Pursuing the dream

Woodstown’s Chase Swain is looking to make an impression, increase draft stock, playing in the MLB Draft League

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

TRENTON – All Chase Swain has ever wanted since he was an 8-year-old swinging away in the local Little League is a chance to play in the big leagues. He’s closer to that dream today than he has ever been before, and with a productive next couple of weeks and a little good fortune he could be even closer still.

The former Woodstown standout just completed his first week with the undefeated Trenton Thunder of the MLB Draft League where prospects already on the radar of major-league scouts put their skill on display in the run up to next month’s amateur draft.

Swain has played summer league ball before, but not with stakes this high. As an older prospect he doesn’t have as much leverage as the kids coming out of high school, but he just wants a shot.

“The competition is definitely a bit of a step up,” he said. “It’s kind of cool because everybody’s got the same goal. In summer leagues prior I feel like some guys are trying to kind of sharpen their tools and get ready for school, but these guys are trying to be seen to get a call in July. It’s a step up in competition but at the end of the day it’s just baseball. It’s the same game. You can’t make it more than it is because once you start making it more than it is and start thinking about July you kind of forget what you’re doing it for.

“Of course I want a call in July like anybody else. I’m doing it for the 8-year-old kid of me that was dreaming of things like this. Looking up in the crowd last night, it was Little League Night and they had a ton of promotions and there were kids when I was there age I was walking around the outfield and now I’m one of those guys. I dreamed of being in that position. I’m really blessed to be in the position that I am now and forever comes comes. It’s God’s plan. It’s really cool.”

The clock, of course, is ticking. His contract with the Thunder expires July 5. That’s 29 games to make a final impression.

**Woodstown’s Chase Swain (C) is flanked by his dad Jack and uncle, Reg Williams, after a recent game with the Trenton Thunder. (Submitted photo)**

If Swain does go in the draft, the guess is between Rounds 10 and 20, depending on how well he does here. If he doesn’t, there’s always the free agent route. He’s already had invites for private workouts from a couple undisclosed teams. If he is drafted, he’ll be the first player from Salem County to go since Pennsville’s Max Dineen was taken in the 35th round by the Reds in 2018.

Until then, it’s wait and hope and continue to work.

“I can’t predict the future, but as long as I continue to do what I’ve done the last four years of my career I think a back-end draft of a free agent signing is totally in my cards,” he said. “Professional baseball is what I want to do. I don’t want to go get a ‘real’ job, but at the same time I’ve put a very, very strong college career together and I’m throwing it all the wall right now.”

He’s off to a slow start at the plate – just 1-for-11 going into Tuesday’s first road game at the West Virginia Black Bears – but he hasn’t seen live pitching since the end of his college season at LaSalle. Still, he continues to put in the work at the ballpark as if he’s hitting .400 – he had 250 hits in his college career — and even though his average is down he’s shown his versatility by playing multiple positions in the field and done some neat things on and off the field every night to endear himself to his new team and its fans.

He led off the Thunder’s season opener with a walk, quickly stole second and scored their first run of the season. The next night he delivered a go-ahead two-run single that put the Thunder up 3-2, was named Player of the Game and then spent time after the game visiting with fans and signing autographs until they closed the gates. He has three stolen bases.

“I haven’t seen live pitching in a little while, but I’m trusting what I’ve got works,” he said. “At the end of the day it’s baseball. I know I’m going to get going, just trust what I got and enjoy the moment.

“You’re not guaranteed tomorrow. You’re not guaranteed a spot in July, so I’m just being where my feet are and enjoying the moment. I’m not trying to make this more than it is. I’m not trying to feel all the pressure, even though pressure is a privilege, at the same time I’m just trying to have fun, be with my teammates and work hard.

“I can’t be mad at myself if I feel like I did everything I can to prepare for tonight’s game. All I can control is if I’m going in there competing and that’s what we’re going to go do. I’m going to the yard to compete tonight.”

**Chase Swain heads back to the dugout after being interviewed as the Trenton Thunder’s Player of the Game. (Photo by Jack Swain)**

Caught in the Draft

Here is a list of Salem County players taken in the MLB Draft over the years

YEAR	PLAYER	TEAM	RD	LEV
2018	Max Dineen, Pennsville	Reds	35
2016	Mike Shawaryn, Carneys Point (Maryland)	Red Sox	5	MLB
2016	Troy Sieber, Salem (St. Leo)	Astros	24	A
2013	Mike Shawaryn, Carneys Point (Gloucester Cath)	Royals	32
2000	Mark Freed, Pennsville (Miss. State)	Cubs	24	AAA
1996	Mark Freed, Pennsville	Pirates	24
1984	Lex Bleckley, Pennsville (Delaware)	Expos	18	A
1981	Lex Bleckley, Pennsville	Royals	13
1969	Bobby Gallagher, Pennsville	Reds	8	AA
1968	Lee Ware, Salem (Rowan)	Twins	31	A

Top photo: Chase Swain draws a walk in his first at-bat of the season with Trenton Thunder of the MLB Draft League. He later stole second and scored the team’s first run of the season. (Photo by Michael Olechowski)

Bound Brook finals bound

Central Jersey champions end Pennsville’s season, title dream in Group 1 semifinals, keeps own hopes alive

GROUP 1 SEMIFINALS
Bound Brook 7, Pennsville 2
Dayton 1, Indian Hills 0

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE — Two teams looking to make some program history played for their first trip to the state championship game in in generations Monday and the one that came the farthest both literally and logistically came out on top.

Bound Brook, the Central Jersey champions that had come 100 miles down the turnpike for a chance to reach their first state final since 1997, scored four runs in the eighth inning after Pennville tied the game in the seventh, to win the state semifinal 7-3. The Crusaders (16-12) will play Dayton (18-12) for the Group 1 state softball title 11 a.m. Friday at Ivy Hill Park.

“My pitcher (Isabella Marusiak) got injured in the middle of the season and she was out for a few weeks so then we’re thinking we’re never going to get there,” Bound Brook coach Shannon DeLuca said, “but she came back stronger than ever and she literally leads us here.”

The Eagles (18-8) were looking to return to the state finals for the first time since they won it all in 2008 and they gave themselves a chance rallying from two runs down in the last inning to keep those hopes alive.

They were down to their last strike in the seventh inning when the heart of their order tied the game and forced extra innings. Avery Watson doubled home Kylie Harris to make it 3-2 and Kenzie Widener doubled home Watson to the tie game.

Up until that point the Eagles struggled to deliver with runners in scoring position. They collected 12 hits and threatened in virtually every inning, getting a runner to second with one out six times, but each time Marusiak rose to the challenge and got out of the jam. They left six runners in scoring position over the first six innings, eight in the game and 10 total, including bases loaded (with one out) in the fourth.

“We couldn’t get that hit,” Pennsville coach Beth Jackson said. “We made contact. A couple hits here and there, maybe hold them, it might be a different story.”

