on the mound and was able to keep the Mariners off the scoreboard. Next up for the Red Devils is a rematch from last year’s group playoffs against the Lady Chiefs from Cherokee at Florence.