Instant impact

Freshman Battavio sharp in varsity debut; Woodstown, Schalick, Salem all win big in baseball; includes softball, golf, tennis, volleyball results

MONDAY BASEBALL
Salem 18, Wildwood 6
Schalick 12, Glassboro 2
Woodstown 12, Penns Grove 2

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – Walker Battavio had been waiting for his chance to start a varsity baseball game since he got to the eighth grade. Woodstown coach Marc DeCastro made that dream come from Monday and the freshman left-hander was a nightmare for the batters who faced him.

Battavio racked up strikeouts the way his older sister Talia racked up 3-pointers on the basketball court. He struck out seven in his three innings of work and his teammates staked him to a big early lead in a 12-2 five-inning win over Penns Grove.

His first seven outs all came by punch-outs, including a run of six in a row. He probably would have had more, but was on a pitch count in his first varsity start and was lifted after three innings and 51 pitches.

“I was looking forward to this a lot; it was one of my goals coming into high school,” Battavio said. “I thought I did good. I threw a lot of strikes, so that helped out.”

Battavio learned late last week he was going to start the Wolverines’ division opener and had the weekend to think about it. He said he was a little scared at first, then settled in for the assignment as time went on. Even during the school day he was nervous, but calmed down once he got on the field.

He was really only in trouble once and got out of that like a crafty veteran. He loaded the bases with one out in the first on a walk and two singles, but took a couple deep breaths behind the mound to calm down and got through it by striking out the next two batters. He almost had an immaculate inning in the second striking out the side.

Sol Elmer, another freshman, followed Battavio to the mound and finished the game.

For DeCastro, Battavio checked two of the big boxes he has for evaluating a rookie pitcher. He settled in after some expected early uneasiness, and the next inning he treated the lead his teammates gave him “appropriately.”

There will be more starts in his future.

“I’m not going to be super fixed with him just because he is a freshman,” DeCastro said. “I want to see him handle a couple different types of experiences before I really start to put any real pressure on him. He’s going to start another game next week and we’ll see how he handles that and kind of build the type of intensity and the game pressure that he pitches (under).

“He’s a freshman so I’m not going to put him in a situation where I don’t think he can do what he can succeed. He did well enough he gets (next) Tuesday and we’ll see where he is on that game and go from there.”

After Battavio got out of the first, the Wolverines rewarded their pitcher with nine runs in the bottom of the inning. They sent 15 batters to the plate and actually did most of their damage – seven runs worth – with two outs. Rocco String delivered the crushing blow, a three-run double.

Penns Grove coach Chuck Weigle said things might have been different had the Red Devils (1-2) gotten those early runs home.

“You get one or two there, it puts little bit more pressure on them,” he said. “They’re expecting to come out here probably thinking ‘it’s an easy game for us,’ (but) we put two runs on the board early it’s different game. They have to come up here ready to swing. It puts a little bit of pressure on them, make them make the moves, come out here and have to play baseball.”

Top photo: Woodstown first baseman Jack Holladay has a thumb up for the pitching performance Walker Battavio (L) gave in his varsity debut Monday.

Penns Grove (1-2)	000 02-	2	5	1
Woodstown (2-0)	912 0x-	12	9	3

WP: Walker Battavio. LP: Josh Widen.

SCHALICK 12, GLASSBORO 2: Luke Pokrovsky homered and drove in five runs and starting pitcher Lucas D’Agostino struck out 10 in four innings as the Cougars opened their season in a big way.

Pokrovsky, a Penn signee, went 3-for-4 and was a single away from hitting for an Opening Day cycle to lead the Cougars’ 14-hit attack. He hit a two-run triple in the fourth and solo homer in the fifth. Evan Sepers, Jamari Whitley, J.T. Fleming and Eli Cummings had two hits apiece.

D’Agostino pitched the first four innings, giving up two hits and an unearned run. Cole Hartley wrapped it up, striking out four in his two innings.

Glassboro (0-1)	001 001-	2	7	2
Schalick (1-0)	122 412-	12	14	1

WP: Lucas D’Agostino. LP: Colin Riley.

SALEM 18, WILDWOOD 6: The Rams opened their season with the highest scoring game in their two seasons under coach Eric Fizur.

Eithan Longo and Terrell Robinson both had three hits and three RBIs, while Jacob Parkell and Austin Davis both had two hits and two RBIs. Chase Davis had two hits and scored four runs. The first three hitters in the Rams’ lineup – Longo, Davis and Robinson – were a combined 8-for-12 with six RBIs and nine runs scored.

They took the lead with a five-run third and blew it open with eight in the sixth.

“We played well today and took advantage of the opportunities we had,” Fizur said. “The players are more locked in this year, more focused. It showed today, and it’s something we can build on.”

The 18 runs were the most the Rams have scored in a game since putting 22 on Bridgeton in May 2023. They scored 18 in a win over Pleasantville later that season.

Salem (1-0)	105 228-	18	14	3
Wildwood (0-1)	220 101-	8	10	3

WP: Chase Davis. LP: Brian Cunniff.

Softball

MONDAY SOFTBALL
Pennsville 11, Gloucester Catholic 6
Schalick 14, Glassboro 7
Wildwood 15, Salem 4

PENNSVILLE 11, GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 6: Graillyn Weber’s two-run double in the fourth inning gave Pennsville the lead (6-4) and the Eagles broke it open with five in the top of the seventh. Kylie Harris Makenzie Widener and Salem CC signees Savannah Palverento and Sawyer Simmons all had two hits for the Eagles.

WILDWOOD 15, SALEM 4: The Rams fell behind 9-0 and couldn’t climb out of the hole. J Love and R Doerr both had two hits for Salem.

