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VOTE NOW! For Central Jersey Player of the Year!

VaselineJuly 1, 2024

0 4 minutes read

VOTE NOW! For Central Jersey Player of the Year!

Who are you voting for for MyCentralJersey.com Reader’s Choice Softball Player of the Year 2024?

RILEY BOBROWSKI, WATCHUNG HILLS, SOPHOMORE, PITCHER

The Courier News Softball Player of the Year helped lead the Warriors to the Group 4 state championship after seeing just a handful of varsity innings in the circle as a freshman, though she did start at DH. Bobrowski, who didn’t allow a run in three North 2 Group 4 Tournament starts, went 17-1 with a 0.95 ERA, allowing just 59 hits and 42 walks while striking out 211 in 118 1/3 innings. She also batted .359 as a leadoff hitter, including 10 doubles, two triples, a homer, 14 walks and 14 RBIs.

Softball: CN Player of the Year is Riley Bobrowski of Watchung Hills

More: Softball Index: Links to the Courier News and Home News Tribune All-Area honors package

CAROLINE COLITTI, IMMACULATA, SENIOR, PITCHER

A four-year letterwinner, three-year starter and MVP of the Skyland Conference All-Star Game, the Spartans ace went 16-6 with a 2.04 ERA this season, including a three-hitter against Watchung Hills in the Somerset County title final. Colitti, who also batted .345, allowed just 113 hits and 44 walks in 151 innings, striking out 151.

OLIVIA DISALVO, SCOTCH PLAINS-FANWOOD, JUNIOR, PITCHER

DiSalvo missed all of last season after a standout freshman campaign after breaking her thumb in the Raiders’ first preseason scrimmage a year ago. She returned with a vengeance in 2024, helping SPF to its first Union County final since 2001. The junior went 9-2 with a 1.48 ERA, surrendering just 82 hits and 21 walks and fanning 144 in 94 1/3 innings. She also hit .354 with a double, two home runs and 26 RBIs.

SAMANTHA DOUGHERTY, NORTH HUNTERDON, JUNIOR, THIRD BASE

The three-year starter took a big step forward, leading the North 2 Group 3 finalists in every major offensive category this year, including average (.404), doubles (8), triples (2), home runs (7), RBIs (26) and runs (24, tied with Katie Reed). She also stole six bases, second only to Reed’s seven stolen bases.

LESLIE FLAHEERTY, METUCHEN, SENIOR, CATCHER/UTILITY

Flaherty is the epitome of a utility player, having played in the infield and outfield before taking over this year — even making a turn in the circle after ace Alicia Montalbano was injured late in the season. Flaherty led the Bulldogs in most offensive categories, including batting (.435), slugging (.758), hits (27), doubles (8) and home runs (4). She batted (.488) and hit (.882) for her career with 145 hits and 23 home runs, and is headed to Florida Gulf Coast University.

ZOE LING, FRANKLIN, SENIOR, SHORTSTOP

Ling, arguably the Warriors’ best player in decades, finished her career hitting .540 with 15 doubles, 3 triples, 3 home runs and 26 RBIs, leading Franklin to the Valley Division championship and the program’s first winning season in 32 years. She finishes with 126 hits and hopes to attend NYU next season.

GINA MAHLIK, BERNARDS, SENIOR, SHORT STOP

A three-time first-team All-Area honoree, Mahlik hit .476 with nine doubles, one triple, two home runs, 29 runs, 20 stolen bases and 15 RBIs this season for the three-time North 2 Group 2 sectional finalists. The shortstop hit .487 for her career with 172 hits and will play at Kean University.

DIMITRA MILONOPOULOS, OLD BRIDGE, SENIOR, CATCHER

The returning All-Area selection and the area’s top defensive catcher didn’t strike out 32 runners like last year, but only because teams didn’t want to run at her. The catcher batted .477 and slugged .598 while collecting 39 hits. She batted .467 and slugged .589 in her career and will head to Middle Tennessee in the fall.

AVA MORMILE, SPOTSWOOD, JUNIOR, PITCHER

Mormile followed up her breakout sophomore campaign with a new first-team roster, posting an 18-8 record and 1.90 ERA while striking out 238 batters with 59 walks in 158 1/3 innings. She also hits in the middle of the order, hitting .341 with 29 hits and 18 RBIs. She’ll enter her senior campaign with a career-high 466 strikeouts.

LINDSAY OLLER, SOUTH PLAINFIELD, SENIOR, THIRD BASE

Oller, the HNT Softball Player of the Year, returns to the first team after a stellar senior campaign in which she propelled the Tigers to the GMCT title. She hit eight home runs, including two in the GMCT championship game, and drove in 25 runs despite the lead. She batted .417 and batted .845. She will attend Caldwell College in the fall after compiling a career school-record 32 home runs, 151 hits and 132 RBIs with a .442 batting average and .851 slugging.

Softball: HNT Player of the Year is Lindsay Oller of South Plainfield

HAYLEY WIECZERZAK, ST. THOMAS VAN AQUINAS, SENIOR, CALLER

The 2023 Player of the Year battled nagging injuries and occasional wild strikes but remained one of the dominant forces in the circle. Though her innings were cut from 144 to 82, she still struck out 151 batters while walking 44, posting a 2.13 ERA and 7-6 record against a challenging schedule. The senior, who finished her career with 760 strikeouts and a 1.34 ERA in 382 2/3 innings, will join former teammate Mary Kate Murray at Albany next year.

Candidates chosen by Simeon Pincus and Josh Rosenfeld

Poll closes Sunday at 11:59 PM

If the poll is not showing, please refresh the page

VaselineJuly 1, 2024

0 4 minutes read

Vaseline

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