High School

Delilah Tabaka etches history in becoming New Jersey’s 25th softball pitcher to record 1,000 strikeouts

Tabaka became the pride of the small town of Wallington, N.J. when she recently reached this significant and rare milestone, joining a select group of New Jersey pitchers to join this elite club. In addition to becoming Wallington’s first 1,000-strikeout hurler, Tabaka became just the fourth pitcher in Bergen County history to achieve this feat.

John Beisser

A general view from center field during a high school softball game between Iowa City Regina and Solon, Wednesday, June 14, 2023, at the Solon Recreation and Nature Area in Solon, Iowa.
A general view from center field during a high school softball game between Iowa City Regina and Solon, Wednesday, June 14, 2023, at the Solon Recreation and Nature Area in Solon, Iowa. / Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

Delilah Tabaka, raised on the softball fields in tiny Wallington, N.J. never envisioned her career reaching such heights. She didn’t even realize last Saturday night’s milestone was within reach.

She’d pitched countless times at Dul Field in the 1.05-square-mile Bergen County town during her youth. There, she honed her skills, becoming a dominant pitcher and once striking out 200 batters in a single youth season.

But youth softball doesn’t guarantee high school success. For Tabaka, though, it translated spectacularly.

In her 97th start as a Wallington Panther, Tabaka entered a preliminary Bergen County Tournament game against Mahwah needing three strikeouts to become the 25th pitcher in New Jersey history to reach 1,000. She delivered during a command performance where she racked up 17 K’s in a 2-0 victory. The punch out that ended the first inning cemented her place in state history.

“Everyone was talking about it, but I tried not to think about it all season,” Tabaka told New Jersey Advance Media. “I didn’t know pitchers got recognized for 100 or 200 strikeouts. As a freshman, 1,000 strikeouts over four years wasn’t even on my radar.”

Tabaka hasn’t chased this milestone alone. Morgan Gurdak, her catcher since fourth grade, has been by her side, calling pitches and helping transform Tabaka from a speed-reliant thrower into a versatile pitcher with a fastball, curveball, screwball, changeup, and more.

“I didn’t realize until high school what an honor it is to catch her and share these milestones,” Gurdak said. “She trusts me, and when I believe in her, she believes in herself. We mix pitches, and she’s amazed at what she can do.”

Tabaka has pitched every inning this season and all but 45 1/3 innings over her four-year career. As a freshman, she struck out 184 in 149 2/3 innings, proving her youth success was no fluke.

When Wallington native Andrea Piela took over as coach, she made it clear to Tabaka and Gurdak they were the team’s cornerstones. “I told them their sophomore year, ‘You’re the big guns now,’” Piela said. “They stepped up.”

Piela, who played under legendary coach Anthony LaRezza at Montclair Kimberley and Division I softball at Siena, knows elite talent. Unlike her sister, Abby, who plays at Lehigh, Tabaka won’t pursue college softball, opting to attend Rutgers as a student. But Piela insists it’s not due to lack of skill.

“People are shocked she’s stopping here,” Piela said. “Her mental toughness, work ethic, and composure under pressure are why she’s so exceptional.”

Tabaka’s growth, especially mentally, has been remarkable. “She’s improved every year and thrives on having the ball in big moments,” Piela said.

Not long ago, Tabaka didn’t know her potential, and Wallington softball flew under the radar. Now, her name dominates the school’s record board above the gym entrance, leading nearly every pitching category. Fittingly, the greatest pitcher in school history wears No. 1.

“As a freshman, no one knew Wallington softball,” Tabaka said. “Now, we’ve made a name for ourselves. Seeing my name on that board—I never thought I could do that.”

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John Beisser
JOHN BEISSER

A recipient of seven New Jersey Press Association Awards for writing excellence, John Beisser served as Assistant Director in the Rutgers University Athletic Communications Office from 1991-2006, where he primarily handled sports information/media relations duties for the Scarlet Knight football and men's basketball programs. In this role, he served as managing editor for nine publications that received either National or Regional citations from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). While an undergraduate at RU, Beisser was sports director of WRSU-FM and a sportswriter/columnist for The Daily Targum. From 2007-2019, Beisser served as Assistant Athletic Director/Sports Media Relations at Wagner College, where he was the recipient of the 2019 Met Basketball Writers Association "Good Guy" Award. Beisser resides in Piscataway with his wife Aileen (RC '95,) a four-year Scarlet Knight women's lacrosse letter-winner, and their daughter Riley. He began contributing to High School On SI in 2025.

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