Tennis

PENNSVILLE 5, WILDWOOD 0
Gabe Schneider (P) def. Giorgio Palesano, 6-0, 6-0
Maddox Efelis (P) def. Brian Damian, 6-0, 6-0
Brody Wiggins (P) def. Simon Palaces, 6-0, 6-0
Lucas Cooksey-Sawyer Humphrey (P) def. Christopher Hernandez-Chris Olivera, 6-1, 6-0
Carter Willis-Ian Peacock (P) def. Gabriel Hernandez-Eric Miranda, 6-0, 6-1
Records: Pennsville 1-0, Wildwood 0-3.

PENNS GROVE 5, GLASSBORO 0
Alex Ramirez Martinez (P) def. Kevin Unbato, 6-1, 6-3
Poyraz Erdönmez (P) def. Andrew Miller, 5-7, 6-1
Stuart Mondragon (P) def. Rowan Somdhal-Sands, 6-0, 6-1
Anthony Pacheco-Rene Ruiz (P) def. Jesus Lopez-Jeffrey Guzman, 6-4, 6-2
Angel Perez Herrera-Juan Ortiz (P) def. Jeffrey Guzman-Nico Tsoulcalis, 6-0, 6-1
Records: Penns Grove 1-0, Glassboro 0-1.

Golf

GIRLS
WILLIAMSTOWN 205, SCHALICK 222: Williamstown’s Brynn DiGiamberardino was low medalist at Scotland Run (46). Cali Fisler and Abby Willoughby posted the Cougars’ low rounds (54).

Volleyball

HIGHLAND 2, SALEM TECH 0: The game scores were 25-15, 25-17

Spark rekindled

Pennsville’s Ausland excited about playing basketball again, signs to play with Salem CC

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

Before the start of her senior season Pennsville’s Nora Ausland wasn’t sure she wanted to play basketball after high school. It hadn’t been fun for a while. Her plan was to go to Salem Community College and just be a regular student. If the spirit moved her, she might walk-on.

Then the season got going and the spark started to flicker. The Salem CC option was still there, but the idea of playing didn’t catch until Mighty Oaks coach Brian Marsh started showing interest. She liked what she was hearing and now she’s going to Salem as a full-fledged member of its women’s basketball team.

Ausland became the first signee of Marsh’s 2025 signing class Monday when the paperwork she signed over the weekend became official.

“He was just talking to me about basketball and the season and how he really wanted me to come; that influenced more,” Ausland said. “I’m definitely more excited to play this year. In previous seasons I haven’t really cared to play that much, but this year I am excited to play. I’m ready for a big change.”

The last time Ausland truly enjoyed playing, she said, was her freshman year at Salem. She played two years for the Rams, then transferred to Pennsville for her last two years in high school. She played this past season for her original coach, Steve Merritt, and averaged 12.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists.

She scored 1,147 career points, hit 147 3-pointers, grabbed 622 rebounds and had 133 blocked shots despite missing 14 games her sophomore year, but instead of playing half-heartedly and letting those conflicted feelings permeate the team she was content to retire from the game.

“I didn’t have, like, the right attitude and didn’t want to bring that on to his team,” she said. “I’ve definitely changed. I used to love the game and now I’m excited to play again.”

And Marsh is excited to have her on board as seeks to have “shooters all over the floor” while replacing four starters from last year’s 11-13 team. Ausland is the fourth player from Salem County to sign with the women’s program since its revival two years ago. Signing local players is an important element of Marsh’s recruiting plan.

“I think it’s extremely important; it’s exactly what I’m trying to do,” Marsh said. “I’m trying to convince these local players that they don’t have to go away to play big-time college basketball.

“I said to Nora and some of my recruits, I want these local players to help take us to the national rankings. I want them to be able to say I can go to Salem and can play. You saw the teams we play; they’re nationally ranked. You’re playing really good college basketball in front of your friends and family, that’s exactly what we’re trying to do.”

This week’s schedule

Here is the Salem County sports calendar from the week of March 30-April 6; events start at 4 p.m. unless noted

MARCH 31
BASEBALL
Glassboro at Schalick
Penns Grove at Woodstown
Salem at Wildwood
SOFTBALL
Pennsville vs. Gloucester Catholic, Stauffer Fields
Schalick at Glassboro
Woodstown at Penns Grove
Wildwood at Salem
GOLF
Schalick girls vs. Williamstown, Scotland Run
Woodstown vs. Deptford, Town & Country GL, 3 p.m.
TENNIS
Clayton at Schalick
Glassboro at Penns Grove
Wildwood at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m.
TRACK
Glassboro at Penns Grove
LACROSSE
St. Joseph at Woodstown
VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at Highland, 3:45 p.m.

APRIL 1
GOLF
Pennsville vs. Pitman, Pitman CC
Schalick vs. Wildwood, Union League GC
GIRLS LACROSSE
Haddonfield at Woodstown, 4:30 p.m.
TENNIS
Glassboro at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.
VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at Camden County Tech, 3:45 p.m.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Lackawanna at Salem CC, 3 p.m.

APRIL 2
BASEBALL
LEAP at Penns Grove
Pennsville vs. Pitman, Alcyon Park
Salem at Holy Cross
Woodstown at Schalick
SOFTBALL
Gloucester Catholic at Salem
Pitman at Pennsville
Woodstown at Schalick
GOLF
Schalick girls vs. Clearview, Centerton CC
TENNIS
Middle Twp. at Woodstown
Pennsville at Overbrook
TRACK
Schalick at Pennsville
Woodstown at Overbrook

APRIL 3
SOFTBALL
Penns Grove vs. LEAP at Rutgers Camden
GOLF
Pennsville vs. Cumberland, Sakima CC, 3:30 p.m.
Salem Tech vs. Wildwood, Union League National
Schalick vs. Overbrook, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m.
TENNIS
Pennsville vs. Clayton, Williamstown MS
Schalick at Glassboro
Woodstown at Triton
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Salem CC at Camden CC, 3:30 p.m.

