Eagles win a big one

Monday roundup: Pennsville softball holds off Gloucester Catholic to tighten Classic Division race, includes details on Salem County’s sports day

SOFTBALL
Overbrook 19, Penns Grove 2
Pennsville 2, Gloucester Catholic 1
Schalick at Glassboro
Salem 16, Wildwood 8

By Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – The Pennsville softball team hadn’t played a game in two weeks, but the Eagles came ready to play Monday.

The Eagles scored a big Tri-County Classic Division win when they beat Gloucester Catholic 2-1, handing the Rams their first loss in the division and pulling into a virtual tie for first place.

It was their first game since April 22. They have now won six in a row.

“I think it’s like riding a bike,” Eagles coach Beth Jackson said, not expecting to see any rust after the layoff. “You get back on the bike. You generally always know how to ride a bike. It’s just like getting right back on. You pick it up.

“You still have to hit the ball. You still have to field the ball. You still have to throw the ball. All those basic things are still there and applying them and playing the game.”

Savannah Palverento and Sierra Stultz combined to spin a four-hitter. Palvereno worked the first five and a third. Stultz came on with one out and bases loaded in the sixth and struck out the first two batters she faced to get out of it. Then she retired the side in order in the seventh with a strikeout to end it.

“She was calm, cool and collected, like she always is,” Jackson said of Stultz. “She always has a smile on her face and just comes in and does the job as she’s asked to do. That’s all of them. They have to come in and they’re ready when their number’s called.

“The two of them together work great. They’re a good team. The two of them work well together.”

The Eagles struck first with a run in the first, Kylie Harris led off with a single, advanced when the Rams misplayed Palverento’s grounder and scored on Bella Farina’s ground out.

The Rams tied the game in the second on an infield out, then the Eagles took the lead for good on Lilly Birney’s two-out single in the third. Palverento doubled with one out, Farina walked and then Birney singled.

The Rams threatened in the fifth, putting two runners in scoring position, but left them stranded.

A Gloucester Catholic win would have just about wrapped up the Classic Division for the Rams. By winning, the Eagles came share the division crown if both teams win out.

Jackson purposely didn’t bring up the importance of the game before her team played, but she laid out the possibilities afterwards. The Eagles went into the week fifth in South Jersey Group I power points, but they’re expected to gain ground when the standings are adjusted.

“I didn’t really want to put that in their head,; I didn’t want them to have to worry about that,” she said. “They know the situation now. We still have a lot of division games left and anything can happen, but you just split with them. If you win the rest of them, this is what could happen.”

SALEM 16, WILDWOOD 8: Julliana Love has been red hot at the plate in her last four games. Over that stretch she has gone 14-for-17 with 11 runs, including a second straight 4-for-5 Monday against the Warrior.

Raegan Wilson went 4-for-4 with three RBIs and pitched a complete game with 13 strikeouts. Morgan Johnson went 5-for-5 and Gianna Pelura went 4-for-5.

OVERBROOK 19, PENNS GROVE 2: The Rams scored eight runs in the first inning.
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BASEBALL
Overbrook 11, Penns Grove 0
Wildwood 14, Salem 2
Woodstown 7, Camden Academy Charter 1
Glassboro at Schalick, ppd.

WOODSTOWN 7, CAMDEN ACADEMY CHARTER 1: The Wolverines broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the third inning and five Woodstown pitchers combined to spin a two-hitter.

Andrew Pedrick had two doubles and two RBIs and Rocco String drove in a pair of runs. Starter Jack Holladay pitched three no-hit innings to get the win.

WILDWOOD 14, SALEM 2: The Warriors broke open the game with nine runs in the third inning. Jacob Parkell drove in the Rams’ two runs with a fifth-inning single. Andrew May and Ethan Logo had Salem’s other two hits.

OVERBROOK 11, PENNS GROVE 0: The Rams jumped out front with two runs in the first inning and then held the Red Devils to just one hit. Tommy Mattioli had Penns Grove’s hit.

