Category: BASEBALL

Well-armed

Schalick went looking for arms to give it a chance against Toms River South and Hollywood, Schalick provided ‘exactly what we needed.’ includes county’s baseball, softball, tennis results

FRIDAY’S SCORES
BASEBALL
Haddon Heights 14, Pennsville 3
Schalick 8, Toms River South 7
Woodstown 11, Collingswood 8
SOFTBALL
Gloucester Catholic 9, Schalick 3
Haddon Heights 7, Pennsville 6
Overbrook 23, Penns Grove 0
Salem Tech 8, Haddonfield 5
Woodstown 3, Glassboro 1
TENNIS
Kingsway 5, Pennsville 0
Woodstown 5, Deptford 0

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PITTSGROVE — After exhausting his two best pitchers trying to win a 10-inning division marathon the day before, Schalick baseball coach Sean O’Brien wondered if he’d have enough arms to get past one of the better teams from the Shore Friday morning.

Enter Mason Hollywood and Bo Schalick.

The two junior right-handers hadn’t thrown a lot this early in the season and they certainly hadn’t faced a team like they did Friday. They had their trials, but they never lost the lead and gave the Cougars every chance to knock off Group 3 Toms River South, 8-7.

Hollywood pitched the first four innings and left in a 4-4 tie. Schalick pitched the last three innings and turned the Indians back when they threatened in the sixth and seventh.

“They did exactly what we needed them to do every time they got out and pitch,” O’Brien said. “We know teams are going to hit them, they don’t throw super hard, but they are guys who can compete, they can locate, they can throw their off speed for strikes. We just have to play defense behind them, and for the most part we did. We made some mistakes late in the game, but those guys what we needed them to do.

“We’re not super deep as we were last year in our rotation, so we need other guys to step up and those two guys did that today.”

Initially, Hollywood and Schalick were going to be used in relief behind starter Cole Harley, but that plan was scuttled when Hartley pitched the final four innings (62 pitches) against Overbrook on Thursday.

The pitchers were told that night they would be going against the Indians, who came in undefeated in four games, and they did everything they could in the run-up to be ready. For Schalick, one of the rare athletes who can play for the name on the front and the back of the jersey, it was getting a good night’s sleep, stretching out and downing an energy drink in the morning.

Hollywood had thrown only 3 1/3 innings in two previous appearances this season, but he’d made nine pitching appearances (29 total innings) the previous two years at St. Joseph Academy.

He gave up one hit over the first three innings. He HBP/walked the bases loaded in the second, but got out of it with only one run scoring. He ran into trouble in the fourth, giving up back-to-back doubles, opening the door for the Indians to score three runs to tie it.

The Cougars gave him a 4-0 lead after two innings. They scored three in the first on Jamari Whitley’s RBI single, a run-scoring error and Travis Snodgrass’ bases-loaded single, then added another run in the second on Ricky Watt’s RBI double. Watt doubled in each of his first two at-bats.

“(O’Brien) just said it was like pitching against any other team; it doesn’t matter how good they are as long as you can throw the ball in there,” Hollywood said. “There were a little bit of nerve, but in the end I have a great team behind me. In the end there aren’t really any nerves when your team can make the plays.”

Schalick had made only one previous varsity pitching appearance, a two-inning stint in a rout of Clayton earlier this week where he threw 25 pitches. He threw 62 in closing out the Indians. He breezed through his first inning in 12 pitches, but threw 37 in in the sixth as the Indians batted around to score three runs and make it 8-7.

O’Brien had another pitcher in his pocket just in case, but he never needed him. South got the tying run in scoring position with one out in the seventh, but Schalick got out of it with a fly to center and, as the Indians got to the top of the order, his fourth strikeout to end the game.

“I felt good,” Schalick said. “There were a little nerves, but I feel like the adrenaline helped me with the fastball velocity and then my curveball was working at the beginning. (The last inning) I had a little nerves in the dugout before walking out, but I made sure I was keeping my head down, throwing strikes.”

“For them to come in and do that it just shows we can rely on them against good teams, too,” O’Brien said. 

Schalick set Schalick up for the win with four runs in the fifth. The back end of the lineup set the table, then Evan Sepers and Watt both drew bases-loaded walks on 3-2 pitches and Whitley drilled the first pitch from left-handed reliever Karsin Migliori into left field for a two-run single.

Sepers reached base in three of his four plate appearances and scored all three times. Watt had two doubles and a walk, and Whitley had three hits and three RBIs

“Those guys have been swinging the bat really well,” O’Brien said of the top of his lineup. “We just need to be more consistent in the back end of the lineup. There are moments when we look really good and moments when we kind of fall off a little bit. The back end guys need to see pitches, need to work pitchers and find a way to get on base so we can turn over that lineup and they did a good job. 

“If we can get that going, like last year, if our top end wasn’t hitting, the back end was. Once we start doing that and then we clean up the defense and pitching becomes more consistent we’re going to be a really good team.”

WOODSTOWN 11, COLLINGSWOOD 8: Walker Battavio and Ty Coblentz each drove in two runs with consecutive two-out hits in the seventh inning to give the Wolverines the lead, which they held through the bottom of the inning.

The game was tied 7-7 going into the seventh. The Wolverines (4-2) loaded the bases on Drew Sutton’s leadoff double, a one-out intentional walk to Chase Harding (who hit his first career homer earlier in the game), and a single by Jackson Fraley.

After a strikeout got the second out, Battavio singled to second to break the tie and Coblentz followed with a double to plate two more insurance runs. Coblentz tied the game in the sixth with a two-out single.

The Panthers (1-2) got a run in the home seventh and had the tying run in the on-deck circle, but Talyn Priore induced the next two batters into ground outs to end the game.

Coblentz went 3-for-5 with three RBIs. Battavio had two hits and two RBIs and Sutton had two hits. Harding hit a two-run homer in the second inning to open the scoring.


HADDON HEIGHTS 14, PENNSVILLE 3: The Garnets scored six runs in the first inning and the Eagles could never dig out of the hole.

The visitors sent 10 batters to the plate in the first inning. Jaxon Motta had a two-run double and Collin Camarote a two-run single to highlight the big start. Ryan Govito hit a solo homer in the sixth.

Jeff Wagner hit a solo homer in the third to get the Eagles on the board. He also had an RBI single in the fifth.

Softball

WOODSTOWN 3, GLASSBORO 1: The Wolverines broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the third inning and Leah Clark made it stand by winning a pitching duel with Glassboro’s Gianna Askin.

The Wolverines took the lead on Madison LaPalomento’s RBI single and two more runs scored when the Bulldogs misplayed Grace Hitchner’s hard grounder to the right side of the infield.

Clark held the visitors in check on six hits while striking out seven. The Bulldogs scored a run in the fifth on Scarlett Saicic’s two-out RBI double, then Clark allowed only two more base runners the rest of the game.

SALEM TECH 8, HADDONFIELD 5: Shelby Drummond went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and Claire Kier went 3-for-4 with three RBIs as the first-year Chargers (7-1) won their fifth in a row. Shelby Liber drove in a pair of runs. Isabele Roberts threw a complete game in the circle, allowing seven hits, two earned runs and striking out nine.

HADDON HEIGHTS 7, PENNSVILLE 6: Ruby Caviston walked it off with a homer with one out in the bottom of the seventh.
The Eagles tied the game with two runs in the sixth on Graillyn Weber’s RBI double and Kenzie Widener’s RBI single. Weber (three doubles) and Widener both had three hits and three RBIs in the game. The Eagles outhit their hosts, 12-7.

GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 9, SCHALICK 3: The Rams answered Schalick’s three runs in the top of the first with three in the bottom of the inning, then took the lead for good on a passed ball with two outs in the second inning with the bases loaded. The Rams added three more in the fourth, then Shaili Monaghan held the Cougars scoreless on one hit over the final three innings.

OVERBROOK 23, PENNS GROVE 0: Peyton Wood had two hits and three RBIs and Gianna Simon cleared the bases and scored on a bases-loaded triple-and-error combination in a 12-run first inning and two Overbrook pitchers held the Red Devils to two hits while striking out nine. Nyasia Numan had both of the Red Devils’ hits.

Tennis

WOODSTOWN 5, DEPTFORD 0
Drew Stengel (WO) def. David Decker, 6-1, 6-4
Mason Shimp (WO) def. Easton Davis, 6-2, 6-0
Luke Shaw (WO) def. Zane Rauner, 6-2, 6-3
Vincent Merendino-Nick DiTeodoro (WO) def. Xavier Dean-Noah Tennyson, 6-0, 6-1
Connor Miller-Josh King (WO) def. Jonathan Clark-Zayann Moosavi, 6-0, 6-1
Records: Woodstown 5-2, Deptford 2-2.

KINGSWAY 5, PENNSVILLE 0
Aidan Shoemaker (K) dec. Sawyer Humphrey, 6-0, 6-0
Nate Brandley (K) def. Lucas Cooksey, 6-1, 6-0
Jimmy Wilkes (K) def. Carter Willis, 6-3, 6-1
Nolan Steurer-Shiven Shah (K) def. Coen Rinnier-Jacob Cheeseman, 6-1, 6-0
Aiden Totten-Carter Matthews (K) def. Ian Peacock-Matthew Forino, 6-2, 6-1
Records: Kingsway 5-0, Pennsville 3-5.



A turning point?

Salem CC baseball gets back on winning track; softball erupts for record 50 runs in doubleheader sweep at Raritan Valley

FRIDAY BASEBALL
Salem CC 12, Middlesex 7
FRIDAY SOFTBALL
Salem CC 23-27, Raritan Valley 1-1

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT – John Holt knows good his Salem CC baseball team can be if it ever played to its potential. He just had to convince them of that.

Giving up 71 runs in the last three games has a way of sapping a team’s confidence, but it’s nothing a good ol’ heart-to-heart can’t fix.

That’s the approach the Mighty Oaks took earlier this week after three atrocious outings on the road against Montgomery County and Brookdale. A day after a 21-5 shelling at Brookdale, Holt brought the fellas together for a two-way talk about what has been happening and why, what needed to change and what lies ahead (a playoff berth if they can right the ship).