APRIL 4
BASEBALL
Haddon Heights at Woodstown
Pennsville vs. Gloucester Catholic, Brooklawn MS
Schalick at Delran
SOFTBALL
Salem at Camden County Tech
Schalick at Delsea
Woodstown at Haddon Heights
GOLF
Pennsville vs. Cedar Creek, Sakima CC, 3:30 p.m.
Schalick vs. Overbrook, Centerton CC
TENNIS
Pennsville at Bridgeton, 3:45 p.m.
Vineland at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.
LACROSSE
Lower Cape May at Woodstown
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Salem CC at Middlesex, 3:30 p.m.

APRIL 5
SOFTBALL
Pennsville at Millville Tournament, 9 a.m.
TRACK
Pennsville, Salem at Deptford Relays, 9 a.m.
Schalick at Buena Relays, 9 a.m.
Woodstown in Invitational at Univ. of Delaware, 9 a.m.
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Middlesex at Salem CC (2), noon
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Mercer County CC at Salem CC, noon

Saturday baseball

Penns Grove wins with big seventh-ining rally, Woodstown opens its season with a shutout

By Riverview Sports News

PENNS GROVE – Alex Rubio delivered the game-winning hit with one out in the seventh inning to cap a five-run rally and lift Penns Grove over Bridgeton 9-8 for its first win of the high school baseball season Saturday.

Bridgeton broke a 3-3 tie with five runs in the sixth inning. Penns Grove got one of the runs back in the bottom of the sixth, then rallied in the seventh.

Bristol Scott went 3-for-3 to lead Penns Grove’s seven-hit attack. Rubio, Tommy Mattioli, Jaxson Raymond, Liam Irvin and Alex Pax were all credited with an RBI.

WOODSTOWN 6, GATEWAY 0: Ty Coblentz and Walker Battavio both had three singles and two RBIs and three Woodstown pitchers scattered four hits and struck out 10 as the Wolverines opened their season with a shutout.

Aaron Foote threw 3 2/3 inning of one-hit relief and struck out five behind starter Rocco String to get the win. Michael Valente finished it off with 2 1/3 of one-hit relief.

Lucas Fulmer had a pair of hits for the Wolverines.

Another nail biter

Salem CC baseball wins in bottom of ninth to split DH, but win series with Montgomery; softball splits at Morris

SATURDAY REGION 19 BASEBALL
Salem CC 5-4, Montgomery County 9-3
Morris 7-13, Delaware Tech 6-5
RCSJ-Cumberland 17-5, Ocean 4-0
Lackawanna 18-21, Raritan Valley 10-1
Union at Middlesex
Camden 28-10, Bergen 6-0
RCSJ-Gloucester 12-12, Northampton 8-0
Mercer 8-12, Sussex 5-2

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT – Just another sensational Saturday at The Treehouse.

For the second straight Saturday on their Carneys Point Rec Complex field, Salem CC won the second game of a Region 19 doubleheader in their last bats in extra innings. This time, it was 4-3 in the bottom of the eighth to split the twinbill with Montgomery County CC.

Last week, the Mighty Oaks beat RCSJ-Gloucester 4-3 in the bottom of the 12th to sweep that doubleheader and the series. It wasn’t nearly as dark or as cold when the winning run crossed this time, but the score and circumstances were eerily the same.

“Baseball‘s a strange sport, that’s all I can say,” said sophomore first baseman Lee Rodriguez, whose two-out single deep into the right centerfield gap scored Yen Rodriguez from third with the winning run. “Are you not entertained?”

After dropping the opener 9-5, it took the Mighty Oaks (12-15) a while to come around in the nightcap. They rallied from an early 3-0 deficit to tie the game and then get the split. Yen Rodriguez got them on the board with a leadoff homer off the scoreboard in the fourth inning and they tied it in the fifth on Tim Bowlby’s RBI ground out and Cole Dawson’s sacrifice fly.

Yen Rodriguez got their eighth-inning rally started with a walk and stolen base. He moved to third on Demetrius DeRamus’ grounder to second and was held at third on Angel Velez’ grounder to the same place.

Lee Rodriguez, who entered as a pinch runner for Tyler Hacker in the fourth (hamstring), saw two pitches from Chris Tomlinson and then ripped a 71-mph fastball into the gap to score Yen. The shot was as hard as any ball Lee has hit with the Mighty Oaks and would have been a double in any other circumstance, but since it only took one base to score the winning run he was credited with just a single.

He figured it was his first walk-off hit since he was 14 years old.

“I’m usually the one who’s on base and somebody walks to bring me in or something,” he said. “I’m usually the one who scores it.

“With two outs my goal was really just to try and get Yen in. I was like, play small ball. First pitch I took was a ball. When I saw the first strike something in me was like, ‘you’re ready’. I got to looking at third and said I’m going to get you in no matter what. The next pitch, he threw it and I hit it. I thought it was going (out), too The umpire said it’s no home run, but it’s all right. At least we won the game.

“I’m going to be thinking about this all week now til the next game.”

The win went to Seth McCormick, a freshman righthander who earlier in the week entered a 6-6 game in the seventh but was lifted in mid-inning with right shoulder pain after giving up six runs. He showed no signs of the ailment Saturday, striking out the top of Montco’s lineup in order on 13 pitches, one of which was a career-best 87-mph fastball.

“I’ve struggled before with shoulder injuries,” McCormick said. “What I think it was was I pinched something and something happened. I did a little bit of rehab with our athletic trainer and I came in and it felt good today. I just tried to throw it as hard as I could where I needed to be and it worked.

“Going through my mind was getting out with as few pitches as possible. Don’t overstrain the arm and get out and give us a chance to win. It was definitely a stressful situation coming in after Pat (Seitzinger) threw a hell of a game and you’ve got to come in and throw as well if not better than he did. It’s a stressful situation, especially as the game rides on your shoulder.”