Marusiak said he doesn’t change anything in her approach when teams put runners in scoring position. She just rises to the occasion.

“She’s a fighter,” DeLuca said. “It doesn’t matter who’s at the plate, she’s gonna battle. She goes right at them.”

“I enjoy playing under the pressure,” Merusiak said. “I think the pressure adds so much excitement and I just own it and play my game.”

The Crusaders are now 9-2 and have won seven in a row since Marusiak returned from a back issue in mid-May.

“She pitched an amazing game, she kept us on our toes all game – they all did,” Eagles catcher Kylie Harris said. “They had a great defense and they did what they were supposed to do, so we all just have to tip our hats.”

Pennsville’s game-tying rally didn’t deter the Crusaders in the least. They’ve been in this situation before. They won the Central Jersey title by by answering in the eighth and tenth innings after Florence took the lead in the top of each inning.

They reached Pennsville pitcher Graillyn Weber for five hits in the eighth, seeing her for the fourth time in the game. The first batters of the inning delivered singles, Ava Dedousis singled home the go-ahead run, Lily Caprara followed with an RBI single and Brianna Gurczeski broke it open with a two-run single.

“That was a mood killer,” Harris said, “but I think they were just making contact. Graillyn can only pitch so many innings without them knowing what she throws and that’s not on her. They did a great job adjusting to what she was throwing and did what they were supposed to do.”

The Eagles tried not to go quietly. Taylor Bass opened their eighth by reaching second when the Crusaders threw away her infield single. But as had been the case all game, she was left there.

“The girls have nothing to hang their heads about; I’m proud of them,” Jackson said. “It’s been 18 years since we won South Jersey. It’s going to hurt now, be upsetting – they had high hopes and they were so close – but in the overall scheme of things they should be very proud of themselves, because I am.”

**Pennsville pitcher Graillyn Weber runs Bound Brook’s Lili Caprara back to the bag during a fourth-inning rundown between third and home.**

Bound Brook 7, Pennsville 3

BOUND BROOK		PENNSVILLE
Mia Marusiak, 3b	4010	Lily Edwards, cf	5010
Kathy Reyes, cf	3110	Graillyn Weber, p	4120
Rachel Gurczeski, ss	4331	Kylie Harris, c	4120
Isabella Marusiak, p	4111	Avery Watson, ss	4111
Ava Dedousis, c	4111	Kenzie Widener, 1b	4021
Lili Caprara, 2b	4121	Reagan Wariwanchik, 2b	4010
Jadyn Marold, lf	2000	Taylor Bass, rf	4020
Brianna Gurczeski, 1b	4012	Gianna Evans, 3b	4100
Megan Jannuzzi, rf	4000	Gracie Mease, lf	4000

Bound Brook	000	210	04-	7	12	2
Pennsville	001	000	20-	3	12	2

2B: Isabella Marusiak (BB)Kylie Harris 2 (P), Avery Watson (P), Kenzie Widener (P).

Bound Brook	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Isabella Marusiak (WP)	8	12	3	0	0	8
Pennsville
Graillyn Weber (LP)	8	12	7	5	0	4

Pennsville centerfielder Lily Edwards reaches up to show the umpires the ball after making a run-saving catch on a sinking liner to end the fourth inning. Top photo: Shortstop Avery Watson prepares to relay a throw home to nail Bound Brook’s Isabella Marusiak (11). (All photos by Michelle Pedrick)

Stone cold

Hassler provides 4 1/3 innings of one-hit, shutout relief, locks down Woodstown’s 2-0 win over Maple Shade for Wolverines’ first South Jersey Group 1 baseball title since 2022 state title; play at Pt. Pleasant Beach in state semis

GROUP I SECTIONAL FINALS
Friday’s games
SOUTH: Woodstown 2, Maple Shade 0
CENTRAL: Pt. Pleasant Beach 9, Shore 1
NORTH I: Pompton Lakes 3, Waldwick 0
NORTH II: Cedar Grove 11, Hanover Park 5

GROUP I FINAL FOUR
Monday’s games
Woodstown (21-8) at Pt. Pleasant Beach (18-6)
Pompton Lakes (21-7) at Cedar Grove (20-9)

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
June 14, 4 p.m., at Rutgers

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – In the playoffs it’s never too early to get a second pitcher ready. The only sin is waiting until it’s too late.

Stone Hassler was sent down to the Woodstown bullpen four batters and a mound visit into Friday’s South Jersey Group I championship game against Maple Shade. It’s not that Blake Rodriguez was pitching badly, a little tight maybe, but Wolverines coach Marc DeCastro just wasn’t comfortable with what he was getting from his starter.

So Hassler was off. It was a hasty dash from his bench, behind home plate, past the Wildcats’ bench and on down the left field line. Once he got to the pen he was up throwing every time the Wildcats got a man on base.

DeCastro eventually brought him in with two out and two on in the third inning, and stayed with him the rest of the game.

The sophomore right-hander was as sharp as he’s ever been since returning from a mid-season elbow issue. He gave up only one hit the rest of the game – a leadoff single in the seventh inning – and finished off a 2-0 win that gave the Woodies (21-8) their first sectional baseball crown their state title year of 2022.

They will play at Point Pleasant Beach in the state semifinals Monday. The Garnet Gulls (18-6) beat Shore Regional, 9-1.

“It’s all hands on deck,” DeCastro said. “I didn’t love the way that Blake threw early and I wanted to make sure we didn’t spot them anything. It’s hard to come back in these games.

“I’m pretty sure before Clayton we had (Hassler) down there before Pitch One. I say this to these guys all the time: There is no room in these games to hope that it gets better; you have to find someone to shut the door. When you’re down 3-0 in a state tournament game the first inning it feels insurmountable. If I don’t like the way things are going I’ll treat the first inning like it’s the sixth and make sure that we stay there and figure out the rest of the game later.”

Feeding the Wildcats a steady diet of fastballs, Hassler struck out six and walked two in the longest outing of his career; he had gone four innings three times before, once this year. He faced only two batters over the minimum thanks to a pair of inning-ending double plays – a nifty 3-6-3 between first baseman Drew Sutton and shortstop Tommy Tucci in the fourth and an around-the-horn variety in the sixth. Hassler said he was in the groove the minute he entered the game and after that 3-6-3 double play completed his first full inning he was “ready to shut that team down.”

“I’ve never seen Stone more locked in in my life,” catcher Ty Coblentz said. “He proved himself today. He proved to himself he could be a great varsity pitcher and can lead us through a South Jersey final.”

“I wouldn’t have said he would have thrown that much if you would’ve asked me before the game,” DeCastro said. “The whole day I was trying to figure out who’s going to get the last three outs if we got there. I had different people in mind for their lineup and different people I wanted. Honestly, I probably should’ve gone to the lefty. I was riding Stone until I felt uncomfortable.

