Milestone man

Baseball roundup: Pedrick becomes second Woodstown player this season to reach 100 career hits; Schalick’s Pokrovsky throws gem, Pennsville loses a heartbreaker and more

TUESDAY BASEBALL
Penns Grove 11, Camden Eastside 2
Pitman 4, Pennsville 3
Salem 10, Pleasantville 10
Schalick 5, Overbrook 0
Woodstown 18, Glassboro 3

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

GLASSBORO – Andrew Pedrick and Brent Williams have gotten to be good friends playing alongside each other in the Woodstown infield and batting behind each other in the lineup.

As you’d expect of good friends they talk about a lot of things. Among them lately is the occasion conversation about getting 100 hits before they leave the program.

Williams got his milestone hit three weeks ago against Penns Grove. Pedrick joined the club Tuesday, landing on the number exactly after collecting two singles in the Wolverines’ 18-3 rout of Glassboro.

“It’s really nice we both have that connection together that we got 100 hits the same year, because I don’t think it’s happened for a while at Woodstown,” Pedrick said. “I know Brent was saying it’s been a long time, maybe since the early 2000s.

“It’s something me and my brother (Matt) always talked about,. He used to play on Woodstown (2015-18) and he just always told me I could get it. I never really thought I could. It’s just always something I really wanted.”

Pedrick has had at least 20 hits in each of his four seasons on the varsity. He has 25 this season and sports a .338 career batting average. He’s gotten at least one hit in each of the last four games.

“I really wanted to get it at the Lee Ware Tournament (last weekend),” he said. “Since I didn’t get it then, I really wanted to get it now, especially because we don’t have a lot of games left.”

After being denied earlier in the game, Pedrick reached the milestone on a soft infield single in the Wolverines’ 10-run sixth inning that broke open the game. He beat out a close play at first and then got excited because he reached a spot not many in the program have achieved.

Pedrick has a collection of baseballs from momentous occasions in his career on the ground floor of his house. He estimates between 30 and 40 balls in the stash. This latest milestone ball, he says, is going to be displayed “somewhere nice” in his room.

“It was really important to me because it’s something I can say I did and it’s a really big accomplishment for me, especially going to college next year (Harford CC) and having that under my belt,” Pedrick said. “It makes me feel better about myself.”

With the win, the Wolverines (13-8) clinched a share of the Tri-County Diamond Division title. They a game ahead of Schalick with one to play and have beaten the Cougars twice.

Williams led the Wolverines’ 16-hit attack with three hits and three RBIs. Jack Holladay went 2-for-4 with four RBIs. Pedrick had two RBI to go with his two hits. Mark Banff also had two hits and two RBIs.

SCHALICK 5, OVERBROOK 0: Luke Pokrovsky did it all for the Cougars. The junior went 3-for-3, hit a three-run homer and pitched a one-hitter with a career-tying 16 strikeouts. He threw 92 pitches and faced only two batters over the minimum.

He retired the first 14 batters he faced before Tyler Burger broke up the gem with a two-out infield single in the fifth inning. The only other baserunner he allowed came on a sixth-inning walk. Neither runner reached second base. His last 10 outs were all by strikeout.

Pokrovsky now has 91 strikeouts in 43 1/3 innings this season and 226 in 131 career innings.

J.T. Fleming and Ricky Watt had two hits apiece and had RBI singles in fourth to give the Cougars (11-9) a 2-0 lead. Pokrovsky hit his three-run homer in the sixth. He’s 11 hits shy of 100 for his career.

PITMAN 4, PENNSVILLE 3: Connor Sharkey raced home with the winning run on a two-out, two-strike wild pitch with bases loaded to cap Pitman’s two-run seventh inning rally. The Panthers tied the game on Stephen Devanney’s RBI double.

The Eagles took a 3-2 lead in the top of the inning on Jacob Grant’s RBI ground out and Cohen Petrutz’ two-out RBI single.

Mason O’Brien and Peyton O’Brien had two hits apiece at the top of the Eagles’ lineup. Back-to-back doubles by the O’Briens in the third produced Pennsville’s first run and tied the game 1-1.

PENNS GROVE 11, CAMDEN EASTSIDE 2: Elijah Crespo homered and threw a complete game with 10 strikeouts as the Red Devils (4-12) continued their march towards a South Jersey Group I playoff spot. The Red Devils pulled away from a 4-2 game with a seven-run fourth inning.

Ryan Hyatt and Ethan Brooks both had a pair of hits as the Red Devils won back-to-back games for the second time this season. Ethan Brooks, Dylan Hyatt and Chase Wills all had a pair of RBIs.

With the win, Penns Grove now has 151 power points, five behind current No. 16 Clayton, but with Salem opting out of the playoffs the Red Devils would hold the 16th and final SJ-I playoff spot. The cutoff date for qualification is Saturday.

SALEM 10, PLEASANTVILLE 10: Andrew May homered for the Rams.

Record breaker

Woodstown’s Mingin becomes softball program’s all-time hits lead after going 4-for-4 against Glassboro

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – Dave Wildermuth took great pride in reading off all the accomplishments of the nine players he introduced during Woodstown’s Senior Day softball celebration.

