Kingsway triumphs in rivalry showdown

There was a slugfest Tuesday at Gloucester Catholic, and the home team fell to an archrival in a Tri-County Conference interdivisional softball game.

Kingsway, ranked No. 1 in South Jersey by The Inquirer, pounded 14 hits, and pitcher Dominique Ficara had enough fuel in the tank to hold off the No. 2-ranked Rams, 14-6.

A prom, a senior trip, and rain had held the Rams without a game to play for 10 days before they lost to Sterling, 3-1, Monday and followed that with the Kingsway loss.

Rams pitcher Abby Merryman, who was relieved by Shayla Giosia in the top of the seventh inning after surrendering 12 runs, said the long layoff and the cold and rainy weather Tuesday left her feeling stiff. The sophomore surrendered 13 hits, including three doubles and a triple, and walked six.

Merryman walked the second, third, and fourth batters she faced in the first inning. A sacrifice fly and a two-run triple by Kate Dickson gave the Dragons (8-0) a 3-0 lead.

Gloucester Catholic (3-2) tied the score, 3-3, in the bottom of the inning on a two-run single by Giosia and an RBI single by Olivia Lawrence. However, the Rams couldn't put together a multiple-run inning thereafter.

Ficara also was feeling the effects of the weather and a seven-day layoff. The senior loaded the bases five times, but she continually pitched out of trouble with minimal damage.

The layoffs didn't seem to bother batters on both sides. They combined for 23 hits.

"We had high expectations of hitting the ball today, and I think we did that," Kingsway coach Tony Barchuk said. "Pitching, from our end of it, we were having a hard time finding the plate. We were coming off a senior trip, and against a good team, it was hard for Dom [Ficara] to get into a groove."

The most productive hitter of the afternoon was Kingsway's Kelsy Dominik, who went 4 for 4 and was on base five times.

But it was Dickson who started the first-inning rally with a two-run triple to center field. The junior catcher also had an RBI single in the third to help the Dragons to a 7-3 lead and a leadoff double in the sixth, when Kingsway led, 10-4.

Gloucester Catholic first-year coach Tom Sullivan said the first inning held the key to success for the Rams, who could not take advantage.

"When we tied the game up, we had the momentum," Sullivan said. "We had to keep it, and we didn't."

Kingsway   3042014 - 14142

Gloucester Catholic   3000111 - 694

WP: Dominique Ficara. LP: Abby Merryman. 2B: K-Ficara, Kate Dickson, Allie Bradian; GC-Shayla Giosia. 3B: K-Dickson. HR: K-Ficara.