“He was coming out for the kid he got out in the end. I rolled the dice a little bit there. If I had to do that 10 times I probably would make a sub six times, but he hasn’t thrown that much in a long time. Going into the year I was hoping I could count of him and he got a little bit injured and has fought his way back. He’s been ready for this for a while, he just hasn’t had the opportunity.”

Stone Hassler celebrates coming off the mound after getting the final out in Woodstown’s 2-0 win for the South Jersey Group I baseball title. Top photo: The Wolverines rally around the championship trophy. (Photos by Michelle Tucci)

While Hassler was putting up zeroes, the Wildcats weren’t giving up anything easily, either. Tucci gave the Wildcats the lead with a solid RBI single in the third – to make Hassler the pitcher of record – and Chase Harding hit his third homer in four playoff games in the fourth to add some insurance.

It may have been only one run, but once Tucci broke the ice, it “opened up the game a lot. It took a lot of pressure off everyone’s shoulders.”

They really were loose after Harding’s homer, although he doesn’t remember a lot about it.

“I was just hunting fastball,” he said. “I got it and took it for a strike outside; kind of beat myself up. The second pitch I got a fastball inside and fouled it off and third pitch was just a blur.”

The Wolverines showed the character of their program before the game. Shortly after Maple Shade arrived at the field, Coblentz went over to the Wildcats bench on behalf of Wolverines and handed their coaches an envelope containing a card signed by all the players and a small amount of cash as a token of support for Xavier Taylor, the Maple Shade 12-year-old who was critically injured after being struck in the neck with an errant throw in May.

It was a purely player-driven initiative. DeCastro had no idea they were going to do that, but said the gesture “says a lot about who these kids are.”

“I texted the (team) chat and told them it’d be really nice if we got a card and gave them a little bit of help,” Coblentz said. “It might not be much but I feel like anything helps at this point.”

Woodstown designated hitter Chase Harding (L) is about to jump into the arms of his jubilant teammates after hitting a solo homer in the fourth inning Friday. Top photo: Stone Hassler delivers a pitch in the longest outing of his career.

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I CHAMPIONSHIP

MAPLE SHADE (0)		WOODSTOWN (2)
Luke Voiro, cf	3000	Walker Battavio, cf	2010
Anthony Schafer, lf	2000	Luke Fraley, 3b	2100
Cole Mulcahy, ss	2000	Ty Coblentz, c	3000
Chase Blum, 2b	2010	Drew Sutton, 1b	3010
Aaron Wells, c	2000	Tommy Tucci, ss	2011
Nick Stanton, dh	2000	Sol Elmer, rf	2010
RJ Bozarth, p-3b	3000	Colton Williams, rf	1000
Eddie Leahy, 1b	3020	Blake Rodriguez, p	0000
Michael Smith, rf	3000	Stone Hassler, p	1000
Braydon Morgano, 3b	0000	Ray Denham, cr	0000
Chad Blum, p	0000	Noah Williams, lf	3000
		Chase Harding, dh	3111
		Talyn Priore, 2b	0000

Maple Shade	000	000	0-	0	5	0
Woodstown	001	100	x-	2	3	0

2B: Eddie Leahy (MS). HR: Chase Harding (WO).

Maple Shade	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K
R.J. Bozarth (LP)	5	5	2	2	3	2
Chad Blum	1	0	0	0	1	2
Woodstown
Blake Rodriguez	2.2	2	0	0	3	2
Stone Hassler (WP)	4.1	1	0	0	2	6

**Tommy Tucci is congratulated by his Woodstown teammates after driving in the first run of the game with an RBI single in the third inning. (Photo by Michelle Tucci)**

A li’l Birdie told ’em

Pennsville puts all the elements together to walkoff Woodstown 10-0 for its first softball sectional title since 2008; Group 1 final four set

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – Clean defense and sharp pitching are keys to survival in post-season play.

Pennsville got both Thursday, on top of its usual solid hitting, and now is a South Jersey Group 1 softball sectional champion for the first time since 2008 after blanking county rival Woodstown 10-0.

The Eagles (18-7) now host Central Jersey champion Bound Brook (15-12) in the Group 1 state semifinals Monday at 4 p.m. The Crusaders beat Florence 4-3 with two runs in the bottom of the tenth.

“Oh, this is fantastic,” centerfielder Lily Edwards said after the celebration died down. “The last time it happened was (a month before) when I was born. It’s fantastic.”

“I don’t even know what to say I’m so happy; this doesn’t even feel real,” catcher Kylie Harris said. “We came in today all nervous and worried because this is obviously a big game but then we saw our entire community come out and support their girls team. Having the community behind us and being in Pennsville, that’s what makes it so special.”

Graillyn Weber pitched a shutout in the circle and delivered the walk-off double in the sixth inning. She gave up three hits and struck out four, including the side in order in the fifth. She didn’t allow a hit and only one base runner after Ellie Wygand’s single (her second hit of the game) with one out in the third inning.

She has allowed only one run in 25 playoff innings.

“I threw pretty well,” Weber said. “I don’t think I threw actually my best game but I think I was avoiding the middle of the strike zone and not making every pitch so hittable.”

**Pennsville’s Graillyn Weber pitched a complete-game three-hit shutout and has allowed just one run in 25 playoff innings. (Photo by Michelle Pedrick)**

Interestingly, Weber wasn’t a pitcher until recently and really wasn’t certain she was going to be the Eagles’ main pitcher this season. She was one of three options they were considering before the season started. But there she was, pitching in the sectional championship game, something she never could have imagined just a few years ago.

The Eagles weren’t sure how the rotation would look this season and used their two scrimmages to figure it out. On a cold and miserable day at Absegami, coach Beth Jackson gave Weber a shot and she grabbed it with both hands.

“She went out and started that (scrimmage) and it went from there,” Jackson said. “We talked about it and she said, yeah, give me the ball. She wanted it so I said let’s go for it and see how it goes. She wanted to do it for her team. She’s an athlete, you can put her anywhere, but that’s where she is and that’s where she’s done her job this year by far.”

“It kind of started maybe in Upper Little League, 12U going up,” Weber said. “I never pitched for my travel team and probably never will. I like it a lot now. I definitely got a lot better.

“I was definitely like the second or third (option), but as soon as I got to high school I knew I’d have to pitch a little bit more and really got it going and learned how to do some spins myself. I was prepared. I think I was ready for it. I wasn’t super nervous or anything. My first game I was definitely more nervous than I should’ve been, but I ended up doing pretty good.”

Good enough to pitch in 19 games this season, nine of which she’s given up fewer than two earned runs.

The Eagles played a relatively clean game behind her, fielding all 12 chances in the infield that are typical of Weber’s outings. They made one error on a tailing fly ball that glanced off Edwards’ outstretched glove. They’ve made only two errors in the playoffs. The Wolverines, meanwhile, were charged with five errors in the game, all of which either wound up scoring or led to a run being scored

“Graillyn’s been our primary pitcher for most of our games and we always need to be there to back her up because everyone feels it when an error is made in the field and we need to keep each other up,” said Avery Watson, who flawlessly fielded four grounders at her shortstop position. “I put a lot of work in just so I can support my pitchers because I love ’em and they always do a great job.”

