Sports wrap: First Team All-League

By JOHN ADDYMAN
john.addyman@yahoo.com

NEWARK - Newark grad Brandice Balschmiter had a big week, starting last Wednesday. That was the day she was named an All-American by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. The University of Massachusetts senior had pitched a perfect game in the NCAA softball Division I Amherst Regional against Sacred Heart University the week before. But the Minutewomen were eliminated in a 15-inning game with third-ranked Washington. Their season ended with a 40-9 record.

Balschmiter finished her last season with a 0.85 ERA, a 33-5 record, throwing 326 strike-outs, walking 55, and allowing 154 hits and 35 runs. Opponents batted .172 against her.

She was at the Newark-Honeyoye Falls game Thursday afternoon, waiting to fly to Chicago over the weekend. She has been drafted by the Chicago Bandits professional softball team and was on her way to their offices to negotiate a contract. If the contract doesn't work out, she'll try out for Team USA, which competes in the Canada Cup, World Cup, Venezuela Cup and Japan Cup.

'Hopefully, I'll sign a contract this weekend,' she said. 'The pay isn't like the big leagues, but it'll get me through the summer.'

She expected to be back at UMass this fall, completing her degree in studio arts. 'I love to paint,' she said. Her specialty is still life work that requires a lot of detail. If she can't sign a contract, she'll play for Team USA and get her degree. 'I have six classes left to take,' she said. 'I made softball a priority this year.'

On the subject of the Balschmiters, Brandice's little brother Breiten won two events for Newark at the Section V Class A championships at Hilton High School Saturday, and he did it in big fashion.

Breiten was first in the shot put with a heave of 54-7.75, and he struck for a title in the discus, too, with a throw of 157-3. His winning effort in the shot was 11 inches farther than anyone else, and he won the discus by 13 feet.

Eric Monaco (12-0) and Dylan Hallagan (11-6) were second and third in the pole vault.

For the Lady Reds, Kaitlyn Macaulay was the top finisher, taking second in the pentathlon with 1,968 points she won the 100-meter hurdles (17.76) and was second in the high jump (4-9) in the five-event competition. Cara Wilck was fourth in the 2000-meter steeplechase (8:01.90) and Brynna Venoski took fourth in the discus (93-11).

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