What followed, everyone in the organization agreed, was two of the best practices the team has had all year and it culminated in a 12-7 series opening win over Middlesex at The Treehouse Friday.

“We had a talk early this week after that Brookdale game and the guys really came together,” Holt said. “The leadership really stepped up and they made the decision that we had to make some changes energy wise and accountability wise and these guys really stepped up and had, honestly, the best two practices of the year getting ready for this.

“We preach one day at a time here, but it’s one game at a time and one step at a time. If these guys play the way they’re capable of playing, we’ve got a shot. We had to remind them who they were and what kind of ballclub they can be and they showed it. They’re a good baseball team when we play baseball and we don’t give things away and keep things routine.”

The Mighty Oaks came out hot. They batted around in the home first to score six runs, brushing off the run Middlesex got in the top of the inning, and never trailed again.

Six of the first eight batters reached base and scored. The two that didn’t hit a sacrifice fly (Colin McLaughlin) and a two-run single (Aidan Nestor). Then they added three more runs in the second on Rocco String’s RBI double and McLaughlin’s two-run single.

The Mighty Oaks pounded 13 hits in the game. Roman Hernandez had four (and two RBIs). Nestor had a career-high three (and three RBIs). McLaughlin and Tyler Hacker both had two. McLaughlin started at third after it was learned Jay Barber was involved in a car crash earlier in the day. Barber hoped to rejoin the team in time for Saturday’s doubleheader at Middlesex.

“The energy was just different,” freshman pitcher Nick Reckard said. 

“Honestly, it just started at practice, we started building off that practice,” Nestor said. “We had a few good I/Os, stuff like that, it started getting loud and after it was like, all right, we gotta go all in. We’re like burn the board, we gotta go all in, into each game, one by one, and just compete. Coach Holt believes in us and he reminded us after Brookdale. We built off the energy of each other and competed for the whole nine (innings) and good things ended up happening.”

Sophomore Seth McCormick started for the Mighty Oaks. He pitched into the sixth inning, giving up six runs on six hits, walking or hitting five and striking out six before coming out in the middle of a count with an elbow injury of some concern. The players all wore pink wrist wraps during the game in support of McCormick’s seriously ill mother.

Louie Rivera and Reckard followed McCormick to the mound. Rivera finished the sixth, retired the side in order in the seventh and faced two batters in the eighth. Reckard finished the eighth and then ninth, giving up two hits in 1 2/3 innings that was his best outing since throwing four scoreless inning against weak Delaware County on March 24.

“It was refreshing, for sure,” Reckard said. “It was refreshing to go out there and throw the ball good. I felt like the two games I struggled with I was throwing good, I just didn’t hit my spots. To get that and for my coach to trust me, it was awesome. It’s definitely a confidence booster.”

Middlesex102003010-781
Salem CC63100110x-12134
WP: Seth McCormick (3-3). LP: Jimmy Kehoe (1-1).

Softball

BRANCHBURG — The Mighty Oaks had another record-setting doubleheader when they swept Raritan Valley 23-1 and 27-1.

The 50 runs are the most they’ve scored in a doubleheader since the revival of the program, eclipsing the 46 runs they scored in a sweep of Morris on March 28.

Lilly Peverelle had three hits and three RBIs in the opener and Emme Witter hit a grand slam in the fifth inning to complete a five RBI game. Raegan Wilson and Savannah Palvarento combined on a three-hitter in the circle.

The nightcap belonged to Palverento. She had three hits and four RBIs, hitting a two-run homer and two-run single in the 13-run first inning, and pitched the first two innings in the circle.

Palverento and Witter combined on a five-inning two-hitter and faced only two over the minimum. Palverento gave up a leadoff single, then retired the next six batters in a row. Witter struck out the first five she faced before yielding a double.

Sawyer Simmons went 3-for-3 with three RBIs and scored five runs. Ava Ortiz also went 3-for-3 and Jalyn Rambally also had three hits.

Salem CC26924-23112
Raritan Valley00001-136
WP: Raegan Wilson. HR: Emme Witter (S)
Salem CC(13)7610-27160
Raritan Valley10000-125
WP: Savannah Palverento. HR: Savannah Palverento (S)

Danger, high Wattage

Red-hot Schalick catcher’s walk-off homer in tenth lifts Cougars over Overbrook; includes scores and highlights of Thursday’s Salem County sports action

THURSDAY’S SCORES
BASEBALL
Schalick 11, Overbrook 8, 10 inns.
Pennsville 16, Clayton 2, 5 inns.
Pitman 11, Salem 0, 5 inns.
Pleasantville 10, Penns Grove 0
SOFTBALL
Glassboro 21, Penns Grove 0
Pennsville 18, Clayton 1
Pitman 17, Salem 4
Schalick 13, Overbrook 4
BOYS GOLF
Woodstown 172, Cumberland 210
TENNIS
Delsea 5, Pennsville 0
Overbrook 3, Schalick 2
Timber Creek 3, Penns Grove 2
Woodstown 4, Haddon Heights 1
TRACK
Glassboro 75, Woodstown 66
Overbrook at Schalick
Pennsville at Penns Grove
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Triton 2, Salem Tech 0 (25-13, 25-13)
BOYS LACROSSE
Holy Spirit 5, Woodstown 4
GIRLS LACROSSE
Holy Spirit 13, Woodstown 9

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PITTSGROVE — It is not “normal baseball” they play when Overbrook and Schalick get together on the diamond, but one thing that is normal is the way Ricky Watt has been delivering for the Cougars this season.

The teams have played some of the craziest games their coaches can remember since they’ve been involved in the series, a series that has had triple plays, big plays, big hits and walk-offs – and they added another crazy chapter to it Thursday.. 

Schalick walked it off 11-8 on Watt’s three-run homer with none out in the bottom of the tenth, but not before Overbrook rallied twice to force extra innings and cut down the game-winning run at the plate to complete a ninth-inning-ending double play to extend the game or the Cougars made two nice plays in the infield late to keep the Rams at bay.

Is that crazy enough for you?

“At our place it’s usually not as crazy, but at their place it’s … never a normal game, let’s put it that way,” Schalick coach Sean O’Brien said. “Luckily we’ve come out on top.

“The games are always tight, especially at their place. It’s always a back and forth. There’s always one team that’s up and the other team comes back. It’s not normal baseball I would say. Because the games are always tight, I can’t even say we’ve won this many games (in the series). I don’t even know, but I know the games are always competitive.”

Wyatt Cushane led off the Cougars’ winning rally by reaching on an error and leadoff man Evan Sepers drew a walk. Overbrook coach Greg Himes passed on the idea of putting Watt on to load the bases because there were equally dangerous hitters behind him. Jamari Whitley already had two hits and Bo Schalick was 4-for-5 with four RBIs.

Watt fouled off the first pitch, then brought the game to a dramatic close with his homer to center.

“I was just trying to hit the ball hard,” he explained. “There were guys in scoring position, I was just trying to put a ball in play. I got a little jammed, I didn’t get all of it. We’ve got a pretty big field. I didn’t think it was going to go out, but I guess I just got enough of it.

“I’d say my home run against Woodstown last year (in the Elmer Classic), that was probably my favorite one so far, but this one’s coming a close second.”

The energy Watt brings to the Cougars is, well, electric. The latest blast was his fourth homer in five games this season (in 16 at bats) and the third game in a row he’s gone yard. The junior catcher, who wears No. 5, had five hits and five RBIs in the game – both career highs – and is now batting .812 for the season (13-for-16) with 14 RBIs and a slugging percentage of 1.750.

The Cougars are 7-1 all-time in games Watt homers.

“It’s funny, last year he would get overlooked because we had Luke (Pokrovsky) last year,” O’Brien said. “People don’t realize how good of a player Ricky really is. 

“He’s come into the season locked in. He’s looked good all preseason, during practices, during games; he’s just consistent. He was already a good player, but he just worked so much harder to be where he’s at. I’m kind of surprised how hot he is, I thought he might cool down a little bit, but he’s such a good player I think he’s going to be pretty consistent this year.”

The Cougars thought they had the winning run an inning before Watt’s heroics. Courtesy runner Will Sieminski was on third with one out after he was sacrificed over following Cole Hartley’s leadoff double. Mason Hollywood lofted a fly to a drawn-in outfield that Chase Terramagra caught in medium centerfield. Sieminski tagged, but Terramagra’s throw came straight through without a relay and catcher Connor McNally reached back up the line to tag the runner for the final out of the inning.

“We were selling out on that right there,” Himes said. “That was a do-or-die situation. We brought them up in that situation. If you look at the book before that, he’s the kid who lined out to end that inning. He’s young and I thought what a good learning experience for him. He was in his feels a little bit and we told him you’d have to make a play. What a good learning experience for him to know I did what I could do, the kid made a great play, now I have to go make a better one. That’s gonna pay dividends for us in the long run. It’s about the playoffs.”

Cushane robbed Terramagra of a potential go-ahead RBI in the top of the inning with a lunging snag to the glove side to end the inning with runners at first and second. 

The Rams, who suffered a late-inning loss at Pennsville earlier in the week, rallied twice to tie the game. They were down 6-2 when Schalick starter Whitley left the mound, then scored four in the sixth to tie it the first time. Whitley gave up two hits and struck out 10 in his five innings.

The Cougars retook the lead in the bottom of the sixth on Whitley’s sacrifice fly and Bo Schalick’s third RBI hit of the game, then Overbrook retied it with two from the bottom of the lineup off Hartley in the seventh. The Rams scored the tying run on a squeeze bunt by Frank McLaughlin the looked like it might go foul, but hit a bump in the skin infield and stayed in play.

“That’s Overbrook baseball,” Himes said of his team’s resiliency. “Since I’ve been here seven years it’s the way that we like to play. It’s who we are as a town, it’s who we are as a personality.

“We have a young group. The past couple years we had a playing group that played together since they were probably 8 years old. This playing group is really figuring out the speed of the game. It’s great to see us executing on stuff early on.”

