Holt sees improvement as Salem CC baseball sweeps in Florida, softball sweeps in Carolinas
SALEM CC BASEBALL
Mighty Oaks 6-15, Northland C&TC 0-8
SALEM CC SOFTBALL
Mighty Oaks 14-15, Fayetteville Tech 3-3
By Riverview Sports News
AUBURNDALE, Fla. – Salem CC baseball coach John Holt is starting to see signs of his team coming around.
The Mighty Oaks scored the first wins of their Florida swing Wednesday when they swept Northland Community & Technical College 6-0 and 15-8.
“I think we’ve turned a corner,” Holt said.
Jared Vandersteur and J.D. Wilson combined on a four-hit shutout in the opener. Vandersteur went the first six and struck out six before Wilson set the Lumberjacks down in order with smoke in the seventh.
The Mighty Oaks took control of the game with a three-run second inning.
The bats came alive in the nightcap. The Mighty Oaks collected 14 hits. Matt Murphy had two hits and five RBIs, Demetrius DeRamus had two hits and three RBIs and Yen Rodriguez had two hits and two RBIs. Cole Dawson had a pair of doubles.
Murphy hit a three-run homer in the fifth, Rodriguez hit a two-run homer in the sixth. DeRamus had a two-run triple in the second and an RBI single in the fourth; both hits gave the Mighty Oaks the lead.
“We’re starting to come together as a team and playing better fundamental baseball,” Holt said. “The guys are taking a better approach at the plate and taking what the pitchers are giving us, and the pitchers have been competing.
“I’m excited to see how we finish up this trip and get ready for the north.”
SOFTBALL
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Salem CC softball team grabbed its first two wins of his North Carolina swing, sweeping Fayetteville Tech 14-3 and 15-3.
The Mighty Oaks pounded 18 hits – seven for extra bases – in the opener and 11 hits with four doubles in the nightcap.
Ella Hayes led the hit parade in the opener by going 4-for-5. Jocelyn Melendez and Callie Rozak both had two hits and three RBIs. Val Hatterer (two RBIs) and Tiana Wilson both had three hits.
They broke open the nightcap with nine runs in the sixth inning. Bella Rappa had three hits and two RBIs in the nightcap, while Melendez and Hatterer both had two hits and three RBIs.
Month: March 2025
Wildcard an ace
‘Special performances’ by Woolford, Jones spark second-half rally that carries Salem CC to its first ever win in the national tournament, faces second-seeded Mohawk Valley next in Elite 8
JUCO DIVISION III TOURNAMENT
First-round Games
(9) Dallas-Richland 73, (8) Northern Essex 68
(5) Herkimer 81, (12) Dallas-Mountain View 71
(10) Salem CC 72, (7) Riverland 67
(6) Union 76, (11) Genesee 66
Thursday’s Games
Northern Essex vs. Dallas Mountain View, 9 a.m.
Riverland vs. Union, 11 a.m.
Dallas-Richland vs. (1) Dutchess, 1 p.m.
Herkimer vs. (4) Sandhills, 3 p.m.
Salem CC vs. (2) Mohawk Valley, 6 p.m.
Union vs. (3) Minnesota State-Fergus Falls, 8 p.m.
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
HERKIMER, N.Y. — Everybody wanted to be the player to slide Salem CC’s name on the second line of the national championship bracket, but by the time all the players got over to the big board on the other side of the court they realized only one player truly deserved the honor.
Tivon Woolford has quietly been playing his role as a reserve all season for the Mighty Oaks, but he’s also known as the team’s wildcard. And Wednesday afternoon, in the biggest basketball game in school history, the wildcard played as an ace.
Together with A.J. Jones, the two guards provided the second-half spark that carried the Mighty Oaks to an historic 72-67 win over seventh-seeded Riverland (Minn.) CC for the program’s first-ever national tournament win in their first-ever appearance in the JUCO Division III tournament at Herkimer College.
The Mighty Oaks (24-7) now take on second-seeded and third-ranked Mohawk Valley (26-1), the No. 1 defensive team in the country, in the Elite 8 Thursday at 6 p.m.
“That’s a big win,” Mighty Oaks coach Mike Green said. “It takes special performances to win in March and Tivon and A.J. gave us that. They played probably one of their better games of the year and it worked out for us.”
Woolford played 18 minutes off the bench and scored eight points on 3-for-4 shooting from the floor. Jones played 19 minutes, scored seven points, including two game-sealing free throws with seven-tenths of a second to play, and had several deflections that disrupted by Blue Devils’ efficient offense.
All their points came in the second half. They hit back-to-back 3-pointers with four minutes left to snap a 60-60 tie and give the Mighty Oaks the lead for good.
“I thought I did really good today, that I pulled through for the team,” Woolford said. “The team needed some up energy. We needed some energy, points, defense, everything. I felt like I needed to go out there and improve for the team so we could get the win.”
