By BILLY THARP
For The Trentonian
WALLINGTON – For the past two seasons, the Robbinsville High School and Pequannock High School have played for the Group Two state championship game, and last night their respective Little League squads met in the state finals again. Pequannock once again emerged victorious defeating Robbinsville, 5-2.

Megan Kratz made her first start for Robbinsville since the District 12 final and was sharp through two innings giving Pequannock nothing, but Pequannock was equally strong. In the third Robbinsville struck first. Kratz reached base on an error and was replace by special pitch runner and super sub Lauren Kroepfl. Sophie Billings was next and laid down a beautiful bunt. Although Pequannock made the play at first, Pequannock left third base uncovered and Kroepfl raced to third. The throw to third was high and Kroepfl easily scored. Later in the inning Chelsea Manto was hit by a pitch and came around to score on a Sara Motusesky single giving them a 2-0 lead.

Pequannock went to work in their half of the third bunting Robbinsville to death. Pequannock was able to put runners on base and scored their first run of the game on a wild pitch. Pequannock kept on bunting and instead of getting the out at first Robbinsville would try to get the runner on third to attempt to score and get them out at home but Pequannock, who was well coached, did not take Robbinsville’s bait. Pequannock would take the lead when Robbinsville threw the ball away on a bunt and allowed two runs to score.
Pequannock would tack on another run and just when it seemed they would score even more Lauren Kiszely snagged a bullet at first and would turn a double play. Robbinsville could not muster  any offense in the fourth while Pequannock would add a fifth run.

In the fifth, Robbinsville had a chance to get back in the game when they had runners on second and third. A dribbler from Motusesky would be fielded by the shortstop and thrown to third. The runner was called out although the ball was in the dirt and clearly not caught.

For Motusesky the breakdowns in the third were merely mental and can be corrected. “We lost focus when they started bunting. We are a better team than that. We will see this team again and make the plays.”

As for Kratz, she pitched a good game for Robbinsville, only allowing the one big inning. “Megan hasn’t thrown for a long time because she hurt her back but she did well out there” Motusesky said.

Heading into the Loser’s Bracket Final with their first loss of the season, Robbinsville knows they can beat Pequannock but they are not looking past Hammonton, their opponent in the final. No one said this run was going to be easy and now Robbinsville is out to prove that they can get back up when they are knocked down.