After forming just days before their first tournament together, the Cinnaminson 14U softball team competed in the Marlton Thunder Storm Fall Tournament and took home the title on Saturday, September 19.
The girls had never played together before and put up some impressive numbers against a club level team and other teams that had been together longer than they had.
“I think what the biggest thing is we’re seeing, based on the trainers we have coming in and the indoor facilities, two fields redone with turf; we are seeing all that stuff and hearing the buzz that the girls want to play,” Cinnaminson Girls Softball Board President Randy MacNair said. “We have two U10 travel teams, a U12 team, a U14 team, and a team playing in a college league. There are more girls playing softball in the fall than ever before. We have the right coaches in the right places and it’s paying dividends.”
The bracket the 14U team won featured a total of 12 teams, but the girls only had to play three games to win because of a point system. The team went 3-0 in the tourney and is made up of girls entirely from Cinnaminson.
“This is going towards what we are working for; to develop intown girls,” MacNair said. “All of the girls are from Cinnaminson and they are getting the chance to compete with other girls from Cinnaminson.”
“We have grown from having just fields, to an indoor facility all year round, to an outdoor pitching area that is lit up, to professional hitting trainers and pitching trainers. It will pay off for the girls in the long run.”
All teams that took part in the tournament played three games and were awarded two points for a win and points for a shutout. The 14U team posted one shutout in their three wins. They were the only team to go 3-0 in the tournament.
“We definitely saw some good things,” head coach Rich Onorato said. “We knew going in pitching was going to be key for us. We have outstanding pitching and strong defense, so that led to the shutout. We were playing some club level teams. We won the first game 6-0. We pitched out of bases loaded jam early in that first game.”
Two players from the Cinnaminson 14U team were named tournament MVPs; Payton MacNair, who played shortstop and Riece Onorato, who was on the mound for every game.
“Riece gave up maybe three hits on the day in all three games,” Coach Onorato said. “There were some unearned runs. She also hit a bases loaded double that cleared the bases to help win the third game.”
The Cinnaminson 14U team is part of the USGA league, which is home to quite a few teams from neighboring towns.
“There are no more fall tournaments for us to play in, but we are undefeated in the league so far,” Coach Onorato said. “We play a 12-game schedule. There are no playoffs or anything like that. Once spring comes, we will play a couple tourneys.”
Team Roster
#1 Jackie Barr
#4 Sam Hoban
#7 Payton MacNair
#10 Riece Onorato
#12 Hannah Shearer
#13 Mia Trottie
#14 Val Largay
#20 Julia Dodig
#23 Krista Pestridge
#33 Danielle Rivera
#44 Abby McDonald
