Author: almusky

Pennsville rallies

Eagles score 5 after a moment of reflection to rally past Gloucester Catholic in season opener, Weber fans career high 10; Woodstown no-hits Penns Grove

MONDAY SOFTBALL
Pennsville 8, Gloucester Catholic 5
Salem Tech 16, Lindenwold 5
Schalick 6, Glassboro 5
Wildwood 10, Salem 0
Woodstown 20, Penns Grove 0

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – Between the top and bottom of the sixth inning Monday Pennsville catcher Kylie Harris, as she’s been known to do, called her teammates to a huddle in front of the dugout. Even though they trailed at the time, she told them with the ability she knows they have there still was time to pull out the game and they should try “any way you can” to make it happen, preferably in this next half inning they batted.

The Eagles answered her call, rallying for five runs in the home sixth to turn a day-long game of catch-up into an 8-5 season-opening win over Gloucester Catholic.

“We were definitely falling behind a little bit and I knew we had it in us to really get the ball rolling and after that we did,” Harris said. “I think that really gave us all a little push.”

Eagles coach Beth Jackson has been known to turn things over to her players once the game begins in recent years. She’ll give them words of encouragement and instruction in the pre-game and post-game huddles – and if anything needs to be added to the players’ moment – but once that first pitch is thrown she pretty much leaves it to them to provide the inspiration.

It’s not always the same player who delivers the message, and it doesn’t always happen in the sixth inning, but Harris, somehow, always seems to be in the middle of it.

“She does that a lot,” outfielder Kenzie Widener said. “It helps us get motivated and pumped up so we can get out of our heads and just keep firing at the ball. Even if we were down by one she would just give off this giant speech that would make us work together to win that game. I think that really got us together and helped us win.”

The Eagles needed something. They fell behind 3-0 in the first inning and trailed 5-3 going into the home sixth.

Reagan Wariwanchik got the rally started with a one-out single into right field. The Lions booted Gianna Evans’ double-play grounder to keep the inning alive and Gracie Mease loaded based with a bunt single. The next three hitters – the top of the Eagles’ talented lineup – all batted with the bases loaded and they all delivered.

Lily Edwards singled to make it 5-4. Graillyn Weber followed with a single to left to tie the game at 5. Harris gave them the lead with a sacrifice fly. And after Avery Watson walked to reload the bases, Widener, just looking to make contact to extend the lead, did just that and ripped a two-run single to make it 8-5. Widener went 3-for-4 in the game.

“It was a great comeback,” Widener said. “I think it was well deserved. We work our butts off out here. We did what we could to come back and win.”

“That’s the team I just know we are capable of being all the time and it was just so great to see the bats back,” Harris said. “I definitely think we had a little bit of nerves (because of the) first home game. I think we were just trying to get back in the groove, but that last inning, seeing that rally, it was so much fun.”

Now with a lead to protect, Weber finished off the Lions from the circle. And even when the visitors got a runner on in the seventh she didn’t flinch. Harris picked that runner off first to end the game.

Weber looked comfortable in her new role as the Eagles’ main pitcher. She gave up seven hits and hits and struck out 10, beating her career-high she established last year against the Lions (seven). After the Lions scored their three in the first, the junior struck out the side in the second and gave up just two runs and three hits the rest of the way – none over the final 2 1/3.

“I might have just thrown too much over the plate in the beginning,” she said, “but then I got used to the umpire and what his zone was and that helped.

“I’m definitely more confident this year, for sure. I’m excited to be pitching and I like it. I’m glad to be out there.”

Gloucester Catholic (0-2)3010100-562
Pennsville (1-0)010115x-8112
WP: Graillyn Weber. LP: Maddie McGinn.

SCHALICK 6, GLASSBORO 5: Freshman starting pitcher Noelani Whitley’s inside-the-park home run with one out in the sixth inning gave the Cougars a 6-4 lead and freshman Kaylee Broflin turned back Glassboro’s threat in the seventh inning after the Bulldogs put the tying run in scoring position with one out.

The Cougars broke a scoreless tie with five in the fourth. They scored the first three runs when the Bulldogs misplayed a grounder off Whitley’s bat and scored the other two on an error on a bad throw to thwart a stolen base.

“Our freshmen pitchers did a great job today,” Cougars coach Rick Higinbotham said. :They were throwing strikes and keeping the ball down in the zone. I was pleased with their performance.”

Glassboro (1-1)0000311-583
Schalick (1-0)000501x-653
WP: Noelani Whitley. LP: Gianna Askin. HR: Noelani Whitley.

WOODSTOWN 20, PENNS GROVE 0: The Wolverines opened their season by converting 14 walks and seven hit batsmen into 20 runs and three pitchers combined on a four-inning no-hitter. They already were leading 9-0 when they erupted for 11 runs in the third inning. Leah Clark, Madison Roback and Brianna Hitchner combined for the no-hitter, facing one batter over the minimum. The only two base runners they allowed reached on errors and one eventually got cut down at the plate.

Penns Grove (0-1)0000-003
Woodstown (1-0)54(11)x-2062
WP: Leah Clark. LP: Domari Torres Caraballo.