One by one the Wolverines coach described what each player did and what they meant to the program. They still had a softball game to play and the next name on the list had a lot on her resume, so when Wildermuth got to Tulana Mingin’s segment in the program he simply described her as “the most decorated player in school history.”

That about covered it. The Wolverines’ senior shortstop added another milestone to an already impressive list of accolades Tuesday when she became the program’s all-time hits leader after going 4-for-4 in a 5-0 victory over Glassboro.

“(Getting the record) means a lot; it feels great, honestly,” Mingin said. “I know it’s a really big deal, but it doesn’t really feel like that. Looking at it from an outside perspective makes me realize how cool it really is.”

The East Stroudsburg signee entered the game needing three hits to tie the record (131) Gracee Roberts set before graduating in 2018. She got those with bunt singles in the first, second and third innings as the Wolverines were building a 5-0 lead and then got the record-breaker on a slap ground single to left in the fifth.

It was her second four-hit game this season and fourth in the last two years. She now has 35 hits this season and is batting .593, which is only a few points shy of her career best .597 set in 2022.

“I knew it was definitely possible (Tuesday),” she said. “I’ve done it before, gotten that many hits in a game, but I wasn’t counting on it because I know that there’s some stuff I can’t control like walks and reaching on errors and just the game of softball, it’s hard to get a hit every at-bat.”

Even Wildermuth thought it might take another game or two for the record to fall, but once Mingin got the first two bunts down all that changed.

“We knew she was going to get it,” he said. “It was just a matter of when.”

When she first started playing varsity softball getting 100 hits was a goal. Becoming the school’s all-time leader in hits wasn’t anywhere on the radar.

“When I was a freshman I was not thinking about that at all, I was just focused on earning a spot,” she said.

In the years that have passed, she had seasons of 14, 43, 40 and this year 35 hits. There have been only 12 games in her career where she has been held hitless.

When she got the milestone hit, they stopped the game briefly, recognized the feat and tossed the ball to Mingin’s dad. The team made her a poster to mark the occasion, but something more elaborate to commemorate the moment will have to wait.

“I’m not done yet,” she said. “If they’re going to do a banner they have to wait to the end of the season because I’m not done yet.”

And the Wolverines plan to play for a long time.

The win was Woodstown’s 26th straight in division and clinched at least a share of their third straight Diamond Division title. They hold a two-game lead in the loss column on Overbrook with two games to play, but they beat the Rams in both games of their series this season.

Liv Boultinghouse spun a four-hit complete-game shutout with eight strikeouts. The only two other baserunners the Bulldogs had reached on errors. Four runners reached scoring position, but only one got past second base.

Everybody on the roster played. Kayla Brown had two hits and two RBIs, Grace White drove in a pair of runs and Shannon Pierman had two hits (and got a game ball).

White gave the Wolverines the lead with a two-run double in the first inning, Brown had a two-run double in the second and Alyssa Baber drew a bases-loaded walk in the third.

On the cover: Woodstown’s Tulana Mingin delivers the 132nd hit of her career in the fifth inning of Tuesday’s game against Glassboro to become the Wolverines’ all-time hits leader. (Photo by Stephanie Hill/Capture The Moment Photography)

Making a (large) dent

Pennsville’s Harris hits two homers, one of which bangs off the family truck, drives in seven during Eagles’ rout of Pitman

TUESDAY SOFTBALL
Pennsville 18, Pitman 0
Woodstown 5, Glassboro 0
Overbrook 4, Schalick 3

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – Most of the time when a child comes home with a ding in the family car dad is none too pleased.

Pennsville’s Kylie Harris doesn’t even drive yet, but she put a dent in her step-dad’s big ol’ truck Tuesday night and nobody seemed too upset about it.

Harris led off the Eagles’ first inning by parking a homer off the roof of her stepdad’s 2014 Dodge Ram that was parked just beyond the left-field fence at Watson Field, leaving a half-dollar sized welt that might could be explained away to some unsuspecting insurance man as hail damage. It was one of two homers the sophomore catcher hit in a career-best seven-RBI game in the Eagles’ 18-0 rout of Pitman.

“I’ve never seen him happier,” Harris said. “I didn’t know it was headed for the truck; I knew it was out though. I could tell that one right off the bat. It was a good feeling when I saw it hit the truck. As soon as I saw him come out the truck with his hands up it made me smile. I can’t wait to get out there and see it.”

Ironically, the shot might have caught her mom’s car in the windshield had she not moved it moments earlier to give stepdad a place to park.

Harris’ second homer – a three-run shot in the third inning to make it 18-0 – almost got another truck, but landed between two vehicles parked just beyond an access trail.

“I was like, ‘Dang, two?’” Harris said. “I don’t know that (other) truck so I’d have felt a little bad.”

Pennsville coach Beth Jackson said the first homer “brought a calm over everybody” after plenty of uncertainty in the run-up to the game. It was the Eagles’ Senior Night, but the rainy weather put a damper on the way they were going to recognize the upperclassmen and even whether they’d play the game. As it was, the early innings were played in the rain.

The Eagles batted around in each of the first two innings. They got nine hits out of the first six spots in the lineup and eight of the nine spots scored at least two runs. Harris had three hits, Savannah Palverento had two and senior Bella Rappa had two in one inning.

