By Al Muskewitz

CARNEYS POINT, N.J. – Morgan Mecham and Karyn Trice, sophomores who have played major roles in helping restart the Salem Community College softball program, have left more than an impression. When they graduate this spring they will leave their names in the Mighty Oaks' record book.

Both players reached milestones specific to their positions this season. Mecham, a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher from Blackfoot, Idaho, has surpassed 200 career strikeouts. And Trice, the Oaks' leadoff hitter and dynamic base runner from Fishers, Ind., has surpassed 100 career hits.

"They've just kind of made their own mark at SCC," coach Angel Rodriguez said. "I don't think it's been done previously, it's something we'll have to look at, but they deserve it. It's definitely hats off to them for everything they've been doing and what they've been able to do. It's not easy to get either one of those achievements. All the credit goes to them."

With one more regular-season doubleheader and the postseason still ahead of them, Mecham now has 209 strikeouts and Trice 109 hits.

Both players said they were driven to reach the milestone after falling short of goals their freshman year. Neither were certain if they hit the 100 mark in their specialties in high school; Mecham because she didn't make the varsity until her senior year and Trice because she played at three different schools.

Mecham has 118 strikeouts this season. She picked up career strikeout No. 200 in the fifth inning of an 8-2 loss to Lackawanna CC on April 20. 

"It's a big accomplishment for me; it kind of means something to my family as well," Mecham said. "Two hundred was kind of what I was aiming for. I aimed for 100 last year, didn't make it (she had 91), so I had to make up for that.

"As soon as I figured out that I didn't hit 100, that was my goal first. I got the 100 (for the season) in Cumberland the first time we played them and then my next goal was 200, so I kept going from there."

Trice got her 100th hit on a second-inning single in the nightcap of the Oaks' Sophomore Day doubleheader (and Mecham no-hitter) against CC of Morris.

"My biggest thing is consistency and I think (100 hits) is a big marker for consistency," she said. "I've got to put the ball in play to get on because I'm a leadoff and I let everybody else do their job so I can score. I love being the first run.

"I wasn't really striving for 100, I just wanted to get 50. I have this little piece of paper in my room that after every game I fill in a circle. I wanted to hit 50 and I did. It was just something important to me because I feel like batting is something I had been struggling with in the past, so I really wanted to focus on it these two years."

In addition to the milestones of Mecham and Trice, pitcher Caitlin LaGreca has surpassed 100 career strikeouts and now has 123 in two seasons.