SALEM TECH 16, LINDENWOLD 5: The Chargers erupted for 10 runs in the first inning and coasted to their third victory. Shelby Drummond, Isabele Roberts and Rachel Reed drove in three hits apiece. Drummond and Roberts both had two-run doubles in the big first inning. Roberts pitched the first two innings and retired all six batters she faced, striking out five.

Lindenwold (0-1)0032-526
Salem Tech (3-1)(10)60x-1693
WP: Isabele Roberts. LP: Veronica Guardado.

WILDWOOD 10, SALEM 0: Addison Troiano went 4-for-4 with three extra-base hits and drove in five runs and Emma Contreras held the Rams to three hits while striking out 14 in six innings. Isla Bohn had all three Salem hits, singles in the first, third and fifth.

Salem (0-2)000000-034
Wildwood (1-1)3011051090
WP: Emma Contreras. LP: Avah Brown.


Rodriguez back home

Recovery ‘going well’ for the Mighty Oaks softball coach as he works to return from heart surgery

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT – Salem CC softball coach Angel Rodriguez is back home in Brooklawn following successful heart surgery and plans to have a “very involved week” as he slowly returns to the team.

The fourth-year head coach, 29, underwent triple bypass last Tuesday after falling ill in his office the previous Thursday and has been making steady progress on his return to the dugout.

“Good news; I’m back HOME,” he wrote in a text message Monday. “Everything is going well per (the) medical team with healing. Walks have been much improved. (The) countdown until I can get back continues, but it’s very, very close.”

The Mighty Oaks have four doubleheaders this week, including two big road dates with Region 19 leaders Lackawanna (19-6) and Mercer (17-1). They went 5-3 in Rodriguez’ absence, including a first-ever modern era win over Delaware Tech and a record-setting sweep of Morris on Saturday.

Rodriguez hopes, but wouldn’t immediately commit, to attending Friday’s home doubleheader with Howard CC.

“I’m back on softball talks more with the staff more now,” he said. “There’s a good chance (he’ll be at Friday’s games), but I don’t want to commit to that just yet.”


Milestone watch

Here is a look at the ‘carrots’ dangling in front of some of the Salem County baseball and softball players this season

Baseball

PLAYERTARGETLEFT
Blake Bialecki, Woodstown

75 Hits
50 RBIs
30 SBs		27
25
7
Ty Coblentz, Woodstown


100 Hits
50 RBIs
20 2Bs
50 SBs		34
20
6
11
Steve Fatcher, Pennsville
50 Hits
50 RBIs		10
24
JT Fleming, Schalick

75 Hits
50 RBIs
59 SBs		25
23
28
Evan Glaspey, Schalick
50 Hits
50 RBIs		18
25
Cole Hartley, Schalick100 Ks46
Mason O’Brien, Pennsville

75 Hits
50 RBIs
75 Ks		26
15
36
Evan Sepers, Schalick


100 Hits
50 RBIs
20 2Bs
25 SBs		31
11
5
12
Logan Streitz, Pennsville


50 Hits
50 RBIs
20 2Bs
100 Ks		7
19
9
37
Tommy Tucci, Woodstown
50 Hits
25 SBs		23
11
Jeff Wagner, Pennsville
75 Hits
75 RBIs		31
33
Ricky Watt, Schalick


100 Hits
75 RBIs
25 2Bs
10 HRs		33
21
7
5
Jamari Whitley, Schalick

50 Hits
50 RBIs
100 Ks		13
19
24

Softball

PLAYERTARGETLEFT
Lila Bowling, Woodstown
50 Hits
50 RBIs		17
22
Leah Clark, Woodstown150 Ks45
Lily Edwards, Pennsville
100 Hits
50 RBIs		30
20
Talia Guardascione, Woodstown50 Hits26
Kylie Harris, Pennsville

150 Hits
100 RBIs
50 Doubles		26
21
10
Ava Laughlin, Schalick50 RBIs29
Julliana Love, Salem

100 Hits
50 RBIs
50 SBs		37
29
6
Addison Shimp, Schalick

50 Hits
50 RBIs
200 Ks		22
29
44
Alexa Shimp, Schalick
50 Hits
50 RBIs		12
29
Reagan Wariwanchik, Pennsville
50 Hits
50 RBIs		11
26
Avery Watson, Pennsville
100 Hits
50 RBIs		45
13
Graillyn Weber, Pennsville
100 Hits
50 RBIs		55
20
Makenzie Widener, Pennsville
50 Hits
50 RBIs		15
24
Ellie Wygand, Woodstown

