Cedar Grove's Dual Threat
Latest Parisi Fairfield/SC AOW

There is the quest for a third straight Group 1 state title which is paramount as is the pursuit of an Essex County Tournament title next month.

The recent achievement of being just the 24th pitcher in New Jersey high school softball state history to notch 1,000th strikeout was a nice individual goal already achieved during an April 17th victory over neighboring rival Verona.

Yet, the reality of 'Father Time' is also in the back of the mind of Cedar Grove’s ace hurler and supreme hitter Cayce Kavakich, the latest Parisi Fairfield/Sideline Chatter Athlete of the Week, who knows that there is now just a little more than a month left in her 4-year varsity career before preparing to go to Florida International University where she will continue to pitch and also be a utility player for the Division I program, while beginning her off-the-diamond quest of studying toward one day becoming a veterinarian.

The time factor revolves around the fact that at some point - probably in mid-June, she will bid adieu to her Panther softball teammates who have been such a big part of her life for the past four years.

“I’m sad about that because we’ve become so close these past few years on and off the field,” said Kavakich, who was batting .581 with a team-leading 25 hits, 14 runs, 14 RBI and 9 extra base hits while also tossing a 1-hitter with 1 walk and 7 strikeouts in Wednesday’s (April 23) 10-0 win in 5 innings against West Essex. “The time has gone by really fast these past four years and I’m going to enjoy each and every moment with my teammates and coaches the rest of the way this season which hopefully ends with another state championship.”

Cedar Grove (11-1, 7-0), which is on its way to garnering the No. 1 seed in the upcoming ECT, is seeking to become the first public school in softball state tournament history to win three straight state titles.

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See revised Cedar Grove Softball Black & Gold Showcase schedule at bottom of this page with all game moved from Saturday to Sunday due to the wet weather forecast for Saturday.

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Kavakich is part of a terrific lineup that includes other Division I commits such as shortstop Gia Fernandez (St. John’s University), catcher Ava Oeckel (Manhattan College) and second baseman Gabby Florre (Florida Atlantic), who has bounced back so nicely after missing all of last season following a knee surgery.

“Gia is such a great player and an inspirational force while Ava gives me a confidence boost with the way she works behind the plate as my catcher for so many years,” said Cedar Grove’s 4-year ace in the circle. “And, it’s tremendous to have Gabby back with us this year. She is an amazing player!
“Our entire lineup from top to bottom is seeing the ball well and the fielding has been great as well.”

Fernandez (.463 BA, team-leading 18 RBI), Oeckel (.421, 11 RBI), Florre (.559, team-leading 24 runs and 12 stolen bases) along with other talented veterans such as first baseman Marina Bryant (.310, 10 RBI) and center fielder Isabella Stolz (.378) help give the Panthers one of the deepest lineups in the state.

While her hitting has been lights-out, the pitching element remains a very important area as well for Kavakich, who had a 1.85 ERA in her first 68 innings pitched this spring with 17 walks and 93 strikeouts.

She struck out 15 Verona batters when she tossed a 6-0 shutout while reaching 1,000 strikeouts in their recent contest, becoming the second Cedar Grove pitcher along with current West Essex assistant coach Mia Faietta (2019 Panthers) to reach that rarified air in Jersey softball circles.

“I’m really close friends with Mia and it’s great to also reach 1,000 strikeouts in my career,” said Kavakich. “But, I know that I’m not going to strike out every batter and my defense has been a huge part of any success I’ve had as a pitcher the past four years.

“The biggest thing now is for our team to continue to win and enjoy all there is to achieve together during these next few weeks as we all value these last few weeks together on what has been a very special team to be a part of!”

NOTES- Kavakich was 3 for 4 with 3 RBI vs. West Essex, 2-for-4 with 2 runs and a 5-inning 1-hitter in a 10-0 win vs. Livingston on Tuesday, April 22; and went 2-for-4 with 2 runs, a home run and 2 RBI in a 13-7 win vs. state power Immaculate Heart in last Saturday’s (April 19) Private-Public Showdown at Ivy Hill Park…A superb all-around athlete, Kavakich also participated in gymnastics and martial arts as a youngster…She plans to major in biology at FIU with a minor in marine biology…The last New Jersey pitcher to reach 1,000 strikeouts before Kavakich was Hillsborough’s Sarah Davenport in 2023.

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