For a while, it appeared the Watchung Hills softball team’s quest for a second sectional title in three years was on dangerous ground. The Warriors were stranding runners on base, and found themselves in a scoreless game entering the middle innings. Terrific bunting, which led to timely hitting, quickly put an end to that threat.
A five-spot in the fourth proved more than the difference as second-seeded Watchung Hills – No. 14 in the NJ.com Top 20 - notched a 5-1 victory over fourth-seeded Hunterdon Central in the NJSIAA Section 2, Group 4 title game in Warren on a beautiful Saturday afternoon.
Now 26-3, the Warriors advance to Tuesday’s group semifinals, where they will pursue their second state title in three seasons. For this year’s edition, winning the section came with special importance with the Warriors coming up short in the Somerset County Tournament final. Hunterdon Central, which dropped its fifth straight sectional title game, wrapped up its season at 15-11.
“This is a big (championship) for us to get. Looking around the state at all of these ranked teams with great years losing early shows you how difficult it is to win one of these,” said Watchung coach Brian Figueiredo. “We go over little things like bunting and hit-and-runs in practice every day – sometimes you don’t use them for weeks – for days like today when you need them.
” Indeed it was small ball that got the winning rally started. After Tia Shakar reached on an error in the infield.