100 Hits
50 RBIs
50 SB		37
1
23

This week’s schedule

Here is the Salem County sports schedule for the week of March 30-April 4

MONDAY, MARCH 30
BASEBALL
Salem Tech at Lindenwold
Schalick at Glassboro
Wildwood at Salem
Woodstown at Penns Grove
SOFTBALL
Glassboro at Schalick
Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville
Lindenwold at Salem Tech
Penns Grove at Woodstown
Salem at Wildwood
GOLF
Woodstown vs. Pennsville, Sakima CC, 3:30 p.m.
Schalick vs. Wildwood at Union League GC, 3:30 p.m.
Schalick girls vs. Williamstown, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m.
Salem Tech vs. Gloucester Catholic, Sakima CC, 3:45 p.m.
TENNIS
Penns Grove at Glassboro
Pennsville at Wildwood
Schalick at Clayton
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Highland at Salem Tech, 3:45 p.m.
BOYS LACROSSE
Woodstown at St. Joseph
GIRLS LACROSSE
Cedar Creek at Woodstown

TUESDAY, MARCH 31
SOFTBALL
Salem Tech at Pilgrim Academy
Sterling at Woodstown
BOYS TRACK
Penns Grove at Glassboro
BOYS TENNIS
Woodstown at Clearview, 3:45 p.m.
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Salem CC at Montgomery County, 3:30 p.m.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Salem CC at Lackawanna, 3 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1
BASEBALL
Penns Grove at Gateway
Pitman at Pennsville
Schalick at Woodstown
Wildwood Catholic at Salem Tech
SOFTBALL
Highland at Salem Tech
Penns Grove at Paulsboro
Pennsville at Pitman
Salem vs. Gloucester Catholic
Schalick at Woodstown
GOLF
Schalick vs. Washington Twp., Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m.
Schalick girls vs. Clearview, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m.
Salem Tech vs. Wildwood, Sakima CC, 3:45 p.m.
TENNIS
Clayton at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m.
Triton at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.
Schalick at Glassboro
BOYS TRACK
Schalick at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m.
Overbrook at Woodstown
GIRLS TRACK
Pennsville at Schalick, 3:45 p.m.
Overbrook at Woodstown
Penns Grove at Glassboro
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
LEAP at Salem Tech, 3:45 p.m.
BOYS LACROSSE
Woodstown at Lower Cape May
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Montgomery County at Salem CC, 3:30 p.m.

THURSDAY, APRIL 2
BASEBALL
Penns Grove at Pleasantville, 1:30 p.m.
Wildwood Catholic at Salem Tech, 2 p.m.
Schalick at Ocean City
Woodstown at Haddon Heights
SOFTBALL
Clearview at Schalick
Highland at Salem Tech
Woodstown at Haddon Heights
BOYS GOLF
Woodstown vs. Pitman, Town & Country, 3:45 p.m.
Schalick vs. Overbrook, Kresson GC
BOYS TENNIS
Pennsville at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Salem CC at Monroe-Bronx, 2 p.m.

FRIDAY, APRIL 3
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Howard CC at Salem CC, 3 p.m.

SATURDAY, APRIL 4
SOFTBALL
Pennsville in Thunderbolt Tournament, Millville
TRACK
Salem, Schalick at Deptford Relays, 9 a.m.
GIRLS LACROSSE
Washington Twp. at Woodstown, 10 a.m.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Salem CC at Mercer, noon

Lucas locks down

Former Schalick pitcher beats Salem CC in nightcap to give Dukes DH split, series win; Mighty Oaks’ Seitzinger goes distance in opener for first win

REGION XIX BASEBALL
Salem CC 7-3, RCSJ-Cumberland 1-8
RCSJ-Gloucester 10-19, Atlantic Cape 1-5
Northampton 12-12, Delaware County 9-1
Mercer 12-14, Delaware Tech 5-0
Sussex 6-10, Lackawanna 5-9
Morris at Raritan Valley
Montgomery 17-13, Bergen 7-1
Middlesex 15-6, Brookdale 13-3

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

VINELAND – When Lucas D’Agostino pitched at Schalick he used to relish the opportunities to go against the other teams in the county. Now that he’s in college, he was just as stoked to go against the junior college team from his county – and in a pretty big situation.

D’Agostino drew the start for RCSJ-Cumberland in Game 2 of Saturday’s doubleheader with Salem CC and tasked with closing out weekend series. He answered the call, going six innings and the Dukes beat the Mighty Oaks 8-3 to split the twinbill after Salem won the opener 7-1 and win the three-game Region 19 series.

The freshman right-hander threw 113 pitches in his second-longest outing of the year, giving up four hits, two unearned runs and striking out a career-tying eight for his second win of the season. He gave up a run in the first and one in the sixth. After the first run, he allowed only two runners to reach scoring position over the next three innings and got out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth with an inning-ending strikeout.

“It was cold, it was a little rough to start, but I ended up putting pitches where I wanted them and got lucky a couple times,” he said. “I laid a couple pitches in there that probably should’ve been hit pretty well, but other than that I feel like I hit my spots pretty well and kept them a little off-balanced, too.”

The Mighty Oaks reached him for a run in the first when he hit Jason LeBold, LeBold stole second and scored on Tyler Hacker’s single. But he wasn’t too concerned. His teammates rolled out the bats like he hoped in the bottom of the inning and gave him the lead to protect the rest of the game.

The Dukes put five up in the bottom of the inning off Salem starter Seth Bogan. Cole Shover scored on a wild pitch, Tyler Schoppe drilled a three-run homer and Nolan Murawski later delivered an RBI single.