Harris’ homers weren’t the only ones the Eagles hit. Rappa hit her first high school homer in the eight-run second inning. She hit her first homer on any level last summer playing for the Pennsville LL Senior Softball World Series team.

“This one is more cooler just because it’s Senior Night,” Rappa said. “Just to watch their center fielder do this (turn and watch it go out) was really cool.”

While the Eagles’ hitters were having a field day, Palverento continued to literally be unhittable in the circle. She pitched the first three innings without allowing a hit – for the third consecutive game — extending her streak of hitless innings over her last four games to 12 1/3.

She did issue three one-out walks – one in each inning – but they never became a threat.

“I feel like this year I’ve been given more opportunities to pitch more and with more game time and reps at practice it’s just helped me become more consistent,” Palverento said. “The most impressive part is that I’m not even primarily a pitcher. I’m more a fielder, probably third base or outfield, but I’ve been used as a pitcher because our pitching staff is kind of low, so I feel like this stepping up is what’s impressing me the most.

“I don’t like to boast, but I’ve been feeling pretty good and hopefully I can continue this little streak towards next game against Clayton.”

She probably could have finished it and maybe recorded a third straight run-rule no-hitter, but because it was Senior Night senior Sierra Stultz came on to pitch the fourth. The Panthers got their only hit of the game off her, a two-out double that went nowhere.

“I just think she’s getting better,” Jackson said of Palverento. “I don’t know exactly when she started (pitching), but she hasn’t been pitching her whole life, so every single game she’s getting better. She threw a changeup for a strike today and we’ve been working with her to get comfortable with that. She’s put the work in and really come a long way.”

OVERBROOK 4, SCHALICK 3: Cecelia Mitchell singled home the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to cap the Rams’ two-run rally. They scored the tying run on a sacrifice fly.

The Cougars built a 3-0 lead with single runs in the first (Cloe Elliott’s sacrifice fly), third and fifth (Cayla Sbrana’s RBI single). The Rams closed the game with single runs in the fifth and sixth.

Taylor Sparks and Lucianna Virga had two hits each for Schalick.

The win keeps Overbrook mathematically alive for a share of the division title with Woodstown, although Woodstown beat the Rams twice during the season.

WOODSTOWN 5, GLASSBORO 0: Tulana Mingin went 4-for-4 to set the program’s all-time hits record (132) and Liv Boultinghouse spun a four-hit shutout with eight strikeouts. Mingin broke the record with a slap double in the fifth inning. The Wolverines won their 26th straight Tri-County division game and clinched at least a share of the Diamond Division title.

The Wolverines are two games up on Overbrook in the loss column with two to play and have won both games with Overbrook during the season.

On the cover: Pennsville catcher Kylie Harris’ stepdad Jesse Brenneis (R) points to the spot on the roof of his truck where Kylie’ first homer of the game landed in the first inning Tuesday night.

Tuesday roundup

Here are the scores and highlights from Tuesday’s Salem County sports calendar; stories will be updated

BASEBALL
Penns Grove 11, Camden Eastside 2: Red Devils keeps marching towards a playoff spot.
Schalick 5, Overbrook 0: Luke Pokrovsky throws a one-hitter with 16 strikeouts.
Pitman 4, Pennsville 3: Pitman scores two in bottom of seventh, getting winning run on a two-out, two-strike wild pitch with the bases loaded.
Salem 10, Pleasantville 10: Andrew May homered for the Rams.
Woodstown 18, Glassboro 3: Andrew Pedrick collected his 100th career hit as the Wolverines clinched a share of the Diamond Division title.

SOFTBALL
Overbrook 4, Schalick 3: Cecelia Mitchell singled home the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to cap the Rams’ two-run rally. Taylor Sparks and Lucianna Virga had two hits each for Schalick.
Pennsville 18, Pitman 0: Kylie Harris hits 2 homers and drives in seven runs, senior Bella Rappa hits her first high school homer on Senior Night and Savannah Palverento throws three more no-hit innings
Woodstown 5, Glassboro 0: Tulana Mingin goes 4-for-4, sets Woodstown all-time hits record (132). Wolverines score 26th straight Tri-County division win and clinch at least a share of the Diamond Division title.

BOYS TENNIS
SCHALICK 5, GLASSBORO 0
George Gould (S) def. Rowan Somdhal-Sands, 6-0, 6-0
Jesus Espinoza (S) def. Jesus Lopez, 6-0, 6-0
Connor O’Toole )S) def. Kileche Umbaofu, 6-0, 6-0
Rocky Monticolo-David Santana (S) won by forfeit
Kaden Barnes-Cayden Brzozowski (S) won by forfeit
Records: Glassboro 0-13, Schalick 11-6.

PITMAN 5, PENNS GROVE 0
Maddox Marker (Pi) def. Alex Ramirez Martinez, 6-0, 6-0
Chase Rollins (Pi) def. Angel Perez Herrera, 6-0, 6-0
Cole Kelly (Pi) def. Adam Gonzalez, 6-0, 6-0
Charlie Duffield-Ethan Loudner (Pi) def. Anthony Pacheco-Jose Lima, 6-3, 6-2
Matthew Bauman-Dom Saffioti (Pi) def. Kevin Olivos-Edgar Ortega, 6-0, 6-0
Records: Penns Grove 3-8, Pitman 14-6.