McCormick got the ball after starter Seitzinger threw seven strong innings and was brilliant over his last five. After giving up three consecutive doubles that produced the Mustangs’ 3-0 lead, the freshman lefthander retired 16 of the last 19 batters he faced and 14 of the last 15. He and McCormick retired the last 13 Mustangs in a row.

“My mechanics got better as the game went on,” Seitzinger said. “I was leaving pitches right down the middle, so I figured I’d change my mechanics a little bit, try to keep them more off balance. I felt good going into the game so I felt like I was going to have success, but after that second inning I knew we were struggling a little bit hitting so I had to pick up my teammates and throw strikes.”

“I’ve known Pat since he was 11; I coached him in 11U baseball,” Salem coach John Holt said. “I’ve been waiting for him to graduate when I got this job. I know he’s got the tenacity and the killer instinct as a lefty that when he gets the opportunity nothing fazes him. A true bulldog.”

ACORNS: Former major leaguer Fernando Rodney made it to The Treehouse in time to catch his son’s team play in the second game. The Mighty Oaks are undefeated this season when the former MLB All-Star is in the stands. They are off until Friday and aren’t back at home until next Saturday … Seitzinger dropped his ERA almost a run and a half to 7.14 with his outing … The Mustangs took the lead in the opener with a four-run fifth marred by a two-run fielding error in the outfield and extended it with Brett Minnick’s three-run homer in the sixth.

GAME ONE: MONTGOMERY 9, SALEM 5

Montgomery County	020 043 0-	9	9	1
Salem CC	101 012 0-	5	7	4

WP: Korbin Wale. LP: Jared Vanderstuer. HR: Brett Minnich (M).

GAME TWO: SALEM 4, MONTGOMERY 3 (8 INNS.)

Montgomery County	030 000 00-	3	6	1
Salem CC	000 120 01-	4	5	0

2 out when winning run scored
WP: Seth McCormick. LP: Chris Tomlinson. HR: Yen Rodriguez (S).

Montgomery County’s Ryan Bevins leaps over Salem catcher Angel Velez trying to score in the first inning of Saturday’s opener. Bevins missed the plate and Velez tagged him out to complete a double play. (Photo from Gamechanger video).

Softball

Hayes big game helps Mighty Oaks split

SATURDAY REGION 19 SOFTBALL
Salem CC 4-18, Morris 5-6
Bergen 15-1, Ocean 2-9
Middlesex 9-1, RCSJ-Gloucester 6-10
Brookdale 4, Orange 1
Lackawanna 8-6, Sussex 0-2
Monroe Bronx 8-19, Raritan Valley 7-15
Mercer 9-4, Delaware Tech 1-5
Northampton 15-10, Camden 1-2

RANDOLPH – Ella Hayes hit a grand slam in the fifth inning and drove in six runs and Tiana Wilson went 3-for-3 with five RBIs as the Salem CC softball team crushed Morris 18-6 in the nightcap of their doubleheader after losing the opener to a two-run seventh-inning rally.

Hayes’ slam capped a six-run inning after the Mighty Oaks broke away from a 5-5 tie with seven runs in the fourth. Rozak broke the tie with a two-run homer and Wilson extended the lead with a two-run double.

Wilson had a big doubleheader, going 3-for-3 in both games. She is 9-for-9 with two sacrifice flies over her last four games since going hitless in Game 2 against Raritan Valley.

The Mighty Oaks took a 4-2 lead into the sixth inning of the opener. Morris got closer with a run in the sixth and then won it with two in the seventh. The Titans produced the tying and winning runs on back-to-back two-out singles.

GAME ONE: MORRIS 5, SALEM 4

Salem CC	103 000 0-	4	11	2
Morris	110 001 2-	5	9	4

2 out when winning run scored.
WP: Demm. LP: Raegan Wilson.

GAME TWO: SALEM 18, MORRIS 6

Salem CC	023 76-	18	14	4
Morris	302 10-	6	5	5

WP: Jill Robinson. LP: Prager. HR: Callie Rozak (S), Ella Hayes (S).

Shining a bright light

8 ‘slam dunk choices’ headline the first Schalick High School Sports Hall of Fame induction class since 2015

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PITTSGROVE – When it’s been a while since you’ve had a Hall of Fame induction, it’s really important to make a splash on the night you bring it back.

The Schalick High School Sports Hall of Fame is inducting the seventh class in its history tonight with a group described as eight “slam dunk choices” for their first enshrinement ceremony in 10 years.

The Hall will welcome athletes Zyra Thomas, Sam Gerstenbacher, Joyce Perry, Sandra Cook and Jeremy Simkins, coaches Mike Hars and Steve Pierangeli and the Cougars’ 1996 South Jersey Group 1 champion boys tennis team into its lineup of Schalick luminaries in ceremonies at the high school auditorium.

“It’s just been a long time coming,” Hall of Fame chairman Erik Cagle said.

The Hall last welcomed a class in 2015 and after a brief pause were preparing to install another group when COVID infringed on everybody’s plans.

They were gearing for a reboot in early 2020 when COVID turned the world upside down and threw the project into a tailspin. They restarted the process about a year and a half ago with some new committee members and some new ideas and the result of their efforts will be on display tonight.

“We just needed to get the ball rolling and get things moving in the right direction,” Cagle said. “People asked from time to time if we were going to do the Hall of Fame again and I said please be patient with us, we’re going to get there. One year turned into two years turned into ten years.

“We’re giving new life to this and hopefully this is something that catches on it a big way. We just really had to kick ourselves in the pants to get moving again.”

One of the biggest changes involved taking the ceremonies from a successful run at a nearby country club back to the high school where it literally all began for the inductees. Now, a walk down the hall to the auditorium is a walk down memory lane.

“It’s a nice bit of homecoming for the athletes,” Cagle said.

With all the excitement surrounding the renewal, organizers are anticipating their largest turnout ever. They’ve already pre-sold a good number of tickets and expect a large walk-up crowd at the door to push attendance to record numbers.