Hartley didn’t allow another run and only one hit after McLaughlin’s game-tying squeeze. That’s the element that stands out to the game’s hero.

“I wouldn’t have hit that ball if Cole didn’t keep us in the game,” Watt said. “I think that’s probably the biggest highlight.”

Overbrook catcher Connor McNally (lower photo) reacts after putting the tag on Schalick’s Will Sieminski to deny the potential winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning. (Top photo) Ricky Watt celebrates his winning three-run walk-off homer in the tenth.

PENNSVILLE 16, CLAYTON 2: Logan Streitz had a pair of two-run doubles in a 10-run first inning and Jeff Wagner hit a two-run homer and drove in four runs. Dante Cummings went 3-for-3 with two RBIs.

Logan Cowperthwait started and gave the Eagles (4-0) four shutout innings before giving way to Grady Sanders in the fifth. Cowperthwait gave up one hit, a first-inning single, and struck out five.

PITMAN 11, SALEM 0: Liam Bailly spun a five-inning one-hitter, striking out seven and facing three batters over the minimum. After giving up a walk in the first inning, Bailly retired nine in a row until Troy Carey singled to right with two outs in the fourth.

The Panthers took control with an eight-run second inning, capped by Steven Clifford’s two-run double. Clifford had two hits and three RBIs.

PLEASANTVILLE 10, PENNS GROVE 0: Joseph DeLaCruz and Edriarlyn Caraballo held Penns Grove to two singles. Liam Irvin and Angel Maldonado had the Red Devils’ two hits.

Softball

PENNSVILLE 18, CLAYTON 1: The Eagles erupted for 10 runs in the first inning and cruised to their second straight win. The heart of the Eagles’ lineup — Graillyn Weber, Kylie Harris, Avery Watson and Kenzie Widener — were a combined 10-for-12 with 10 RBIs and 10 runs scored. Weber and Watson both had three hits. Three Pennsville pitchers combined to hold the Clippers to five hits.

SCHALICK 13, OVERBROOK 4: The Cougars overcame a 2-1 deficit with six runs in the fourth inning to remain undefeated. A Seven players had multiple hits and three had multiple RBIs as the Cougars remained undefeated. AAAA Lauglin led the assault with three hits, including a pair of RBI singles in the fourth-inning rally. Liv VanAcker, Paige Sparks, Khloe McGrath, Alex Shimp, Emma Cain and Kassidy Sickler had two hits apiece.

PITMAN 17, SALEM 4: The Panthers took control with 13 runs in the second inning. Emery Sharpnack had three hits and two RBIs, while Kendall Bennett had two hits and three RBIs.

GLASSBORO 21, PENNS GROVE 0: Scarlett Saicic went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and two Glassboro pitchers combined to hold the Red Devils to one hit.

Tennis

DELSEA 5, PENNSVILLE 0
Zeph Kell (D) def. Sawyer Humphrey, 6-2, 6-1
Eli Croce (D) def. Lucas Cooksey, 6-3, 6-3
Zach Natalie (D) def. Carter Willis, 6-1, 6-0
Jacob Bramble-Jude Thompson (D) def. Coen Rinnier-Jacob Cheeseman, 6-1, 6-2
Marcus Salgueiro-Thomas Maronski (D) def. Ian Peacock-Matthew Forino, 2-6, 7-5, 10-6
Records: Delsea 5-0, Pennsville 3-4

OVERBROOK 3, SCHALICK 2
Connor Kustera (O) def. Gabe McFeeley, 6-1, 6-0
Gabe Martinez (O) def. Reece Loatman, 6-4, 6-1
Colin Campbell (O) def. Tyr Brattlie, 6-1, 6-2
No doubles reported.
Records: Overbrook 3-1, Schalick 3-2

TIMBER CREEK 3, PENNS GROVE 2
Kyle Clark Blanding (TC) def. Alex Ramirez Martinez, 6-3, 6-1
Adam He (TC) def. Anthony Pacheco, 6-2, 6-2
Juan Ortiz-Adam Gonzalez (PG) def. Gabriel Castro-Keenan King, 6-2, 6-4
Jesus Arredondo-Rene Ruiz (PG) def. Shawn Allen-Stephen Fehon, 6-0, 6-0
Only matches reported.
Records: Timber Creek 2-1, Penns Grove 1-1

WOODSTOWN 4, HADDON HEIGHTS 1
Owen Peakes (HH) def. Drew Stengel, 6-2, 6-2
Mason Shimp (WO) def. Gavin Ewing, 6-1, 6-1
Luke Shaw (WO) def. Cameron Wilson, 6-1, 6-1
Vincent Merendino-Nick DiTeodoro (WO) def. Joe Foster-Andrew D’Amelio, 6-1, 6-0
Connor Miller-Josh King (WO) def. Michael Fitter-William Zetusky, 6-2, 6-0
Records: Woodstown 4-2, Haddon Heights 1-4

Golf

WOODSTOWN 172, CUMBERLAND 210: Woodstown’s Greyson Hyland won medalist honors with a 42 that included back-to-back birdies on Holes 6 and 7 at Town & Country Golf Links. Teammates Jack Bucksar and Logan Jones both shot 43.

WOODSTOWN: Jack Bucksar 43, Greyson Hyland 42, Nate Valente 44, Logan Jones 43; Alejandro Vazquez 46, Lucas Fulmer 46.
CUMBERLAND: Cristian Godinez 52, Joseph Nolan 45, Giuseppe Impellizzeri 55, Thomas Marguglio 58; Brian Feliciano 60

Boys lacrosse

HOLY SPIRIT 5, WOODSTOWN 4: Connor Haney and Bob Waddington scored two goals apiece, but the Wolverines fell to remain winless. Nehemiah Carter was credited with two assists.

Girls lacrosse

HOLY SPIRIT 13, WOODSTOWN 9: Taylor Lyons scored five goals and Grace Marczyk had four to hand Woodstown its first loss of the season.





Venturing out

Salem Rams get board approval to open 2026 football season in Ohio; also scores and highlights from Wednesday’s Salem County sports schedule

WEDNESDAY’S SCORES
BASEBALL
Penns Grove 21, Salem 4
Woodstown 3, Glassboro 0
SOFTBALL
Salem 23, Penns Grove 0
Woodstown 10, Gloucester Catholic 7
TENNIS
Kingsway 3, Woodstown 2
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Westhampton Tech at Salem Tech
BOYS GOLF
West Deptford 164, Woodstown 194
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Cecil 5-1, Salem CC 0-11

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

SALEM – Kemp Carr is the type of coach who will play any team, anytime, anywhere, so when he came up empty going through New Jersey trying to find a Week Zero game for his Salem High School football team he went searching.

Wednesday night, the Salem City school board overwhelmingly approved a trip that will have the Rams opening their 2026 season in southwest Ohio, playing a historically strong program in a stadium that once was home to a team that would become a seminal NFL franchise.

The Rams will open their season Aug. 29 against Ironton, Ohio. The town is on the Ohio River, about eight hours from Salem, in the wedge between Kentucky and West Virginia.

The game will be played in Tanks Memorial Stadium, the original home of the Ironton Tanks, the legendary independent pro team (1919-30) that evolved into the Detroit Lions.

“I’m extremely excited for the kids having the opportunity to play other schools outside the state,” Carr said, “but also an opportunity for folks to see how we represent and play football for the state of New Jersey coming out of Salem as well as being able to give them some exposure to two colleges … so it’s a recruitable moment.”

Kemp sought out “several” in-state teams to complete the Rams’ schedule, but nothing materialized. He thought he had a game in West Virginia, but it fell through, too. He dropped an inquiry into the Ohio scheduling portal and said six responded positively within 30 minutes. He said he chose the Fighting Tigers because they were the first to respond.

The trip also will include an educational component as the team will make visits to Marshall University and Ohio University while there.

“The biggest thing for us, and it’s not just athletics, we really try to get our kids exposed to things that are outside of Salem County and outside of New Jersey and this is just another example of us being able to do that for our students,” retiring Salem principal John Mulhorn said. “It’s going to be a great opportunity for them.”

The Rams are trending upward after falling on some tough times the last couple years. They had their first winning season since 2022 last year, going 6-5 and reaching the second round of the South Jersey Group I playoffs after going winless the year before.

The last time they played out of state was 2023 when a late-developing scheduling snafu had them opening the season against Allentown’s Executive Education Charter in Lafayette College’s Fisher Stadium. They hosted Conwell-Egan (Pa.) in 2018.

“We’re glad we’re going to have a Week Zero game,” Carr said. “Last year we basically got Pleasantville at the last minute. Knowing that you’re going to have a Week Zero game in April feels a lot better than you getting that game in July or the end of May. This is good stuff.

“This is something that’s happening all over the state; we’re not the only ones. There are multiple teams that are going to be playing out of state. There are some New Jersey teams going to Florida and going to Texas. We’re just happy to get on a bus and go to Ohio.”

Ironton will give them a test. The Fighting Tigers have gone 60-8 since 2021 and produced 14 Division I players the last three years, but in 2026 they will be looking to bounce back from sanctions related to what the Ohio High School Athletic Association called “serious and pervasive” recruiting violations spanning 2018-25. Among its penalties were a ban from defending the 2024 Division V state title it retained, a fine, probation (three years) and coach suspensions for 2026..

District superintendent Sommer McCorkle told Huntington, W.Va., television station WSAZ in a statement last fall there would be “systemic changes” to local policies on enrollment and transfers following the OHSAA’s investigation and findings. Trevon Pendleton was retained as the Fighting Tigers’ head coach but the school board eliminated the athletics director position he held.

Last season they were officially 8-2, but won nine games on the field before having their final game forfeited. They put up 42 points in eight of their nine wins and 55 or more in all four of their games after the loss with a single-game high of 70. They played teams from New York, Virginia, Kentucky and Pennsylvania as well as Ohio.

The Fighting Tigers will have one game under their belt when they play the Rams. Their season opener takes place the same week Salem plays Camden in its preseason scrimmage.

