VOTE: Shore Softball Player of the Week No. 2, sponsored by Larson Ford

Jake Matson, Asbury Park Press

The second week of the Shore softball season has produced plenty of intrigue as storylines are starting to take shape. The Ocean County Tournament featured several high profile upsets as Toms River East knocked off Central Regional and Toms River North slipped past Jackson Memorial. All while undefeated Southern continues to loom over that bracket.

There was some intrigue among two of the Non-Public powerhouses as Red Bank Catholic and St. John Vianney each suffered their first losses of the season. RBC lost to Morris Catholic, a team SJV beat earlier this season, while SJV lost to Immaculate Heart - a team RBC beat earlier this season. As resumes take shape, that will be an interesting aspect to watch.

There was no shortage of elite individual performances, and they emerged from unexpected places. Check out 10 of the most impressive performers from the second week, followed by a poll for readers to select the best of the group.

Opening Week Winner: Congratulations to Poll No. 1 winner Lily Hagan of Red Bank Catholic, who pulled in 46.73% percent of the votes. The runnerup was Holmdel's Emma Vanario (41.12%).

More: With a new coach at the helm, Freehold Township softball is shocking the Shore. Here's how

Abigail Krill - UT - Southern - Fr.

There are many reason why the Rams are off to an undefeated start, but the breakthrough freshman is absolutely one of the key contributors. Krill leads the Rams with 10 RBIs, all of which came in the last four games.

Alexis Hoffman - P - Toms River North - Sr.

After a rough outing against Brick Memorial, Hoffman responded emphatically in the Mariners' two wins in the Ocean County tournament, including a 2-1 upset win over Jackson Memorial. Hoffman also was an offensive threat with five RBIs in the win over Manchester.

Amy Fitzpatrick - OF - Marlboro - Sr.

Marlboro has been navigating a difficult start to the season, but the senior outfielder has continued to be a reliable source of offense for the Mustangs. She's batting .560 for the season and had five RBIs and a home run in the past week.

Bella Plath - IF - Raritan - Sr.

Plath has been great all season, opening the spring with a remarkable average as she's gone 20-for-27 at the plate. The senior took things to another level this past week for the Rockets, notching 10 runs scored and nine RBIs in the past three games.

Bethanne Doderer - P - Central Regional - Sr.

Doderer came into the season known for excellent pitching, and has kept that up with 46 strikeouts and a 2.84 ERA. But her hitting has been a revelation as she's batting .619 and has already matched her RBI total from last season with 14, including 12 in the last three games.

Manasquan's Elena Weinseimer crosses home after hitting her second inside-the-park home run of the game.
Manasquan's Elena Weinseimer crosses home after hitting her second inside-the-park home run of the game.

Elena Weinseimer - OF - Manasquan - Sr.

Weinseimer will join the Harvard Crimson next season, for now she's tearing things up for the Warriors after a slow start to the spring. She has five home runs and 11 RBIs in the past four games.

Giuliana Cardin - OF - St. John Vianney - Sr.

Take your pick of which standout to highlight from the Lancers' stellar roster, but Cardin has been one of the hottest bats recently. The senior has seven RBIs and two home runs in the past three games.

RBC starting pitcher Morgan O’ Sullivan. Red Bank Catholic Girls Softball defeats Wall 6-2 in home game on April 4, 2024
RBC starting pitcher Morgan O’ Sullivan. Red Bank Catholic Girls Softball defeats Wall 6-2 in home game on April 4, 2024

Morgan O’Sullivan - P - Red Bank Catholic - Sr.

The senior pitcher has been remarkable through the Caseys' 8-1 start. She has 39 strikeouts and a 1.31 ERA on the mound, but also has been steady in the batter's box with a .524 average and three RBIs over the past week.

Peyton Gallagher - IF - Toms River East - Sr.

Gallagher has been the driving force behind the Raiders' 5-2 start to the spring, particularly over the past week. The senior had seven RBIs and two home runs in the past three games coming into Thursday's matchup at Brick Memorial, which East won 10-0.

Freehold’s Sienna Smith crosses the plate in the first inning for the first run of the game. Freehold Township Softball defeats Colts Neck 3-2 in Colts Neck on April 15, 2024.
Freehold’s Sienna Smith crosses the plate in the first inning for the first run of the game. Freehold Township Softball defeats Colts Neck 3-2 in Colts Neck on April 15, 2024.

Sienna Smith - OF - Freehold Township - Sr.

Smith is an electric athlete in center field and on the base paths. She is batting .550 for the season and has 10 stolen bases, all in the past four games. She's also scored nine runs over that same span and was key in the upset victory over Colts Neck.

The poll will close at 10 p.m. on April 25.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: VOTE: Shore Softball Player of the Week No. 2 poll from Larson Ford

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