A welcoming reception is scheduled for 6 p.m. with the program to begin at 7.

“I’d like to think it’s going to really reinvigorate the school’s attitude towards the Hall of Fame,” Cagle said. “Ten years, you start to wonder is this ever going to restart again? I’m glad I wasn’t there for the death knell of it. It’s nice that I’m able to keep it going.”

The plan is to have another induction next year and perhaps the year after, then do them every other year.

Cagle said he’ll breathe a huge sigh of relief after tonight’s closing remarks. There was a lot that went into planning this year’s renewal – fundraising, finding a venue, dotting and crossing all the Is and Ts, all the while sifting through an impressive list of nominees still in the fold from classes gone by to the ones nominated over the last 10 years.

“Obviously when you shut down for 10 years a lot of worth candidates accumulate,” Cagle said. “We need to clear the deck a bit, get some of the people who should have been honored a while ago back here.”

Those who turn out tonight will hear a lot more about the inductees, of course, but here’s a snippet (written by Cagle) of what they can expect.

Schalick athletics director and HOF co-chair Doug Volovar called the group “a quality class of people who have done some tremendous things at Schalick High School and helped build a legacy of quality athletes and sports and programs.”

SANDRA COOK (basketball): This is technically Cook’s second Schalick Sports Hall of Fame induction; she joined the ranks of Cougar greats in 2012 when her 1983-84 state champion girls basketball team was honored. She was a devastating paint player who averaged 22 points and 17 rebounds as a senior. She had 38 points in state semifinals and went for 16 and 12 in the title game.

SAM GERSTENBACHER (track/cross country): The 2016 graduate holds school records in the mile, 1500, 3200 and 3000 steeplechase and is the only Schalick runner to clock in under 10 minutes in the 3200, a feat he also accomplished in the 3000-meter steeple chase. Upon graduating, he held the Salem County records for the 3200, steeplechase and cross country.

JEREMY SIMKINS (football/track): It’s safe to say that Jeremy made his senior season with the Schalick football team a memorable one. On offense he piled up 26 catches for 634 yards and 11 touchdowns and on defense he reeled in seven interceptions and two fumble recoveries. He scored at least one touchdown in every game and holds eight program records. On the track he was a three-time Tri-County champion in the 110 hurdles and two-time champ in the 400 hurdles and as senior won the Group II state 400 hurdles crown.

JOYCE PERRY (field hockey/track): In field hockey, she’s the program’s single-season goal scoring leader with 31 and held the career goals record until 2020. In track, she holds the program best in the 400 hurdles, one of several events in which she flourished,. She also played four years on the girls basketball team.

ZYRA THOMAS (track): It’s easy to consider Zyra the greatest shot put thrower in Schalick history. She is a five-time state champion in the event and holds the South Jersey record with a heave of 48-9, which won her the national championship at the Armory in New York City. She also holds the distinction of being the first female Cougar football player in program history.

“I remember her being a really tough competitor and giving everything she had while she was on the field of competition,” Volovar said.

COACH STEVE PIERANGELI: “Coach P” is in his 97th season in 45 years of coaching Schalick athletics. He’s coached baseball, boys track, boys and girls cross country and girls basketball. His teams have amassed 383 victories, 61 championships and three South Jersey titles. A dozen of his former charges have gone on to become coaches themselves, three of whom he’s working under as a current Schalick track assistant.

“I’m honored to be recognized by the group and to be part of a long history of great athletics at Schalick,” he said. “Over the years with the programs I’ve been entrusted with I think we did a good job in developing the programs, individual athletes and individual people. I’m quite proud of what we’ve accomplished.”

COACH MIKE HARS: A beloved teacher, coach and colleague for 28 years, his passion for doing it right helped an array of athletes become legends at Schalick. Whether on the football field or at the throwing venues in track & field, Hars drove his charges to excellence. His name is on the Hars-Lake Trophy that goes to the winner of the annual Cumberland-Schalick football game.

1996 BOYS TENNIS TEAM: The Cougars went 20-1 with a school-record 15 shutouts. They won the Tri-County Classic Division, overall Tri-County Conference, South Jersey Group I Championship and finished runner-up in the State Group I Championship. The team was led by coach Karen Bowman, a member of the inaugural Schalick HOF Classic, and led on the court by singles players Ryan Jackson, Bryan Nardone and Chris MacNeill and doubles teams Scott Wark-Jim Zee and Rob Thomas-Ian Gardner.

“These are what I would call the ‘slam dunk choices,’” Cagle said. “Think back to the first Baseball Hall of Fame ceremony where you had Babe Ruth, Walter Johnson, Ty Cobb, all the greats. These are people who have really accomplished great things at the state level, not just South Jersey. They were really easy to identify. We could have easily selected five more. That’s why we’re going to do it again next year – hopefully.”

A.P. SCHALICK SPORTS HALL OF FAME
The Class of 2009: Jayme Majek, Karen Bowman, Crystal Bailey, Candyce DeLoatch, Donnie Jackson-Bey, Kevin Jackson, Brent Mathers, Sean Collins, Josh Hedgeman, Charles Armstead, Karl Haywood, Robert Johnson and Mark Boyle.

The Class of 2010: Paul Gause, Sharon Hawk, Mary Brown, Aisha Morgan, Greg Frith, Mike McGowan and the 1978 Softball Team.

The Class of 2011: Lorraine Hunt, Nicole Vit, Rachel Johnson, Darryl Gause, Andy Hughes, John Donovan, the 2001 South Jersey Group 1 champion and state finalist Boys Soccer Team.

The Class of 2012: Matt Newton, Dan Mannella, Laura Hodson, Aaron Wicox, Scott Baldwin, Rose Johnson, Dave Ewart, the 1984 Girls Basketball Team.