“The whole season I’ve said he was the wildcard,” freshman guard Xavier Brewington said. “Tivon comes up for us whenever we need him. ““He’s unflappable, unflappable,” Green said. “He has the heart of a lion. He’s so out of it that he plays great in big games. He’s not bothered at all in big games. It’s like another walk in the park for him and he’s shown it time and time again.”
Woolford even saved the day at the big bracket, rushing in from the wings when Josh Ramos got fumbled with the backing on the placard and placed it on the proper line in the second round. The sophomore from Newark, Del., one of the last five remaining players from Green’s first half-season, was the player the team wanted to stick it there all along.
“We definitely feel like Tivon deserved it in this one because he stepped up,” Akeem Taylor said. “That’s the one thing about our team – any day a different player can step up.”
“I’m happy they let me do it because it shows they’ve got the trust in me and that confidence in me to go do my thing and I want to say thank you,” Woolford said. “It felt real good knowing I went out there and got the opportunity to do my thing and show who I really could be. It felt good putting our name up there and showing what we can be.”
It was another strong second-half that got the Mighty Oaks through. They trailed the former No. 1 ranked team in Division III by 10 at halftime after going nearly seven minutes without a field goal, hitting only 1-for-8 from 3-point range, recording only two assists and often getting caught by the shot clock.
In the second half, though, they were 7-for-11 from behind the arc, got better ball movement and held the Blue Devils (29-4) to 30 points while outscoring them by 15. They’ve outscored their three playoff opponents in the second half 126-106 and during their current six-game winning streak they’ve outscored their opponents by nearly 11 points a game in the second half.
“We’re a second-half team for some reason,” Brewington said. “I said in the locker room at halftime we’ve been here before, we’ve been through worse, we’ve got a lot of game left. We’ve got to play together and that’s what happens when we play together.”
“The second half we knew we had to bring it,” Jones said. “It wasn’t even about what works and what doesn’t work. It was about showing heart and grit. That’s what we brought the second half and we showed we were the better team.”
Taylor and Brewington combined for 21 points in the second half and finished with 18 points apiece to lead Salem’s offense. Brewington hit a pair of 3s at the start of the second half to get the Mighty Oaks back in the game. Jyheim Spencer, the top-ranked rebounder in the tournament, had a double-double with 14 points and 10 boards.
Spencer’s layup off a crisp entry pass from Jones gave the Mighty Oaks their first lead since 11-9 with 6:42 to play.
“Every game we play is history,” Taylor said. “Every game we win we’re making history.”
They sure don’t want it to end with the first one.
“We’re not done yet,” Green said. “We didn’t come here to win one game. We came here to win the tournament.”
SALEM CC 72, RIVERLAND CC 67
SALEM CC (24-7): Tamir Powell 0-6 2-2 2, Tyrese Fortune 0-5 2-2 2, Xavier Brewington 6-13 3-4 18, Akeem Taylor 8-18 1-3 18, Jyheim Spencer 6-8 2-3 14, Dontarius Jones 0-0 0-0 0, A.J. Jones 1-3 4-4 7, Tivon Woolford 3-4 0-0 8, Joshua Ramos 1-3 0-0 3, Rodney Shelton 0-0 0-0 0, Tajee Jordan 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-60 14-18 72.
RIVERLAND CC (29-4): Christian Campbell 7-15 3-4 19, Damar Jenkins 4-12 1-2 13, Buai Duop 5-9 0-0 12, Joe Poyser 4-7 2-4 10, Nazih Chehade 3-7 1-3 7, Gabe Hein 0-0 0-0 0, Lubab Kambalo 1-3 0-0 3, Rolph Blanc 0-2 0-0 0, Nick Edland 0-0 0-0 0, Jose Yepez 1-2 0-0 3. Totals 25-57 7-13 67.
| Salem CC | 27 | 45- | 72 |
| Riverland CC | 37 | 30- | 67 |
3-point goals: Salem 8-19 (Powell 0-2, Fortune 0-2, Brewington 3-6, Taylor 1-2, A. Jones 1-2, Woolford 2-2, Ramos 1-3); Riverland 10-25 (Campbell 2-7, Jenkins 4-10, Duop 2-4, Kimball 1-2, Blanc 0-1, Yepez 1-1). Rebounds: Salem 41 (Spencer 10, Taylor 6, Powell 5, Brewington 5); Riverland 31 (Chehade 9). Total fouls: Salem 13, Riverland 13. Officials: Jim Salamone, Keegan Ryan, Danny Greenwald.
It’s all good
Jones, Jordan playing new roles, but still big ones in Salem CC’s run to the national tournament; Mighty Oaks win 72-67 behind an unlikely hero, game story to come, box score below
JUCO DIVISION III TOURNAMENT
First-round Games
(9) Dallas-Richland 73, (8) Northern Essex 68
(5) Herkimer 81, (12) Dallas-Mountain View 71
(10) Salem CC 72, (7) Riverland 67
(6) Union 76, (11) Genesee 66
Thursday’s Games
Northern Essex vs. Dallas Mountain View, 9 a.m.
