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Bergen County Softball Tournament final is Saturday. Here's our predictions

darren cooper, northjersey.com
·2 min read

The finals of the 50th-annual Bergen County softball tournament will be held Saturday at the Wood-Ridge Athletic Complex.

To read all about the 50-year history of Bergen County softball, and meet the 50 greatest players, click here.

Eileen Finnegan, the winning pitcher for Westwood in the first Bergen County softball final back in 1974, has been invited to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Here, we break down the game and make our pick.

(1) IHA vs. (6) Ramapo, 1 p.m.

The road to the final: Ramapo scored 41 runs in the first three rounds, beating Pascack Hills, 20-10, rival Old Tappan, 11-7, and Fair Lawn, 10-6. In the semifinal, the Raiders scored five runs in the first two innings and held on to beat Ramsey, 5-2. IHA got a big scare in the quarterfinals but rallied to beat Ridgewood, 6-4, on a homer by Leah English in the seventh inning. The Blue Eagles dominated Indian Hills, 10-0, in the semifinals.

Apr 5, 2024; Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA; IHA softball at Ramapo. IHA #27 Katelyn Mikros on her way to being safe at second as R #22 LeeAnn Downey tries to get the out.
Apr 5, 2024; Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA; IHA softball at Ramapo. IHA #27 Katelyn Mikros on her way to being safe at second as R #22 LeeAnn Downey tries to get the out.

Players to watch: IHA - Gianna DiMeglio, senior SS, Gabby Shadek, junior C, Leah English, freshman 3B; Ramapo - LeeAnn Downey, junior SS; Sofia Ciarlo, freshman C; Ella Saxton, senior P/OF.

X-factor: How much of a factor will be the first game between the two teams back in April, an 11-1 IHA win? It’s true, it was the first week of the season, and Ramapo was not at full strength, but a win like that can breed confidence in the winning team and cast doubt in the team that lost the first time.

Prediction: After watching the Bergen County semifinals, it’s so tempting to pick Ramapo. The Raiders are athletic, fast, and riding a long winning streak. Freshman pitcher Trinity Horn was steady in the win over Ramsey, and the defense behind her was almost perfect. IHA is still IHA. The Blue Eagles are deep and talented, and they have the one thing that separates a good IHA team from a great IHA team: a genuine fondness for each other. Senior pitcher Arianna Barrett has risen to every challenge so far, and the Blue Eagles line-up is formidable. Make a mistake and you'll pay. I can see Ramapo getting off to an early lead, maybe 2-0, with IHA slowly coming back and pulling away with the win. The depth of their line-up will be the difference.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Bergen County NJ Softball Tournament 2024 previews and predictions