S. Jersey Girls: Eustace bunts its way to victory

Bishop Eustace

played small-ball to perfection, as Macie McGeehan's bunt single brought home Kathleen DiMaggio with the eventual winning run in the top of the 11th inning, and the fifth-seeded Crusaders held on to nip No. 4 seed

Sacred Heart

, 4-3, yesterday in an NJSIAA South Jersey Non-Public B softball quarterfinal.

DiMaggio had reached base on a bunt off losing pitcher Kylie Kristovich, who struck out 13 and limited Bishop Eustace to seven singles over nine innings.

Winning pitcher Jessica O'Hara, who struck out 11 and came through with three hits, escaped a jam in the bottom of the ninth when Kristovich scored on a long sacrifice fly to center field.

Regulation ended tied at 1-1, and both teams pushed across a run in the 10th.

Bishop Eustace advances to tomorrow's semifinal at top-seeded St. Joseph.

In the other half of the Non-Public B bracket, seventh-seeded

Holy Cross

lost a heartbreaker, 2-1, when No. 2 seed

Mater Dei

scored on a play at the plate with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.

Suzanne Gilbride had a run-scoring double and Natalie Vittese went the distance for the Lancers, who finished their season at 11-12.

South Jersey Non-Public A.

Nicole Hagerty induced a fly-out to center field to escape a bases-loaded jam in the seventh inning, helping second-seeded

Gloucester Catholic

escape with a 7-5 triumph over seventh-seeded

Bishop Ahr

.

Brittany Sullivan laced a bases-loaded double and came home on Ali Robinson's home run in the Rams' five-run sixth inning.

Ninth-seeded

Paul VI

was held hitless in a 9-0 quarterfinal loss at top-seeded

Red Bank Catholic

.

South Jersey Group 1.

Jessica Herbert singled home Jamie Dellinger in the top of the seventh inning, giving fourth-seeded

Gloucester County Institute of Technology

a 3-2 semifinal upset at top-seeded

New Egypt

.

It was the 12th consecutive win for the Cheetahs, who had never won a playoff game until last week, but now will travel to No. 3 seed

Pennsville

for tomorrow's title game.

South Jersey Group 2.

Megan Applegate's second RBI, on a sacrifice in the fifth inning, proved the difference as top-seeded

Sterling

edged No. 5 seed

Haddon Township

, 4-3.

In the other semifinal, Michelle Rehmann pitched a one-hitter and Chelsie Biluck stroked a two-run single in the first to start second-seeded

Delran

to a 4-0 victory over third-seeded

Haddonfield

.

South Jersey Group 3.

Jamie Minix settled down after allowing two runs in the first inning, pitching second-seeded

Kingsway

past No. 3 seed

Hammonton

, 3-2.

South Jersey Group 4.

Backed by Briana Molino's RBI double in the first inning, Rachael Matreale hurled a one-hit shutout in lifting second-seeded Williamstown over No. 6 seed Lacey, 1-0.

Maria Isgro homered in the seventh, but fourth-seeded

Absegami

still fell, 3-1, at top-seeded

Toms River East

.

Central Jersey Group 1.

Chelsea Kehr's RBI double keyed a four-run fifth-inning rally, providing just enough cushion for second-seeded

Florence

to hold off No. 6 seed

New Providence

, 5-4.

Central Jersey Group 2.

Hillary Allen fanned 14 and didn't walk a batter in hurling a one-hit shutout, and she scored the game's lone run in the third inning to lead top-seeded

Bordentown

to a 1-0 semifinal win over No. 12 seed

Governor Livingston

.

Senior Ashley Battilana notched her first career hat trick and set up two goals, as

West Deptford

kept its Olympic Conference National Division title hopes alive with a 15-9 win at

Collingswood

.