“We always talk about those controllables and that’s what you control, making those plays,” Jackson said. “If you make those plays you support your pitchers. She doesn’t have to throw as much and everybody just comes together and you get those 21 outs that you need. That’s key. You only need one run to score (to win) a game if you play good defense.”

**Pennsville’s Kylie Harris reacts to her RBI double in the Eagles’ five-run fifth inning against Woodstown. (Photo by Michelle Pedrick)**

So the Eagles played good defense and got more than one run. They led wire-to-wire. They scored a run in the first when Edwards raced home from third on a pitch that got past the catcher. They added another in the third on Edwards’ RBI single, two in the fourth on back-to-back doubles by Watson and Kenzie Widener and a run-scoring ground out by Taylor Bass, and broke it open with five in the fifth.

They walked it off in the sixth when Gracie Mease reached second on a leadoff error, Edwards was intentionally walked and Weber powered a game-ending double to the left centerfield gap.

“The last time we played them they scored three (in the first) and we had to battle from behind (to win),” Edwards said. “Playing from in front gave us a lot more confidence.”

The loss snapped Woodstown’s 10-game winning streak. The Wolverines beat county rival Schalick in the first round of the playoffs, then allowed only one run in their two playoff games. They were playing in their first sectional final since 1979.

“We’re a better team than Pennsville, but today they were a significantly better team, I’ll just say that,” Woodstown coach Rob Hilderbrand said. “Today they outplayed us and beat us in every facet of the game. Do I think we’re still at better team at heart, yeah, but they just beat us today.”

After the immediate celebration and all the pictures, the team retired to the side of their storage trailer where coach Beth Jackson removed tape from a banner that revealed the newest year of an Eagles sectional title. She then got the traditional water bucket shower courtesy of Edwards and Bass.

“We just kind of thought about it in the moment,” Edwards said. “You watch like the big moments on the TV and it’s like, ‘Oh, shoot, let’s do this. She deserves it.”

The coach certainly appreciated it on such a hot day and gave a little shimmy at the end to show it.

“It feels good,” Jackson said.

Pennsville 10, Woodstown 0

WOODSTOWN (0)		PENNSVILLE (10)
Ellie Wygand, cf	3020	Lily Edwards, cf	3111
Talia Guardascione, ss	3000	Graillyn Weber, p	4111
Leah Clark, p	3000	Kylie Harris, c	3111
Kendall Young, 3b	3000	Avery Watson, ss	3221
Maddie LaPalomento, 1b	2000	Kenzie Widener, 1b	3222
Grace Hitchner, dp	2000	Reagan Wariwanchik, 2b	3010
Ava White, cr	0000	Taylor Bass, rf	3001
Karly Spears, lf	2010	Gianna Evans, 3b	2100
Macie Moore, 2b	2000	Gracie Mease, lf	3200
Emma Hitchner, c	2000
Mattie Mesmer, rf	0000

Woodstown	000	000-	0	3	5
Pennsville	101	251-	10	9	1

WP: Graillyn Weber. LP: Leah Clark. 2B: Ellie Wygand (WO), Watson 2 (P), Kylie Harris (P), Kenzie Widener (P), Graillyn Weber (P)

GROUP 1 SECTIONAL FINALS
Thursday’s games
SOUTH: Pennsville 10, Woodstown 0, 6 inns.
CENTRAL: Bound Brook 4, Florence 3, 10 inns.
NORTH I: Indian Hills 2, Midland Park 0
NORTH II: Dayton 5, Whippany Park 4

GROUP I FINAL FOUR
Monday’s games
Bound Brook (15-12) at Pennsville (18-7), 4 p.m.
Dayton (17-12) at Indian Hills (20-8)

Pennsville second baseman Reagan Wariwanchik cleanly fields a grounder during Thursday’s South Jersey Group I championship game. Solid defense has been one of the keys to the Eagles’ playoff success. (Photo by Michelle Pedrick)

Indeed a Blessing

Once facing an uncertain future due to staff cuts, Jamie Blessing returning to teaching and coaching as a softball assistant at Pennsville

By Brian Tortella
Special to Riverview Sports News

Jamie Blessing sat in her usual seat behind the left side of the fence.

With a typical focused look in her eyes and a white notepad in her hand, the GCIT head softball coach arose from her stool to direct her players at third base.

Under her guidance on that beautiful May evening, the Cheetahs overcame a two-run deficit and upended Williamstown in a Tri-County Royal Division matchup.

Business went as usual. The players lined up for postgame handshakes, and Blessing caught up with Braves coach Dan Torcasio, a longtime divisional rival and friendly foe, at home plate. Afterward, senior night was celebrated.

In Blessing’s eyes, this year’s GCIT program was one of the best, “if not the best,” she has ever coached, and it was her responsibility to guide the Cheetahs to achieve their maximum potential.

But as she walked off the field with husband Kyle and their 7-month-old son Braxton that night a dire reality loomed.

Blessing, who just completed her third year teaching health and physical education at the Sewell-based school, received a Reduction in Force letter two days before the game, official notice that her teaching position has been slashed for the upcoming 2026-27 school year.

The RIF letter came less than two months after Blessing received a Rice Notice on March 16, just a month after she returned from maternity leave. In New Jersey, a Rice Notice is a required 48-hour advance notification sent to public employees, such as school staff, when a Board of Education intends to discuss their specific employment, performance or termination in a closed, private session.

“I started school in September and I had my son Braxton on October 5, so I literally worked up until the day,” Blessing said. “So, I’ve been out on maternity leave from October until the first week of February. I’m grinding, doing my job, doing everything I need to do, and then I received a notice that my job was up in discussion for next year.

“I was extremely shocked. It made myself sick, I was sick. I had to literally ask, ‘What is this Rice letter?’ Everyone was like ‘Oh, don’t worry about it, they give them out when they’re discussing anything about your job, don’t worry about it, don’t worry about it.’”

But the following morning, she realized it wasn’t just a normal notice given to the majority of staff.

According to Blessing, she was just one of five teachers that received notice, which was certainly not what she initially expected. Among others, head boys tennis coach Jeff Ferraino’s health and physical education position was also slashed.

The elimination of numerous positions seemingly appears to be sweeping school districts across the Garden State during this grueling budget season. According to media reports, many school districts are facing layoffs just to stay afloat.

Part of the strain stems from changes to New Jersey’s school funding law. In 2018, the state revised its school funding formula to shift aid toward districts considered historically underfunded. But that left other districts scrambling to replace millions of dollars in lost revenue, according to NJ Advance Media.

Blessing’s board meeting was held March 18 in the GCIT Theater. There were 150 students in the audience, she said, for a meeting that lasted two and a half hours.

“Softball girls were there and students were there, and they weren’t just fighting for me, they were fighting for all five of the teachers,” Blessing said.