GIRLS LACROSSE
Woodstown 14, Mainland 10

Push for the playoffs

Penns Grove baseball starts its run towards a playoff spot, Schalick’s Sparks collects 100th career hit, Pennsville’s Palverento spins second straight no-hitter and more

MONDAY BASEBALL
Penns Grove 13, LEAP 3
Pennsville 9, Salem 1
Cumberland 2, Schalick 0

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNS GROVE – Everyone knows the surest way to jinx a no-hitter is to talk about a no-hitter while a no-hitter is going on.

Penns Grove freshman Dylan Hyatt was cruising along with a no-no two outs into the third inning Monday against LEAP Academy. No sooner had somebody around the dugout slipped and said something about the gem then – BOOM – it was gone.

Hyatt gave up a solid double to Dwayne Perez and coach Chuck Weigle went to get him, not for any punishment but to save him to pitch later in what is a big week for the Red Devils’ playoff hopes. Luckily, they had a big lead at the time and went on to win 13-3 in five innings.

Hyatt threw 49 pitches, setting him up to be able to pitch against LEAP again Wednesday at Rutgers Camden. He struck out five and didn’t walk any, but hit three. He faced three hitters in the first thanks to a pickoff, walked the leadoff man in the second and then struck out the next three.

“I pulled him right after he gave up the hit to save his arm for the rest of the week,” Weigle said. “He’s got potential to be good., the potential’s there. He’s one of the better arms that I’ve seen as a freshman coming through this school in the past few years.”

It’s a big win for the Red Devils (3-12) to start a big week. They have eyes on a South Jersey Group I playoff spot and they’re currently No. 17 in power points – 11 behind cutline-riding Clayton – with three games to play before Saturday’s cutoff date: Group 3 Camden Eastside (2-6), LEAP (1-11) and Wildwood (10-8).

Their playoff push took a hit when they lost Friday’s game with Clayton to weather, but they have an opportunity to make a move this week. Clayton has three road games left before the cutoff at Wildwood, (10-8), Pennsville (13-7) and Glassboro (5-11).

Understandably, the Red Devils will be doing “a lot” (with emphasis) of scoreboard watching over the next four days.

They haven’t been in the playoffs since 2021.

“It would be awesome for these guys to make it,” Weigle said. “The last few seniors, get them another game in before they graduate, and for the handful of freshmen that we have, I think that’d be a great experience; get them in there, get them playing (and) impacting them wanting to come back and play.”

In addition to his pitching, Wyatt went 2-for-2 with two RBIs. Chase Wills, the projected starter in Thursday’s game with Wildwood, went 3-for-3 with four RBIs. Ethan Brooks had two doubles and two RBIs and Elijah Crespo had a triple and drew three walks.

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP 1 POWER POINTS
(Top 16 teams qualify for playoffs)
1. Audubon (15-7) 486, 2. Gloucester (16-6) 449, 3. Pitman (16-5) 421, 4. Pennsville (13-7) 409, 5. Woodstown (12-8) 382, 6. Schalick (10-9) 312, 7. Cape May Tech (10-9) 311, 8. Haddon Twp. (7-12) 3-7, 9. Buena (6-16) 289, 10. Wildwood (10-8) 265; 11. Gateway (8-12) 244, 12. Paulsboro (6-15) 240, 13. Maple Shade (7-11) 234, 14. Glassboro (5-11) 189, 15. Salem (4-12) 166, 16. Clayton (3-12) 147, 17. Penns Grove (3-12) 136, 18. Camden Academy Charter (8-3) 128, 19. LEAP (1-11) 51.

PENNSVILLE 9, SALEM 1: Peyton O’Brien went 3-for-3 with three RBIs and four Pennsville pitchers combined to hold the Rams to four hits. Starting pitcher Jacob Grant also had three hits for the Eagles, which Chase Burchfield, the fourth of the Pennsville pitchers, drove in a pair of runs.

Chase Davis had three hits for Salem and drove in the Rams’ only run.

The Eagles (13-7, 5-0) travel to Pitman (16-5, 6-1) Tuesday for a game that should decide the Tri-County Classic Division title. Pennsville won the earlier meeting 11-1.

CUMBERLAND 2, SCHALICK 0: The Colts pushed across runs in the first and fifth innings and two pitchers kept the Cougars off the scoreboard on four hits.

Josh Bondine drove home both of the Colts’ runs, the first with a bases-loaded walk and the second on a two-out single. Kameron Fiorani scored both runs.

The Cougars (10-9) threatened a couple times in the game, but couldn’t get the timely hit. J.T. Fleming opened the game with a double, but was stranded after two hard line-outs to short and a fly to left. They also had runners in scoring position in the third and seventh.

SOFTBALL
Atlantic Tech 6, Schalick 3
Cinnaminson 2, Woodstown 1
Glassboro at Penns Grove
Pennsville 19, Salem 0

PENNSVILLE 19, SALEM 0: Savannah Palverento homered and pitched a four-inning no-hitter, coming within a full-count walk with one out in the third inning of a perfect game. She threw 47 pitches, 30 for strikes.

It was Palverento’s second straight no-hitter, having blanked Wildwood over five innings in her last start. She has not allowed a hit in her last 9 1/3 innings.