The Class of 2013: Rashonda Scurry, Pete Mavroff, Amadi Eze, Matt Bailey, G.R. Schalick, Erik Cagle, 2004 South Jersey Group 1 Champion football team

The Class of 2015: James Woodley, Ashley Hansen, Janet Ricards, Joey Mannella, Jimmy Tuller, Coach Dale Driver and the 2009 South Jersey Group 1 Champion field hockey team

The Class of 2025: Zyra Thomas, Sam Gerstenbacher, Joyce Perry, Sandra Cook, Jeremy Simkins, Mike Hars, Coach Steve Pierangeli, 1996 South Jersey Group 1 Champion boys tennis team

Kelly drives

Salem CC sophomore breaks out of slump with homer in Mighty Oaks’ rout of Montgomery County

REGION 19 BASEBALL
Salem CC 20, Montgomery 7
RCSJ-Cumberland 16, Ocean 0
Delaware Tech 6, Morris 2
Lackawanna 14, Raritan Valley 1
Camden 10, Bergen 0
Mercer 9, Sussex 2
RCSJ-Gloucester 5, Northampton 4
Middlesex at Union

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

BLUE BELL, Pa. – Chris Kelly has been having an awful time at the plate since the Salem CC baseball team returned home from its trip to Florida. But one swing Friday may have gotten him back on the right path.

The sophomore third baseman belted a three-run homer – his first college home run – in the fifth inning in the Mighty Oaks’ 20-7 rout of Montgomery County CC.

Before the blast – his first college homer – he had gone 2-for-18 with 10 strikeouts since coming back from Florida and, compounding the frustration, made an unfortunate error on a potential inning-ending bouncer in the ninth inning as a late-game defensive replacement Wednesday against Mercer.

But he came up with two on and two out against the Mustangs and sent left-hander Brayden Morton’s second pitch of the count deep to left field to put the game into run-rule territory.

“The batter before got four straight balls and my first pitch was a ball,” Kelly said. “I was expecting to get the take sign from Coach Holt, but he gave me the green light. Coach Ty (McGarvey) said find the mistake. I went up there and found the mistake and did what I was supposed to with the mistake.

“It brought a lot of confidence back after struggling against Cumberland. It felt good to produce for the team, to get a nice three-run RBI (that) helped out and got us the 10-run rule and kind of went from there. It felt good to get the swing feeling good again.”

You could almost feel the cloud lift as Kelly rounded the bases. He playfully engaged with first base coach Chip Chapman and when he rounded third to approach the plate you could hear his teammates calling out “Welcome back.”

“It was a big relief,” Kelly said. “Hearing that just kind of like boosted me up even more and then seeing everybody once I got there it definitely was relieving.”

The Delsea product had never been through an extended hitting slump like this before. While he didn’t lose any sleep over it, he was thinking about it “a lot.” Admittedly it had reached a point late in the Cumberland series where he dreaded going to the plate. But always in the back of his mind he felt he’d eventually find a way back.

“I wish I knew (the cause); I kind of just felt off at the plate,” he said. “I wasn’t as good, the approaches weren’t there. We talked after practice yesterday, went to no stride, did it for a little bit and it paid off today.”

His approaches were good throughout the day. He hit a deep fly to center in his first at bat and drove in a run in the fourth inning with a ground out. He walked in his two at-bats following the homer.

Throughout the slump, Mighty Oaks head coach John Holt expressed support for his third baseman. Kelly had been hitting .395 before the slump. He was back in the starting lineup Friday and delivered in a big way.

“I’m obviously happy for him,” Holt said. “He’s a good kid. He’s been with us two years now. He does everything we ask of him. It’s just nice to see that hard work paying off.

“Hard work pays off. He made adjustments. He’s worked with our hitting coach. Even with the home run he’s still not satisfied with where he is. I think he’s hungry to get better every day.”

Kelly’s bomb was one of three homers the Mighty Oaks (11-14) hit in the game. Demetrius DeRamus hit a three-run shot in the first inning – his second in three games – to get them started. Cole Dawson hit his first homer of the season leading off a five-run fourth.

Dawson had two hits and two RBIs. Yen Rodriguez went 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Every player in the lineup scored at least one run, seven had at least one hit and seven had at least one RBI.

“The approach was good at the plate,” Holt said. “They worked themselves into good counts to hit in and when they do that we’re a real good baseball team.”

Jon Gambone pitched a complete game to get the win. He threw 109 pitches and struck out five. And even though he gave up a season-high 12 hits and six earned runs, none of it really hurt him the way the offense was delivering.

“He was a bulldog for us,” Holt said. “We extended him today as far as we’ve extended him pitch-count since the injury and he responded well.

“We’ve been talking lately with them about playing team baseball is lot more than patting somebody on the butt, about the offense picking up a pitcher when the pitcher needs to be picked up or the pitcher picking up the defense when it falters or vice verse, and that hasn’t been happening a whole lot very early in the season.

“I think once we got through Florida our guys started to figure that piece of the puzzle out and today the offense picked up the defense and Gambone when he needed it. Playing team baseball like that, they’re starting to understand that a little bit.”

The series concludes with a doubleheader at the Carneys Point Rec Complex Saturday starting at noon. The Mighty Oaks are scheduled to start Jared Vandersteur and Pat Seitzinger on the mound in the two games.

Salem CC	430 562 0-	20	10	2
Montgomery County CC	202 120 0-	7	12	9

WP: Jon Gambone. LP: Carver Perrone. HR: Demetrius DeRamus (S), Cole Dawson (S), Chris Kelly (S).

Photo: Salem CC third baseman Chris Kelly (L) is greeted at the plate by teammates Angel Velez (7) and Tyler Hacker (28) after hitting a three-run homer to give the Mighty Oaks a 16-5 lead. (Photo from Gamechanger video)

Tough way to learn

Salem CC baseball battles back from late six-run deficit to get within one, but loss to Mercer CC gets away in the ninth

REGION 19 BASEBALL SCORES
Mercer 18, Salem CC 11
Middlesex 11, Montgomery 1
Lackawanna 7, Delaware County 4
Union 7, Raritan Valley 6

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT – The last two games the Salem CC baseball team played at their Treehouse have been steeped in high drama that went down to the last inning. One of them the Mighty Oaks found a way to win. The other, the most recent one Wednesday, got away.

