- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 438,797
- Reaction score
- 44
It’s been a cold and sometimes wet start to the 2025 varsity softball campaign in Central Jersey, and while the “softball weather” has yet to arrive, there was still plenty of top-level action played on diamonds across the Skyland, Greater Middlesex and Union Country conferences, and some fantastic individual performances were logged.
Here are the nominations for the season’s first Central Jersey Softball Player of the Week award. All stats through Sunday, April 13.
Voting ends Friday at noon. Nominees selected by Simeon Pincus and Josh Rosenfeld. Voting winner will be featured as the Player of the Week.
Poll closes Friday at noon
Carteret
Sophomore
The Ramblers’ shortstop could likely be a candidate every week, but her three-home run, seven-RBI performance against Piscataway was over the top. Through five games, she’s batting .688 and slugging 1.687 with 10 RBI and eight extra-base hits.
More: Softball rankings and notebook: Skyland Conference and western Union County
More: Softball rankings and notebook: Greater Middlesex Conference and southern Union County
Woodbridge
Junior
Brenner (4-0) has Woodbridge off to a 4-0 start with a 0.61 ERA and 12 strikeouts against five walks in 23 innings. She is also batting .385 and slugging .538 with six RBI in 13 at bats.
Ridge
Freshman
The rookie center fielder has had a huge hand in the Red Devils’ 5-1 start, that’s included going 4-0 in the Skyland Conference Valley Division race to share the lead with Delaware Valley. Cunyun, who has had some big clutch hits, tallying 10 RBIs, and has reached safely in each of Ridge’s games, is 9-for-18 with six doubles and four walks and has stolen a base. The start included a three-hit, two-double, four-RBI performance in an April 3 victory over Bound Brook.
Pingry
Senior
The Georgetown-bound two-sport star has come scorching out of the gate in her fourth season as the starting shortstop, helping the Big Blue to a 4-1 start, including 4-0 in the Skyland Raritan. Francis had at least one hit in each game, and at least two in four of those contests, going 11-for-19 (.579) with a double, two triples, four walks and eight RBIs, while scoring seven runs. She’s also stolen three bases.
Somerville
Junior
The three-year letterwinner and first-year starter has answered the call, taking over as the Pioneers’ ace after the graduation of Nicole Fitzgibbon. Graber, who saw some time in the circle last year as the No. 2 pitcher, has been a revelation, as Somerville has cruised to a 5-0 start and taken command of the Mountain Division race. The right-hander has already posted four shutouts, allowing just one earned run in 33 innings (0.21 ERA). She’s permitted just 14 hits and eight walks, striking out 62, including at least 10 in each of her five outings. She’s also helped out at the plate, going 5-for-17 with two doubles, a homer, two walks and six RBIs.
Calvary Christian
Freshman
The Lions (3-0) aren’t the only thing perfect at the Old Bridge school, where its ninth-grade pitcher has gone 12-for-12 at the plate with 13 RBIs and a 1.417 slugging percentage. She’s hurled all 15 innings thus far with a whopping 33 strikeouts, 12 walks and a 2.33 ERA.
Highland Park
Junior
Kaper-Dale has tossed every pitch thus far for Highland Park (3-0) with 16 strikeouts and eight walks over 20 innings to show for it. She’s faring even better at the plate as the team’s leading batter (.636) with a .727 slugging rate and six RBI.
St Thomas Aquinas
Senior
Some Red Division foes believe the Trojans’ new ace is tougher to hit than returning All-Area hurlers Erin Townley of South Plainfield and Ava Mormile of Spotswood. Negron (4-1) has a 2.24 ERA with 39 strikeouts and 15 walks in 25 innings. She also blasted a pair of home runs against South Plainfield and is batting .312 with a .750 slugging percentage.
Delaware Valley
Junior
The first baseman and three-year starter has continued to be one of the biggest bats in the Terriers’ potent lineup, following up two stellar seasons with another hot start, helping Delaware Valley to a 4-0 record and a share of first place in the Valley Division. Rynearson, who collected hits in the first two games, turned it up during last week’s two-game sweep of Bound Brook with three hits in each contest. She’s 8-for-15 for the season with three doubles and two home runs, scoring five times and knocking in eight runs.
Hunterdon Central
Senior
The right-hander dealt with an injury last year that limited her innings in the circle, but that certainly hasn’t been a factor so far this season, as the four-year letterwinner tossed three straight two-hitters to lead the Red Devils to a 3-0 start. Van Cleef opened her season with back-to-back shutouts of reigning Somerset County champ Immaculata, going the distance on an eight-inning, 22-strikeout outing opening day, before firing another two hitter and striking out 10 the next time out against the Spartans. She then picked up a win over North Hunterdon, allowing just one earned run on two hits and fanning 14 Thursday. Van Cleef, who has yet to walk a batter, has also contributed at the plate, starting 3-for-9 with a double and two RBIs.
VOTE NOW!! POLL CLOSES NOON FRIDAY!!
Staff writer Simeon Pincus has been covering NJ sports since 1997, and has been on the softball beat since 1999. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter/X @SimeonPincus
Follow GMC softball writer Josh Rosenfeld on Twitter/X @JoshPRosenfeld
IF POLL DOESN’T SHOW, PLEASE REFRESH THE PAGE
Who is your choice for Central Jersey Softball Player of the Week?
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ Softball ballot: Vote for Central Jersey Player of the Week
Continue reading...