Upon graduating from Rowan University in 2012, Blessing started her teaching career at Highland Regional High School, where she also served as the head softball coach until she left for GCIT in 2023.

“I was going to get the opportunity to coach better athletes with a lot of talent,” she said. “You’re grabbing kids from all over the county. I have Delsea kids, Williamstown kids, and Kingsway kids. So I knew when the head coaching position and the teaching position was open, I knew I had to take the leap of faith to give myself an opportunity to better myself in a career, but also as a coach.”

Progressive growth was shown over the last three years. Blessing directed the Cheetahs to 14-8 and 11-8 records in her first two seasons and guided them to a 17-11 mark this spring, earning the sixth seed in the South Jersey Group 4 playoffs and falling to Egg Harbor Township. This 17 wins were her single-season high as a head coach.

But with her GCIT teaching position going away, she won’t be out of coaching or teaching long. She has accepted and been board approved as a new health and physical education teacher at Pennsville Memorial High School, effective Sept. 1. And she’ll be filling the upcoming assistant varsity softball coach vacancy, succeeding longtime assistant Lisa Doran.

“I grew up playing softball every weekend. We balanced out having softball and family, and everyone’s different priorities,” Blessing said of still deciding to coach with a toddler at home. “Being involved in a sport is something I’m used to. I’m not ready to give it up yet.”

It may be in a different role, but the same goal for Blessing next spring.

“Having to adapt to not being a head coach and running a program after 14 years is challenging,” she said. “Having the potential to take that program over when the time is right … if the opportunity comes to me and they want me to coach, I would love to take over a program like that.”

Beth Jackson has been Pennsville’s head softball coach since 2009. She picked up her 250th career win earlier this season and most recently guided the Eagles to a stunning 3-1 victory over top-seeded defending champion Audubon in the South Jersey Group 1 semifinal. The Eagles host Woodstown for the sectional championship today.

Pennsville athletic director Jamy Thomas said Blessing would be the perfect fit as a potential successor.

“She’s going to bring a lot,” Thomas said. “She comes with a wealth of knowledge already having been a head coach. Right now the plan is with coach Doran retiring, she’ll step into that spot with coach Jackson next year and we’ll go from there.

“She definitely has the drive and the want to be a head coach and to be successful. She’s seen our program and knows what we offer at Pennsville, especially in the softball area. I’m sure she’s ready to step in whenever Beth is ready to step aside. At this point, we’re going to have an awesome combo next year with the two of them, and I’m excited for both of them.”

Whether it’s a big school or small, head coach or assistant, Gloucester County or Salem, the approach remains the same.

“Guess what, there’s 21 outs and seven innings a game whether you have 20 kids come out to play or 50,” Blessing said. “The game is the game. I’m excited for the opportunity to bring the passion I have for the game to Pennsville for my new future career path.”

MOC results

Salem County athletes score 4 Top Ten finishes at Meet of Champions; Woodstown’s 4×800 finishes second, Schalick’s Robinson sixth

By Riverview Sports News

PENNSAUKEN – Josh Crawford, one of the most decorated runners in Salem County track history, ran the final three NJSIAA races of his high school career Wednesday, finishing with two personal bests and a big finish to bring Woodstown’s 4×800 relay team a second-place finish at the Meet of Champions.

The 13-time state champion qualified in four events for the MOC, but ran the 800 and the two relays. He ran a PR 1:52.56 in the 800 out of the second-fastest heat to finish eighth and turned a blistering 1:51.70 anchor leg in the 4×800 to complete a team 7:49.09 that was second to Shabazz’ winning 7:46.06. The 4×400 team finished 15th.

“I’m really happy with how the day went,” Crawford said. “Unfortunately, I wasn’t in the fastest heat (in the 800) because I think I could’ve definitely put up a better time, but I can’t complain with how my season wrapped up at all.”

The Sacred Heart signee ran splits of 52.59 and 59.11 in the 4×8 to bring the Wolverines from seventh when he took the baton to second in the relay. They were ninth in the standings at one point in the race. The rest of team included Karson Chew, Jacob Marino and David Farrell.

Crawford and the 4×8 weren’t the only Top 10 performances turned in by Salem County athletes at the MOC.

Schalick’s Naveah Robinson finished sixth in the girls javelin. Her top throw of 120 feet, 9 inches was just one inch off her second-place throw in the sectional meet.

Woodstown’s Kami Casiano was tenth in the girls high jump at 5-4.

Among the top 20 finishers, Pennsville’s Danny Knight was 13th in the long jump with Penns Grove’s Group 1 champion Will Roy 19th; Schalick’s Gary Simonini was 18th in the javelin and Salem’s Ramiyah Jones was 20th in the girls triple jump with a 36-2.25 that was better than her jump at the sectionals.

NJSIAA MEET OF CHAMPIONS
Wednesday, Pennsauken H.S.
Salem County results
BOYS
800: 8. Josh Crawford, Woodstown 1:52.56
110 Hurdles: 23. Bryan Garlic, Penns Grove 15.39
4×800: 2. Woodstown (Karson Chew, Jacob Marino, David Farrell, Josh Crawford) 7:49.09
4×400: 15. Woodstown (Karson Chew, Anthony Costello, Michael Turner, Josh Crawford) 3:23.34
Javelin: 18. Gary Simonini, Schalick 165-6
Discus: 27. Ethan McLean, Schalick 141-10
Long Jump: 13. Danny Knight, Pennsville 21-11.75; 19. Will Roy, Penns Grove 21-6.75

GIRLS
Long Jump: 21. Ramiyah Jones, Salem 16-9.5
Javelin: 6. Naveah Robinson, Schalick 120-9
Triple Jump: 20. Ramiyah Jones, Salem 36-2.25
High Jump: 10. Kami Casiano, Woodstown 5-4

Bulldog Battavio bears down

Woodstown sophomore delivers big hit, earns three-inning save to lead Wolverines past Pennsville in SJ Group I playoffs; Maple Shade upsets top-seed Schalick

SJ GROUP I SEMIFINALS
Woodstown 6, Pennsville 3
Maple Shade 6, Schalick 4

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN — Marc DeCastro and all his Woodstown teammates know the kind of hard-core competitor Walker Battavio is, but what the sophomore showed Wednesday took it to another level.

Battavio delivering a three-run double to give the Wolverines the upper hand in their 6-3 win over Pennsville in the South Jersey Group 1 baseball semifinals was impressive enough. What he did in the late innings — and what he had to endure to do it — approached legendary status.

He came in from centerfield with a three-run lead and earned a three-inning save. What made it even more courageous was he pitched the last two innings with cramps in his right leg that made every pitch painful.

But he endured and because he was bulldog-tough the Wolverines (20-8) are playing for the SJ Group 1 title for the fourth time in the last six years. They host Maple Shade Friday. The fourth-seeded Wildcats spoiled the anticipated 1-2 Salem County championship showdown when they upset top-seeded Schalick 6-4.