The Mighty Oaks came from six runs down in the seventh inning to get within one and then came within one strike of giving themselves a chance to win it in the ninth, but a two-out throwing error opened the door for a six-run Mercer ninth that sent them to an 18-11 loss.

“We’ve got to learn from this; it’s got to be a lesson,” Salem head coach John Holt said. “Any loss that you can learn from is not necessarily a loss. There’s a lot of lessons to be learned here today … We’ve got to learn to compete for every pitch.”

The Mighty Oaks (10-13) had leads of 5-2 and 6-3 in the first two innings, but Mercer (16-6) tied the game with three runs in the fifth, then scored six in the seventh off Seth McCormick to take the lead.

McCormick started the inning as the Mighty Oaks’ third pitcher, but had to leave after all the damage because of a shoulder/lat injury. Ironically, he entered Saturday’s doubleheader opener with RCSJ-Cumberland mid-at bat due to a pitcher’s injury and left Wednesday the same way. Jon Gambone got the final out of the inning and kept the Vikings off the board in the eighth to give Salem any kind of chance.

And the Mighty Oaks rallied. They cut two off the deficit in the bottom of the seventh and then scored three in the eighth on Yen Rodriguez’ two-run triple and Matt Murphy’s sacrifice fly to make it a one-run game. They had the tying and go-ahead runners in scoring position with two outs, but Hunter Cohen grounded sharply to second to end the threat.

Holt made wholesale defensive changes in the ninth to provide “what I thought was going to give us our best defense” after bringing hand-throwing Tyler Hacker to the mound from first base. The moves included sending Cohen across the diamond from third to first and inserting Chris Kelly at the hot corner.

The Vikings had runners at second and third with two outs. Hacker, who hadn’t given up an earned run in four previous appearances (six innings), got ahead of Geno Bianco 0-and-2, but Bianco bounced a ball in the infield that Kelly moved to his left to collect.

The pick up was clean and it looked like the inning was going to end safely, but Kelly’s throw to first was low and wide and got away from Cohen allowing the two insurance runs to score. The Vikings reloaded the bases against Hacker, then Donald Gallagher, hitting in the 9-hole, hit a grand slam to break it open.

“Hack hadn’t given up an earned run all year; we expected a little better there,” Holt said. “Chris was cold coming off the bench today. As I said, we’ve got to learn a lesson there. There are opportunities to go after even if you’re not in the starting lineup, you’ve got to understand your number may get called.”

Kelly had a rough weekend series at the plate against RCSJ-Cumberland and Cohen replaced him in Wednesday’s starting lineup. The Mighty Oaks completed the sweep of that series by winning Game 3 in the bottom of the 12th after tying the game on Demetrius DeRamus’ two-run homer in the 11th.

“Chris is a kid who has come a long way,” Holt said. “He’s really bought into a lot of the ideology we teach here. He works hard. There’s not a lot of consoling there. He’s a great teammate. He’s been a leader for us. I don’t think there’s anything to console there. I think he’s going to flush it and get after it.”

In addition to their rallies in the seventh and eighth innings, the Mighty Oaks answered Mercer’s two in the first with five in the bottom of the inning highlighted by Hacker’s go-ahead two-run single.

Holt said the rallies show the potential the Mighty Oaks have “if we play the game the way they’re taught that we can play with anybody and compete against anybody.”

ACORNS: Hacker still hasn’t given up an earned run as all six Mercer runs in the ninth were unearned. Only five of Mercer’s runs in the game were earned … Rodriguez hit his fifth homer of the season in the second inning and was 4-for-4 with four runs and three RBIs; he’s now hitting .397 for the season … Hacker had two hits and three RBIs. Murphy drove in two runs.

Mercer County CC	210 030 606-	18	12	0
Salem CC	510 000 230-	11	12	5

WP: Matt Juliano. LP: Seth McCormick. HR: Donald Gallagher (M), Yen Rodriguez (S).

Softball sweep

Salem CC erupts for 20 runs in first two innings of doubleheader, earns run-rule sweep of Raritan Valley

TUESDAY’S REGION 19 SOFTBALL
Salem 22-8, Raritan Valley 0-0
Lackawanna 12-15, Penn State-Hazelton 2-0
Mercer 15-20, Sussex 2-0

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – After a rough start to its return from its Carolinas swing, the Salem CC softball team needed something like Tuesday’s doubleheader sweep really bad.

The Mighty Oaks had lost three of their first four back in their neck of the woods – the last two in run-rule routs – but they turned it around at Watson Field with a 22-0, 8-0 run-rule sweep of Raritan Valley.

It helped to talk about it and that’s what a rainy Monday was all about.

“The good thing with the weather yesterday, it gave us a chance to kind of take a step back and actually review where we are so far in our season,” Mighty Oaks coach Angel Rodriguez said, “It’s still early, but it was a good reflection on what are things that are not going well, what are things we can adjust.

“We were able to sit down and actually talk about that as a group and I think every year when we do that it really does help. Whether you’re playing a really good team that the toughest team in the region, or a team that’s still going to give you headaches, there are adjustments you can make and we did that when we started out today.”

The Mighty Oaks (9-5) wasted no time jumping on the Lions (2-8). They erupted for 20 runs in the first two innings of the opener. Every player had scored at least once before the Mighty Oaks went through the lineup a second time (midway through the second inning).

They sent 14 batters to the plate in the first inning, 15 in the second. Their first three batters of the game were all hit by pitches and even their first out produced a run.

Callie Rozak had a pair of two-run singles in the nine-run first inning. She also had an RBI single in the 11-run second. That’s 3-for-3 with five RBIs in the first two innings, if you’re counting.