“Savannah has done a great job working the last two games,” Eagles coach Beth Jackson said. “She had one at-bat get away from her tonight and walked the girl, otherwise she’d have had a perfect game. She’s been working hard to improve her pitching game; she just started a couple years ago.”

Her homer was an inside-the-parker that scored three runs in the Eagles’ nine-run second inning.

Avery Watson had two hits and three RBIs; Cara Hoyt drove in three runs; Reagan Wariwanchik and Bella Farina had two hits apiece and Kylie Harris has two hits and two RBIs.

CINNAMINSON 2, WOODSTOWN 1: Kayla Meenan raced home from third on an infield grounder with one out in the bottom of the tenth to decide the game. Meenan was placed at second base as the ghost runner, was sacrificed to third and came home on Delaney Kroll’s grounder to third.

The Wolverines (10-7) loaded the bases with none out in the top of the tenth, but couldn’t get them home as the Pirates framed two strikeouts around a force out at the plate.

Cinnaminson (16-7) scored an unearned run in the fourth inning and the Wolverines tied it in the sixth when Tulana Mingin came around on Ellie Wygand’s sacrifice.

ATLANTIC TECH 6, SCHALICK 3: The Cougars took an early lead with three runs in the third inning, but the Redhawks scored five over the last three innings to get the win.

Schalick senior Taylor Sparks picked up her 100th career hit in the game with a single in the fourth inning. She is now 100-for-218 for her four-year career (.459). Abby Willoughby, Ally Shrimp, Cloe Elliott, Rachael Irizarry and Lucianna Virga also had hits for the Cougars.

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP 1 POWER POINTS
(Top 16 qualify for playoffs)
1. Audubon (11-4) 406, 2. Buena (14-5) 389, 3. Pennsville (13-4) 367, 4. Haddon Twp. (13-6) 351, 5. Woodstown (10-7) 310, 6. Pitman (10-7) 287, 7. Maple Shade (10-5) 286, 8. Palmyra (8-8) 229, 9. Paulsboro (9-7) 223, 10. Cape May Tech (8-10) 192, 11. Glassboro (5-13) 189, 12. Clayton (5-11) 186, 13. Schalick (7-7) 167, 14. Gateway (4-10) 156, 15. Salem (4-12) 145, 16. Wildwood (2-11) 114, 17. Camden Academy Charter (6-4-1) 110, 18. LEAP (5-11) 72, 19. Penns Grove (0-8) 52.

GOLF

BRIDGEWATER TWP. — Schalick sophomore Jaxon Weber shot 92 at Raritan Valley Country Club in his first experience in the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions.

The South Jersey Group I medalist, playing as an individual, got off to a slow start, making 8 on his first hole (No. 5), but he came right back with a par. He parred five of his last seven holes on the back nine, including three in a row (14-16), and six of his last 10 overall.

SCHALICK GIRLS 230, OLMA 230: Schalick’s Hannah Widdifield was the medalist at White Oaks CC (51), with the only birdie in the round on the 400-yard par-5 third. The Cougars won the team playoff by two shots (Cali Fisler 61 and Sarah Pagnanelli 61 to a 61-63 for OLMA.

BOYS TENNIS
CINNAMINSON 3, SCHALICK 2
Evan Kozuch (C) def. George Gould, 6-3, 6-3
Drew Harvey (C) def. Jesus Espinoza, 7-5, 4-6, 10-7
Davi De Brito Melo (C) def. Conor O’Toole, 6-3, 7-6 (7-1)
Rocky Monticolo-David Santana (S) def. Nathan Costa-Colby Warwick, 6-2, 6-4
Kaden Barnes-Cayden Brzozowski (S) def. Michael Crandall-Daman McGee, 6-4, 3-6, 10-7
Records: Cinnaminson 9-4, Schalick 10-6.

WEST DEPTFORD 4, PENNSVILLE 1
Nate Bassett (WD) def. Gabe Schneider, 6-1, 6-3
Maddox Efelis (Pv) def. Carter Watson, 6-2, 6-7 (4-7), 10-7
Andrew Eagle (WD) def. Brody Wiggins, 6-4, 6-3
Chase Struzynski-Aiden Bardon (WD) def. Noah Bohn-Noah Flitcraft, 6-2, 6-2
Carter Weber-Allen Eastlack (WD) def. Sawyer Humphrey-Luke Chamberlain, 6-2, 6-2
Records: Pennsville 14-3, West Deptford 14-3.

CLEARVIEW 5, WOODSTOWN 0
Andrew Crawford (C) def. Tim Schwienbacher, 6-2, 6-3
Nanda Guntupalli (C) def. Drew Stengel, 6-1, 6-1
Gabe Bruno (C) def. Erich Lipovsky, 6-0, 7-6 (7-1)
Travis Lyons-Joey Lindenbaum (C) def. Ben Stengel-Joseph Kurds, 6-3, 6-1
Tucker Chestnut-Jackson Dickler (C) def. Mason Shimp-Luke Shaw, 6-1, 6-1
Records: Woodstown 10-4, Clearview 13-3.

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

This week’s schedule

Several milestones are on tap for the Salem County sports calendar for the week of May 12-18: Schalick’s Taylor Sparks is one hit away from career No. 100, Woodstown’s Andrew Pedrick is two hits away from 100, Woodstown’s Tulana Mingin in four hits from school’s all-time hits record; all events 4 p.m. unless noted

SUNDAY, MAY 12
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Region XIX Tournament
Salem CC at Northampton, 2 p.m.

