Roselle Park softball reaches first Group 1 state championship game since 2003; Panthers top Cedar Grove 2-1 in 8 innings in Group 1 semifinals

The Roselle Park softball team not only scored in a group semifinal game for the first time in more than a decade, but the Panthers captured one for the first time in 15 years.
Roselle Park – the 3-peat North 2, Group 1 champion – defeated repeat North 1, Group 1 champ Cedar Grove 2-1 in eight innings in Thursday’s Group 1 semifinal played at Caldwell University.
The battle of 25-win, county championship teams with the same Panthers school name went to Roselle Park this time. Roselle Park scored in the top of the sixth and then after Cedar Grove tied the game in the bottom of the sixth Roselle Park scored the game-winning run in the top of the eighth.
Roselle Park was shut out by Cedar Grove 2-0 in last year’s Group 1 semifinal at Montclair State. In 2016, the Panthers were blanked by Butler 4-0 in the Group 1 semifinal played at Caldwell University.
Roselle Park reached the Group 1 final for the first time since 2003.
Roselle Park won its fifth straight to improve to 26-2. The Panthers have won 26 games for the first time.
Cedar Grove, which captured the Group 1 state championship in 2015 and 2017, finished 25-6.
Roselle Park will face South Jersey, Group 1 champion Gloucester (23-3) in Saturday’s (June 2) Group 1 state championship game at Kean University’s Cougar Field in Union. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
Roselle Park has captured one state championship, which was in 2003 when the Panthers defeated Gloucester City 2-0 in the Group 1 final at Toms River East. Before that Roselle Park reached the Group 1 final in 1980 and 1987.
More to come.