Battavio helped the Wolverines uphold their end in a big way in his longest outing since April 18.

“He has one of the biggest hearts in the game; he’s a dog,” said sophomore first baseman Blake Rodriguez, who gave his classmate a four-run cushion with his first career home run leading off the sixth inning. “He always puts his team first. He’s not a selfish guy. Unselfish person. He’ll do anything for the team. Puts his heart on the line.”

Battavio had been prone to cramping and Wednesday’s hot conditions didn’t make it any easier. The cramp really hit in the fifth inning when he ran the bases after putting the Eagles down in order in his first inning on the mound in the top of the inning. He came in there because starter Drew Sutton had thrown 27 pitches the previous inning and was started to go through the Pennsville lineup a third time.

He could feel the knot forming in his leg as he was stealing second base but continued on to the bag and when he got there safely was on the ground in pain. He received attention from the training staff and remained in the game, eventually scoring on Ty Coblentz’ RBI single that got Pennsville starter Gavin Spears out of the game. He spent the rest of the game drinking his hydration water and enduring the pain.

“Nothing’s bringing me out of the game,” Battavio said. “My mindset is playing no matter what.”

And DeCastro didn’t want to take him out, which meant he had to help push his pitcher through the pain.

“I worry about him cramping up every time I have to bring him in late because he gives every ounce of himself to everything he does; he exerts so much energy that at the end of games he has to fight through exhaustion,” the head coach said. “There’s no way he threw one pitch that didn’t hurt and he tried to fight as hard as he possibly could and he got through it, so he did everything he needed to do.”

**Woodstown pitcher Walker Battavio (C) tries to stay hydrated in the late innings of the Wolverines’ 6-3 playoff win over Pennsville.**

Battavio admitted cramping every time he threw a pitch – and he threw 52 of them — but he just tried to forget about it and focus on getting the next hitter.

“It was pretty hard, but I’ve got that dog, so I’ve gotta fight through it,” he said. “I felt it every pitch, but I dug deep and knew I had to get it done for our team so I just did it. Gotta do it. I knew I could do it and I just persevered through everything.”

The last two innings were sort of messy for Battavio, but he wound up allowing four hits, two runs and striking out one. The inning after he cramped on the basepaths, the Eagles reached him for three hits to score a run and loaded the bases with two outs, but he prevented it from becoming a big inning by getting the final out on pop to second.

The Eagles (16-10) also got a run off Sutton in the fourth inning and left the bases loaded there, too. They scored their third run in the seventh inning, but ran themselves out of another potential bases-loaded situation on the play that netted their run.

I feel like we beat ourselves today, I really do,” Pennsville coach Matt Karr said. “We had the bases loaded early, we’re right where we want to be, (and) back-to-back hits there it’s probably a tie game. … Haddon Twp. we dug ourselves a hole (but rallied to win). It’s hard to keep climbing out of these game. Today we spot them a 4-0 lead and were trying to climb out of this hole the entire game. It’s hard to play that way.”

The Wolverines got those first four runs in the second inning. Rodriguez drove the first run home when Spears’ threw high to the plate on his squeeze bunt. That left two on with one out. Noah Williams drew a walk to load the bases then Walker hit an opposite-field double just out of the reach of left-fielder Steve Fatcher to clear the bases.

As the leadoff man in the Wolverines’ lineup, it was only the second time in his last 10 games he drove in a run. The last time he had an RBI, he drove in four against Penns Grove.

“I saw the opportunity,” Battavio said. “They were playing up on me. They didn’t think I could hit it that far, so I had to show them what I can do, and I did it.”

“The reason that got over his head is because he’s a leadoff guy and he hit it the other way and they were playing him a little bit shallower to get anything in front of them,” DeCastro said. “He’s a strong kid. Hasn’t always known how to use his strength. He’s always been a little guy. A lot of times a little guy (is encouraged to) put a ball in play and run, so he got used to that. Now he’s becoming a man he’s strong and he’s learning not just to put a ball in play but drive balls in gaps.”

Pennsville	000	101	1-	3	6	2
Woodstown	040	011	x-	6	7	0

WP: Drew Sutton. LP: Gavin Spears. 2B: Logan Streitz (PV), Dante Cummings (PV), Walker Battavio (WO). HR: Blake Rodriguez (WO)

Mistakes costly to Schalick

PITTSGROVE – Schalick had been a pretty good defensive team this season and even when it wasn’t the Cougars had the offensive firepower to overcome it. That wasn’t the case Wednesday and they the post-season price.

The top-seeded Cougars were charged with five errors and every time it seemed their opponent made them pay. It added up to a 6-4 Maple Shade win that ended Schalick’s season and sent the Wildcats to face Woodstown for the South Jersey Group 1 title Friday.

“We didn’t play very well,” Schalick coach Sean O’Brien said. “The funny thing is we turned three double plays, but then other routine things we just made mistakes. And when we made mistakes they blooped in a hit or they got a single here or there. They just made us pay for our mistakes.”

Early on it looked like the Cougars were headed for the 1-2 Salem County showdown for the sectional title with Woodstown everyone anticipated. They broke a 1-1 tie with three in the third inning on Evan Glaspey’s two-run double and Travis Snodgrass’ sacrifice fly.

Then things started going south. The Cougars were late deciding where to go with a ball back to the box and all runners were safe. A grounder to the right side of the infield moved the runners up and Edward Leahy delivered a two-run single to center to cut Schalick’s lead to 4-3. The Wildcats took the lead on back-to-back RBI singles by Lucas Voiro and Anthony Schafer. They added another run on Aaron Wells’ RBI single in the seventh. Schafer had three hits and three RBIs and Leahy went 2-for-3 with two RBIs.

Maple Shade’s first five runs were all unearned.

The Cougars, meanwhile, managed only two hits and a walk after opening their 4-1 lead. The two hits were back-to-back singles by Bo Schalick and Glaspey with two outs in the fifth. They had the top of the order up in the seventh, but Wildcats reliever Braydon Morgano got through it with a two-out walk and three flyouts.

“They’re a tough team; they made us pay for our mistakes,” O’Brien said. “Their pitchers, all they did was pitch to contact and we had a lot of fly outs.

“We struck out twice the entire game. All (Morgano) did was he just pitched to contact. A lot of balls we hit in the gap just kind of stayed up in the air and they were able to run underneath them. He didn’t do anything spectacular, he just did his job. He did a good job of forcing us to make outs.”

The loss ended an otherwise big year for the Cougars. They finished 19-8, won 10 of their last 13, won the TCC Diamond Division for the second year in a row, and were the No. 1 seed in the sectional. Seniors Evan Sepers (105) and Ricky Watt (102) both collected their 100th career hits.

“We had a great season, there’s really nothing to be disappointed about,” O’Brien said. “When you don’t reach your goals at the end it’s a letdown because we know we potentially could have done it. Unfortunately in the playoffs if you don’t have your best game and don’t do what you need to do as you get deeper in the playoffs good teams will just make you pay.”