“We don’t duck no smoke,” Carr said. “Iron sharpens iron and it can’t do anything but make us better one way or the other, no matter what the outcome is. We’re going to learn from it. We’re going to have an opportunity for a get-better moment. This is what you want to do. They’re extremely excited about it over there and so are we.”

SALEM RAMS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Week 0: at Ironton, Ohio
Week 1: Paulsboro
Week 2: Audubon
Week 3: at Schalick
Week 4: Overbrook
Week 5: Woodstown
Week 6: at Clayton
Week 7: at Burlington City
Week 8: at Pennsville

Baseball

WOODSTOWN 3, GLASSBORO 0: Drew Sutton’s two-run single to right in the sixth inning extended the lead and two pitchers combined on a four-hit shutout as the Wolverines avenged a walkout loss to the Bulldogs in their last game and snapped a two-game losing streak.

Sutton’s hit, his second of the game, came after Ty Coblentz and Luke Fraley opened the inning with singles. The Wolverines took a 1-0 lead in the second on Noah Williams’ two-out RBI single.

Walker Battavio pitched the first five innings of the shutout for the Wolverines. He allowed three hits, walked none and struck out seven. Freshman Talyn Priore worked the last two innings, giving up a hit and striking out one.

PENNS GROVE 21, SALEM 4: Liam Irvin had two doubles and six RBIs and was the winning pitcher as the Red Devils picked up their first win of the season.

Softball

WOODSTOWN 10, GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 7: Senior Ellie Wygand’s first career homer, a two-run shot to left field, capped a five-run seventh inning that broke a 5-5 tie and lifted the Wolverines to victory. The homer came in her 188th career at-bat.

Lila Bowling got the winning rally started with a one-out double. Leah Clark singled home the go-ahead run. Another run scored on an error and Macie Moore singled home another run, setting the stage of Wygand’s homer.

SALEM 23, PENNS GROVE 0: Julliana Love hit an inside-the-park home run and Avah Brown pitched a four-inning no-hitter with eight strikeouts as the Rams scored their first win of the season.

Love went 2-for-4 and drove in three runs. Her homer came in a seven-run second inning. MMMMM Johnson went 3-for-4 with two RBIs.

Tennis

KINGSWAY 3, WOODSTOWN 2
Drew Stengel (WO) def. Aidan Shoemaker, 4-6, 6-4, 15-13
Nate Bradley (K) def. Mason Shimp, 6-2, 6-0
Jimmy Wilkes (K) def. Luke Shaw, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4
Shiven Shah-Nolan Steurer (K) def. Vincent Merendino-Nick DiTeodoro, 7-5, 7-5
Connor Miller-Josh King (WO) def. Aiden Barnes-Aiden Totten, 7-6 (8-6), 2-6, 10-1
Records: Kingsway 4-0, Woodstown 3-2

Boys golf

WEST DEPTFORD 164, WOODSTOWN 194: Brady Cobb parlayed his local knowledge of Riverwinds Golf Club into two birdies and a 1-under-par 35 to win medalist honors and lead the Eagles to victory. Greyson Hyland posted Woodstown’s low round (42).
WEST DEPTFORD: Brady Cobb 35, Ben Perticari 39, Grayson Ryer 43, Chase Dunda 47.
WOODSTOWN: Nate Valente 50, Alejandro Vazquez 51, Greyson Hyland 42, Lucas Fulmer 51; Blake Bialecki 51, Austin Wood 56.

College softball

NORTH EAST, Md. — The Salem CC softball team split its doubleheader at Cecil College with each team’s winning pitcher delivering a gem.

Jordyn Busch threw a one-hitter as the Mighty Oaks won the nightcap 11-1 to earn the split. Cecil won the opener 5-0 with Taylor Stapleford spinning a no-hitter with 19 strikeouts

The only hit Busch allowed in the five-inning nightcap was a one-out single in the second inning. She gave up an unearned run, walked three and struck out six.

Lilly Peverelle, J.J. Aguirre and Emme Witter all had a pair of hits for the Mighty Oaks. Aguirre and Sawyer Simmons both drove in a pair of runs.

The no-hitter in the opener was Stapleford’s second of the season. The only balls the Mighty Oaks put in play against her were Peverelle’s ground out in the sixth inning and Savannah Palverento’s bunt to the pitcher in the seventh. She retired the last 13 batters she faced.

A little ‘encouragement’ goes a long way

Down to his last strike, Layfield delivers go-ahead single in Pennsville’s win over Overbrook; Watt hits third homer in first four games in Schalick rout of Clayton; includes scores and highlights from Tuesday’sSalem County sports action

TUESDAY’S GAMES
BASEBALL
Schalick 23, Clayton 3
Pennsville 4, Overbrook 2
Salem Tech 25, Winslow 7
SOFTBALL
Schalick 20, Clayton 1
Pennsville 14, Overbrook 6
Haddon Heights 7, Woodstown 2
BOYS GOLF
Clayton 236, Pennsville 240
Woodstown 166, Overbrook 218
Pitman 169, Salem Tech 255
GIRLS GOLF
Williamstown 216, Schalick 226
TENNIS
Mainland 5, Schalick 0
BOYS LACROSSE
Clearview 14, Woodstown 7
GIRLS LACROSSE
Woodstown 10, Clearview 9
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Brookdale 21, Salem CC 5

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – Jake Layfield battled back from an 0-2 count to slice a two-run, two-out bases-loaded single into right field to snap a 2-2 tie in the sixth inning and lift Pennsville to a 4-2 win over Overbrook.

The Eagles (3-0) loaded the bases on single by Jeff Wagner, Stevie Fatcher and Grady Sanders to finally get Overbrook starter Anthony Nucera out of the game. Nucera held the Eagles to three hits and turned back a threat in the fourth before leaving with one out in the sixth after throwing 84 pitches.

Rams’ reliever Luke Boyd struck out Logan Cowperthwait for the second out of the inning and had Layfield down to his last strike. But the junior shortstop, the No. 9 hitter in the batting order, worked the count to 2-2, showing good discipline to lay off a close curveball on 1-2, before poking his go-ahead hit into right field.

Layfield said he wasn’t worried down in the count because he was getting “encouragement” from his teammates on the bases.

“My heart rate was probably like 125 a little bit, but I took my time before I got in the box, I didn’t want to just step in there,” he said. “I took a couple breaths, looked at my coaches a couple times. I’m pretty sure he just gave me the go-ahead sign three times. He was probably getting a little annoyed, but I had to keep my composure.

“Being down 0-2 was not fun at first, but … I kept a good eye. The curveball was a close one. I’m just glad my pitch was over. I think they were great teammates for (encouraging) me. That was a good thing.”

“He was really battling and I was just trying to help him as much as I could,” Fatcher said. 

It was just Layfield’s second hit of the season and third of his career, but he wasn’t getting many chances to bat as he is this year.

“I was very happy for him,” Eagles coach Matt Karr said. “Last year he kind of got thrown into the fire for us. Halfway through the season we made him our starting shortstop and we DH’d for him every single game. It kind of became a little inside joke among the guys on the team that he was getting DH’d for.

“Then we graduate those guys and some of these guys are expected to take that step up. He’s put together some good at bats. Even before that inning we were talking about the pinch-hitter and Aaron (McAllister), my first-base coach, said I wouldn’t mess with Layfield. He’s put together some good at-bats today, he’s fouled some pitches off, I think he’s on to something. So he kind of had an eye for it. Jake was in a big spot and came up clutch.”

The Eagles scored single runs in the second and third innings, tying the game each time. The first one scored on Cowperthwait’s infield ground out and the second on Logan Streitz’ line single to center. They had the go-ahead run in scoring position with one out and at third with two outs in the fourth but couldn’t bring in it.

Mason O’Brien threw four shutout innings behind starter Streitz to get the win. The junior left-hander gave up two hits, struck out four and picked off a runner in the seventh. The Rams put only one runner in scoring position during his outing. Streitz gave up only two hits and struck out five. The runs he gave up scored on an infield ground out and a wild pitch.

Overbrook1010000-243
Pennsville011002x-470
WP: Mason O’Brien. LP: Anthony Nucera

Watt stays hot

CLAYTON – Ricky Watt is seeing the ball better than any time since his freshman year. It’s the kind of thing baseball players are known to say when they’re hitting the ball well, but you can’t argue with the results.

The Schalick junior catcher hit his third home run in his first nine at-bats this season and was one of 11 Cougars to collect a hit, score a run and drive one home in a 23-2 rout of Clayton Tuesday morning.

He went 2-for-3 in the game and is now hitting .800 (8-for-10) on the season. He hit three homers in 75 at-bats last season. The Cougars are 6-1 in games in which he hits a homer.

“I’m seeing the ball really well right now,” Watt said. “I put a lot of work in the offseason, in the cage and in the weight room, and I just think when you do that it’s bound to happen.

“I don’t know if it’s the best I’ve seen the ball. It’s definitely the most home runs I’ve hit in a short span. My freshman year I started off really well. Since then, this is the best I’ve been seeing the ball and been hitting the ball. I think the reason for that is maybe a little mindset change. I’ve just been thinking hit the ball hard, hit the ball as hard as I can pretty much without swinging out of my shoes.”

He hit .435 as a freshman with career highs in hits and RBIs (30). He started that year 13-of-22 over his first seven games (.591) and 23-of-45 in his first 13 (.511). If he plays the same number of games he did as a freshman this year, he’s on pace for 52 hits, 19 homers and 58 RBIs. That’ll certainly get him noticed for the next level, maybe two.

The run this year started right from the start. He homered in his first at-bat of the season – two pitches in – and has reached base in 13 of his 14 plate appearances. His homer against the Clippers was a solo shot in the second inning that gave the Cougars a 6-0 lead.

“He looks really good at the plate, looks confident,” coach Sean O’Brien said. “His home runs have been no-doubters.”

Watt credits the work he’s done in the offseason, particularly at the Baseball Performance Center in Egg Harbor.

