Ripped away

Salem CC opens 6-run lead in deciding playoff game, but Northampton rallies in its last three bats to end Mighty Oaks’ historic season

REGION XIX TOURNAMENT
Sunday’s game
Northampton CC 16, Salem CC 12
(Northampton wins series, 2-1)
NORTH ATLANTIC DISTRICT TOURNAMENT
(Double-elimination format)
May 17-19
First-round games
Middlesex vs. RCSJ-Gloucester, 11 a.m.
Northampton vs. Brookdale, 11 a.m.

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – For the second time in three games the Salem CC baseball team gave the No. 2 in the country all it could handle. But this time Northampton showed why it is the second-ranked team in the country.

The Mighty Oaks led 12-6 after their half of the sixth inning Sunday and for a moment appeared to be headed to next round of the Region XIX playoffs. But Northampton erupted for 10 runs over the next three innings to cut them down in the winner-take-all Game 3 16-12 and end their first winning season since reviving the program.

Going into the game, the Spartans (42-8) ranked sixth in JUCO Division III in runs scored (519). When it was over, they moved into third (535) – behind only No. 1 ranked RCSJ-Gloucester and Brookdale, their first-round opponent in the North Atlantic District tournament Friday. They scored 41 runs in the three games.

The seventh-seeded Oaks (27-25) had 15 hits over the first six innings, but it was their pitching and defense that hurt them in the end. Three errors in a mucky infield by shortstop Yen Rodriguez, moved from right field at midseason to remedy other defensive difficulties at the position, led to four runs during the Northampton comeback and pitchers J.D. Wilson, Ben Foote and Ryan Silnik issued seven walks or hit batsmen during it.

“We played hard,” Oaks coach John Holt said. “We made a couple mistakes and when you’re playing good baseball teams, they usually capitalize on those mistakes.

“Our guys left it all out there. That’s just baseball. We’re a young team. Nine inning ballgames are a grind and it was a long day. They have an opportunity to learn from this.”

Just as in the Oaks’ 14-11 win in Game 1, no lead was safe. The Oaks led 2-0 after Demetrius DeRamus’ two-run homer in the top of the first, but the Spartans answered with three in the bottom of the inning as starter Wilson struggled at the start.

Over the next three innings, though, Wilson kept the Spartans off the scoreboard, giving Salem a chance to get back in it. They went with Foote as the first option out of the bullpen when Wilson’s pitch count was getting “a little too dangerous for us” (127 pitches) because of his experience.

Foote was the Oaks’ Opening Day starter and their usual Friday starter and pitched only an inning and two thirds (46 pitches) in finishing their Game 1 victory.

The Oaks tied the game in the third and took a 9-6 lead in the fourth on DeRamus’ two-run single and Angel Velez’ ground out. They extended the lead to 12-6 with three in sixth on Velez’ two-run single and Lee Rodriguez’ sacrifice fly, but Northampton came back with five in the bottom of the inning to make it a game again.

DeRamus went 5-for-6 with four RBIs in the game and had eight hits and eight RBIs in the series. Velez was 4-for-5 with four RBIs and had eight hits and seven RBIs in the series. Yen Rodriguez homered for the Oaks during their third-inning rally.

Gabe Caso’s two-run single with one out in the seventh gave the Spartans in front for good and they stretched it to the final margin with three in the eighth. Caso went 4-for-5 with six RBIs.

Brandon Ratti, Northampton’s fourth pitcher, meanwhile, kept the Oaks off the scoreboard over the final three innings, holding them to three singles and four baserunners.

“We played a good series,” Holt said. “We were the only team in the regionals to extend their series to a third game and we were the seventh seed playing against a 2 seed. Most people wouldn’t have expected that out of us except for us.”

It may hurt a lot now, but when the sting of Sunday’s setback wears off, the Oaks will be able to reflect on a lot of good things they did during the season. This team was 11 games under .500 on April 9. The next day they started on an 18-1 tear that included a 15-game winning streak that earned them their first playoff berth since 2011 and guaranteed a winning season.

“They were a resilient group,” Holt said. “A lot of teams being down 10 under .500 could’ve folded. Instead, those guys bought into what we were trying to teach them and they battled all the way through. To qualify for the playoffs and play as well as we did down the stretch, there’s a lot to be real pleased with this season and with the future.”

Salem CC (27-25)	204 303 000 –	12 19 7
Northampton (42-8)	330 005 23X –	16 10 2