Riverland vs. Genesee, 11 a.m.
Dallas-Richland vs. (1) Dutchess, 1 p.m.
Herkimer vs. (4) Sandhills, 3 p.m.
Salem CC vs. (2) Mohawk Valley, 6 p.m.
Union vs. (3) Minnesota State-Fergus Falls, 8 p.m.
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
HERKIMER, N.Y. – To say A.J. Jones wasn’t a big fan of the new guy when Salem CC changed basketball coaches during the Christmas break last year wouldn’t be a proper characterization. Uncertain might be more like it.
One coach, the coach who signed him, had just left the team and the guard who was just starting his college playing career was concerned this next one wasn’t going to up and leave after getting the Mighty Oaks through the storm as well.
He wasn’t there to meet Mike Green when the new coach greeted the team for the first time, a faux pas the 6-1 sophomore from Wilmington apologized for the next time they practiced together.
“I kind of perceived it wrong,” he said.
It’s all good now, of course, and even though his role has changed Jones is a key part of the rotation, an instant energy guy off the bench, in the Mighty Oaks’ run to today’s debut in the JUCO Division III national tournament against Riverland (Minn.) CC.
“Under the circumstances it was like the coach left us, so is he going to leave, too,” Jones wondered. “But then I see he stuck it out with us. He actually helped our game get better.
“He was more invested than the last coach, honestly. I warmed up to him. We got used to each other and now he’s like an older brother, a dad. He ended up not quitting on us. I saw he was in for the long run and now we’re here.”
Of course, with all the new players Green brought in to establish his program, roles were going to change.
It impacted Jones and 6-6 center Tajee Jordan the most. Both were starters last season; now, they come off the bench.
Jones made 17 starts last season and averaged 11.9 points with 45 assists and 45 steals. This year he’s gotten fewer minutes, but he still brings the same energy and defense he has always contributed. He’s played in 29 games with only two starts, averaging 6.5 points with 36 steals and 46 assists.
“We want to play more guys, we want to wear other teams down,” Green said. “A.J. comes in and does a great job of that.”
“I’ve been the energy guy,” Jones said. “I had more of a role to score (last year) because we needed that. We didn’t have plenty of guys, but I have other guys to do that now; we can all just play a role to make a team. Last year we had a team but there were plenty of roles we were missing, (that’s) the reason we were where we were at. We were OK, but we weren’t the greatest.
“Every guy on this team can do the same thing I do and I feel like we all feed off each other. We give each other energy. It doesn’t matter who’s in or out of the game we just want to win. It feels good winning.”
Jordan was the Mighty Oaks’ man in the middle, providing scoring, rebounding and general beef. This year he’s been called upon rebound and clog up the middle when he has the physical mismatch.
It took a little getting used to, but, like Jones, he’s enjoying the cumulative result.
SALEM CC 72, RIVERLAND CC 67
SALEM CC (24-7): Tamir Powell 0-6 2-2 2, Tyrese Fortune 0-5 2-2 2, Xavier Brewington 6-13 3-4 18, Akeem Taylor 8-18 1-3 18, Jyheim Spencer 6-8 2-3 14, Dontarius Jones 0-0 0-0 0, A.J. Jones 1-3 4-4 7, Tivon Woolford 3-4 0-0 8, Joshua Ramos 1-3 0-0 3, Rodney Shelton 0-0 0-0 0, Tajt Jordan 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-60 14-18 72.
RIVERLAND CC (29-4): Christian Campbell 7-15 3-4 19, Damar Jenkins 4-12 1-2 13, Buai Drop 5-9 0-0 12, Joe Poyser 4-7 2-4 10, Nazih Chehade 3-7 1-3 7, Gabe Hein 0-0 0-0 0, Lubab Kambalo 1-3 0-0 3, Rolph Blanc 0-2 0-0 0, Nick Edland 0-0 0-0 0, Jose Yepez 1-2 0-0 3. Totals 25-57 7-13 67.
| Salem CC | 27 | 45- | 72 |
| Riverland CC | 37 | 30- | 67 |
Southern swept
Salem CC softball and baseball teams both suffer sweeps on their Southern swings
SALEM CC SOFTBALL
Wake Tech 9-11, Salem CC 8-4
SALEM CC BASEBALL
Prairie State 13-11, Salem CC 6-6
RALEIGH, N.C. – Salem CC’s softball southern swing got off to a soggy start and it didn’t go much better when they finally got on the field. The Mighty Oaks were swept by Wake Tech 9-8 and 11-4.
Their opening doubleheader with Southeastern CC-Whiteville Monday was washed out and pushed back to Thursday. They lost Tuesday’s opener on a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh then couldn’t get a shutdown inning in the nightcap.
Brianne Foster’s bases-loaded single with one out in the bottom of the seventh decided the opener.
The Mighty Oaks (4-2) rallied from deficits of 1-0, 6-3 and 8-5 to tie the game in the top of the seventh. Callie Rozak and Ella Hayes both hit two-run homers for Salem.