Schoppe have five RBIs in the nightcap, Stover scored three runs and Kory Jenkins went 3-for-4 to complete a 7-for-11 series.

“Our offense battled back and put up a five spot in the bottom of the first to kind of set the tone,” D’Agostino said. “I thought that was a very big part of the game.

“The cold was tough today, but I think we battled and we locked in mentally for Game 2. Game 1 got out of our hands a little bit, but it was very impressive with my offense to get beat a little bit and then come back and set the tone for the next game.”

They gave D’Agostino two more runs to work with in the second on a bases-loaded walk to Schoppe and Chase Montgomery’s RBI single, and another in the third on another bases-loaded walk to Schoppe.

Salem won the opener to square the series behind a 114-pitch complete game from sophomore Pat Seitzinger and sophomore Jay Barber’s first college homer.

Seitzinger gave up five hits, walked seven and struck out two to earn his first win of the season and lower his ERA to 6.23. The only run he allowed was Chase Montgomery’s one-out homer in the second.

The Mighty Oaks answered the blast with two runs in the third to take the lead. Cliff Wysinger tied the game with an RBI double and J.J. Pankowski scored the go-ahead run from third when he beat the throw home on Tyler Hacker’s grounder to short.

They extended the lead with three in the sixth on Colin McLaughlin’s RBI single, a run-scoring error and Pankowski’s sacrifice fly. Barber’s homer in the seventh brought the final margin.

Barber, Wysinger and Roman Hernandez all had two hits in the game.

Salem CC0020032-7100
RCSJ-Cumberland0100000-151
PAT SEITZINGER (W 1-3) and Jacob Sharrow. RYAN BEEBE (L 2-1), Tito Perez (7) and Zack Braig. 2B: Cliff Wysinger (S), Jason LeBold (S), Roman Hernandez (S). 3B: Jay Barber (S). HR: Jay Barber (S), Chase Montgomery (RC).
Salem CC1000011-353
RCSJ-Cumberland521000x-886
SEAN BOGAN (L 1-2), Louie Rivera (2), Tyler Jacker (6) and Trevor Hernandez; LUCAS D’AGOSTINO (W 2-1), Adam Radzieta (7) and Zack Braig. 2B: Kory Jenkins (RC). HR: Tyler Schoppe (RC)

Region XIX Baseball Standings

DIVISION IIIR19ALLGSAC
RCSJ-Gloucester13-116-413-1
RCSJ-Cumberland10-218-4-17-2
Middlesex8-215-64-1
Northampton7-213-7
Brookdale7-612-76-4
SALEM CC7-612-154-4
Camden5-58-83-5
Montgomery4-44-4
Bergen4-75-134-7
Ocean3-66-93-6
Atlantic Cape2-82-82-8
Union1-122-120-9
Delaware County0-100-10

Tons of runs

Salem CC softball sets modern era scoring records for the second time this season in sweep of Morris

REGION XIX SOFTBALL
Salem CC 29-17, Morris 0-3
Delaware Tech 9-3, Mercer 0-9
RCSJ-Gloucester at Bergen
Northampton 18-15, Camden 9-5
Lackawanna 8-20, Sussex 0-4
Brookdale 18-15, Middlesex 0-4

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – The Salem CC softball team batted around – twice – to start their doubleheader, batted around again at the end of it and scored a lot of runs in between. A lot of runs.

The Mighty Oaks set modern era school records for runs in a game and runs in a doubleheader Saturday when they rolled over Morris 29-0 and 17-3 at Watson Field.

It was their most prolific day since reviving the program four years ago. The 29 runs in the opener and 46 runs in the twinbill broke the records they set in a 16-6, 27-4 road sweep of Anne Arundel two weeks ago.

“It was very exciting knowing that we beat a record and set a new one that we can beat during this season, too, I’m sure,” outfielder Sawyer Simmons said.

“That’s always fun to do,” shortstop Lilly Peverelle agreed. “I think it did shock us a little bit how much we were able to score but … we’re an aggressive team, we know how to run the bases, we know how to be strong in the box and do our jobs.”

Just like the 27-run game against Anne Arundel, the Mighty Oaks scored 13 runs in the first inning of the opener against the Titans, who had been beaten similarly by Lackawanna in their first two games earlier this week. Unlike that Anne Arundel outburst, they were much more patient at the plate, with 18 batters sitting through 82 pitches and 11 walks in the first inning alone.

They had gotten so far in front, all 16 players available Saturday had gotten into the game when Tiana Wilson batted in the bottom of the second inning, another inning they batted around. The only player who didn’t get a plate appearance was starting pitcher Raegan Wilson – and interim coach Mackenzie Freas would’ve made it happen for the PO from Salem had she been made aware.

All 15 players who went to the plate scored at least one run in the opener and 13 had at least one hit and one RBI in the doubleheader.