“I didn’t play for a team in the fall and ended up making a move (there) and when I wasn’t wrestling I was going there five days a week and to the gym after,” he said. “Matt (Roland) helped me a lot. I think that was probably the biggest part of my training, working with him, working with my swing path, really breaking my swing down to the finest tuning that I can.

“I wouldn’t say I broke it down and rebuilt it, just some refining. It really wasn’t any major changes. It was just kind of polishing, reps and reps and reps. I didn’t really make huge adjustments, it was just kind of refining.”

A total of 13 Cougars collected a hit in the game, 13 scored a run and 12 drove one home. Evan Sepers had three hits and two RBIs. Jamari Whitley had two hits, four RBIs and threw one inning of shutout relief. Cole Hartley and Trail Aufflo had two hits apiece. Will Sieminski, Robert Strain and starting pitcher Jacob Schalick all had two RBIs.

The 23 runs are a season high, topping the 21 they put on Paulsboro in the season opener, and the most they’ve scored in a game since going for 24 against Paulsboro last May.

The Cougars (3-1) scored in every inning of the five-inning game, reached the run-rule threshold in the third and blew it wide open with 10 runs on nine hits in the fifth.

Schalick5242(10)23190
Clayton00300-367
WP: Jacob Schalick. LP: David Chapes. HR: Ricky Watt (S)

SALEM TECH 25, WINSLOW 7: The Chargers (3-1) erupted for 15 runs in the first inning and broke the school record for runs in a game. Since giving up 10 runs in the first inning of their inaugural game, the Chargers have outscored their opponents 64-21.

Bryce Harris went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, Cole Sacks went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, Chase Pompper had two hits and Lucas Clement had two RBIs. Cooper Coles and Jaxson Raymond scored four runs apiece.

Raymond pitched the first three innings and got the win. He allowed three hits, three earned runs and struck out three. Jack Beal pitched the fourth and struck out the side.

Winslow2050-733
Salem Tech(15)82x-25121
WP; Jaxson Raymond. LP: Aiden Rivera.

Softball

PENNSVILLE 14, OVERBROOK 6: Graillyn Weber went 3-for-3 with three RBIs and pitched a complete game in the circle to lead the Eagles. Her big hit was a two-run double in a five-run fourth that broke open the game.

The Eagles pounded 16 hits in the game. Kylie Harris went 3-for-5 with three RBIs, Reagan Wariwanchik had three hits and Avery Watson had two RBIs.

SCHALICK 20, CLAYTON 1: The Cougars parlayed six hits and 16 walks into their highest run production of the season and remain undefeated.

They broke away from a 1-1 tie with six runs in the second inning, then erupted for 13 runs in the third. Kaylee Broglin had two hits and four RBIs, Khloe McGrath drove in three runs, and Alexa Shimp and Taylor Brown each drove in a pair of runs.

Addi Shimp gave up two hits over four innings in the circle and struck out five.

HADDON HEIGHTS 7, WOODSTOWN 2: The Wolverines opened a 2-0 lead after two innings, but couldn’t hold it. The Garnets got three RBI singles in the third to take the lead and used three Woodstown errors in the sixth to score three more. Leah Clark had three hits for the Wolverines.

Girls lacrosse

WOODSTOWN 10, CLEARVIEW 9: Angelina Lindenmuth scored with 1:52 left to break a 9-9 tie and keep the Wolverines undefeated (4-0). Emma Perry scored a career-high fours, Arianna Hyman and Emma Morgan each scored twice and Blair Baldi scored a goal. Hyman also was credited with a career-high three assists.

It’s the first time the Wolverines have started 4-0 since 2018.

Tennis

MAINLAND 5, SCHALICK 0
Luigi Batioja (M) def. Gabe McFeeley, 6-0, 6-1
Laksh Patel (M) def. Reece Loatman, 6-0, 6-0
Owen Medland (M) def. Tyr Brattlie, 6-0, 6-0
Ben Kahn-Vikram Bansal (M) def. Cooper Halperin-Christopher Chica, 6-0, 6-0
Liam Blake-Jacob Reynolds (M) def. Gavin McGrath-Angelo Boston, 6-0, 6-3
Records: Mainland 4-1, Schalick 3-1

Boys golf

WOODSTOWN 166, OVERBROOK 218: Sophomore Jack Bucksar and senior Alejandro Vazquez both shot 4-over-par 39s at Town & Country Golf Links to share medalist honors. Bucksar had a birdied on the par-3 eighth, while Vazquez had five pars and four bogeys.
WOODSTOWN: Jack Bucksar 39, Alejandro Vazquez 39, Nate Valente 45, Logan Jones 43; Josh Olbrich 48, Thomas Diprimio 51.
OVERBROOK: Jeffrey Boyd 54, Braxton Gillis 47, Ashton Kubat 59, Harry Cieslak 58; Mark Scott 64.

CLAYTON 236, PENNSVILLE 240
CLAYTON: Jackson Venuto 51, Kyle Lex 53, Andrew Razucidio 66, Nathan Bollinger 66; Evan Torbik 72, Leigh Ann Nage 70.
PENNSVILLE: Trevor Hann 52, Abigail Bohn 60, Makenna Minguez 63, Gabriella Marandola 65; Keagan Kaminski 68.

PITMAN 169, SALEM TECH 255
PITMAN: Joey Zubert 43, Jake Bowen-Ashwin 39, Max Pappalardo 41, Logan Sharpnack 46; Micha Frost 51, Owen Hurley 52.
SALEM TECH: Daniel Atanasio 65, Cohen Sutton 60, Hannah Kormann 66, Sophia Conto 64; Thomas Conto 67, Jonah Baynes 70.

Girls golf

WILLIAMSTOWN 216, SCHALICK 226
WILLIAMSTOWN: Kaci Adams 44, Isabella Gordon 50, Maura Scott 60, McKenna Cole 62; Gabby Berenato 63, Olivia Willis 64.
SCHALICK: Lena Virga 52, Cali Fisler 51, Miya Watkins 62, Natalie May 61; Ava Marynowicz 64, Ella Burger 64.Williamstown 216, Schalick 226

College baseball

LINCROFT — Salem CC’s trouble holding teams down continued Tuesday as the Mighty Oaks lost at Brookdale 21-5. It was the third straight game they’ve given up 20 or more runs.

The Mighty Oaks led 2-1 after batting in the second inning, then gave up seven runs in each of the second and third innings. They have 15 hits and walked nine. continued having trouble holding teams down Tuesday

Keeping track

Here’s a report on former Salem County prep players playing baseball and softball on the college level; will be updated every Monday; anyone missing? send additional players to al.muskewitz@gmail.com

Baseball

PLAYERSCHOOLGPBAHHRRBI
Elijah Crespo, Penns GroveRCSJ-Cumb9.200303
Lucas D’Agostino, SchalickRCSJ-Cumb8.000001
Andrew Pedrick, WoodstownHarford CC17.40722223
Lucas Prendergast, WoodstownYork25.43839217
Jarrett Pokrovsky, SchalickPenn23.2762418
Terrell Robinson, SalemRosemont13.267805
Jackson Schalick, SchalickFrostburg30.42341434
Caiden Spinelli, WoodstownRosemont18.27815010
Connor Starn, PennsvilleKeystone7.000002
Rocco String, WoodstownSalem CC20.25016319
Chase Swain, WoodstownLaSalle32.35243427
Mike Valente, WoodstownSalem CC5.000200
Brent Williams, WoodstownG-Beacom16.23714212
PITCHERSCHOOLGPW-LERAIPK
Evan Biddle, SalemFrostburg61-08.536.14
Lucas D’Agostino, SchalickRCSJ-Cumb42-13.4321.020
Ben Foote, WoodstownCaldwell41-118.903.11
Jack Holladay, WoodstownNeumann30-15.147.05
Peyton O’Brien, PennsvilleHarford CC50-00.008.17
Luke Pokrovsky, SchalickPenn100-013.5012.012
Terrell Robinson, SalemRosemont20-06.754.02
Caiden Spinelli, WoodstownRosemont10-00.001.01
Rocco String, WoodstownSalem CC20-113.502.03
Mike Valente, WoodstownSalem CC42-17.8015.08
Luke Wood, PennsvilleMcDaniel73-15.8329.125
Frostburg’s Jackson Schalick (Schalick) was named MEC Player of the Week after batting .533 with three doubles and six RBIs during a 5-0 week.

Softball

PLAYERSCHOOLGPBAHHRRBI
Emily Holladay, WoodstownHartwick3.273301
Tulana Mingin, WoodstownEast Stroudsburg32.3213404
Ava Ortiz, SalemSalem CC10.286202
Savannah Palverento, PennsvilleSalem CC22.37518118
Lilly Peverelle, PennsvilleSalem CC24.52137324
Bella Rappa, PennsvilleSalem CC21.47225025
Cayla Sbrana, SchalickRCSJ-Cumb9.261604
Sawyer Simmons, PennsvilleSalem CC15.172615
NOTE: Tulana Mingin has 19 runs and is 15-18 in stolen bases
PITCHERSCHOOLGPW-LERAIPK
Savannah Palverento, PennsvilleSalem CC100-09.4513.116
Cayla Sbrana, SchalickRCSJ-Cumb41-310.3321.07
Raegan Wilson, SalemSalem CC116-36.5738.130

Top photo: Tulana Mingin (Woodstown) (4) is batting .321 with 24 runs and 15-of-18 in stolen base attempts for East Stroudsburg.

This week’s schedule

Here is the Salem County sports schedule for the week of April 6-11

MONDAY, APRIL 6
BASEBALL
Rancocas Valley at Schalick, 10 a.m.
GIRLS GOLF
Schalick vs. Cumberland, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m.
TENNIS
Pennsville at West Deptford, 11 a.m.
GIRLS LACROSSE
Cinnaminson at Woodstown, 10 a.m.

