Dayton Softball Wins Preliminary Round Of Union County Interscholastic Athletic Conference.

The Dayton softball team easily disposed of Roselle, 11-1, in the preliminary round of the Union County Interscholastic Athletic Conference.  

The 14th-seeded Bulldogs [5-7] exploded on the Rams with an eight-run bottom of the first inning, cruising the rest of the way, no doubt hoping this was a sign of things to come in the UCIAC. Led again by dominant freshman pitcher Breanne Mooney and timely slugging, Dayton played what amounted to as a glorified scrimmage.

But if looked easy to outsiders, head coach Wendy Saladino warned against overconfidence by telling her team that anybody can get beat.

"I tell them on any given day anybody can beat anybody," she told her team afterwards. And I believe that it's true."

The Bulldogs advanced to play second-seeded Governor Livingston, Saturday, but Saladino said they cannot overlook Friday's makeup game at Benedictine Academy— a struggling program which Dayton beat, 10-0, in the second game of the season.

Thursday, it was the 16th-seeded Rams' turn to find out firsthand just how easily Dayton can beat someone.

Saladino was more impressed with how well her young team remained focused despite the easy triumph.

"It was business as usual," she said. "My main concern was that we learn from past mistakes and I think they did a good job. The first inning, things didn't go according to plan but they bounced back, which was great. That's what was really important for me."

Dayton opened the game with an error by third baseman Allie Policastro but got through the inning unscathed, as Mooney fanned the last two batters to end the frame. Mooney finished her three innings allowing one earned run on four hits, with four strikeouts.

Policastro atoned for her gaffe with two RBIs on the day but it was Jackie Loeshelle who provided the most pop at the plate. The senior first baseman went 2-for-3, with a walk, double, run, and three RBI.

Loeshelle was very pleased with her performance but added that this team is nowhere near where they want to be.

"It's just having confidence right now," she said when asked about her hot streak. "Everyone is working together, which is good, because it's never too late in the season to come together."

Loeshelle also knows what's ahead this Saturday, however, but insists they'll be ready.

"We're confident but we shouldn't be overconfident," she said of what should be a daunting task. "But we're also not scared."

Saladino, on the other hand, is almost too-juiced for this matchup because she gets a chance to face her mentor, Governor Livingston head coach Ricky Iacono, who used to teach her at Dayton.

"I'm excited to play them because Mr. Iacono was my phys-ed teacher at Dayton," she beamed. "And I hear that he said he's itching to play me, so I'm excited for this 'Bulldog Fest.'"

If Dayton is to have a shot at usurping them, though, they'll need Mooney to get plenty of rest between starts. Mooney, who admitted her "shoulder is not that great right now", may need to sit out Friday's matchup, so to be at full strength Saturday.

The freshman hurler was grateful for being sparingly used, Thursday, and said she should be ready to throw against Benedictine Academy if needed. If she can't go, it'll be Amanda Stein, who finished Thursday's game in relief.

"She doesn't want to admit it but I can tell she's sore and tired," Saladino said of Mooney. "We already talked about implementing an off-season conditioning program because we're too young to be having our arms hanging. We'll possibly throw Amanda. The again, I don't want atrophy from Bre because I just gave her like four days off. I'm walking a fine line with that [balancing Mooney's rest and activity]."   

Saladino hopes whoever takes the hill can spark the team and perhaps steal one against mighty Governor Livingston.

"A lot of teams don't expect this [success] from us this year," she said with a wry smile. "Especially the first time we face someone, so I think that gives us a little bit of an advantage. I hope word doesn't get around that we've improved."