“We were able to get everyone in off the bench, so I know for them that’s a really good feel-good game for everyone,” Freas said. “To see everyone come in and be able to produce runs at that high number it feels great … They need to know that whoever is behind them is going to be able to produce – and they did. I’m sure it makes them feel good like I have someone who will have my back.” 

The Mighty Oaks batted around in the fourth inning, too, sending 14 batters to the plate and scoring more 10 runs. The first 10 batters all reached safely – seven with hits — and scored. Ava Ortiz drove in the single-game record-breaking runs with a two-run single, her second hit of the inning.

The second game was more of the same. They scored eight runs in the first inning – all with two outs – to answer the run Morris scored in the top of the inning. Savannah Palverento tied the game with an RBI grounds-rule double and Kasen Ervin gave them the lead for good with a two-run opposite-field single to right.

They added four in the third on Lilly Peverelle’s two-run homer and Jordyn Busch’s two-run double, and batted around in the fourth to score five runs. The homer was Peverelle’s second of the year. Her first came in the Anne Arundel doubleheader.

“I didn’t think it was going to go over because the wind was blowing in,” she said. “Then I saw that it was starting to trail and I was like ‘yes’ because it was an inside pitch and I kind of struggle with those but I’ve been getting them lately.”

Peverelle was on base five of her six times at bat and made several sharp defensive plays in the field, including a diving catch to her glove side on the first play of the the nightcap and turning a double play to end it. Simmons went 4-for-5 in the doubleheader, reached six times in her seven plate appearances and scored six runs.J.J. Aguirre had five RBIs in the doubleheader and Palverento had three hits with six RBIs and was on base six times in nine plate appearances.

“I knew I wanted to hit the ball every single time I went up, so when I was walking it was still good because you’re still getting on base and you’re doing a job that needs to be done,” Simmons said. “Then I would get back in the dugout and be like, oh, I’m almost up again, oh wow. It was definitely exciting.”

RODRIGUEZ UPDATE: Mighty Oaks head coach Angel Rodriguez is scheduled to come home from Cooper University Hospital in Camden Sunday after undergoing triple bypass heart surgery earlier this week. Rodriguez has been getting around and recently completed a walk of 300 steps. “I talked to him yesterday,” Freas said. “He sounded real good.” The players are looking forward to seeing him. “We can’t wait to get him back, most definitely,” Simmons said. “It’s great hearing all the good news we’re getting back.”

Morris00000-026
Salem CC(13)42(10)x-29120
WP: Raegan Wilson. LP: Brooke Wilson
Morris10200-383
Salem CC8045x-17110
WP: Emme Witter. LP: Jamie Lynn Konvtroski. HR: Lilly Peverelle (S).

Region XIX Softball Standings

DIVISION IIR19ALLGSAC
Lackawanna6-019-6
Mercer5-117-14-0
Delaware Tech4-29-7
SALEM CC5-313-74-0
Sussex2-62-102-4
Morris0-40-40-2
Raritan Valley0-60-60-4



Friday sports report

Here are scores and highlights from Friday’s Salem County high school sports action

BASEBALL
LEAP at Penns Grove, ppd.
Salem Tech at Cape May Tech, ppd

BOYS TENNIS
MAINLAND 5, WOODSTOWN 0
Luigi Batioja (M) def. Drew Stengel, 6-1, 6-1
Laksh Patel (M) def. Mason Shimp, 6-1, 6-1
Owen Medland (M) def. Nicholas DiTeodoro, 6-1, 6-1
Vikram Bansal-Ben Kahn (M) def. Luke Shaw-Vincent Merendino, 4-6, 6-3, 10-8
Jacob Reynolds-Liam Blake (M) def. Josh King-Connor Miller, 6-3, 6-3
Records: Mainland 2-0, Woodstown 0-1.

Not-so golden hour

Mighty Oaks get caught in toughest 30-minute window of the sundown sky at The Treehouse

REGION XIX BASEBALL
RCSJ-Cumberland 19, Salem CC 2
Ocean 11, Union 1
RCSJ-Gloucester at Atlantic Cape, ppd.
Raritan Valley 14, Morris 10
Northampton at Delaware County, ppd.
Brookdale at Middlesex
Bergen at Montgomery, ppd.
Sussex 13, Lackawanna 7

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT – There’s a reason it’s called a home-field advantage. Playing in your own ballpark provides a confidence you just don’t get playing on the road. The home team knows the way ground balls react in the infield, the best way to run down a fly ball in the outfield, even the way the shadows fall across the grass.

But sometimes even that’s not enough.

The Salem CC outfield lost three balls in the eerie multi-colored backdrop that’s particular to the early evening sky at the Carneys Point Rec Complex in a seventh-inning come-apart that turned Friday night’s 19-2 loss to RCSJ-Cumberland into a rout.

Fly balls hit by the Dukes’ Zack Braig, Kory Jenkins and Christian Willis all got past the Mighty Oaks’ outfielders to keep an eventual nine-run inning going. It would have been easy to think they had lost the balls in the lights, but it wasn’t that at all.

