Oaks find a way

Salem CC baseball rallies with four runs in each of the last two innings to snap a seven-game losing streak, Pennsville’s Vandersteur earns the save

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

BLUE BELL, Pa. – Salem CC scored four runs in each of the last two innings and then turned back a threat in the bottom of the ninth to beat Montgomery County CC 14-11 and snap a seven-game losing streak.

The Oaks (9-19) rallied four times to either tie the game or take a lead.

“The boys just kept battling today,” Salem coach John Holt said. “They kept competing. Showed a lot of heart.”

The Oaks fell behind 5-0, then scored five runs in the fifth inning to tie the game, but Montco reclaimed the lead with a run in the bottom of the inning.

The Oaks tied it 6-6 on Yen Rodriguez’ sacrifice fly, but the Mustangs (8-11) scored two in the bottom of the inning and another in the seventh to go up 9-6.

Salem took its first lead in the eighth. Nick Ciesielka’s two-run bases-loaded double drew the Oaks within 9-8 and they went ahead when the Mustangs misplayed Demetrius DeRamus’ fly to left and two runs scored.

Montco retied it with a run in the bottom of the inning, then the Oaks finally took the lead for good in the ninth.

Pennsville’s Jared Vandersteur got the rally started by reaching on an error. He was sacrificed to second and stole third. He scored the go-ahead run by beating the throw to the plate on Hunter Cohen’s grounder to third.

Rodriguez followed with an RBI single (12-10), DeRamus drew a bases-loaded walk (13-10) and Matt Murphy’s grounder to first brought the inning’s fourth run home.

Sophomore right-hander Inaki Hutchinson gave the Oaks 3 2/3 innings of relief on the back end (65 pitches), but needed help to close it out. Vandersteur came on in the ninth with the tying and later winning run at the plate and recorded a seven-pitch save – his first college save.

“(Starter John) McAllister pitched well; didn’t give up an earned run (in four innings),” Holt said. “Hutch wanted the ball. There’s a lot to be said about wanting to be the guy to pick your team up. We kept Vandy ready and hoped we didn’t have to use him, but he got the job done.”

Murphy stayed hot with two hits and three RBIs. Rodriguez, who left the field after Tuesday’s loss on crutches, also had two hits and three RBIs.

Catcher Angel Velez took a page out of Phillies’ catcher J.T. Realmuto’s book – or maybe it was vice versa. 

Velez came out of Tuesday’s loss to Middlesex in the first inning after taking a pitch in the neck that bounced in the dirt. His status going forward wasn’t immediately known, but he returned to the lineup Wednesday and got hits in each of his first three at bats. Realmuto left the Phillies’ game in St. Louis Tuesday night after taking a pitch in the throat that bounced in the dirt, but he was back in the lineup Wednesday and played a big role in their win.

The Oaks return to action Friday when they open a three-game weekend series against Bergen CC at the Carneys Point Recreation Complex. The final two games of the series are at Bergen Saturday.