MONDAY, MAY 13
BASEBALL
LEAP at Penns Grove
Salem at Pennsville
Schalick at Cumberland
SOFTBALL
ACIT at Schalick
Glassboro at Penns Grove
Salem at Pennsville
Woodstown at Cinnaminson
GOLF
Haddon Heights vs. Woodstown, Town & Country, 3:30 p.m.
Gloucester Catholic vs. Schalick, Centerton CC
Schalick girls vs. OLMA, White Oaks CC
BOYS TENNIS
Cinnaminson at Schalick
Pennsville at West Deptford
Woodstown at Clearview
BOYS LACROSSE
Egg Harbor Twp. at Woodstown
TRACK
Pennsville at Schalick, 3:30 p.m.

TUESDAY, MAY 14
BASEBALL
Camden Eastside at Penns Grove
Overbrook at Schalick
Pennsville at Pitman, Alcyon Park
Pleasantville at Salem
Woodstown at Glassboro
SOFTBALL
Glassboro at Woodstown
Schalick at Overbrook
Pitman at Pennsville, Pennsville LL, 6 p.m.
BOYS TENNIS
Buena at Woodstown
Glassboro at Schalick
Middle Twp. at Pennsville
Penns Grove at Pitman
GIRLS LACROSSE
Mainland at Woodstown
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at Highland, 3:45 p.m.
GOLF
Woodbury vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15
BASEBALL
Buena at Woodstown
Clayton at Pennsville
Glassboro at Schalick
Penns Grove vs. LEAP at Rutgers Camden, 6 p.m.
SOFTBALL
Clayton at Pennsville
Salem at Gloucester Catholic
Woodstown at Penns Grove
GOLF
Pennsville vs. Gloucester Catholic, Westwood GC, 3:30 p.m.
Schalick girls vs. Kingsway, River Winds GC
TRACK
Tri-County Showcase, Delsea, 3:30 p.m.
BOYS TENNIS
Schalick at Triton
Woodstown at Pitman
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at Camden Academy Charter, 3:45 p.m.
BOYS LACROSSE
Millville at Woodstown
GIRLS LACROSSE
Woodstown at Gloucester Catholic

THURSDAY, MAY 16
BASEBALL
Overbrook at Pennsville
Salem at Schalick
Wildwood at Penns Grove
SOFTBALL
Penns Grove at Clayton
Schalick at Salem
GOLF
Schalick vs. Cumberland, Running Deer GC
BOYS TENNIS
Wildwood at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m.
Schalick at Penns Grove

FRIDAY, MAY 17
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Region XIX/North Atlantic District Tournament
Middlesex vs. RCSJ-Gloucester, 11 a.m.
Salem-Northampton winner vs. Brookdale, 11 a.m.
Second round, 3 p.m.
BASEBALL
Cumberland at Pennsville
Delran at Schalick, 4:15 p.m.
SOFTBALL
Penns Grove at Woodstown
Highland at Pennsville
Schalick at Cape May Tech
GOLF
Pennsville at Delran, 4:30 p.m.
BOYS TENNIS
Clayton at Schalick, 3:15 p.m.
Overbrook at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at Timber Creek, 3:45 p.m.

MAY 18
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Region XIX/North Atlantic District Tournament
Elimination game, 11 a.m.
Championship game, 3 p.m.
GIRLS LACROSSE
West Deptford at Woodstown, 10 a.m.

Wolverines win Lee Ware

Coblentz has two big games at plate, helps Woodstown to a pair of dramatic tournament victories

BASEBALL
Lee Ware Tournament
Woodstown 7, Camden Catholic 6 (8 inns.)
Cherry Hill East 11, Paulsboro 0
Consolation game: Camden Catholic 13, Paulsboro 0
Championship game: Woodstown 5, Cherry Hill East 3

By Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – For the second time in three days, the Woodstown baseball team hoisted a winner’s trophy.

Ty Coblentz’ capped a big day at the plate with a two-run double to cap a three-run rally in the top of the seventh that lifted the Wolverines to a 5-3 win over Cherry Hill East to win their Lee Ware Tournament.

Thursday night, the Wolverines raised the newly minted Elmer Classic Cup after beating rival Schalick.

The Wolverines beat Camden Catholic in the opening round 7-6, walking it off on Brent Williams’ sacrifice fly in the eighth inning. They squeezed home the tying run in the seventh.

Coblentz had two hits in each game. Andrew Pedrick had two hits in the opening round and one in the championship game and now has 98 for his career.

Split puts Salem on cusp

Mighty Oaks split with No. 2 Northampton, remain confident playing for series win Sunday

REGION XIX TOURNAMENT
(Best-of-3 series)
No. 1 RCSJ-Gloucester bye
No. 4 Middlesex 7-15, No. 5 RCSJ-Cumberland 6-7
No. 3 Brookdale 9-9, No. 6 Ocean 2-5No. 7 Salem CC 14-2, No. 2 Northampton 11-14
Sunday’s game
Salem CC at Northampton CC, 2 p.m.
REGION XIX/NORTH ATLANTIC DISTRICT TOURNAMENT
(Double-elimination format)
May 17-19
First-round games
Middlesex vs. RCSJ-Gloucester, 11 a.m.
Salem-Northampton winner vs. Brookdale, 11 a.m.