In the nightcap, Wake Tech (7-6) answered Salem’s 1-0 lead with a run in the second, erased Salem’s 2-1 lead with three in the third and scored four in the bottom of the fourth after the Mighty Oaks tied the game with two in the top of the inning.
BASEBALL
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Mighty Oaks were swept for the second straight day on their Florida trip, losing to Prairie State (Ill.) 13-6 and 11-6.
The Mighty Oaks (3-9) took a 3-2 lead into the fifth inning of the opener, but the Pioneers (3-3) erupted for eight runs to control of the game. Tyler Hacker hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning for Salem.
Jon Gambone followed his no-hitter with four solid innings for the Mighty Oaks. He gave up six hits, one earned run and struck out three without walking a batter.
A big inning did them in in the nightcap, too. The Mighty Oaks led 2-0 in the second, but the Pioneers scored three in the bottom of the second and six in the third.
Hacker had two more hits for Salem and pitched the final three innings without giving up a hit, but walking three and allowing an unearned run. Jason LeBold had two doubles and Chris Laute had two RBIs.
Ready to bark
Armed with as much info as possible on their opening-round opponent, Mighty Oaks take on Riverland CC in their first-ever basketball national tournament game
JUCO DIVISION III TOURNAMENT
Wednesday’s Game
(10) Salem CC vs. (7) Riverland CC, 4 p.m.
Thursday’s Game
Salem-Riverland winner vs. (2) Mohawk Valley, 6 p.m.
Salem-Riverland loser vs. Genesee-Union loser, 11 a.m.
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
HERKIMER, N.Y. – Mike Green posed the question on one of his social media platforms around 7 o’clock Sunday night when he was already four days into his research.
“Is there a such thing as over preparing?” he rhetorically asked to the world.
One of his good coaching buddies told him privately an emphatic no, which Green took to mean he was doing the right thing. At least in the way the second-year Salem CC basketball coach goes about his business preparing the Mighty Oaks for Wednesday’s 4 p.m. NJCAA Division III national tournament debut against Riverland (Minn.) CC here at Herkimer College.
Ever since the matchup went up on the selection show screen last Wednesday afternoon, Green has been burning the midnight oil, pouring over stats and whatever video he could find of the Mighty Oaks’ immediate and potential future opponents.
“I know he be up all night, I do know that,” sophomore guard A.J. Jones said. “He wants it as much as we do, if not more.”
That’s just his way. Once, when he was an assistant at Penn State, in charge of player development, he broke down film on all four of the Nittany Lions’ potential 2023 NCAA Tournament foes. That year, they beat Texas A&M in the first round for the program’s first NCAA Tournament win since 2001 and narrowly lost to second-seeded Texas in the Round of 32.
“I’m used to it,” Green said. “That’s all I’ve been watching, Riverland. I go over it piece by piece. I feel like I know their players as if they were in our league. We’re in the know.
“But I’m not playing, so the key is to get my guys to be so familiar with them as well.”
What the coach’s research has shown is Wednesday’s game will be a clash of styles and whoever imposes their will best will come out on top. The Mighty Oaks (23-7) like to get it and go, go, go, while the Blue Devils (29-3), in the national tournament for the third time in four years, want to slow you down.
The Blue Devils are averaging 86 points a game and rank sixth nationally in offensive efficiency, led by Christian Campbell (15.2 ppg), Nazih Chehade (14.9) and Damar Jenkins (13.2). But it’s the way they can run down the shot clock on defense that gives the appearance of a slower pace. They’re only allowing 67 points a game and give you on average about 60 shots. The Mighty Oaks have put as many as 90 in a game this year.
That approach had them No. 1 in the nation for 12 straight weeks this season before a two-game hiccup in early February dropped them back. Two of their losses have come to Minnesota State Community & Technical College, the No. 3 seed here and a potential semifinal opponent for one of these two teams.
“I wouldn’t say we play slow by any means,” Riverland coach Derrick Hahn said Tuesday night. “I think the good defense is kind of what slows the game down a little bit. But contrasting styles for sure.”
The Mighty Oaks are confident they can adjust. They played a slower, half-court game in their two Region 19/North Atlantic District games last week and beat CC of Philadelphia and Montgomery County CC, two teams that beat them in close games during the regular season. They didn’t press once in the district championship game against Montco.
“I feel like the team we have this year we can make anybody play how we want them to play if we just put our minds to it,” Jones said. “We’ve got dawgs on our team. We’re gonna bark.”
