New Batting Cages Dedicated To Carly Fetzer In Gille Park

LACEY, NJ — The new batting cages in Gille Park have been dedicated in memory of Carly Fetzer, a Bayville woman who died in 2019 after a courageous battle with a congenital heart defect.

The batting cages were officially named “Carly’s Cages” on Friday night at a charity softball game between coaches of the Lacey Girls Softball League and officers from the Lacey Township Police Department.

Carly graduated from Central Regional High School in 2018. She played Challenger Sports and is remembered as being a fixture on the Lacey Storm travel softball team that her twin sister Ryanne played for. Read more: Berkeley Remembers Carly For Her Courage, Perseverance, Smile

“She was an instrumental part, especially with the Lacey Storm travel team,” the softball league’s president Christine Repetti said. “She loved softball and was always around the field, always smiling and wanted to be a part of the team — an overall great presence at the field.”

Members of the Lacey Girls Softball League presented the Fetzer family with an honorary plaque on Friday that will soon be mounted on the entrance to the batting cages.

It was a unanimous decision among the league’s members to dedicate the batting cages in memory of Carly, Repetti said.

“Essentially, Lacey Girls Softball is one big family," Repetti said. "There may be several different teams whether it’s travel or recreation, but we’re all under one umbrella per say so we support each other."

The new batting cages are the first to be purchased and built at the field, according to Repetti. The cages are open to any players looking to practice and improve their skills.

"It's team-organized like you can get teams that go in the batting cages, or it's just a kid who wants to come, and pitch and hit within the cages," she said.

Friday’s game was the first annual charity game between the coaches and police, and Repetti said the new tradition will continue next year.

The game was initially planned in 2020, but was postponed amid the pandemic.

“It was really nice to have the coaches play the cops and the Fetzer family be there. It was like one whole community coming together,” Repetti said.

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