“The way the sky started to look, as soon as the ball got above the trees we lost it right away,” leftfielder Jason LeBold said. “Cliff (Wysinger) said he couldn’t see. Roman (Hernandez) said he couldn’t see. We were trying our hardest to direct each other, but as soon as the ball got in that sky, we couldn’t see a thing.

“There’s like a 30-minute point where you can see well, (then) the sky gets weird, then it gets real dark and you can see well again. We were the unlucky ones in the field during that moment in time.”

It wasn’t the first time the gloaming has given them trouble. It happened in the nightcap of last year’s doubleheader against the Dukes.

“Not as bad (as Friday),” LeBold said, “but we had two balls dropped. They even had some.”

“It was really weird today,” Mighty Oaks coach John Holt said. “It was pink, yellow. I looked at it myself.”

The Dukes carried a 10-2 lead into the seventh after pulling away from a one-run game with four in the fifth inning and three in the sixth. Jenkins hit a two-run homer in the fifth and Malachi Woods had a two-run double in the sixth.

The Mighty Oaks scored their two runs in the third inning on Tyler Hacker’s two-run triple to get within 3-2, but for the most part Dukes right-hander Otley Makosky kept them off-balance. They did collect nine hits, but 15 of their outs were in the infield.

“They shut our offense down,” Holt said. “Their guy (Makosky) did a real good job holding runners over there and we didn’t get enough guys on to get it rolling.

“We just didn’t execute. They executed, we didn’t execute; that’s baseball sometimes. I think we’re better than that score and hopefully tomorrow we can come out and show them that we are.”

The teams play a doubleheader Saturday at Cumberland. Pat Seitzinger (0-3, 8.50) and Sean Bogan (1-1, 7.20) will draw the starts for the Mighty Oaks. Former Schalick pitcher Lucas D’Agostino (1-1, 4.00) is expected to start Game 2 for the Dukes. 

ACORNS: LeBold and Hernandez both had a pair of hits for the Mighty Oaks … Hernandez, the right fielder, helped cut down a runner at the plate in the fourth inning (with a relay from second baseman J.J. Pankowski) to keep it a 3-2 game … The loss snapped a season-long five-game winning streak. 

RCSJ-Cumberland (17-3-1)0300439-19180
Salem CC (11-14)0020000-294
OTLEY MAKOSKY (W 4-0) and Zack Braig; SETH McCORMICK (L 2-3), Nick Reckard (6) and Trevor Hernandez. 2B: Zack Braig (RC), Cole Shover (RC), Kory Jenkins (RC), Malachi Woods 2 (RC), Angel Rodriguez (RC), Jason LeBold (S), Roman Hernandez (S). 3B: Tyler Hacker (S). HR: Kory Jenkins (RC).

Region XIX Standings

DIVISION IIIR19ALLGSAC
RCSJ-Gloucester11-114-411-1
RCSJ-Cumberland9-117-3-16-1
Middlesex6-113-52-0
Northampton5-211-7
Brookdale6-411-55-2
SALEM CC6-511-143-3
Camden5-58-83-5
Montgomery3-43-4
Bergen4-65-124-6
Ocean3-66-93-6
Atlantic Cape2-62-62-6
Union1-122-120-9
Delaware County0-80-8

SATURDAY’S GAMES
Salem CC at RCSJ-Cumberland (2)
Atlantic Cape at RCSJ-Gloucester (2)
Delaware County at Northampton (2)
Delaware Tech at Mercer (2)
Lackawanna at Sussex (2)
Morris at Raritan Valley (2)
Montgomery at Bergen (2)
Middlesex at Brookdale (2)
SUNDAY’S GAMES
Raritan Valley at Orange County (2)
Delaware Tech at CCBC Catonsville (2)
Lackawanna at Rockland (2)
Ocean at Union (2)
RCSJ-Gloucester at Atlantic Cape

Chargers get started

Salem Tech shut out in its first baseball game in school history, but not discouraged; Schalick routs Paulsboro in its season opener, and more

BASEBALL
Cumberland 13, Salem Tech 0
Schalick 21, Paulsboro 0
SOFTBALL
Salem Tech at Clayton
GOLF
Kingsway girls 204, Schalick 253
Cumberland 181, Pennsville 220
West Deptford 164, Salem Tech 240
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
CCBC-Catonsville 11-6, Salem CC 0-3

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

BRIDGETON – To paraphrase Salem Tech right-hander Cole Sacks, playing in the first varsity baseball game in school history was cool … until it wasn’t.

The Chargers played their first official game Thursday, and after a promising beginning they lost at Cumberland 13-0 in a five-inning game that was pretty competitive after the first inning.

And it was a promising start. The Chargers got their first two batters on in the top of the first and loaded the bases with one out, but Cumberland squashed the threat with an inning-ending double play. Then it got away in the bottom of the inning when the Colts put 10 runs in the board.

School administrators had talked about adding baseball since bringing athletics to its campus eight years ago and while strategically expanding their offerings over the years pulled the trigger on it this academic year along with field hockey in the fall and softball in the spring. The softball team played its first official game Tuesday, a 7-6 win over Cape May Tech in the NJTAC Tournament.