ACORNS: Green was undecided about the Mighty Oaks’ Wednesday pre-game routine as he left Tuesday’s welcoming banquet. It’ll either be a walk-through somewhere in the hotel or a shoot-around at nearby Mohawk Valley CC … The team practiced at the tournament site Tuesday morning. Green liked it. “It’s a shooter’s gym,” he said. “Hopefully our guys can get going” … If the Mighty Oaks lose Wednesday, the consolation game Thursday will be their final game in the tournament win or lose. If they win Wednesday, then lose in Thursday’s quarterfinals, they will continue to play until they lose again … The tournament committee drew random players from each team for a door prize at the welcoming banquet. Xavier Brewington was the lucky Salem player. He chose a canvas carry bag .. There are 431 schools across the NJCAA’s three divisions, 56 are still playing.
Sending ’em off
Salem CC basketball team leaves out for JUCO Division III national tournament to cowbells, cheers
JUCO DIVISION III TOURNAMENT
Wednesday’s Game
Salem CC vs. Riverland CC, 4 p.m.
Thursday’s Game
Salem-Riverland winner vs. Mohawk Valley, 6 p.m.
Salem-Riverland loser vs. Genesee-Union loser, 11 a.m.
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
CARNEYS POINT – With the sound of clanging green cowbells and cheers as a backdrop, the Salem CC basketball team received a rousing sendoff for the greatest adventure in the modern era of the school’s athletics program.
The Mighty Oaks pulled out of the parking lot a little after 1 o’clock Monday headed to Utica, N.Y., for their first-ever appearance in the NJCAA Division III national tournament at nearby Herkimer College.
They open their run towards a national championship Wednesday at 4 p.m. against seventh-seeded Riverland (Minn.) CC. The Mighty Oaks (23-7) are one of two unranked teams in the 12-team field and seeded tenth, in itself a source of motivation for the North Atlantic District B champions.
“There are only 12 teams there, we’re the tenth seed; I don’t feel we’re the tenth seed,” sophomore guard A.J. Jones said. “We’ve got dawgs on our team. We’re gonna bark.”
The team practiced in Dupont Fieldhouse before embarking on the trip and will see the tournament site for the first time when they practice Tuesday at 9 a.m. Riverland works out at 11.
The Blue Devils had a similar sendoff when they left Austin, Minn., Saturday and made a pit stop at Youngstown State to practice.
When the Mighty Oaks players wrapped up practice Monday they were welcomed back to the locker room with a spirit line comprised of faculty and friends.
“I think the whole campus community is exceptionally proud of what Coach (Mike) Green and the whole team has been able to accomplish in such a short time period,” athletics director Bob Hughes said. “And we’re standing behind them 100 percent as they hopefully make a run over these next couple days and we look forward to what it means for the future of not just the men’s basketball program but the whole athletic department.”
Hughes knows exactly what the Mighty Oaks are feeling as they embark on the trip. He had the same emotions when he took Rosemont to its first trip to the NCAA Division III national tournament as its head coach in 2019.
“I would say it’s about the same thing,” Hughes said as unwrapped the cowbells from their packaging. “Interesting, too, because Rosemont was historically all women (and then went co-ed and added men’s sports).
“Similar situation, I guess, you could compare it to the fact they canceled athletics and Bob (Bunnell) brought it back. I really think all of this is a testament to Bob Bunnell and the efforts he put towards raising this department back up. The fact that we’re here is directly related to the efforts he put in over his time here. I’m reaping the benefits.”
GOOD VIBES: Josh Ramos says he’s confident going into the national tournament and that makes the Mighty Oaks feel good all the way down to their roots.
Ramos is Salem’s designated sniper and he’s one of the top 3-point makers in the country. But lately his shot has been a little off.
He has 72 treys this season, ninth-most in JUCO Division III and 12 more than he had last season when he was 27th in 3s made and shooting percentage. He hit six in a late-season win over Luzerne, but has made only 7 of 27 in the six games since.
“I haven’t really been hitting as much as I want to, but I keep getting shots up and I’m still going to have high confidence going to nationals,” the sophomore said. “I feel really confident going into the game. Me not hitting shots is definitely a big thing, but I stay ready. My team is getting it done, I’ve gotta show up.”
Salem coach Mike Green knows how valuable Ramos is to the Mighty Oaks’ success. His skill set will be especially in demand if they win Wednesday’s opener. The winner meets No. 2 seed Mohawk Valley, who’ve build the No. 1 scoring defense in the division by demanding teams shoot over or get inside its zone defense.
“He’s the one,” Green said of Ramos. “He’s going to determine how far we go. His shot-making opens the game up.”
No pressure, right?
Ghosting the Phantoms
Salem CC sweeps twinbill, series from Delaware County CC, takes good vibes into trip to Florida
SATURDAY REGION 19 BASEBALL
Salem 13-10, Delaware County 2-6
Macomb CC 13, Ocean 4
Clark State 19, Ocean 1
Northampton 12, Clark State 5
Macomb CC 4, Northampton 2
Delaware Tech 11-12, Monroe Bronx 4-4
Middlesex 14-11, Lakeland CC 2-1
Monroe 6-3, Lackawanna 5-11
RCSJ-Gloucester 10-11, Bergen 1-0
Harford 4-15, Mercer 3-4 (G1, 8 inns.)