TUESDAY, APRIL 7
BASEBALL
Schalick at Clayton, 10 a.m.
Overbrook at Pennsville
Winslow at Salem Tech
Woodstown at Glassboro
SOFTBALL
Clayton at Schalick, 10 a.m.
Pennsville at Overbrook
Haddon Heights at Woodstown
BOYS GOLF
Cumberland at Schalick, 3:30 p.m.
Woodstown vs. Overbrook, Town & Country, 3:30 p.m.
Salem Tech vs. Pitman, Pitman GC, 3:45 p.m.
GIRLS GOLF
Schalick vs. Williamstown, Scotland Run GC, 2:30 p.m.
TENNIS
Mainland at Schalick, 10 a.m.
BOYS LACROSSE
Clearview at Woodstown
GIRLS LACROSSE
Woodstown at Clearview
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Salem CC at Brookdale, 3:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8
BASEBALL
Clearview at Pennsville
Glassboro at Woodstown
Penns Grove at Salem
SOFTBALL
Salem at Penns Grove
Woodstown at Gloucester Catholic
TENNIS
Kingsway at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
BCIT at Salem Tech, 3:45 p.m.
BOYS GOLF
Woodstown vs. West Deptford, RiverWinds, 3:30 p.m.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Salem CC at Cecil, 2 p.m.

THURSDAY, APRIL 9
BASEBALL
LEAP at Salem Tech
Overbrook at Schalick
Pleasantville at Penns Grove
Pennsville at Clayton
Salem at Pitman
Salem Tech at Wildwood Catholic
SOFTBALL
LEAP at Salem Tech, 3:45 p.m.
Clayton at Pennsville
Glassboro at Penns Grove
Pitman at Salem
Schalick at Overbrook
BOYS GOLF
Schalick vs. Pennsville, Sakima CC, 3:30 p.m.
Woodstown vs. Cumberland, Town & Country, 3:30 p.m.
TENNIS
Pennsville at Delsea, 3:45 p.m.
Penns Grove at Timber Creek
Schalick at Overbrook
Woodstown at Haddon Heights
TRACK
Overbrook at Schalick, 3:45 p.m.
Pennsville at Penns Grove
Woodstown at Glassboro
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at Triton, 3:45 p.m.
BOYS LACROSSE
Holy Spirit at Woodstown
GIRLS LACROSSE
Woodstown at Holy Spirit

FRIDAY, APRIL 10
BASEBALL
Haddon Heights at Pennsville
Overbrook at Penns Grove
Woodstown at Collingswood
SOFTBALL
Schalick at Gloucester Catholic, 10 a.m.
Glassboro at Woodstown
Overbrook at Penns Grove
Pennsville at Haddon Heights
Salem Tech at Haddonfield, 4:15 p.m.
TENNIS
Pennsville at Kingsway
Woodstown at Deptford
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Middlesex at Salem CC, 3:30 p.m.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Salem CC at Raritan Valley, 1 p.m.

SATURDAY, APRIL 11
BASEBALL
Woodstown at Haddon Twp., 11 a.m.
BOYS TRACK
Pennsville, Salem, Woodstown at West Deptford Relays, 9 a.m.
Schalick at Bridgeton Relays, 9 a.m.
Woodstown at Univ. of Delaware
GIRLS TRACK
Woodstown at Univ. of Delaware
Pennsville, Salem, Schalick, Woodstown at West Deptford Relays, 9 a.m.
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Salem CC at Middlesex (2), noon
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Delaware Tech at Salem CC, noon

Big jump out of the gate

Salem’s Weathers reaps the benefits of his training, PRs by six inches in winning the Deptford Relays high jump his first time out this season

SATURDAY SCORES
BASEBALL
Haddon Heights 3, Woodstown 1
SOFTBALL
Ron Vinick Tournament, Millville
St. Joseph Acad. 6, Pennsville 1
Absegami 1, Pennsville 0
GIRLS LACROSSE
Woodstown 21, Washington Twp. 3
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Mercer 8, Salem CC 0, 6 inns.
Mercer 8, Salem CC 0, 5 inns.

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

DEPTFORD — Donovan Weathers’ coaches thought the Salem senior would PR in his first outdoor meet of the season, but the way he knocked it out of the water just blew them away.

Weathers won the boys high jump in the Deptford Relays Saturday, clearing the bar at 6-feet, 4-inches. His previous best was 5-10, but the way he’s been working in the run up to the meet that was a piece of cake and it was a just matter of how high he could take it.

“We were surprised he went 6-4, but not that he PR’d,” Rams coach David Hunt said. “We were confidently hopeful he would jump over six feet today, just because of all the jump work he’s put in.”

The jump work is a new element in his training. In the past, Hunt explained, the jumpers were getting the guidance in their specialties but didn’t necessarily have the drills to augment the instruction. Now they have someone working with them as a position coach in the guise of Hunt’s wife Rachel and Weathers has been working on his drills and technique.

“They’re getting coached hard,” Hunt said. “I’m not going to sugar-coat it, he tried to dodge a little bit of that hard work before, but now he’s running drills and doing all that … I think he sees it’s my senior year, I’ve got to invest in that and go out the right way. His ultimate goal is to be a state champion and go to nationals.”

The bespectacled 6-2 senior, a forward on Salem’s basketball team, beat four other jumpers stymied at 6-2, including Glassboro sophomore Moses Robles, who had already won the long jump and triple jump.

There were dramatic moments along the road to the win. To stay alive in the competition, Weathers needed to clear 6-0 on his third attempt. Robles entered the competition at 6-2 and needed all three attempts to clear that mark. Then all four of Weathers’ challengers XXX’d out at 6-4. Weathers nailed it on his first attempt with room to spare.

He tried 6-6 and missed all three attempts. He probably would have gotten it if he wasn’t sprinting back and forth to the triple jump pit to update Hunt on his progress.

“It’s a combination of the practice and his work ethic,” Rachel Hunt said explaining Weathers’ success. “I think he’s just dedicating himself to his craft as a senior. I think he saw the competition at indoor – he didn’t jump for indoor – and that’s driven him to push a little bit harder. He’s not just about going out there and jumping the bar. He’s really dedicated himself to doing the drills, completing the practice and, honestly, just showing up as a good motivator for the young guys.”

Among other top performances by Salem County athletes

— Schalick’s David Stewart finished second in the boys 400 hurdles (56.51) and second in the boys long jump (21-3.25). He grabbed second in the long jump on his final attempt.

— Penns Grove (3:29.87) and Salem (3:32.67) finished 3-4 in the boys 4×400 relay 

— Schalick’s Ethan McLean was third in the boys discus (134-9)– Penns Grove’s Bryan Garlic was second in the boys triple jump (44-3) and fourth in the 400 hurdles (56.84)

— Pennsville’s Aubrey Manorowitz was T-2 in the girls high jump (4-10) with Sandy Henry of Washington Twp. Manorowitz, Henry, event winner Amirah Murphy of Bridgeton and Addison Chiodi of Gloucester City all cleared 4-10, but Murphy made it on her second attempt while the other three took three. All four XXX’d out at 5-0.

The top three finishers in each event are awarded medals.

DEPTFORD RELAYS
(Event winners, Salem County top 6 finishers)
BOYS
400 hurdles: 1. Kareem Brown, Deptford 54.44; 2. David Stewart, Schalick 56.51; 4. Bryan Garlic, Penns Grove 56.84
800 SMR: 1. Pleasantville 1:33.56
4000 DMR: 1. Vineland 11:05.74
4×100: 1. Deptford 41.93; 4. Penns Grove (Reed, Roy, White, Goodson), 43.46
400 SHR: 1. Deptford 1:00.91
4×800: 1. Deptford 8:01.75
4×200: 1. Deptford 1:27.52
1600 SMR: 1. Gloucester City 3:36.12; 5. Schalick (Chomo, Stewart, Rhynie, Carter) 3:45.23
4×400: 1. Shabazz 3:22.74; 3. Penns Grove (Garlic, White, Allah, Goodson) 3:29.87; 4. Salem (Buzby, Seals, Bergen, Gregory) 3:32.67
Discus: 1. Jack Day, Seneca 137-6; 3. Ethan McLean, Schalick 134-9; 6. Jack Benfer, Schalick 121-10
High jump: Donovan Weathers, Salem 6-4; 6. Tommy White, Penns Grove 6-0
Long jump: 1. Moses Robles, Glassboro 22-1; 2. David Stewart, Schalick 21-3.25; 4. William Roy, Penns Grove 21-1.5
Pole vault: 1. Mason Henry, Deptford 13-6; 4. Caleb Jenkins, Schalick 11-6
Triple jump: 1. Moses Robles, Glassboro 45-11.5; 2. Bryan Garlic, Penns Grove 44-3
Javelin: 1. Kaden Roane, Deptford 170-0; 6. Gary Simonini, Schalick 149-0
Shot put: 1. Humberto Cuellar, Eastern 53-7.5; 4. JaKai Ingram, Penns Grove 47-7.5

GIRLS
400 hurdles: 1. Natalie Dumas, Eastern 59.66
800 SMR: 1. Kingsway 1:47.61
4000 DMR: 1. Williamstown 12:37.62
4×100: 1. Winslow 47.32; 6. Salem (Massengill, Tucker, Williams, Parsons-Smith) 50.84
400 SHR: 1. Winslow 59.60
4×800: 1. Eastern 10:07.99
4×200: 1. Winslow 1:41.11
1600 SMR: 1. Winslow 4:04.46
4×400: 1. Winslow 3:57.19
High jump: 1. Amirah Murphy, Bridgeton 4-10; 2. Aubrey Manorowitz, Pennsville 4-10
Javelin: 1. Brynn Greenwood, Williamstown 106-2
Long jump: 1. Brianna Growalt, Atlantic Tech 17-10
Pole vault: 1. Brynn Greenwood, Williamstown 10-6
Shot put: 1. Hannah Nuhfer, Delsea 44-1.5
Triple jump: 1. Trinity Brapoh, Willingboro 35-0.75
Discus: 1. Hannah Nuhfer, Delsea 170-9; 4. Tatiyonna Crawford, Pennsville 109-3

Baseball

WOODSTOWN — Haddon Heights played small ball to produce three runs in the third inning and three pitchers held Woodstown to a run and struck out 10 on the way to a 3-1 victory Saturday morning.