“The first two innings were just (about) getting ahead, getting that big lead,” Rozak said. “With bases loaded, just put the ball in play, put it hard in play, let’s get some runs in. We struggled getting on base the past couple games where we were swinging at pitches that aren’t ours; wait for yours, get a good hit and get the run in.”

Shortstop Ella Hayes seemed to get back on track. Her batting average had dropped more than 100 points since the Mighty Oaks returned from the Carolinas, although she did collect her 100th career hit last week, but she had a pair of hits in each game and reached base seven times in eight plate appearances.

She had an RBI double in the nightcap and scored all the way from second on Bella Rappa’s sacrifice bunt later in the inning.

“These games were definitely games we needed as a team, honestly just to correct our mistakes and errors,” Rozak said. “I was always told you can’t get better unless you make errors; errors you make you need to get better. I mean, if you’re batting a thousand percent there’s nothing to work on.”

The going was a little slower in the nightcap, but the Mighty Oaks took control with three runs in the third inning and walked it off with five in the fifth.

“It was nice to see the adjustment that we talked about come to fruition in the game; that was the most important part of it,” Rodriguez said. “We told them you’ve got to lock back in, get back to the fundamentals of our swing and really understand what we need to do to put those runs up and we were able to do that.”

It wasn’t only the hitting that showed out. Raegan Wilson and Jill Robinson both fashioned five-inning shutouts. Wilson gave up four hits in the opener, struck out six and had her shutout preserved when the Mighty Oaks cut down a runner at the plate for the game’s final out.

Robinson, who had gotten roughed up in three of her last four starts north and south and both northern starts last week, gave up only a third-inning leadoff single, allowed just three base-runners and got all her outs in the infield. She had given up 24 runs and 31 hits in 11 innings last week, but was a sharp as she’s ever been at Salem Tuesday.

“I was pretty grateful with the outcome; it was really good,” Robinson said. “I think these games were more of a working game for me, making sure I’m hitting my spots, hitting the pitches that are called, adjusting to the strike zone of the umpire. I think I did pretty good on that.

“It was definitely a relief compared to the last game. I came out of those games hoping to hit some spots and I wasn’t doing very good, but I stayed out of my head. This game I came in and did the job, I hit my spots, most of them anyway.”

“She went into the circle today a little bit more confident, you could definitely tell her presence,” Rodriguez said. “And when your team is making routine plays like they’re supposed to be doing and you’re pitching your game you’re going to feel that sense of relaxation. I definitely liked her adjustment today.”

The Mighty Oaks return to action Thursday in an added doubleheader at RCSJ-Gloucester (No. 4 JUCO Division III). Their scheduled doubleheader with Bucks County CC Sunday has been postponed … Rozak hurt her ankle stepping on a ball in the opener. She didn’t start the nightcap, but came off the bench as a pinch-hitter in the fifth and got another hit … Recruiting for 2026 is already in high gear. The Mighty Oaks already have signed eight players with two more out of state prospects expected. Among the signees are four pitchers and two local products – Savannah Palverento and Sawyer Simmons of Pennsville. The other pitchers come from Arizona, Washington and Ohio.

GAME ONE

Raritan Valley	000 00-	0	4	5
Salem CC	9(11)0 2x-	22	14	0

WP: Raegan Wilson. LP: Lily Bissett.

GAME TWO

Raritan Valley	000 00-	0	1	6
Salem CC	003 05-	8	8	0

2 outs when winning run scored.
WP: Jill Robinson. LP: Peyton Chie.

SALEM CC SOFTBALL SIGNEES
Jaylene Aguirre, 3B/C, Midland, Texas
Anouk Alzaga, P, Tucson, Ariz.
Jordyn Busch, P/UTIL, Defiance, Ohio
Ella Lyras, IF/OF, Mount Laurel
Savannah Palverento, P/IF, Pennsville
Jalyn Rambally, 2B/UTIL, Saskatoon, Canada
Sawyer Simmons, OF, Pennsville
Emme Witter, P/OF, Lake Stevens, Wash.

Mixed milestone

Salem CC shortstop Ella Hayes collects her 100th career hit, but Mighty Oaks swept at Delaware Tech

SUNDAY REGION 19 SOFTBALL
Delaware Tech 17-8, Salem CC 1-0
Raritan Valley 8-5, Bergen 7-4
Dutchess at Middlesex
Suffolk at Camden
Hudson Valley at Mercer
Lackawanna 9-2, Corning 8-6

By Riverview Sports News

GEORGETOWN, Del. – Ella Hayes collected the 100th hit of her JUCO career and it stood as the Salem CC’s only highlight as the Mighty Oaks were swept by Delaware Tech 17-1 and 8-0 Sunday.

Hayes, a sophomore shortstop from Kansas City, reached the milestone with a sharp two-out single to center field in the third inning of the nightcap. She needed two hits entering the doubleheader and had one in each game.

She has 25 hits in 12 games this season and is now batting .595 for the year.

The Mighty Oaks (7-5) were limited to four singles in each game. Their only run of the twinbill came in the fourth inning of the opener when Jolee Robinson scored after Del Tech misplayed Tiana Wilson’s two-out fly to left.

Chantelle Haskie had two hits for Salem in the opener.

Kylee Hill was the headliner for the Owls (12-2). She pitched the first game and went 3-for-4 with a homer and six RBIs at the plate. She played second base in the nightcap and went 3-for-3 with three doubles and three RBIs.

The Mighty Oaks return home Tuesday for a doubleheader against Raritan Valley.

Salem CC	000 10-	1	4	2
Delaware Tech	404 9x-	17	14	1

WP: Kylee Hill. LP: Jill Robinson. HR: Kylee Hill (D).

Salem CC	000 000-	0	4	2
Delaware Tech	006 101-	8	9	0

WP: Mara Everton. LP: Raegan Wilson.