Maple Shade	010	202	1-	6	8	0
Schalick	103	000	0-	4	7	5

WP: Braydon Morgano. LP: Cole Hartley. 2B: Evan Glaspey (S)

GROUP I SECTIONAL FINALS
Friday’s games
(Records, power points in parenthesis)
SOUTH: Maple Shade (16-9, 21.490) at Woodstown (20-8, 23.697)
CENTRAL: Shore (21-8, 27.805) at Pt. Pleasant Beach (17-6, 28.914)
NORTH I: Waldwick (16-13, 23.307) at Pompton Lakes (20-7, 25.319)
NORTH II: Hanover Park (18-8, 24.783) at Cedar Grove (19-9, 25.754)
Power points to determine home team in state semifinals

Wolverines find way to finals

Clark, Woodstown blank Palmyra to reach first berth in South Jersey Group 1 softball final since 1979

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PALMYRA — The last time the Woodstown softball team played in a sectional final, none of their current players were even born. Probably not a lot of their parents either. Heck, it’d be another five years before Wolverines coach Rob Hildebrand even entered the game of the life.

The seventh-seeded Wolverines earned their first trip to the sectional finals since 1979 Tuesday when they shut out Palmyra behind record-setting Leah Clark 5-0 for their 10th straight win.

**Ellie Wygand set Woodstown’s single-season hits record in the game.**

**Leah Clark set Woodstown’s single-season wins record for a pitcher.**

They will travel to fifth-seeded county rival Pennsville (17-7) Thursday for the 3 p.m. South Jersey Group 1 title. The winner is expected to host the state semifinals.

“A long time, a long time,” Hildebrand said. “(Girls soccer coach) Kieran Keyser came and supported us and he was like ‘ok, since 1979,’ and then he texted me back and said ‘holy crap, we’re getting old, that’s 47 years ago!’ It doesn’t sound like that long ago for us old people, but it really is. Almost 50 years ago.

“We have a banner in the gym. The first year my wife coached and my father-in-law helped her, he would always motivate the girls in the gym with look at that banner and see that first year 1979 and get our names on the banner for the division. Using that as motivation is kind of how they did it. I think it sinks in (with the current team). They do talk about it. I think they really want to leave a mark on it; we aren’t done yet, really you’re going to be kind of forgotten about unless you win this South Jersey championship.”

Clark, who set Woodstown’s single-season wins for a pitcher with the shutout, said she was “super excited and proud of everyone for getting us to this point” and “impressed with how much we’ve grown as a team and learned to work with each other to be able to win games like these.”

Senior outfielder Ellie Wygand called it a “huge blessing” and she was “grateful beyond measures” to be part of such an “amazing experience with an amazing group of girls.”

“Going into this year we were seen as the underdogs as a younger team and I am really proud of how the team has shown up and I fully believe we deserve to be in this position,” Wygand said. “It’s been a long time since Woodstown has been in the finals, but this group of girls is truly special and even though it took a while, the 2025-26 Woodstown softball team definitely deserves it.”

The Wolverines (19-8) had to work for their bit of history. They were being no-hit by Palmyra left-hander Jasmine Martinez for four innings, but came to life in the fifth.

They loaded the bases on a one-out walk to Gracie Hitchner and singles by Karly Spears and Macie Moore. The Panthers got the second out at the plate, but Wygand broke the scoreless tie with a two-run bases-loaded bouncer past a diving shortstop.

Wygand had two hits in the game, setting the Woodstown single-season hits record, which she said “came to me as a complete surprise.” The senior outfielder now has 44 hits this season, breaking Tulana Mingin’s 2022 record of 43. She went over 100 career hits two weeks ago.

“After the first four innings we were starting to get a little frustrated because we absolutely knew we could hit her and when that top of the fifth inning reached I knew something had to be done to get us on top,” she said. “My hit wasn’t the best hit, but it got the job done and put us on the board and that’s all that matters.”

The Wolverines scored three runs in the seventh inning with two outs to put it out of reach. Talia Guardascione had an RBI double and Clark and Maddie LaPalomento had run-scoring singles.

“We weren’t hitting at all in the beginning of the game, but these girls just never give up,“ Hildebrand said. “They have quality at-bats. Even if they struck out they’re quality at-bats. They see so many pitches that by the time we get to that third time up at bat they start hitting these girls. I think it’s not a coincidence when it happens over and over again. It kind of felt like it was to be due.

“When you know you have your MVP up it’s going to come through more times than not – and she did.”

Clark, meanwhile, was virtually unhittable in the circle. She spun a two-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts to record her 17th win of the season. She had a one-hitter through 5 2/3 innings. In three playoff games this spring she has allowed just 12 hits, three earned runs and struck out 31.

“It’s ice in the veins, it really is,” Hildebrand said. “I don’t know how she can be that way, but things don’t get to her. Whenever she has adversity to face she digs down deeper, becomes a bulldog and pushes through. She’s had so many times shes had bases loaded with one out, no out, and she gets out of it without any damage. Just time in and time out she just knows when to beat down. She just never ceases to amaze me.

“Two years ago when I took this job over I got told by countless people you’re going to suck (that year) because you have no pitching; she’s not a varsity style pitcher, you’re not going to win. I don’t know whether that’s true or not, I hadn’t seen these girls yet. Obviously she proved that wrong last year and for as good as she was last year she’s only been better (this year).”

Clark said she got a big jolt of confidence when she struck out Martinez in the first inning with one out and a runner on second. The Panthers put two go-ahead runners in scoring position in the fourth with one out and two tying runners in scoring position in the sixth with two outs and Clark got out of both jams to keep the shutout alive.

“I feel like during the playoffs I’ve really picked up the pace in the circle and thrown better than during the regular season,” she said. “I think it’s partially because the stakes are so high and the energy is up, but also partially because I’m just not ready for my last high school season to be over yet.”

Woodstown	000	020	3-	5	10	2
Palmyra	000	000	0-	0	2	2

WP: Leah Clark. LP: Jasmine Martinez. 2B: Ellie Wygand (WO), Talia Guardascione (WO).

GROUP 1 SECTIONAL FINALS
Thursday’s games
(Records, power points in parenthesis)
SOUTH: No. 7 Woodstown (19-8, 21.259) at No. 5 Pennsville (17-7, 22.191)
CENTRAL: No. 8 Florence (15-5, 18.83) at No. 7 Bound Brook (14-12 21.005)
NORTH I: No. 4 Indian Hills (19-8, 28.094) at No. 2 Midland Park (25-3, 32.675)
NORTH II: No. 4 Dayton (16-12, 22.889) at No. 3 Whippany Park (19-7, 26.917)
Power points to determine host team in state semifinals

Eagles soar into sectional final

Pennsville rally from close calls, early deficit to beat top-seeded Audubon for a spot in South Jersey Group I softball finals; hosts Woodstown Thursday

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

AUDUBON — Two years ago Pennsville softball coach Beth Jackson stood in foul territory at the Audubon Little League complex fighting back tears. She was brought to tears in just about the same place Tuesday, but for an entirely different and much happier reason.