Camden 10-14, Bucks County 4-3
Cecil 11-16, Morris 4-12
RCSJ-Cumberland at Brookdale (2)
Sussex 8-5, Northern Essex 6-0
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
MEDIA, Pa. — The Salem CC baseball went into their weekend series with Delaware County CC looking to prove a point. They did it, emphatically, the old fashioned way — by winning.
The Mighty Oaks completed the sweep of their series with the Phantoms by sweeping Saturday’s doubleheader, 13-2 and 10-6.
The team didn’t take kindly to the way the Phantoms messed with them late in a game the Mighty Oaks were winning big in their late-season run to a playoff berth last year and more than a few of their personnel advocated burying them the next time they played.
To their credit, they didn’t resort to stealing bases or bunting runners over with a big lead or doing any of the other untoward things against the unwritten rules of the game. They simply played to win the game.
“We just played baseball,” Mighty Oaks coach John Holt said. “We had a guy get hurt (in that game) and that was the thing that kind of upset us a little bit. But it’s baseball, at the end of the day we’ve gotta play the game and we’re going to play the game the right way.
“There were things I wanted to get accomplished this weekend in regards to getting better and working on some of the fundamentals we had been lacking. We needed to prove to ourselves that we were better than what we had been playing. We had to work on some things and we had an opportunity to work on those things and I think we got better by seeing a little bit of success.”
They certainly set the tone early, like first-pitch early. Back in the leadoff spot for the first time this season, Yen Rodriguez opened the game by hitting the first pitch to right for a home run. The sophomore outfielder had two hits in each game, stole four bases in the opener and hit for the cycle in the doubleheader.
The leadoff homer touched off a five-run first that had the Mighty Oaks (3-5) off and running.
“We had to move him back to the leadoff spot because of Jason LeBold’s hamstring issue and he was a little nervous,” Holt said. “He talked to the coaches prior and we basically said in an 0-0 count, it’s a damage count, so it doesn’t matter if you’re the leadoff guy or the 3 guy or the 2 guy have a good approach and he really did focus on his approach today and it paid off for him.”
Rodriguez wasn’t the only Salem player to have a big day.
Demetrius DeRamus reached base three times in the opener, had two hits in the nightcap and stole five bases in the doubleheader. Tyler Hacker went 4-for-4 with four runs and five RBIs in the doubleheader. Cole Dawson went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases from the 9-hole in the opener and had four hits on the day.
Both starting pitchers gave the Mighty Oaks a chance. Game 1 starter J.D. Wilson started off a little shaky after waiting out the long visitors first, loading the bases with a single and two walks, then roared back to strike out the side. He finished with seven strikeouts in three innings and the four relievers that followed him gave up one earned run and fanned five more.
Nightcap starter Jared Vandersteur kept the Phantoms off the board through the first three innings and the Mighty Oaks gave him an 8-0 lead, so the four runs he allowed in the fourth were just an annoyance. He went five innings and struck out seven.
“We played well,” Holt said. “We’re not satisfied yet. We can continue to get better. Approach at the plate has gotten better and that’s something we’ve been trying to focus on. Defense we’re working on. Pitching, obviously, did a lot better.
All in all I’m happy with the sweep, but in the things we’re working on and the things we’re trying to get better I did see some significant improvement.”
The Mighty Oaks head out to Florida at 5:30 Sunday morning. They open play Monday with a doubleheader against Alexandria Tech & CC. Freshmen Pat Seitzinger and Seth McCormick are Salem’s scheduled starters. At some point in the 12-game trip the Mighty Oaks hope to see the much-anticipated debut of Fernando Rodney Jr., the son of the former MLB All-Star pitcher known for his 11 teams and crooked hat, out of the bullpen.
“Historically we normally like to get those games in before conference play,” Holt said. “With the conference expanding this isn’t so much a preparation for conference any more. It’s an opportunity to get ready for the rest of the conference season and kind of sure things up.”
GAME ONE
Salem CC 13, Delaware County CC 2
| Salem CC (2-5) | 512 200 3- | 13 | 10 | 1 |
| Delaware County CC (1-2) | 000 010 1- | 2 | 5 | 4 |
2B: Tyler Hacker (S). HR: Yen Rodriguez (S). WP: Wilson. LP: Davis.
GAME TWO
Salem CC 10, Delaware County CC 6
| Salem CC (3-5) | 103 411 0- | 10 | 11 | 3 |
| Delaware County CC (1-3) | 000 401 1- | 6 | 9 | 3 |
No-no for Gambone
Salem CC right-hander pitches his first no-hitter since high school, maybe Mighty Oaks’ first ever, in 18-2 rout of Delaware County CC
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
CARNEYS POINT — Jon Gambone has been on a long road back from multiple surgeries to return to the mound. It wasn’t that Friday night marked the end of the comeback trail, but it was a pretty good sign he’s moving in the right direction.