Here are the nominations for the season’s first Central Jersey Softball Player of the Week award. All stats through Sunday, April 13.
Voting ends Friday at noon. Nominees selected by Simeon Pincus and Josh Rosenfeld. Voting winner will be featured as the Player of the Week.
Poll closes Friday at noon
TRINITY BERNARDINO
Carteret
Sophomore
The Ramblers’ shortstop could likely be a candidate every week, but her three-home run, seven-RBI performance against Piscataway was over the top. Through five games, she’s batting .688 and slugging 1.687 with 10 RBI and eight extra-base hits.
More: Softball rankings and notebook: Skyland Conference and western Union County
More: Softball rankings and notebook: Greater Middlesex Conference and southern Union County
MADELYN BRENNER
Woodbridge
Junior
Brenner (4-0) has Woodbridge off to a 4-0 start with a 0.61 ERA and 12 strikeouts against five walks in 23 innings. She is also batting .385 and slugging .538 with six RBI in 13 at bats.
HAILEY CUNYUN
Ridge
Freshman
The rookie center fielder has had a huge hand in the Red Devils’ 5-1 start, that’s included going 4-0 in the Skyland Conference Valley Division race to share the lead with Delaware Valley. Cunyun, who has had some big clutch hits, tallying 10 RBIs, and has reached safely in each of Ridge’s games, is 9-for-18 with six doubles and four walks and has stolen a base. The start included a three-hit, two-double, four-RBI performance in an April 3 victory over Bound Brook.
TAYLOR FRANCIS
Pingry
Senior
The Georgetown-bound two-sport star has come scorching out of the gate in her fourth season as the starting shortstop, helping the Big Blue to a 4-1 start, including 4-0 in the Skyland Raritan. Francis had at least one hit in each game, and at least two in four of those contests, going 11-for-19 (.579) with a double, two triples, four walks and eight RBIs, while scoring seven runs. She’s also stolen three bases.
SARAH GRABER
Somerville
Junior
The three-year letterwinner and first-year starter has answered the call, taking over as the Pioneers’ ace after the graduation of Nicole Fitzgibbon. Graber, who saw some time in the circle last year as the No. 2 pitcher, has been a revelation, as Somerville has cruised to a 5-0 start and taken command of the Mountain Division race. The right-hander has already posted four shutouts, allowing just one earned run in 33 innings (0.21 ERA). She’s permitted just 14 hits and eight walks, striking out 62, including at least 10 in each of her five outings. She’s also helped out at the plate, going 5-for-17 with two doubles, a homer, two walks and six RBIs.
ALYSSA JARUCZYK
Calvary Christian
Freshman
The Lions (3-0) aren’t the only thing perfect at the Old Bridge school, where its ninth-grade pitcher has gone 12-for-12 at the plate with 13 RBIs and a 1.417 slugging percentage. She’s hurled all 15 innings thus far with a whopping 33 strikeouts, 12 walks and a 2.33 ERA.
CORA KAPER-DALE
Highland Park
Junior
Kaper-Dale has tossed every pitch thus far for Highland Park (3-0) with 16 strikeouts and eight walks over 20 innings to show for it. She’s faring even better at the plate as the team’s leading batter (.636) with a .727 slugging rate and six RBI.
LIZ NEGRON
St Thomas Aquinas
Senior
Some Red Division foes believe the Trojans’ new ace is tougher to hit than returning All-Area hurlers Erin Townley of South Plainfield and Ava Mormile of Spotswood. Negron (4-1) has a 2.24 ERA with 39 strikeouts and 15 walks in 25 innings. She also blasted a pair of home runs against South Plainfield and is batting .312 with a .750 slugging percentage.
LILLY RYNEARSON
Delaware Valley
Junior
The first baseman and three-year starter has continued to be one of the biggest bats in the Terriers’ potent lineup, following up two stellar seasons with another hot start, helping Delaware Valley to a 4-0 record and a share of first place in the Valley Division. Rynearson, who collected hits in the first two games, turned it up during last week’s two-game sweep of Bound Brook with three hits in each contest. She’s 8-for-15 for the season with three doubles and two home runs, scoring five times and knocking in eight runs.
EMILY VAN CLEEF
Hunterdon Central
Senior
The right-hander dealt with an injury last year that limited her innings in the circle, but that certainly hasn’t been a factor so far this season, as the four-year letterwinner tossed three straight two-hitters to lead the Red Devils to a 3-0 start. Van Cleef opened her season with back-to-back shutouts of reigning Somerset County champ Immaculata, going the distance on an eight-inning, 22-strikeout outing opening day, before firing another two hitter and striking out 10 the next time out against the Spartans. She then picked up a win over North Hunterdon, allowing just one earned run on two hits and fanning 14 Thursday. Van Cleef, who has yet to walk a batter, has also contributed at the plate, starting 3-for-9 with a double and two RBIs.
VOTE NOW!! POLL CLOSES NOON FRIDAY!!
Staff writer Simeon Pincus has been covering NJ sports since 1997, and has been on the softball beat since 1999. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter/X @SimeonPincus
Follow GMC softball writer Josh Rosenfeld on Twitter/X @JoshPRosenfeld
IF POLL DOESN’T SHOW, PLEASE REFRESH THE PAGE
Who is your choice for Central Jersey Softball Player of the Week?
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ Softball ballot: Vote for Central Jersey Player of the Week
Continue reading...
