In a battle between two Shore Conference powerhouses, No. 12-ranked Middletown High School North leaned on a masterful outing from junior ace Madilynn Boyce to take down previously undefeated Point Pleasant Boro, 2-1, on April 2. Boyce was nearly untouchable in the circle, delivering a one-hit, complete-game performance with a jaw-dropping 19 strikeouts and only three walks. Her dominance carried Middletown North (3-1, 1-1 Shore – A North) past Point Boro (5-1, 2-0 Shore – A South), which had entered the game red-hot.
The only blemish on Boyce’s outing came in the sixth inning when Point Boro’s Ashley Palmieri sent a solo homer over the fence for the Panthers’ only hit, run, and RBI of the game. Palmieri finished 1-for-3 and accounted for all of Point Boro’s offense.
Middletown North got on the board in the second inning when Hailey Plath scored on a passed ball. An inning later, sophomore Hailey Keiser delivered an RBI single to score Jaelyn MacLean, giving the Lions a 2-0 lead they would not relinquish. Keiser led the offense, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. MacLean reached base twice with two singles and also drew a walk.
Boyce not only dominated on the mound but added to the offensive effort, going 1-for-2 with a walk. Middletown North racked up eight hits in total, all singles.
Point Pleasant Boro starter Dakota Palmieri went six innings, allowing eight hits and two earned runs while striking out five and walking three. With this win, Middletown North reasserts itself as a serious contender in the Shore Conference and beyond, thanks to the brilliance of Boyce and clutch production from a rising group of underclassmen.
Cover Photo via Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Box Score:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| Point Boro (5-1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Middletown North (3-1) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0 |
WP: Madilynn Boyce (7 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 19 K)
LP: Dakota Palmieri (6 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K)
Team & Individual Stats
Point Pleasant Boro Batting
| Player | AB | R | H | RBI | HR | BB | AVG | SLG |
| Ashley Palmieri | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .333 | 1.333 |
| All Others (8 players) | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .000 | .000 |
| Totals | 22 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | .045 | .182 |
Middletown North Batting
| Player | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | AVG | SLG |
| Hailey Keiser | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | .500 | .500 |
| Jaelyn MacLean | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1.000 | 1.000 |
| Hailey Plath | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .333 |
| Madilynn Boyce | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .500 | .500 |
| Others (5 players) | 15 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .133 | .133 |
| Totals | 26 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 3 | .308 | .308 |
Pitching Summary
Point Pleasant Boro (Dakota Palmieri – LP)
- 6 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
- ERA: 2.33
Middletown North (Madilynn Boyce – WP)
- 7 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 19 K
- ERA: 1.00