By Andy Loigu

The Belvidere softball team got off to a 2-0 start while the girls from Warren Hills are still looking for that first win (as of Thursday).

Welcome to baseball and softball season and the spring weather that usually goes along with it, although you never know what to expect in April. Case in point, lots of rain today!

The baseball and softball teams from Hackettstown and the Warren Hills baseball squad have already experienced both the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.

In a 13-2 win over Hackettstown, the Belvidere girls were led by the mighty bat of Mia Lawson, who drove in four runs with three hits, one of which was a home run. Kylie Graham scored four runs for the ladies dressed in red.

For the young ladies in black and orange stripes, Hackettstown’s Amy Wood homered. The Tigers (now 1-2) are coached by Christina Sykora, who was chosen Warren County Female Athlete of the Year in 2007 by the Warren Reporter. Sykora played Division One level softball at Temple University and has led the Tigers to postseason success in recent years.

On to Baseball

Veteran coach Gary Poyer (who also has led Hackettstown teams on post-season voyages) enjoyed a 14-0 win at normally competitive Lenape Valley in the opening game for Tigers baseball. He has three offensive producers in Bernie Annor, Jon Scalera and Mac Curcio.

After a 7-4 loss at Jefferson in game number two, Annor had six runs batted in, Scalera had five base hits and Curcio had three runs scored.

Last season the Tigers reached the “elite eight” in the North Jersey Section 2 Group 2 playoffs. The media often abbreviates that as N2G2, which reminds this columnist of Star Wars.

Warren Hills, coached in baseball by Aaron Feldman, lost its first two games but then broke loose, running off to a 17-1 victory in Sparta against Veritas Christian. Pitcher Dan Willis struck out eight batters while Evan Mathew (three runs) and Max Wulff (two hits and two runs batted in) led the offensive explosion.

Visit From A Cardinal

In big league baseball, Max Scherzer has pitched in the postseason with each of the three teams where he’s been employed. Now he brings his energy, experience, and talents to the New York Mets.

I was going to pick the Mets to go all the way this year in this column. They’ve made some terrific off-season moves and when Jacob deGrom returns they’ll win like gangbusters for Buck Showalter, overcoming what may be a slow start.

However, just as I was going to predict that, I looked out the window and there was a bright red Cardinal perched on a nearby bush, looking straight at me. The majestic red color of this avian visitor struck such a contrast with the dismal gray skies outside and his eyes were glaring straight at me with a stern stare. Can’t remember a yardbird looking at me in that way ever before.

So I’ll just hold off on that prediction.

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Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building.