“It was definitely pretty cool to play,” shortstop Chase Pompper said. “Ever since my freshman year they’ve been saying they were going to get a team. It feels good to play at my school that I go to. It was a little bit disappointing (to lose the inaugural game), but it definitely can go up from here, though.”

“I see great things for us in the future,” coach John Helsel said. “Once we get that (first win), we’ll be all right. I’m not worried about them.”

Sacks, a junior, drew the Chargers’ Inaugural Game start. He was excited about the opportunity and felt good going to the mound, but “just wasn’t on it,” hitting three batters and walking four before getting an out (a sacrifice fly) and being lifted when it was 5-0. The Colts added five more runs in the inning on five hits off Bryce Harris.

“It was cool until it wasn’t cool,” Sacks said. “Being the first game ever was very cool, but not the way it went down. That was my first time pitching since seventh grade in a real game. It’s been a while. I really wasn’t nervous, just wasn’t on it.”

“He’ll bounce back,” Helsel said.

Pompper got the Chargers’ first hit in school history, a sharp single to right on the second pitch of the game. Sacks had their other hit, a single down the third base line leading off the fourth inning.

After Pompper’s single, Cooper Coles walked. The runners advanced on Lucas Clement’s ground out – a close play at first – and Sacks was hit by a pitch to load the bases. The Colts put the fire out when they turned Jaxon Raymond’s slow roller into a double play. The way the inning started got the Chargers excited and made Colts coach Kyle Daddario “a little more nervous than I anticipated coming into this game.”

“We definitely started off good, that’s for sure,” Pompper said.

Take out the first inning and it was a game. Harris put the Colts down in order in the second. And Daulton Sites put them down in order in the fourth (on 13 pitches, the last one popping the mitt with authority).

Daddario was impressed with the way the Chargers, a team with only two seniors and three freshmen starters, made the fundamental plays in the field and predicted they would be competitive with a lot of the teams they play going forward.

“I felt they threw strikes, I think that’s the biggest thing, but they were very good at making the routine plays, especially after that first inning,” he said. “A lot of small things they did well. Sometimes with a first-year program or even just a young team you see a lot of mistakes in that aspect and to be honest the first inning got away from them because they walked a lot of guys.

“They hit the ball. They put the ball in play. There weren’t a lot of strikeouts. If they capitalize in that first inning I don’t know what I would’ve done. That would’ve changed my entire game plan. If that first inning didn’t get away from them, we’re in a completely different ball game and we’re still playing right now.”

The Chargers won both of their preseason scrimmages by wide margins, but hadn’t seen anyone the likes of the Colts, who were coming off a 34-3 rout of Salem in their season opener that included a 22-run second inning. 

Everybody in the lineup had at least a hit or an RBI in the first inning; Colin Sheppard had RBIs in each of his two plate appearances. Kam Fiorani had an RBI double in the first and a two-run homer in the third. As impressive as the first two games have been for his squad, Daddario said after going 5-19 a year ago he’s not taking the offensive output for granted.

“Last year was a year of struggle for us,” Daddario said. “Nothing was given to us last year. I think we’ve got to take these first two games with a grain of salt. It’s early. We don’t know anything yet. We only won five games last year, so we have nothing to be super excited about right now. It’s a long season. We want to maintain the momentum, but we don’t want to have this fill our heads in any way.”

The Chargers, meanwhile, have two more games on the road before playing their inaugural home opener Thursday against Wildwood Catholic. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.

Salem Tech00000-020
Cumberland(10)030x-1380
WP; Ethan Cruz. LP: Cole Sacks. HR: Kam Fiorani (C).
Chase Pompper delivered Salem Tech’s first hit, a single to right on the second pitch of the game. Top photo: Cole Sacks drew the Chargers’ Opening Day start.

SCHALICK 21, PAULSBORO 1: The defending South Jersey Group I champions opened their season in a rousing way.
Ricky Watt hit a two-run homer in the first inning and drove in three runs, Jacob Schalick went 3-for-3 with four RBIs and the Cougars erupted for 12 runs in the second inning to turn an already comfortable lead into a rout.

Watt’s homer followed a season-opening triple by Evan Sepers and an RBI single by Evan Glaspey. The 12-run inning was highlighted by two-run doubles by Schalick, Wyatt Cushane and Cooper Willoughby.

Three Schalick pitchers held the Red Raiders to six hits and struck out 11. Starter Cole Hartley was credited with the win.

Paulsboro00100-151
Schalick6(12)21x-21190
WP: Cole Hartley. LP: Julius Scott. HR: Ricky Watt (S).

GOLF
WEST DEPTFORD 164, SALEM TECH 240: The Eagles posted the top four rounds of the match. Ben Perticari was low medalist with a 3-over-par 39 on the front nine at RiverWinds. Freshman Daniel Atanasio posted the Chargers’ low round (56).

WEST DEPTFORD: Ben Petricari 39, Ryan Delaney 41, Grayson Ryer 40, Chase Dunda 44.
SALEM TECH: Daniel Atanasio 56, Thomas Conto 63, Sophia Conto 59, Hannah Kormann 62; Jonah Baynes 69, Aaron Zeeman 72.