The big right-hander threw his first no-hitter since high school — four years ago — and maybe the first in Salem CC history after he fashioned a seven-inning gem in the Mighty Oaks’ first win of the season, 18-2 over Delaware County CC.
Gambone threw 82 pitches, mostly fastballs and sliders, to get through the Phantoms. He allowed only three base-runners — an infield error in the third, an outfield error in the fifth and two on errors and a full-count walk in the seventh — and faced only two batters over the minimum. He struck out 10.
It was a stark contrast to his first two starts when he had trouble finding the zone. Both lasted only three innings – 42 total batters – and yielded 13 hits, seven walks and 15 runs (10 earned). He did bring it back somewhat in his next two innings in the opener, but not in his second start against Brookdale, which he admitted had him down on himself.
“Honestly I did not see that coming at all,” Gambone said. “Actually I didn’t even I was throwing today. Found out when I got here that I was throwing, then had to get myself mentally right and then just went out there and did the best I could do.
“I don’t know how it happened, I just went out there. I tried not to think about it, too, throughout the whole game because I knew I had a no hitter. And nobody was talking to me. I knew that’s why it happened, too, because no one said the words.”
Mighty Oaks head coach John Holt couldn’t remember a no-hitter in his tenure with the team and neither could volunteer assistant John Green, the former head coach, in his. In addition to the 10 punch outs, Gambone got seven ground ball outs and three fly outs.
Gambone threw a five-inning no-hitter against Pilgrim Academy his senior year at Gateway (2021). He also was credited with a five-inning one-hitter against Woodbury as a sophomore. He’s since undergone a series of surgeries, including hip and Tommy John, that has kept him off the mound until this spring.
“It’s something,” Holt said. “For him coming back off of surgery and all the work that he’s put in, it’s well deserved. He works very hard. I’m happy to see the success he had. It’s been a long road for him to get back and … he’s starting to find his rhythm a little bit.”
The gem was the fourth no-hitter Salem catcher Angel Velez has caught in his career. He knew the pitcher had it in him.
“Gambone’s always good,” Velez said. “He goes out there and gives all he’s got every time. He doesn’t leave any in the tank.”
Actually, there was some uncertainty if Gambone would draw the start Friday. It originally was going to Jared Vandersteur, but then Holt got to thinking about the team’s upcoming trip to Florida, potential matchups there and who needed what time to recover and decided to give the ball to Gambone. Besides, the 6-4, 230-pound sophomore has been the Mighty Oaks’ regular Friday starter and the decision allowed Holt to keep that routine intact.
The Mighty Oaks (1-5) had been on the other side of games like Friday in each of their first five starts. This time they led wire to wire. Delco starter Hunter Whitten did keep their hitters off-balance early with breaking pitches, but they finally broke it open with six runs in the fifth and buried the Phantoms with nine in the sixth.
They had extra incentive for this one. They were miffed at the way Delco small-balled them to death in the sixth inning of a game Salem was leading 24-3 late last season and were anxious to show their displeasure Friday.
The tension was palpable, but Holt downplayed the revenge factor.
“We were just playing baseball,” he said.
The series concludes with a doubleheader at Delco Saturday before the Mighty Oaks fly off to Florida early Sunday morning.
Double time
Salem CC softball scores second straight sweep, this time behind breakout day by Ella Hayes, heads into Southern swing 4-0
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE — The first four hitters in the Salem CC softball lineup all have doubles Ls in their first name. As productive as they’ve been on the field, especially on this day, they’re the perfect combination to avoid doubles Ls in any doubleheader.
The First Four in the Mighty Oaks’ batting order Friday – Lilly Peverelle, Ella Hayes, Bella Rappa and Callie Rozak – were a combined 17-of-27 with 21 runs scored and 14 RBIs in a double run-rule sweep of Sussex County CC, 13-5 in six innings and 22-0 in five.
In last week’s season-opening sweep of Monroe Bronx, the four hit 3, 2, 5, 4 in the order and went 12-for-25 with nine runs and 11 RBIs. But against the Skylanders, Peverelle was penciled into the leadoff spot, Hayes stayed in the 2-hole, Rappa went third and Rozak hit cleanup.
“We kind of shifted a little bit to see what kind of spark we could get with this starting four lineup,” Salem coach Angel Rodriguez said. “Last week it was the bottom of our lineup that was finding ways on. Today, it was the top of the lineup doing what we were hoping they’d do.
“Hitting is contagious. They’re feeding off each other. They’re talking in between their at bats and it’s leading to their success right now. They had a very good day today.”
At the top of the list, but not the top of the lineup, was Hayes. The Skylanders, who were just getting outside for the first time season, simply couldn’t get her out.
The third-team JUCO All-American and reigning Region XIX Player of the Year, who incidentally wears a double number (11 – the same as her SCC baseball-playing boyfriend Chris Kelly), went 10-for-10 with six doubles, a grand slam, 19 total bases and 11 RBIs.