The Garnets parlayed two bunt singles, a sacrifice, an intentional walk and two hit batsmen into their three runs. The hardest hit ball of the inning was CJ Lovelidge’s line single to right that brought home the first run.

The Wolverines got one of the runs back in the third on Chase Harding’s bases-loaded walk. They had the tying runs in scoring position with one out in the seventh, but couldn’t get them home.

Drew Sutton had three of Woodstown’s six hits, going 3-for-3.

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Woodstown0010000-160
WP: Cole Simon. LP: Stone Hassler.

Softball

MILLVILLE — Pennsville scored a run in the first inning of its first game in the 41st annual Ron Vinick Tournament, but couldn’t push one across the rest of the day and lost to St. Joseph 6-1 and Absegami 1-0.

Kylie Harris’ sacrifice fly for the first out brought Lily Edwards home in the first to tie the St. Joe game, but after that the Eagles managed just five more hits. They did opened the sixth with a Harris single and Avery Watson’s double, but St. Joe reliever Elaina Portalatin struck out the next three batters to end the game.

The Eagles’ second game was a true pitchers’ duel. Pennsville’s Kelsey Cook scattered five hits and struck out two. Absegami’s Meghan Johansen allowed three hits, struck out seven and didn’t walk a batter.

The game’s only run was scored in the fifth on a passed ball with two outs. The Eagles put two runners in scoring position with one out in the fifth, but Johansen got the next two batters on a strikeout and ground out to end the threat. They put the tying run in scoring position with two outs in the sixth, but couldn’t bring it home before the game clock expired.

Girls lacrosse

WOODSTOWN — Delaney Walker scored six goals and five other players scored multiple goals as Woodstown routed Washington Twp., 21-3.

Angelina Lindenmuth and Arianna Hyman each scored four goals, while Isabella Lindenmuth, Emma Morgan and Emma Perry all had two apiece.

The 21 goals were the most the Wolverines have scored in a game since a 23-10 win over Haddon Heights in April 2022.

Walker, who scored 86 goals last season, is now 22 goals shy of 200 for her career. Morgan needs one more for 100.

College softball

REGION XIX SCORES
Mercer 8-8, Salem CC 0-0
Brookdale 7-4, RCSJ-Gloucester 2-13
Northampton 14-15, Middlesex 7-10
RCSJ-Cumberland at Camden
Bergen 7-9, Ocean 4-11
Delaware Tech 5-4, Lackawanna 4-5
Raritan Valley at Morris

MERCER 8-0, SALEM CC 0-0: The second-place Vikings held the Mighty Oaks off the scoreboard in the doubleheaand to two hits in each game.

Game One was close until the Vikings walked it off with five runs in the sixth inning before anyone got out.

SCC starter Raegan Wilson kept Mercer off the board for three innings, facing one batter over the minimum, but the Vikings broke the scoreless tie with two runs on three alternating singles in the fourth and added another in the fifth. The Vikings sent eight batters to the plate in the sixth with the final two runs scoring on passed balls.

The Mighty Oaks were hitless until Lilly Peverelle’s leadoff single in the fourth. Megan Koski had their other hit, a leadoff single in the fifth.

The Vikings jumped out early in the nightcap, scoring three in the first on a steal of home, reigning GASC Player of the Week Karisa Krawiec’s solo homer and Ammonie Wertz’ RBI triple.

They add two in the third and reached the run-rule threshold with three more in the fourth.

The Mighty Oaks managed only three bases runners against Mercer pitcher Ashley Haywood. Kasen Ervin and Emme Witter had Salem’s two hits and Peverelle drew a walk.


Happy home opener

Heads-up base running move helps Salem Tech rally to win inaugural home baseball game, Chargers softball rallies past Highland, and more

THURSDAY SCORES
BASEBALL
Pennsville 8, Paulsboro 3
Salem Tech 15, Wildwood Catholic 9
SOFTBALL
Salem Tech 14, Highland 11
Paulsboro 19, Penns Grove 1
BOYS GOLF
Pitman 180, Woodstown 182
Schalick 165, Overbrook 204
BOYS TENNIS
Woodstown 4, Pennsville 1
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Salem CC 21-20, Monroe-Bronx 0-1

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – For all the runs that scored in the game on balls put in play, the game-winning run in Salem Tech’s historic home opener Thursday was scored on a heads-up play by a runner on the base paths.

Lucas Clement caught the pitcher and catcher napping between pitches with two outs in the fifth inning of a tie game and smartly stole home to give the Chargers the lead for good in an eventual 15-9 win over Wildwood Catholic in the first home game in their baseball history.

Clement was stationed at third, having moved around the bases on a walk, stolen base and passed ball, and was studying the interaction between Crusaders catcher Ash O’Donnell and reliever Theo Margarites, who had just come into the game moments earlier. The window opened and he was gone.

“I was standing over there for a while,” the senior third baseman explained, “and I realized every time that pitcher got the ball he just never gave me any attention. As soon as he caught the ball and started walking back I realized I can get home. I didn’t know if (coach John Helsel) would be a big fan of that with it being two out, but as soon as he threw the ball back I just saw my chance and took it.

“I went on my own. I didn’t know if he was going to be happy about it, but I knew if I got home it’d be a good thing and put us by a run. He hasn’t spoken to me about it yet; he’s my trade school teacher, so we’ll see. He might never allow me to do that again.”

Quite the contrary. Helsel wants the Chargers to be aggressive. They stole 10 bases in the game, six in a five-run second inning that staked them to a 6-0 lead.

Clement’s mad dash wasn’t the only time the Chargers’ speed got them a run. Courtesy runner Brayden McAllister didn’t slow down coming around third in the second inning when Landon Haley was called safe on a close two-out play at first similar to the one that got Phillies manager Rob Thomson tossed in the first inning against Washington earlier this week. It got that five-run outburst started. And Chase Pompper scored all the way from first in the sixth inning when he stole second and the attempt to get him at second sailed into center field.

“I like putting a little pressure on them; pressured people crack,” Helsel said. “I thought (Clement’s dash) was a great heads-up play. I have no problem with that. I want to be aggressive. I tell them keep their eyes open. If they throw over, go. They’ve got to catch the ball, throw the ball and catch it again to get you. I’ll take that chance.”

The third and fourth innings nearly did the Chargers in. They had trouble fielding pop ups in the infield in the third and the miscues allowed the visitors to tie it. The Crusaders tacked on three more in the fourth to get Tech starter Bryce Harris out of the game.

The Chargers missed an opportunity to answer the Crusaders’ big tinning when they loaded the bases with three straight one-out walks, but couldn’t get the runners home. They had a threat in the fourth, too, but only got one run out of it.

Jack Beal replaced Harris on the mound for the Chargers and he gave them three innings of shutout relief. The hard-throwing right-hander four hits and struck out five. The Crusaders loaded the bases with one out in the seventh, but he put out the fire with a strike out and a game-ending grounder to second.

“I was just trying to keep it so they weren’t scoring any runs and could come back and win,” Beal said. “I was a little pumped up because it was the first game at Vo-Tech so I was trying to throw a little harder. I was really trying to get the first (home) win for the team.”

The Chargers’ entire fifth-inning rally came with two outs and once they got to the top of the order. Pompper got it started by reaching on an infield throwing error that got him to second. Cooper Coles and Clement delivered RBI singles to tie it. Clement scored the go-ahead run with his dash then Harris delivered a two-run single to make it 12-9.

Coles went 3-for-3, reached base all five times he came to the plate, scored five runs and was a homer shy of hitting for the cycle.

The Chargers tacked on three more in the sixth on Pompper’s run around the bases, an RBI single by Clement and Jaxson Raymond’s RBI double.

“This was a good game because, I told them, it showed character,” Helsel said. “After the Cumberland (10-run) first inning they all started fighting. I just was worried they were going to do what they did at Cumberland (after falling behind). But they overcame that and showed character by doing that.”.

Prior to first pitch school officials commemorated the inaugural home game with superintendent Jack Swain throwing out the ceremonial first pitch. It came in a little high, but when Salem Tech supporters talk about this day years from now they’ll say it was right down the middle.

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Salem Tech150153x-15107
WP: Jack Beal. LP: Carter Givner.

PENNSVILLE 8, PAULSBORO 3: It might not have been as impressive as the day before, but Mason O’Brien pitched out of another bases-loaded no-out situation and kept the game from getting away.

The junior left-hander came in to start the sixth inning with a 5-2 lead after starter Gavin Spears threw 72 pitches and fanned 10 through the first five. He gave up a walk, back-to-back singles and another walk to force in a run to start his outing, then struck out the next three hitters to put out the fire.

In Wednesday’s combined no-hitter against Pitman, O’Brien entered in mid-count with bases loaded and none out and got out of it with a short fly to left and two strikeouts. He got through the next inning on three pitches, an ultra-immaculate inning he called “pretty cool,” and finished with 19 pitches total, enough to tell head coach Matt Karr he wanted to pitch the next day.

“The coaches have a lot of trust in me and when they have a lot of trust in me then I believe in myself more,” O’Brien said. “I have the confidence in going out there and being capable of getting all those three outs with no one scoring or maybe one run scoring. I’m just thankful to my coaches for believing in me in those situations and allowing me to come in.”

“Mason is one of our leaders, (he’s) been starting since his freshman year,” Karr said. “There are not many other people I trust more than him. He and (Logan) Streitz are our leaders.”

The Red Raiders (0-3) had lost their first two games by a combined score of 39-3, but they led 2-1 after Kayden Weber’s open-field home run in the third. The play developed when Eagles outfielder Stevie Fatcher ran full-speed into the left field fence Aaron Howard style and chipped three teeth while the ball bounded away.

Fatcher stayed down for a while allowing Weber to round the basis. Once he got to his feet Fatcher stayed in the game and, Karr said, “gave us a big shot of energy by showing his toughness.”