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The mood around the Salem CC dugout changed from the first and second game, but the Mighty Oaks haven’t changed course on their drive for the prize.

The Oaks split their Region XIX playoff doubleheader with No. 2-ranked and second-seeded host Northampton Saturday. They took the opener 14-11 for their first Region XIX playoff win game in 13 years, but lost the second 14-2 in five innings.

The split sends the series to a winner-take-all rubber game here Sunday at 2 p.m. Hard-throwing J.D. Wilson is scheduled to draw the start for the Oaks (27-24).

If the seventh-seeded Oaks win, they’ll move into the Division III North Atlantic District/Region XIX Final Four at RCSJ-Gloucester next weekend playing for a trip to the JUCO World Series.

“The one thing this team has done all year is rebounded well,” Oaks coach John Holt said. “We talk about it , it’s been kind of one of our creeds all year :‘So what, next pitch.’

‘So what, we’ve got to come out and play tomorrow. I won’t say we expected it (a split), but we prepared for it.’

The win in Game 1 may have shocked the region but it didn’t the Oaks.

They beat a then-third-ranked Brookdale earlier in the season, so they knew they could play with the elite, and they’ve also played their best baseball in the second half of the season, putting together an impressive run just to make the tournament field.

They took the Spartans’ hardest punch several times in Game 1 and turned them away.

The Oaks had 16 hits in the opener, with Demetrius DeRamus, Matt Murphy and Angel Velez all hitting homers. Velez had four hits and DeRamus and Murphy each had three. Yen Rodriguez and Jared Vandersteur both had two.

“They played hard, they stayed in the game,” Holt said. “The whole roster was in the game the whole day. That’s how we’ve got to play to win.”

There were five lead changes in the first game. The Oaks jumped on top 6-0 after two innings, thanks in part to DeRamus’ three-run homer in the second, but found themselves trailing after the fourth (7-6) and seventh innings (10-9).

“It was getting annoying, man; I just wanted those guys to stay down,” Velez said of the back and forth.

They took the lead for good with two in the eighth. Murphy’s leadoff homer tied it 10-10 and Velez scored the go-ahead run when the Spartans threw away Wilson’s grounder into a three-base error.

They extended the lead with three in the ninth on Murphy’s sacrifice fly and Velez’ second homer of the year, a two-run shot.

The Oaks handed it to Ben Foote to close it out. The Woodstown grad got out of a jam in the eighth and then with a four-run lead worked his way through the top of the Northampton order in the ninth. He induced Robert Furino, who homered twice in the game, to pop out to first baseman Lee Rodriguez for the final out.

“I just knew I had to throw strikes and get guys out and just keep my guys in the game,” Foote said. “They played defense behind me, so I knew we had it. It was an intense game but I didn’t let it bother me. Once I got my number called to go warm up I knew I just had to go in and throw strikes.”

The second game was as bad as the first game was good for the Oaks.

Salem starter Aiden Ewe had been pitching well since losing the hitch in his delivery – 4-0, 1.60 ERA in his previous five appearances – but he ran into some issues that Holt said were “out of his control” and got roughed up.

He had given up only six runs in his previous five appearances, but was charged with 11 in 2 2/3 innings. The Spartans scored six runs in the first inning behind four walks, a hit batsman and only two hits to take control.

The Oaks got two runs back in the second on a bases-loaded walk to Nick Ciesielka followed by a fielder’s choice on Rodriguez’ grounder to short. Northampton then scored five in the third to move into run-rule territory.

“Getting a split isn’t a bad thing,” Holt said. “We continue to match up well going into a Game 3. Like I’ve said before there’s a reason they’re the second-ranked team in the country. We showed we can hang with them and I feel pretty good about tomorrow.”

“We still have a chance to come play tomorrow and win,” Velez said. “That’s the only thing on our mind right now.”

Quite a hit

Woodstown pitcher White delivering a punch in the batter’s box for the Wolverines, includes Salem County softball, golf, tennis

THURSDAY SOFTBALL
Clayton 18, Salem 2
Pennsville 17, Wildwood 2
Woodstown 4, Schalick 2

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

ELMER – Whoever said pitchers aren’t supposed to hit or be able to hit? In an era where specialization and designated players are the norm, Woodstown’s Grace White is making it tough to keep the bat out of her hands and out of the lineup.

White, a senior pitcher, came up in the sixth inning Thursday night and delivered the first extra-base hit of her career, a lead-off double to set up an insurance run in the Wolverines’ 4-2 win over Schalick to claim the first Elmer Classic Cup presented by the Elmer Little League.

“She’s been tearing it up,” Woodstown coach Dave Wildermuth said. “And I put her in the 5-hole tonight because she’s been hitting the ball. I didn’t put her there just to (fill a spot).”

The Wolverines were holding a slim 3-2 lead when White came up in the sixth and doubled into left field. Courtesy runner Talia Guardascione moved to third on Alyssa Baber’s groundout and scored the insurance run on Hannah Hitchner’s grounder to short.

