For more than a year, longtime Kearny softball coach Jim Pickel heard about the loaded freshman class that was set to arrive this spring. Even as he heard it from person after person, Pickel tried to stay grounded due to the massive gap between middle school softball and varsity.
“For me, I would say there was a little bit of (hesitation) just because it is totally different,” Pickel said. “All I heard for the last year about how good these kids are and this and that, everybody would say it. I’d be like, ‘Oh, okay.’ They hadn’t started playing (high school softball) yet, so I didn’t (truly) know.”
While it remains to be seen what the future holds for this group of talented freshmen and experienced upperclassmen, if the first two games are any indication, Kearny looks on its way to a special season.
Kearny opened its season with an emphatic 13-1 blowout win over four-time reigning HCIAL American Division champion Bayonne on Tuesday. Then, two days later, the Kardinals followed it up with a 17-4 thrashing at Union City.
Such a start has put Kearny at the top of the list of contenders for the Hudson County championship, while also putting a clear target on its back moving forward.
“We have said that in our own way,” said Pickel. “We all have improved from last year, but there’s still improvement needed on this team so don’t get overconfident), but we have really stressed that we have something very positive here.”
That positivity starts with a lineup that Pickel said is by far, the deepest the Kardinals have had in years.
Junior Anastasia Guy, a two-year starter in center field, leads off and hasn’t missed a beat after a strong sophomore season. Guy is off to a 4-for-7 start with five runs scored.
Following Guy, is the team’s lone senior starter in Kathryn Schwerzler, who shifts back to her natural position of first base after being forced to move to shortstop last year due to injuries.
“She’s come back to first and hasn’t missed a beat,” said Pickel. “She has improved so much from sophomore year when she played first base to now. She’s a totally different first baseman.”
Hitting behind Schwerzler are a pair of freshmen, who have helped transform the lineup. Third baseman Gabriella Martinez, who is 5-for-7 with five RBI and four runs scored, hits third and slugged her first home run against Union City.
Batting cleanup is pitcher/second baseman/outfielder Abigail Buchanan, who had a debut for the ages against Bayonne, going 3-for-4 with a home run, six RBI and three runs at the plate, while striking out eight batters in five innings from the circle.
“She has the ability to (dominate a game) in the circle, at the plate,” said Pickel. “She’s shown it on multiple occasions and I’m really looking forward to what she could do this year.”
Junior Madison Rodriguez, who led the team in runs scored last season with 31 is back for her third season as the starting catcher and has been hitting fifth.
Right now in the sixth spot is another freshman Ryleigh Chesney at shortstop. Chesney has shown no ill effects of an ankle injury that ended her basketball season in early January and has started the spring with a home run and six RBI.
“She has done an outstanding job, both offensively and defensively,” Pickel said. “She makes the simple plays and she makes that little extra play that in the past maybe we didn’t make.”
Two other freshmen who will see significant at-bats are left fielder Lexi Duarte, as well as super-utility player Nicoly Tassi Libaroni, who Pickel trusts to play any position other than catcher.
Libaroni started the season opener at third base, where she could see time along with Martinez and junior Rylee Carvajal, who could see the bulk of the time at designated player.
Junior Abaigeal Granelli along with pitchers Buchanan and Cassandra Montalvo are all set for time at second base with senior Esther Martins also in the mix along the infield and as a pinch runner.
In addition to Buchanan, senior Madeline Leimberg and freshman Samantha Garcia are in the mix at right field.
In the circle, Pickel feels he has multiple options, starting with Buchanan and Montalvo, who struck out 87 batters as the primary pitcher last year. Garcia is also expected to pitch some as well.
Kearny looked to keep its hot streak going on Monday morning when it hosted Bloomfield before division matchups against Hoboken on Tuesday and at North Bergen on Thursday. Then, on Saturday, Kearny will test itself against three-time defending Group 1 champion Cedar Grove.
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Jason Bernstein | Observer Sports Writer
Jason Bernstein joined The Observer as its sports writer in March 2022, following the retirement of Jim Hague. He has a wealth of sports-writing experience, including for NJ Advance Media (nj.com, The Jersey Journal, The Star-Ledger.)