‘One of those days’

Salem silenced in 12U baseball, Middle Twp. senior softball swamps Monroe to set up championship rematch with Pennsville

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

VINELAND – The Salem Little League 12U All-Stars’ dream of reaching this year’s state tournament ended Wednesday night under the weight of a 6-0 loss to East Vineland.

They had beaten East Vineland and pitcher Luca Buono in the first round of the double-loss elimination portion of the District 3 tournament, but it was a different story this time around.

Buono pitched a complete-game two-hit shutout and struck out eight. Salem had scored 24 runs in their three tournament wins, but in each of their last two games they couldn’t deliver a timely hit.

“Offensively, it was one of those days,” Salem manager Brian Dolbow said. “We saw the same pitcher last week, got him under some pressure and he kind of cracked a little. Unfortunately, tonight we just didn’t get any base runners, weren’t getting walks. He pitched well. We just didn’t make a lot of contact and when we did it was weak contact, so credit to the pitcher.

“That’s how baseball goes. Unfortunately, the past two games our bats just went quiet at the wrong time. Nothing to be ashamed of, it’s just sometimes how baseball goes, the bats kind of go quiet. Every team goes through those kinds of things, you’ve got to work your way out of it, but tonight we weren’t able to get any big hits when we needed them.”

Trailing 3-0, Salem threatened to get a run back in the bottom of the fourth inning. Ben Parkell led off with a double and advanced to third on a passed ball, but was cut down at the plate on a grounder to the left side of the infield.

Noah Blunt got Salem’s first hit on a bunt single in the third inning. He went to second on a one-out passed ball and to third on a two-out wild pitch, but was stranded there.

Salem finished third in the district, one win shy of playing for the championship. East Vineland now hosts undefeated South Vineland for the district title 7 p.m. Thursday. An “if necessary” game is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday at East Vineland.

“After last year with the run Alloway and Salem made I went into it with the expectations that we’re just as good as those other teams,” Dalbow said. “One thing, East Vineland and South Vineland, those kids play travel together, they play Little League together, they work together all year. Our team, literally, we’re three towns, five different Little League teams, coming together.

“When we started on June 1 we had kids who didn’t even know each other. The way they came together and put this run together, for me, it was fun to be a part of, it was great to watch, and credit to them for being able to do that.

“The fact these kids came together and were able to get basically the third team left that says a lot about the work they’ve put in. It was a good accomplishment for us just based on the way we’re set up and organized versus the teams we’re playing. I thought our kids showed really well.”

East Vineland 020 121 – 6 8 1
Salem 000 000 – 0 2 4
WP: Luca Buono. LP: Drew Sutton. 2B: Anthony Abrams (EV), Enzo Candelario (EV), Aiden Knowles (EV); Ben Parkell (S).

Section 4 Senior Softball

MIDDLE TWP. 24, MONROE TWP. 1: Middle decided this one early, erupting for 10 runs in the top of the first inning, setting up a championship game with undefeated host Pennsville Thursday night.

Middle sent 16 batters to the plate in the first. They faced 66 pitches, drew eight walks and had two hit batsmen. Sophia Nemeth had two of their three hits in the inning – a leadoff triple and an RBI double.

Eight of the nine starters had at least one hit and 10 of their 11 batters had at least one RBI. Nemeth went 3-for-4, Charlotte Romberger had two hits and four RBIs, and K.J. Schaffer had two hits and two RBIs. Monroe pitchers issued 18 walks and hit four batters in the four-inning game.

Grace Hall, who got roughed up by Pennsville in their game Monday night, worked the first two innings, facing seven batters. She allowed two hits and struck out three before Brynn Brophy closed.

The Section 4 champion will play the winner of the Morris County-Roberto Clemente LL game in their state tournament opener July 15 in Parsippany.

Middle Twp. (10)74 3 – 24 11 1
Monroe Twp. 000 1 – 1 3 4
WP: Grace Hall.

In the driver’s seat

Bretz homer, no-hitter propel Pennsville Senior Softball within one win of another South Jersey title, trip to state tournament

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – Jess Bretz drove all the way over from her home in East Greenwich Sunday to scout Middle Twp. pitcher Grace Hall for Monday night’s Section 4 Little League Senior Softball playoff game.

She was seated alongside Pennsville manager Chris Watson prepared to take copious notes to help her at the plate. Because of the circumstances of the game Bretz only got to see Hall throw to four Monroe hitters.

But apparently that’s all she needed.

Bretz belted a long two-run homer in her first at bat to set the tone for Pennsville’s 15-4 five-inning victory that placed it one win away from a fourth straight South Jersey title and another trip to the state tournament.

