South Jersey softball notes

Williamstown and host Washington Township, Group 4 schools with good softball programs, are scheduled to clash Thursday in a game that has no immediate importance.

However, they could meet in the NJSIAA South Jersey Group 4 tournament, which would be very important.

Williamstown (5-3) is in the Tri-County Conference Royal Division, and Township (7-3) is in the Olympic American.

"We want to see how good [Township is], so if we face them again, it will be better," said Amanda Martinez, Williamstown's speedy senior shortstop. "We're looking forward to it. It should be a good game and a good challenge."

Williamstown and Township have had one opponent in common: Kingsway, ranked No. 1 in South Jersey by The Inquirer. The Dragons beat Township, 14-2, on April 2 and defeated Williamstown, 4-1, on April 25.

"Williamstown is a very good team, and I look forward to see how we will compete against them," Township coach Tracy Burkhart said. "It will be a good indicator of how we are as a team."

Township's top pitcher, Alissa Schoelkopf, has had problems with tightness in her shoulder and throwing illegal pitches lately; however, both issues have been resolved, Burkhart said.

Schoelkopf said she feels fine and added that her private pitching coach, Tom Besser, pointed out a flaw in her technique and she fixed it.

The senior, who has earned a scholarship to play softball at Monmouth University, recently recorded her 500th strikeout, becoming the third pitcher under Burkhart to reach that milestone. The other two were Melanie Helterbran (2003) and Alyssa Maiese (2004).

Tiarra Sanabria is Williamstown's No. 1 pitcher. The team is in a rebuilding stage, Martinez said.

"Most of the positions have players who are new," said Martinez, who moved from center field to the infield this season.

Devon dazzles. Audubon's Devon Welsh showed some stellar defense at second base Tuesday in a 3-0 victory over Sterling.

Welsh executed a double play that killed a Silver Knights rally in the sixth inning, and she was instrumental in stopping another potential comeback in the seventh.

"Devon is a first-year starter for us at second base," Audubon coach Erin Small said. "She was a backup for us last year at second. We knew that she would step in this year without any problem."

A good start. Florence went undefeated through its first five games with Sydney Woreck and Shannon Sweeney sharing duty in the circle.

Woreck and Sweeney teamed in a big win over previously undefeated Riverside, 8-1, in a Burlington County League interdivisional game on April 21. Sweeney pitched three innings and struck out seven, and Woreck worked the last four innings and had eight strikeouts to earn the victory.

The Flashes' next BCL Patriot Division game is scheduled for May 3 against visiting Cinnaminson. They will put their 3-0 record on the line.

Their most formidable division opponent is New Egypt, which the Flashes are scheduled to play on May 11.

Perfect. Overbrook pitcher Jen Hohenberger would like to recapture the magic that happened in a game against Lindenwold on April 14.

In a Colonial Conference clash with the Lions, Hohenberger threw a perfect game in a 21-0 victory, striking out 12.

The sophomore, who has been splitting pitching duties with Erin Atkinson, had lost her first game, 17-16, to Audubon. She improved to 2-1 with a 6-1 win over Haddonfield on April 20.