The day before White delivered a pinch single to start the Wolverines’ seventh-inning rally against Overbrook and the day before that she had two RBIs against Gloucester Catholic. Since April 15 she is 8-for-20 with four RBIs. She had only one at-bat and two plate appearances (both last year) the previous two seasons combined.

“I haven’t really gotten a chance (to hit) before because they usually do a designated hitter for me, but in practice I’ve been hitting the ball really good, so he gave me a chance,” White said.

What White is better known for, of course, is pitching. On this night she limited the Cougars to two singles and denied Schalick senior Taylor Sparks getting her 100th career hit in three plate appearances.

The two runs Schalick did score came in the fourth when White lost a little of her rhythm and walked the first two batters of the inning. They came in to score on Cayla Sbrana’s two-run single to right that tied the game 2-2. It was the Cougars’ first hit of the game.

It was just a minor hiccup. White retired nine of the first 10 batters she faced and 10 of the last 11. Since returning from the Senior Class Trip last weekend, a rested White has posted three wins in three days, giving up nine hits, three runs and striking out 20 in 15 2/3 innings. The Wolverines play Salem Friday.

“I think it was a really good break from not just softball, but like school and to get away in general,” White said. “I was pitching a lot before that and I think it was just a really good break to come out and get all these wins.”

The Wolverines took a 2-0 lead in the third on Cara Delia’s RBI single and Kayla Brown’s infield out. Delia broke the 2-2 tie with a slow roller back to the pitcher with Tulana Mingin at third.

Mingin had three hits, leaving her with 128 for her career, four shy of the school record. Delia learned a long time ago you don’t have to hit it hard or far to get the run home when Mingin’s on base.

“She’s great, everything to Tulana, she always comes up big,” Delia said. “I know when she gets on base at the beginning of the inning we’re going to score. She’s such a proponent for our team. It’s so great to see her on second base when I come up. It gives me so much confidence when I come up to the plate.

“I just know I’ve got to make contact with Tulana on, especially with less than two outs. She’s always out there, she’s doing her job. Today she got two doubles, basically, just on her smart baserunning, and that’s just so helpful. When we get up there to the plate and I can see her out there, I just know I’m about to hit it hopefully and if I do she’s going to score no matter what.”

Delia grew up playing on the Elmer LL softball fields, so the win was extra special to her. She hit her first varsity home there as a sophomore against Schalick.

“It was like my practice field as a kid, so it’s very nostalgic to be here and it was sad for tonight to be the last time I’m ever going to play on the field,” she said. “That where I feel like my career started. That’s where I got my confidence. The feeling coming to this field every time is, like, stressful, but also I have such good memories.

“I’m happy we came out on top tonight because I can finish my career with a happy memory. I just love being here. It’s the best game of the year, I would say.”

The win moved the Wolverines a step closer to clinching the Tri-County Diamond Division title. It kept them undefeated in division, two games up on Overbrook and three on Schalick in the loss column. All they have left in division play is three games against the two weakest teams.

PENNSVILLE 17, WILDWOOD 2: Bella Farina hit another home run, Lilly Birney went 3-for-4 with four RBIs and Savannah Palverento pitched a five-inning no-hitter with eight strikeouts as the Eagles (12-4) won their ninth in a row.

Farina’s homer, her seventh of the year, was a three-run shot that highlighted the Eagles’ 11-run second inning. It also included two-run singles by Birney and Mary Montagna and Sarah Brumbaugh had a two-run double. The Eagles have scored 12 runs or more in seven games of their current winning streak.

CLAYTON 18, SALEM 2: Sophia Petsch went 5-for-5 with three RBIs and spun a five-inning complete game for the Clippers. Julliana Love extended her hitting streak to six games with one of the Rams’ three hits and RBI. Alexandrea Matias and Gianna Pelura had Salem’s other hits.

GOLF
WOODSTOWN 156, TIMBER CREEK 176: Senior Kyle Brainard shot a 3-under-par 33 with an eagle and two birdies at Town & Country Golf Links to lead the Wolverines. Brainard eagled No. 3 and birdied 8 and 9. Jacob Schermerhorn and Joey Olbrich both shot 41.

PENNSVILLE 151, SALEM TECH 169, CLAYTON 185: Dylan Wallen and Jacob Isaac shot 34 and 35, respectively, and the Eagles posted three rounds in the 30s to win the tri-match at . Mason Griffith was Salem Tech’s low man (36). to lead the Eagles.

DEPTFORD 168, SCHALICK 170: Julian Boyer shot 2-under 33 with three birdies at Pitman CC to give Deptford a cushion against the South Jersey Group I champs. Ryan Johnson posted Schalick’s low score (40).

BOYS TENNIS
HADDON HEIGHTS 5, WOODSTOWN 0
Ben Mazzucco (HH) def. Tim Schwienbacher, 6-1, 6-2
Ryan Connor (HH) def. Drew Stengel, 6-2, 6-1
Owen Peakes (HH) def. Jason LaFond, 6-1, 6-0
Mike Pender-Sean Fischer (HH) def. Ben Stengel-Mason Shimp, 3-6, 6-1, 10-6
Jackson Zalkin-Dan Perkins (HH) def. Luke Shaw-Wade Hubschmitt, 7-5, 7-6 (7-1)
Records: Woodstown 10-3, Haddon Heights 9-8