Florence 3 (23-1), Pompton Lakes 0 (21-6) @ Softball State Final
Toms River, NJ - Melissa Mehrer led the Florence softball team all year. And when it came time to shine, she did exactly that.
The Monmouth-bound pitcher led the Flashes all the way to their first softball State Championship in 20-years on Saturday June 9th, 2007 in Toms River over Pompton Lakes. But it was her bat, not her pitching, that sealed the Championship for the Flashes.
Florence coach George Chwastyk asked Mehrer to bunt the ball in her final high school at-bat. But then he changed his mind. And 4 pitches later, Mehrer hit a 2-run home run to put the game out of reach.
“We will bunt in any situation with any player,” Chwastyk said. “We took the bunt off on a hunch she would at least move the runner.
“She sure moved the runner! All I could keep yelling was get out of here. Glad for Melissa as she has earned all she has done.”
Mehrer finished her Florence career as a pitcher with 18 shutouts, 848 career strikeouts, and a 62-12 record.
“Melissa is the best here that I have coached,” Chwastyk said. “848 career strikeouts a school record. 68-12 career record. Also, the nicest kid you would ever want to coach.”
Mehrer allowed two first inning singles, but the base runners never advanced passed second base. She didn’t allow another runner to reach until the final inning.
“Two hits in first inning thought she got the ball up in the zone,” Chwastyk said. “She settled down and got a strike out and a foul ball out. She did not allow a runner until the last inning to reach and walked two with 2 out. She got the last hitter to bounce ball to third and game over. Great job on mound.”
Mehrer will be graduating soon. As will many of the players on the team. Next year, Florence will have to re-build.
“I lose Melissa (Mehrer), Kristin (Garganio), Kate Antolic and Ashley (Onori),” Chwastyk said. “Kelly Garganio is a fine pitcher and I still have my all-star catcher. Will have some big areas to fill but we will contend again.”
But they do have some talented players coming back. He has to build next year’s team around his prized catcher Chelsea Kehr and Kelly Garganio.
“Chelsea Kehr, Kelly Garganio, shortstop Erin Sweeney, Emily Million, and DH Carlie Maple. This was a team of very talented players that came together in a small school at the right time. That does not happen often. They had good chemistry and leadership and one of the best pitchers in all of New Jersey.”
Even with the seniors moving on, Chwastyk still believes his team can contend next year.
“That’s a hard one; again getting a really talented group of kids at one time at small schools is hard,” he said. “But they are a good team and I am sure they will contend next year.”
But he is always going to remember the team from this season.
“What a great feeling,” he said. “I have been coaching various sports for 25 yrs and this is the top. Again I felt so proud of my seniors and the whole team.”
by Anthony Lawrence Caruso, III
