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HOLMDEL – The Hornets are in the midst of one, if not the most, successful seasons in program history and have a chance to take the team places no other Holmdel softball team has ever been before. With three senior captains and a number of rising underclassmen leading the way, the Hornets have recorded 14 wins against only three losses and at the moment are in a close race with Raritan for the A North crown.
Last Tuesday, the Hornets defeated the Rockets – ranked fourth in the Shore Conference and 20th in the state – giving Holmdel a split in the season series against Raritan.
“It was a fun and exciting game,” Holmdel head coach Nora Bosmans said of their win against Raritan. “They really went in there and top to bottom they really went in there as a team. They never stopped fighting. They went out and attacked the ball and never stopped playing defense. They just had a lot of fun that day.”
Holmdel also qualified for the Monmouth County Tournament this season as the 10th seed and upset seventh-seeded Freehold Township, 9-7, in the first round before falling to Middletown North – ranked third in the Shore and 11th in the state – in the quarterfinals.
It was the first year this senior class qualified for the tournament and won a first-round game in their four-year careers.
“That was one of the goals that the seniors made at the beginning of the year, making the MCT and getting a win,” said Bosmans. “They really set a lot of goals as a team this year and they were able to accomplish that one.
“It’s growing pains and we want to play the best to be the best,” Bosmans said about their loss to the Lions. “We want to see those types of pitchers; we want to see those types of teams because that prepares us for the postseason and we are able to learn from those types of losses. It was a tough loss but a lot of learning came from that type of situation.”
Senior pitcher and captain Tara Musialowicz (12-3, 1.80 ERA) is a huge part of the success the Hornets have had this season not just on the mound but at the plate (.420, 1 HR, 1 3B, 1 2B, 10 RBI, 18 R) and role she plays as a team leader.
“Tara’s been phenomenal all season,” said Bosmans. “She is in the zone. When she’s on the mound she’s confident, she’s cool, she’s collected and she really is a true player. She’s very unselfish and really wants the team to succeed and that’s extremely special.
“She’s the type of player that asks extremely intelligent questions that make everybody else think and that’s really, really rare in a player because she elevates everybody around her by the questions she asks. Even at bat, she’s constantly thinking, going through her mechanics then on the mound she’s constantly talking to herself, working through her mechanics, so she’s constantly evolving and is never satisfied wanting always to be better. She’s also a person that elevates the fun in practice keeping it loose bringing lighthearted energy which is extremely important.”
Fellow senior and captain, first baseman Allison Yan, leads the team with a dazzling .468 batting average along with two home runs, four doubles and 13 RBI.
“Allison is our voice,” said Bosmans. “She is the one reminding our girls what our goals are. She’s the one reminding everybody how we are expected to play – what our expectations are on a daily basis. She’s the one caring for everybody and always putting the team in front of herself. One of the most selfless individuals I’ve ever met.”
Holmdel’s third senior captain, left fielder Abbey Quirk, is a utility player that is hitting .293 with a double, eight RBI and 11 runs scored and can spell Musialowicz on the mound as well if needed.
“We worked Abbey into the outfield last year and in the offseason she put in a lot of work in both at bat and in the field,” said Bosmans. “She’s really blossomed her senior year and is extremely confident and motivated on the field and a leader on the field by example – she shows the team what hard work really is.
“I’ll be honest, this is probably the most special senior class I’ve ever had because of their dynamics,” continued Bosmans. “Each senior has a different role on the team and they just jell so beautifully. I know practice could run even though I wasn’t there because the underclassmen respect what the seniors say and how they do things and that’s extremely important to our success this year.”
Bosmans also had high praise for junior third baseman Nicolette Pavlik, who’s hitting .350 and leads the team with 18 RBI along with two triples, four doubles and eight runs.
“Nicolette is another player who has really blossomed and has gained a lot of confidence,” said Bosmans of her cleanup hitter. “I would say she has one of the strongest arms in the entire Shore Conference. She’s extremely well versed in the field and then at bat she’s grown confidently. She’s really relaxed at the plate and sees the ball well without putting pressure on herself when there’s runners in scoring position which is extremely important in the cleanup spot. She plays cool, calm and collectively.”
Sophomore shortstop Emma Quirk leads the team with four home runs and 20 runs scored and is second on the team with 14 RBI while hitting a solid .333.
“Emma’s a hard worker and an extremely athletic kid,” said Bosmans. “She really plays with a 100 percent heart and is the type of kid that who wants to do well and she really focuses in. When she’s in game mode she’s there to play and that’s something special. She’s done a phenomenal job for us in the leadoff spot. She’s competent at bat, she works the pitchers well and is the type of player that can beat you with both power and singles. She’s a very smart base runner so that’s dangerous to have as your leadoff.”
Sophomore catcher Hudson Yan (.344, 1 HR, 1 2B, 15 R), junior second baseman Crystal Carino (.286, five RBI), sophomore right fielder Isabella Lamberti (10 R, six RBI) and freshman centerfielder Madison Yan (11 R) rounds out the starting lineup for the Hornets.
For the first time in as long as anyone can remember, Holmdel broke into the current NJ.com Shore Conference Top 10 at No. 9.
“It’s exciting, super exciting for the girls,” said Bosmans of the team getting ranked. “The seniors on the team have never seen this success before and like I keep reiterating to them, all of this is in preparation for the postseason. It’s fun and exciting and it’s nice to get recognized but we have to keep fighting and keep working on the day-to-day in order to stay there. We don’t’ want to just be there, we want to stay there.”
The Hornets are guaranteed a spot in the Shore Conference Tournament for the first time since 2014 when they snuck into the tournament on the last day of qualifying, as well as the state playoffs.
“As we are able to succeed in our minor goals on the day-to-day it’s starting to culminate into those bigger goals,” said Bosmans. “We’re in a situation that we’ve never been in before so it’s a fun and exciting new experience for them. We not only wanted to get into the tournament but win a first-round game and see what happens. That’s something we’re working towards.
“I’m happy for the girls because it really attributes to all their hard work. They’ve put in the time; they’ve put in the effort and I’ve never seen our team jell as well as they have chemistry-wise. There’s 13 of them that want to be there for each other and it’s the most selfless team that I’ve had in my time at Holmdel. It’s exciting for them and it’s exciting for me in the sense of watching them grow and watching their confidence build day in and day out.”
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