Hayes went 5-for-5 in each game with doubles in her first four at bats in the opener and the grand slam and eight RBIs in the nightcap. She also made a nice stop in the hole at short to start an inning-ending double play that killed a Skylanders threat in the nightcap.
“It felt great,” she said between games. “It definitely felt like a redemption from last game. I was just sick last game (and it) took a lot of energy from me, so today I brought extra energy since I lacked it last game.”
Going back to last week, the sophomore has reached base in her last 12 plate appearances (11-for-11 with a hit by pitch) and has failed to reach just three times in 20 PAs. She’s hitting .824 for the year (14-of-17) and definitely on pace for one of her goals — to hit .700 or better this season, which is certainly attainable if she meets another goal to be more aggressive at the plate and on the bases.
“She’s a ballplayer,” Rodriguez said. “She wasn’t named All-American and Player of the Year for no reason. She’s always looking to do the next best thing and the goals she sets she wants to go get them. I think today she found her groove. Picking up kind of where she left off last year with that game right there, so hopefully that continues to build for the remainder of the season.”
As for the others in the First Four …
Paverelle, who had the walk-off hit in the season-opening win, officially was 1-for-5 in the twinbill, but reached safely seven of nine times, scored seven runs and brought in three additional runs when the Skylanders misplayed balls she put in play. Rappa was 3-for-5 with a sacrifice and sac fly, four runs scored and reached base six times. Rozak was 3-for-7, on base five times and scored four runs. Even the Double-L who pinch-hit for Peverelle in the sixth inning of the nightcap, Polly Chavez, got a single.
“I don’t want to toot our own horn, but we’re very good,” Rappa said of the group. “We can see the ball very well, we can adjust really quickly and the communication is very good. They’re amazing. We get it going and the bottom keeps it rolling.”
After the year Hayes had last year there was some debate whether she would return to the Mighty Oaks for her sophomore year or opt for a bigger stage. Salem officials convinced her with another big year on the JUCO level she could command even more and better opportunities on the four-year market. Additionally, the new rule allowing JUCO players a fresh full eligibility slate at a four-year school made returning appealing.
The doubleheader itself followed almost the same script as last week’s sweep, except the Mighty Oaks didn’t have to win the first game in the bottom of the seventh. They did, however, have to come from behind after giving up three in the top of the first.
They took the lead with five in the second and continued to pour it on, walking it off on Rappa’s sacrifice fly in the sixth.
Then in the nightcap they scored nine in the first, highlighted by Hayes’ slam, and went for nine again in the third. They went on top last week with 11 in the first after walking off the opener.
Photo: The first four hitters in Salem CC’s softball lineup (L to R) Ella Hayes, Callie Rozak, Lilly Peverelle and Bella Rappa.
| GAME ONE | ||||
| Salem CC 15, Sussex 5 | ||||
| Sussex | 302 000- | 5 | 6 | 1 |
| Salem | 254 002- | 13 | 12 | 3 |
| GAME TWO | ||||
| Salem CC 22, Sussex 0 | ||||
| Sussex (0-2) | 000 00- | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Salem (4-0) | 909 4x- | 22 | 17 | 0 |
TCC All-Stars
Here are the boys all-star teams of the Tri-County Conference Classic and Diamond Divisions as voted on by the coaches
| CLASSIC DIVISION | |
| FIRST TEAM | SECOND TEAM |
| Elijah Crispin, Pitman | Princeton Sackor, Clayton |
| Jack Mustaro, Gloucester Cath. | Carlos Mendez, Gloucester Cath. |
| Tymear Lecator, Salem | James Fritz, Clayton |
| Brian Cunniff, Wildwood | Deshaan Williams, Salem |
| Michael Fisicaro, Pitman | Hudson Rue, Pitman |
| DIAMOND DIVISION | |
| FIRST TEAM | SECOND TEAM |
| Kenny Smith, Glassboro | Karon Ceaser, Penns Grove |
| Lamar Little, Overbrook | Roman Gipson, Penns Grove |
| Zair Green, Overbrook | Blake Bialecki, Woodstown |
| Xavier Sabb, Glassboro | Xavier Wright, Overbrook |
| Rocco String, Woodstown | Reggie Allen, Schalick |
LIBERTY DIVISION
First Team: Luke VanAuken, Delsea; Ayden Chopstick, Deptford; Asa Wharton, Timber Creek; Christopher Stowell, Timber Creek; Talen Walsh, Triton
Second Team: C.J. Atkings, Timber Creek; Kasir Baker, Triton; Jaylen Williams, Highland; Jordan Williams, Deptford; Jelani Poles, Delsea
ROYAL DIVISION
First Team: Nasir Williams-Bey, Kingsway; Luke Andres, Clearview; Mike Hart, Kingsway; Gevon Conrad, Washington Twp.; Mark Hallman, GCIT
Second Team: Caprice Stewart, Clearview; T.J. Collier, Kingsway; Michael Stanwood, GCIT; Reggie Brown, Williamstown; Pietro Fornasiero, Washington Twp.
Riverview Sports News 