That first time her Eagles were on the very wrong end of a one-sided South Jersey Group 1 semifinal loss to Audubon. On this day, the tears were borne of pride and joy after the Eagles came from behind both physically and emotionally to knock off the top-seeded Green Wave, 3-1 for a spot in the sectional finals.

“I am just so proud of them,” Jackson said, her words cracking with emotion. “So proud of them for being frustrated and coming back, and being frustrated at the umpires and coming back.

“They make their calls. We talk about all the time about being human and having the controllables and stuff. They rose above that and came out and had a couple hits strung together and they played good defense and Graillyn (Weber) did a great job keeping them in the game. I’m very happy.”

The win sends the fifth-seeded Eagles (17-7) to their first SJ Group 1 title game since 2019. They will host county rival Woodstown Thursday at 3 p.m. The seventh-seeded Wolverines (19-8) blanked Palmyra 5-0 for their tenth straight win and first sectional final berth since 1979.

The Eagles overcame a couple difficult umpiring decisions early in the game that could have sapped their energy to win, but they kept their focus, rallied from a 1-0 deficit and took the lead in the sixth inning off Audubon’s best pitcher. They tied it on Kenzie Widener’s solo homer in the fourth and took the lead with two in the sixth.

Early in the game they had a runner called out for leaving first base too early on a missed bunt attempt. Then there was a confusing call in the third on a ball Weber appeared to foul off her foot – she said it went off her toe in the batter’s box and photo evidence seemed to back the claim — but the umpires huddled and said it did not. Weber was ruled an out and the runner on base was returned to first. The runner, Lily Edwards, was later called out at second despite sliding away from the tag trying to advance on a ball that got away at the plate.

Adding to the hurt was Audubon (19-10) scored in its half of the inning to take a 1-0 lead.

The Eagles got the run back when Widener took starter Addie Leahan deep with two outs in the fourth. It was her second home run of the season.

“I was 2-0 i9n the count, I was ahead, and I was thinking she’s got to throw a fastball right down the middle; it’s what’s coming,” Widener said. “I just thought fastball, fastball, fastball and I hit it. I think it pumped all of us up. I think it made our energy go up 10 what it was before. After I hit that home run I really wanted to win this one.”

Pennsville’s Graillyn Weber is all smiles after delivering the go-ahead double in the sixth inning. She also kept Audubon off balance in the circle, giving up just three hits and striking out 11. (Photo by Michelle Pedrick)

With both starting pitchers hard to hit, the game stayed tied until the sixth.

Audubon sent Alaina Copsetta to the circle to start the inning with the top of the Pennsville order coming to the plate. Edwards greeted the hard-throwing senior with a single to right center and Weber followed with the go-ahead RBI double to the short side of left field. The Eagles weren’t intimidated by Copsetta’s velocity and she faced only two batters.

“I was ready to get a hit,” Weber said. “I was kind of mad they missed that call on the ball that hit my foot but I was really ready to get a hit. I was like you know what, I’m due. I need to get a hit. I need to score Lily; I know she’s there waiting for me. I didn’t really feel much pressure. I was calm in the box. Even though I had two strikes I was ready to get a hit.”

Kylie Harris met Copsetta’s relief, Kylie Cannaday, with an RBI single to make it 3-1. It was Harris’ 166th career hit and 116th RBI.

“They were starting to really hit Addie, even the outs we had gotten were shots to the fence,” Audubon coach Erin Small said. “We knew the top of the lineup was coming back up. We’ve been using Copsetta for those last two innings throughout the playoffs. She’s a different look. She throws a screw-rise ball, Addie does not. We just were looking for a different look and they got on her right away and we just decided to bring in Kylie after that.”

Weber, meanwhile, didn’t yield in the circle. Working with a lead she retired the Green Wave over the final two innings with only one base runner to finish off the complete game. Leaving the frustration of the early umpiring calls in the dugout, she allowed only one hit after the Audubon scored its only run in the third. She retired 13 of the last 15 batters she faced. The Eagles have given up only one run in three playoff games.

“We were definitely reaching out for most of our at bats, not being patient, letting the ball get to us, and it was resulting in a lot of pop ups,” Small said. “We only had three hits, one double. We definitely did not have a great day at the plate. You’ve got to give her a lot of credit for what she did on the mound. We just couldn’t produce today.”

Pennsville	000	102	0-	3	7	1
Audubon	001	000	0-	1	3	1

WP: Graillyn Weber. LP: Alaina Copsetta. 2B: Graillyn Weber (P), Lsabella Lamancusa (A). HR: Kenzie Widener (P).

Pennsville’s Kenzie Widener makes her approach to the plate after hitting a game-tying home run in the fourth inning. Top photo: The Pennsville players celebrate victory after the final out is recorded. (Photo by Michelle Pedrick)

**Kylie Harris shares a happy moment with first base coach Lisa Doran after the Pennsville catcher singled home an insurance run in the sixth inning. (Photo by Michelle Pedrick)**

**Pennsville outfielder Taylor Bass is moments away from putting the squeeze on the final out of the Eagles’ 3-1 playoff win over Audubon. (Photo by Michelle Pedrick)**

District 3 LL tourney

Here is the schedule for the New Jersey District 3 Little League; all 3 Salem County teams in same division; all games 5:45 p.m. unless noted

AMERICAN DIVISION: East Vineland, Elmer, Franklin Twp., Pennsville, Woodstown
NATIONAL DIVISION: Buena, North Vineland, South Cumberland, South Vineland

POOL PLAY SCHEDULE
June 26
Elmer at East Vineland
Woodstown at Franklin Twp.
North Vineland at South Vineland
June 27
Pennsville at Franklin Twp., 7 p.m.
East Vineland at Woodstown, 5 p.m.
Buena at South Cumberland, 7 p.m.
June 29
East Vineland at Pennsville
Elmer at Woodstown
South Cumberland at North Vineland
June 30
East Vineland at Franklin Twp.
Elmer at Pennsville
South Vineland at South Cumberland
North Vineland at Buena
July 1
Franklin Twp. at Elmer
Woodstown at Pennsville
South Cumberland at Buena

DISTRICT 3 FINALS
July 6
at Buena LL
Game 1: American 1 vs. National 2
Game 2: National 1 vs. American 2, 8 p.m.
July 7
at North Vineland LL
Game 3: Winner G1 vs. Winner G2
Game 4: Loser G1 vs. Loser G2, 8 p.m.
July 9
at Pennsville LL
Game 5: Loser G3 vs. Winner G4, 7 p.m.
July 10
at South Vineland LL
Game 6: Winner G3 vs. Winner G5, 7 p.m.
July 11
at South Vineland LL
If necessary, 7 p.m.
Winner advances to Section IV Tournament at Hammonton, July 17