Bretz had settled in for a full game Sunday night, but the game was called in the bottom of the first when a Monroe player fell ill leaving the team with only eight to play. Monroe batted in the top of the first with Hall recording two strikeouts, a ground out and giving up a triple to the only batters she faced.

The Pennsville slugger and pitcher had seen enough to know what she needed.

“Whenever I come to scout a pitcher I’m getting my timing every single pitch,” Bretz said. “Even if I’m just sitting there and talking to my friends, I’m going to stand there and get my time with my hits every single time.

“I know where she’s throwing, how fast she’s throwing, so I was thinking just hit it out in front because if I hit it out in front it’s going to go every time. Yesterday I knew that.”

Pennsville’s Jess Bretz connects on her two-run homer in the first inning that set the tone for the night, then is greeted at the plate (top photo) by her teammates after circling the bases. (Photos by Lorraine Jenkins)

It didn’t surprise Watson at all his pitcher made the 45-minute drive down the interstate on what amounted to an off day to do some special reconnaissance. She’s been going the extra mile all year.

“One hundred percent committed this year,” Watson said. “She was committed last year, don’t get me wrong, but this year it’s another level. She’s committed to our goals here and to put this team where we want to be.”

The win moved Pennsville into Thursday’s 6 p.m. district title game against the winner of Wednesday night’s Middle Twp.-Monroe game. If an “if game” is needed, it will follow at 8 p.m.

Pennsville hit throughout the order. Seven of the nine spots in the lineup had at least one hit and one run; all nine spots reached base at least once. Six of their 12 hits went for extra bases. They scored in every inning they batted, batted around twice and led 10-0 after two innings.

Leadoff Lily Edwards went 2-for-3, Kylie Harris went 3-for-3 with three RBIs, Bretz reached base all three times she batted and Llily Birney had a pair of RBIs. Pennsville has scored in 10 of their last 12 innings and have run-ruled their last three tournament opponents.

“I think that’s how we’re going to win this year; every single person in our lineup can hit the ball,” Bretz said. “Last year we went 17 innings with this team. This year we didn’t even go seven.

“I think that’s going to be the difference this year in going all the way to the World Series – we have every single girl on our team who can hit.”

Bretz’ big night wasn’t just confined to the plate. In addition to the home run, she pitched a five-inning no-hitter and stole four bases, including home. When she stole third in the second inning, somebody in the stands asked, “What can’t Jess Bretz do?”

“I don’t know the answer to that, because we haven’t seen the limit yet,” Watson said. “I think we’re just starting to see the beginning of what she can do, honestly.”

“I can’t golf,” Bretz said.

The no-hitter was her second in the tournament, but she admitted it didn’t feel like one. She had a four-inning no-no in the first game of the district finals against Elmer last week. Middle had 11 base runners and scored three runs in the fifth inning that threatened to extend the game.

“No, it didn’t, just because of all the errors I personally made,” she said. “It doesn’t feel like it because they were making contact, which to me doesn’t feel like a no-hitter. I know it was, but it just doesn’t feel like it.”

Pennsville made easy work of their section tournament opener, but Watson knows “it’ll be a lot harder Thursday” when Middle’s ace Gabby Cruz will be back from a travel ball tournament in South Carolina. Last year, Bretz and Cruz battled for most of the 17 innings in their two games of the sectional championship round.

“The good thing is we are in the driver’s seat and they have to beat us twice,” Watson said. “So, even if they do get us the first game, the chances of her (Cruz) pitching 14 strong innings that night is a big advantage to us.”

SECTION 4 LL SENIOR SOFTBALL
Middle Twp. 001 03 – 4 0 3
Pennsville 464 1x – 15 12 2
WP: Jess Bretz (4-0). LP: Grace Hall (1-1). 2B: Kylie Harris (P), Gina Shinn (P), Lily Edwards (P), Bella Rappa (P). 3B: Savannah Palverento (P). HR: Jess Bretz (P).

Wednesday’s Game
Monroe vs. Middle Twp., 6 p.m.
Thursday’s Game
Monroe-Middle winner vs. Pennsville, 8 p.m.
If necessary, 8 p.m.

STATE TOURNAMENT
At Par-Troy West Softball Complex
Parsippany, N.J.
July 15
Game 1: Morris County vs. Roberto Clemente LL (Jersey City), 10 a.m.
Game 2: Section 4 winner vs. Game 1 winner, 3 p.m.
July 16
Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 10 a.m.
Game 4: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner, 3 p.m.
July 17
If necessary, 5:30 p.m.

**Pennsville Senior Softball manager Chris Watson (R) gives direction to his runners as daughter Avery pulls into third base during Monday’s sectional playoff game. (Photo by Lorraine Jenkins)**

The road gets tougher

Salem LL 12U All-Stars will have to battle through the loser’s bracket after falling to South Vineland in District 3 winner’s bracket game

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

MILLVILLE – Life in the District 3 Little League Tournament has been pretty good for the Salem 12U All-Stars up to this point, but the other shoe dropped Sunday and it caught them squarely in the sliding pad.

