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The 2009 Lakehurst softball team had more wins than almost any other team in the NJSALC Softball tournament, yet they finished in 4th place overall.
The Branch 2128 sponsored team, lost their first round game to 3rd place Neptune and was the first team bumped into the loser’s bracket of the tournament. This instantly put the Lakehurst team at a disadvantage—forcing them into an extra ‘play-in’ game, just to get into the loser’s bracket.
Despite the long odds, the Lakehurst boys persevered. Led by Joe Rendzia, Tom Naspinski, Steve Keim, John Nagy and Todd Becker, Lakehurst won game after game climbing to the top of their bracket. They defeated Matawan, Freehold, Pompton Plains, Atlantic City and the #1 Toms River team before succumbing to Jersey City which ended their run. They finished the day at 5-2 – winning as many games as the Brick team, who went on to win the tournament.
It’s tough to single out anyone as the team MVP because everyone contributed, according to Lakehurst manager Al Kloza.
“Every player on this squad did something that helped us win,” said Kloza. “We won as a team, no doubt about it!”
Besides the players mentioned previously, everyone had a place in the team highlight reel. Branch 2128 members Gary Cafara, Pat Moreno, Terry Erichsen, Bill Feiss, Ryan Juengling, and Tony Romanowski all had their big days in the field and at the plate. In addition, clerk supervisor (and NAPS member) Butch Wojturski sparked the team as the leadoff hitter—making only 2 batted outs in 7 games and drawing a double digit number of walks.
They didn’t win it all, but the Lakehurst team left Pine Park that night feeling pretty good about what they accomplished in this year’s NJSALC Softball Tournament. Congratulations boys!
Al Kloza
Lakehurst team manager
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