CUMBERLAND 181, PENNSVILLE 220: Manntram Patel and Thomas Marguglio shared medalist honors after posting 7-over 43s at Running Deer GC. Trevor Hann and Caden Thomas both shot 49 for Pennsville’s low rounds.

CUMBERLAND: Manntram Patel 43, Thomas Marguglio 43, Cody Walker 47, Giuseppe Impellizzeri 48; Cristian Godinz 50, Chase Selby 71.
PENNSVILLE: Trevor Hann 49, Caden Thomas 49, Abigail Bohn 61, Makenna Minguez 61; Keagan Kaminski 63.

KINGSWAY GIRLS 204, SCHALICK 253: Sophomore Kendall Stewart (48) and freshman Lanie Whitehead (49) posted the two low rounds of the match to lead the Dragons. Cali Fisler posted Schalick’s low round (59).

KINGSWAY: Lanie Whitehea 49, Kendall Stewart 48, Olivia O’Neill 51, Gracie Christopher 56; Hadley Burkę 56, Karlie Tomforde 57.
SCHALICK: Cali Fisler 59, Ava Marynowicz 63, Brooke Brown 65, Natlie May 66; Jazmin Perez 69, Alexis Ohara 70.

COLLEGE SOFTBALL
CCBC CATONSVILLE 11-6, SALEM CC 0-3: The Mighty Oaks were shut out on six hits in the five-inning opener and held to four hits in the nightcap.

In the nightcap, the Mighty Oaks cut an early 2-0 deficit in half on Jocelyn Melendez’ squeeze bunt in the fifth, then gave up a two-run homer to Aliceanna Weibley in the bottom of the inning. Megan Koski’s RBI double drew them within 4-2 in the sixth, then Ava Blum delivered a two-run single for the hosts in the bottom of the inning.

Wednesday sports report

Here are scores and highlights from regular-season games on Wednesday’s Salem County sports calendar

BASEBALL
Cumberland 34, Salem 3
SOFTBALL
Cumberland 18, Salem 2
GOLF
Woodstown 177, Schalick 181
Overbrook 217, Pennsville 221
TENNIS
Schalick 4, Lower Cape May 1
BOYS LACROSSE
Cedar Creek 7, Woodstown 5

BASEBALL
CUMBERLAND 34, SALEM 3: The Colts sent 27 batters to the plate in the second inning and scored 22 runs on top of the seven they scored in the first. Kevin Fiorani, Boyd Fithian, Peyton Brenner and Josh Holt all had four RBIs in the game for Cumberland. Austin Davis got the Rams on the board in the fourth with an RBI single and Troy Carey doubled home two runs in the fifth.

SOFTBALL
CUMBERLAND 18, SALEM 2: The Colts scored all their runs in the first three innings and held Salem to two hits. Isla Bohn and Julianna Love got the Rams’ hits in the fourth inning and scored their two runs.

BOYS LACROSSE
CEDAR CREEK 7, WOODSTOWN 5: Robby Cote and Cole Simon scored two goals apiece for the Pirates. Woodstown held a 1-0 lead after the first quarter.

GOLF
WOODSTOWN 177, SCHALICK 181: Nate Valente shot a 6-over-par 41, Lucas Fulmer (42) played his last four holes in 1-over-par and Jack Bucksar shot 44 to post the top three scores in the match at Town & Country Golf Links. Seth Fisher posted Schalick’s low round (44).

WOODSTOWN: Jack Bucksar 44, Nate Valente 41, Logan Jones 50, Lucas Fulmer 42; Greyson Hyland 54, Austin Wood 51.
SCHALICK: Jaxwon Weber 45, Seth Fisher 44, Anthony Sepers 46, Reed Bucolo 46; Michael Nelson 48, Shawn Kelly 48.

OVERBROOK 217, PENNSVILLE 221: Pennsville posted two of the day’s top three scores, but Overbrook put all of its counters in the 50s to win the match at Sakima CC. Pennsville’s Caden Thomas was medalist (50).

OVERBROOK: Jeffrey Boyd 51, Braxton Gillis 54, Ashton Kubat 57, Mark Scott 55; Harry Cieślak 57, Joseph Lniane 58.
PENNSVILLE: Trevor Hann 53, Caden Thomas 50, Abigail Bohn 56, Jack Haley 62, Makenna Minguez 63, Keagan Kaminski 63.

TENNIS
SCHALICK 4, LOWER CAPE MAY 1
Gabe McFeeley (S) def. Ismael Lopez, 6-0, 6-0
Reece Loatman (S) def. Nathan Chase, 7-5, 6-4
Tyr Brattlie (S) def. Keaton Black, 6-4, 6-3
Chris Hawes-Robbie Claxton (LCM) def. Cooper Halperin-Christopher Chica, 6-1, 6-3
Angelo Boston-Gavin McGrath (S) def. Aiden Teng-Hebuedy Ulloa-Rodriguez, 6-2, 6-3
Records: Schalick 1-0, Lower Cape May 0-1.