After four good showings, they laid one of those eggs that arise every now and then. Their bats produced hits but didn’t deliver in big situations, the defense let them down and they wound up losing to South Vineland 13-3 in the winner’s bracket of the district finals.

“It was like we talked about out on the field there, it was the worst effort we’ve put forward so far this tournament,” Salem manager Brian Dolbow said. “The boys didn’t really come to play today. They’re not going to make excuses about it and neither are the coaches. We weren’t ready to play.

“As coaches we were all surprised at the performance there on the field. Walks (10) and errors (five) just beat us up in some critical spots, which has not been happening so far in the tournament. We’ve been making the plays in the big spots and today we just didn’t do it.”

Salem will now play East Vineland Wednesday 5:45 p.m. at South Vineland to stave off elimination. South Vineland will play for the championship 7 p.m. Thursday at East Vineland.

“Now it’s a tougher path,” Dolbow said. “It’s going to be more difficult, for sure, and they know that, but we told them when we show up on Wednesday forget about what happened tonight, we’ve got a game to play and we’ll come ready.

“We battled back in all the games so far this season so it’s nothing we can’t do. It’s still there for us.”

The Salem All-Stars fell behind 2-0 and 6-0 and just couldn’t overcome it. And South Vineland pitcher Laivion Hubbard didn’t make it any easier for them. The right-hander turned back two big threats in the first two innings to set the tone.

Salem got its first two hitters of the game on base looking to answer South Vineland’s opening salvo with the heart of the order coming to the plate, then Hubbard struck out the side. They got their first two batters in scoring position in the second and then Hubbard struck out the side again. Hubbard struck out 10 before reaching his 85-pitch limit in the fifth.

“He’s very mentality tough and he’s good in adversity,” South Vineland manager Abraham Heredia said. “He’s been here before. He’s been in this kind of pressure. He’s great in pressure. That’s why he’s pitching this game.”

“I just love the game, think confident, saying I got this and get them out,” Hubbard said. “I prepare in practice for pressure situations.”

A playable two-out ground ball that got underneath an infielder’s glove scored two South Vineland runs in the first. A similar play in the third chased home two more in a four-run inning that pushed the lead to 6-0. Salem starting pitcher Gabe Parsons reached his 85-pitch limit at the end of the third inning.

Salem did get something going in the fifth. They scored three runs on RBI singles by Ben Parkell and Drew Sutton and Parkell scored when relief pitcher Isaac Torres threw Talyn Priore’s nubber in front of the plate up the line.

Torres avoided further damage by getting Parsons, who had homered in each of the last three games, to ground into the final out of the inning. And then South Vineland broke it open with six runs in the top of the sixth.

“When Gabe came up with two on I thought maybe if he pops one here it’s 7-6, we’re going to get in their heads a little bit and they’re going to start to say, ‘Oh oh, here we go,’” Dolbow said. “They know what we’ve done in this tournament; they’ve been watching our games.

“I was really hoping (for a bigger rally), but unfortunately we just didn’t come up with the big hits today. We stranded too many base runners, especially early in the game when we had a chance to keep it close.”

EAST VINELAND 4, MILLVILLE AMERICAN 2: East Vineland broke a 2-2 tie with two runs in the fifth inning The go-ahead run scored on an error and Max Garton scored an insurance run on Luca Buono’s ground out. Carter Perkins went 2-for-2 from the leadoff spot. Brandon Daniels went the distance, throwing 81 pitches, giving up three hits and striking out eight.

Photo: South Vineland’s David Alvarez (55) slides into home with the first run of the third inning Sunday on a wild pitch. Salem pitcher Gabe Parsons awaits a throw back to the plate that never came.

DISTRICT 3 LITTLE LEAGUE FINALS
DOUBLE-LOSS ELIMINATION
Game 3
South Vineland 204 016 – 13  5  1
Salem All-Stars  000 030 –  3  7  5
WP: Laivion Hubbard (1-0). LP: Gabe Parsons (0-2). 2B: Dalton Sites (S).

Game 4
Millville American  010 100 – 2 3 2
East Vineland          020 02x – 4 4 1
WP: Brandon Daniels. LP: Lucas McCafferty. 2B: Aiden Fowler (M).

Wednesday’s game
At South Vineland
Salem vs. East Vineland, 5:45 p.m.
Thursday’s game
at East Vineland
South Vineland vs. Salem-East Vineland winner, 7 p.m.
Friday’s game
at East Vineland
If necessary, 7 p.m.