The Eagles (2-0) took the lead in the bottom of the inning on Dante Cummings’ RBI single and a run-scoring error. They extended it in the fourth on O’Brien’s RBI single and Streitz’ sacrifice fly.

The Eagles answered the run Paulsboro got off O’Brien in the sixth with three in the bottom of the inning. Streitz had a two-run single and Fatcher’s sacrifice fly brought home the final run.

Cummings had three hits for the Eagles, while Spears, O’Brien and Grady Sanders each had two.

Paulsboro1010010-354
Pennsville012203x-8120
WP: Gavin Spears. LP: Julius Scott. HR: Kayden Weber (Pa).

Softball

SALEM TECH 14, HIGHLAND 11: Morgan Fogg and Carmen Mott hit back-to-back run-scoring doubles to highlight a six-run sixth inning rally that lifted the Chargers (5-1) to their season-best third straight win.

Fogg’s double snapped an 11-11 tie and gave the Chargers their first lead of the game. Mott followed with a two-run shot to extend the lead.

The Chargers, currently seventh in the South Jersey Group II power points standings, trailed 11-9 entering the inning. Shelby Drummond got the rally started when she circled the bases with a double and error. Claire Kier singled home Izzy Roberts to make it 11-10. Kier scored the tying run on a passed ball.

Roberts swent 4-for-4 at the plate and then set down the Tartans in order in the seventh, with two strikeouts, to close out the game.

Highland1413110-11123
Salem Tech104126x-14111
WP: Shelby Liber. LP: Soledad Vasquez-Milstein

PAULSBORO 19, PENNS GROVE 1: The Red Raiders erupted for 12 runs in the first inning and held Penns Grove to two hits for the game. They had only four hits, but took advantage of 15 walks. Yeneris Garcia and Nyasia Numan had Penns Grove’s two hits.

Golf

PITMAN 180, WOODSTOWN 182: Joey Zubert played his final five holes on the front nine at Town & Country Golf Links in even par to shoot a 4-over-par 39 and win medalist honors in the tight match. Jack Bucksar posted Woodstown’s low round (41).
PITMAN: Max Pappalardo 49, Jake Bowen-Ashwin 44, Joey Zubert 39, Logan Sharpnack 48, Luke Friscoll 53, Dane Collum 52.
WOODSTOWN: Jack Bucksar 41, Alejandro Vazquez 44, Logan Jones 46, Austin Wood 51; Greyson Hyland 53, Chris Porreca 54.

SCHALICK 165, OVERBROOK 204: Michael Nelson birdied his final hole to pick up two shots on the leader and share medalist honors with teammate Seth Fisher at 4-over 40. All four of the Cougars’ counters at Kresson CC were in the 40s
SCHALICK: Anthony Sepers 42, Michael Nelson 40, Seth Fisher 40, Hunter Dragotta 43; Bradford Foster 45, Dylan Sheehan 51.
OVERBROOK: Jeffrey Boyd 48, Joseph Linane 56, Mark Scott 52, Harry Cieslak 48.

Tennis

WOODSTOWN 4, PENNSVILLE 1
Drew Stengel (WO) def. Lucas Cooksey, 4-6, 6-4, 10-3
Sawyer Humphrey (P) def. Mason Shimp, 7-6, 7-5, 10-3
Luke Shaw (WO) def. Carter Willis, 6-0, 6-0
Vincent Merendino-Nick DiTeodoro (WO) def. Matthew Forino-Ian Peacock, 6-0, 6-1
Connor Miller-Josh King (WO) def. Coen Rinnier-Jacob Cheeseman, 6-1, 6-2
Records: Woodstown 3-1, Pennsville 3-2.

College softball: SCC sweeps

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. — The Salem CC softball team made a long and fruitful trip to Flowers Park, sweeping Monroe-Bronx 21-0 and 20-1.

It’s the first time the Mighty Oaks (15-9) have scored 20 runs in both games of a doubleheader since the revival of the program

The Mighty Oaks pounded 26 hits in the doubleheader (12 and 14), while Raegan Wilson (three) and Emme Witter (two) scattered five hits and both struck out nine in the circle.

In the opener, Megan Koski and J.J. Aguirre both went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Lilly Peverelle homered..

The Mighty Oaks hit four homers in the nightcap. Aguirre hit two of them and had six RBIs. Witter and Tiana Wilson hit the others. Witter went 4-for-5.

The Mighty Oaks host Howard CC Friday at noon.


Big blast

Woodstown senior’s first ever homer highlights sixth-inning rally that lifts Wolverines over Schalick in back and forth game

WEDNESDAY’S SCORES
Gateway 10, Penns Grove 0
Pennsville 12, Pitman 0
Woodstown 9, Schalick 6

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – Noah Williams couldn’t have picked a better time to hit the first home run of his life. Not the season. Not his career. His entire 17-year-old life.

WILLIAMS

The Woodstown senior outfielder launched a three-run homer into the football stadium with nobody out in the sixth inning Wednesday to give the Wolverines the lead in an eventual 9-6 win over rival and defending South Jersey Group I champion Schalick. 

It was him first homer in 24 varsity at-bats – he had 20 last season – but it had been longer since he’d gone yard. A lot longer.

“That’s the first time I’ve ever hit one in a Woodstown uniform, not even before high school; that’s my first one ever,” he said. “I’ve been close a couple times, but that was by far my farthest hit.”
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A quick and very unscientific post-game measurement set the blast at 340 feet in the air and 386 feet from home plate to where Woodstown athletics director Joe Ursino picked up the ball.

“It was awesome,” he continued. “I didn’t think it was going at first, but once I saw the right fielder going back I knew it was over. It’s an unreal feeling. I’ve never felt like that in my life. I honestly felt like I was going to throw up, if I’m being honest.

“I was pumped. I was so pumped. It means everything to me. My dad’s here, my whole family’s watching me. Even my dog’s here. It was awesome. I thought I’d hit one (eventually), but I didn’t think it would be in this situation. It was surreal.” 

The Wolverines (2-0) staged multiple comebacks before taking the lead for good under Schalick’s sixth-inning, three-error collapse. The Cougars (2-1) led 3-0 on Ricky Watt’s three-run homer in the first and 6-4 after Evan Glaspey’s two-run double in the top of the sixth.

They answered Watt’s homer with two runs in the home first on Tommy Tucci’s bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly by Williams. It stayed that way until fifth when they took a 4-3 lead on Drew Sutton’s two-run single.

“We came back all game long, every inning,” Woodstown coach Marc DeCastro said. “We didn’t always score, but we were on every inning. We didn’t give them any inning. It was when it was going to break through.

“We came back twice to take the lead twice, but I thought through six innings we came back every single inning. We were down right away, turned that into 3-2 so it was already a win. From there we had people on, people on and just couldn’t get that one hit until we got it in the sixth.”

The Wolverines sent nine batters to the plate in their big inning. It started with a walk and a single and then the Cougars threw away Stone Hassler’s bunt allowing the tying run to score. Williams followed by hammering an inside fastball into the football stadium. Sol Elmer restarted the process with a walk, was sacrificed to second and took off for third forcing another bad throw that allowed him to score.

Schalick coach Sean O’Brien agreed it was just a matter of time before the Wolverines broke through.

“It was kind of coming because we played poorly all game long,” he said. “They had many opportunities to break the game open and they didn’t do it, so it was a matter of time before it happened. They deserved to win the game. They played better than we did. We put together two innings to hit and that was it, that’s all we did.”

Another key element to the win was freshman Talyn Priore coming in to pitch with bases loaded and none out in the sixth. He came in to face the heart of Schalick’s order after the Wolverines’ intentionally walked Watt to load the bases and put out the fire on 13 pitches with a fly to Williams in left and two strikeouts looking. He got the win.

“We needed this so much,” Williams said. “It’s a big moment for us.”

Top photo: Woodstown’s Noah Williams reacts to hitting his first-ever home run, a go-ahead blast in the sixth inning of Wednesday’s win over Schalick. (Photo by Michelle Tucci)

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WP: Talyn Priore. LP: Mason Sanchez. HR: Ricky Watt (S), Noah Williams (WO)

PENNSVILLE 12, PITMAN 0: The Eagles opened their season with five-inning combined no-hitter from Logan Streitz and Mason O’Brien.

Streitz worked the first 2 2/3 innings, walking four and striking out four. O’Brien came on in the middle of a count with the bases loaded and finished the game on 19 pitches (16 strikes), including the purest of immaculate innings — three pitches in the fifth inning.

“The plan from the get-go was to throw him between 50 and 60 pitches,” Eagles coach Matt Karr said of Streitz. “I told him after the game we didn’t take him out for lack of trusting you. Today is April 1, I want you playing meaningful baseball June 1. No sense pushing it. It’s a marathon not a sprint.”

The Panthers put only five balls in play against the two Pennsville pitchers, including a fly ball to right in the first inning that Jeff Wagner turned into an inning-ending double play. It was the only ball they hit to the outfield.

“We were just so dialed in we get to the third inning and I’m looking at my coaches and ask, ‘have we made a play in the field,'” Karr said. “I’m trying to count the balls they put in play.

“We didn’t even know (about the no-hitter) until we got out to left field after the game. I think it was (assistant coach Ryan Wood) who said ‘Did they have a hit?’ Then the guy doing the Gamechanger for us said, nope, a no-hitter.”

The hitters supported their pitchers’ effort with nine hits. Gavin Spears and O’Brien both had a pair at the top of the lineup. Stevie Fatcher had four RBIs.

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WP: Logan Streitz. LP: Drew Keefe.

GATEWAY 10, PENNS GROVE 0: Colin Murray held the Red Devils to one hit and a walk over five innings and struck out 12 and hit a two-run double in the five-run second inning that broke the game open.

Dylan Hyatt had the only Penns Grove hit, a one-out single in the first inning. Murray struck out eight in a row after the hit and retired 12 straight before walking Ronniel Terrero in the fifth. He faced one batter over the minimum.

The Gators scored a run in the first, then took control with five in the second highlight by Enzo Gambale’s two-run single and Murray’s double. Nick Watts had two hits and three RBIs.