CLARK, NJ – The Arthur L. Johnson High School Crusaders varsity softball team returned home for a game against the Elizabeth High School Minutemen for their Senior Day game and the game that followed the pregame ceremony proved to be a memorable.
After trailing twice in extra innings, junior Victoria Zatko hit a walk-off two-run home run to give the Crusaders a 4-3 win over the Minutemen in ten innings Tuesday afternoon in Clark.
With junior Lauren Kelly at second base with the international tiebreaker in place (went to third base on a wild pitch), and her team trailing 3-2, Zatko smoked a 3-2 count pitch that came her way to deep right field and was met at home plate by her teammates, pouring out of the dugout to greet her at home plate.
“I knew that when I got up to the plate that we needed a big hit,” Zatko said. “I was looking for anything in the zone and I saw that pitch and knew I just had to rip it.”
In total, Zatko fought off several pitches before seeing the opportunity to come through for the game-winning home run.
“She’s been a terrific hitter all year for us. She puts the ball in play a lot and got a hold of that. If she gets a good hold of one, it’s a chance of definitely going,” Johnson head coach Chris Di Nucci said. “It’s awesome to win in that fashion, it’s a big win, it’s Senior Day and you can’t ask for anything else but to win a ten-inning game with a walk-off home run.”
“What people will forget about that at-bat is that it was a 3-2 count and she fought off some tough pitches and extended the at-bat,” he added. “She really worked hard and battled herself back into it.”
After allowing an RBI single to Elizabeth sophomore Natalie Chappotin that made the score 2-1 Minutemen over the Crusaders, Johnson almost didn’t get a chance to be in that situation if it wasn’t for clutch hitting in the bottom of the eighth inning.
With runners at the corners with two outs, senior Lauren Donah knocked a grounder that she was able to beat out, scoring senior Jen Tinger to tie the game at 2-2.
Before the game, the Crusaders held their Senior Day ceremony for senior players Nicole Cassano, Mackenzie Purcell, Lauren Donah, Jen Tinger and Sydney Tropeano, honoring them for their years of hard work and dedication to the softball program throughout their careers.
Each of the seniors reflected on their careers and on the victory.
Each senior posed for pictures with their families, with the ceremony concluding with a group photo near home plate.
“They come hard to work every day and there’s a lot of experience in that senior group. It showed [today],” Di Nucci said of the senior players. “I told the girls after the game today, speechless.”
“It’s the little things that we talk about, staying in the game, dealing with adversity, coming from behind, winning the battle and putting the ball in play and never giving up on a game. It’s a credit to our girls, their work ethic and dedication to the team and program and glad to come out on top on Senior Day.”
Full Coverage of Johnson Varsity Softball’s Come-From-Behind Senior Day Win over Elizabeth HS Here