BOYS TENNIS
Pennsville 5, Glassboro 0
Woodstown 4, Triton 1
Penns Grove at Clayton
Schalick at Bridgeton

PENNSVILLE 5, GLASSBORO 0
Gabe Schneider (P) def. Rowan Somdhal-Sans, 6-0, 6-0
Lucas Cooksey (P) def. Jesus Lopez, 6-1, 6-0
Ian Peacock (P) def. Kliche Umbafu, 6-2, 6-3
Sawyer Humphrey-Carter Willis (P) won by forfeit
Locklann Hooks-Matthew Forino (P) won by forfeit
Records: Glassboro 0-11, Pennsville 13-1.

WOODSTOWN 4, TRITON 1
Steve Schilder (T) def. Tim Schwienbacher, 6-4, 6-3
Drew Stengel (Wo) def. Tristyn Malone, 6-4, 7-5
Erich Lipovsky (Wo) def. William Ahrens, 6-4, 6-2
Ben Stengel-Mason Shimp (Wo) def. Cole Durham-Sean Gorski, 7-5, 6-0
Luke Shaw-Jason LaFond (Wo) def. Tirth Patel-Shrey Modi, 6-1, 6-1
Records: Woodstown 9-1, Triton 6-8.

BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Triton 2, Salem Tech 0 (25-16, 25-14)

This week’s schedule

Here is the sports schedule for Salem County high school and college teams for the week of May 6-11; all events 4 p.m. unless noted

Monday

COLLEGE BASEBALL
RCSJ-Gloucester at Salem CC, 3:30 p.m.
BASEBALL
Glassboro at Schalick
Penns Grove at Overbrook
Salem at Wildwood
Woodstown at Camden Academy Charter
SOFTBALL
Overbrook at Penns Grove
Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville
Schalick at Glassboro
Wildwood at Salem
GOLF
GCIT vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m.
BOYS TENNIS
Glassboro at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m.
Woodstown at Triton, 3:45 p.m.
Penns Grove at Clayton
Schalick at Bridgeton
TRACK
Penns Grove at Overbrook
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Triton at Salem Tech

Tuesday

BASEBALL
LEAP at Penns Grove
Schalick at Clayton
SOFTBALL
Pennsville at Triton
Pitman at Salem
Woodstown at Gloucester Catholic
GOLF
Schalick, Woodstown in NJSIAA Sectionals, Cream Ridge GC
BOYS TENNIS
Pennsville at Schalick, 3:45 p.m.
Cumberland at Woodstown
BOYS LACROSSE
Woodstown at Haddon Twp., 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday

BASEBALL
Overbrook at Woodstown
Salem at Clayton
Schalick at Penns Grove
Wildwood at Pennsville
SOFTBALL
Penns Grove at Schalick
Wildwood at Pennsville
Woodstown at Overbrook
GOLF
Cumberland girls vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m.
Northern Burlington boys vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 4:15 p.m.
Middle Twp. vs. Pennsville, Sakima GC, 4:30 p.m.
TRACK
Salem County Championships, Salem, 3:30 p.m.
BOYS TENNIS
Delsea at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.
Pennsville at Pitman, 3:45 p.m.
Clayton at Schalick
GIRLS LACROSSE
Woodstown at Kingsway, 6 p.m.

Thursday

BASEBALL
Woodstown vs. Schalick, Elmer LL, 6:30 p.m.
SOFTBALL
Clayton at Salem
Glassboro at Penns Grove
Pennsville at Clayton
Woodstown vs. Schalick, Elmer LL, 6:30 p.m.
GOLF
Salem Tech, Pennsville, Clayton at The Birches, 3:45 p.m.
Timber Creek vs. Woodstown, Town & Country GC, 3:45 p.m.
Schalick vs. Deptford, Pitman GC
BOYS TENNIS
Woodstown at Haddon Heights
Williamstown at Penns Grove
GIRLS LACROSSE
Clearview at Woodstown

Friday

BASEBALL
Haddon Heights at Pennsville
Penns Grove at Clayton
Woodstown at Salem
SOFTBALL
Pennsville at Overbrook
Salem at Woodstown
Wildwood at Penns Grove
GOLF
Woodbury vs. Pennsville, Sakima GC, 3:30 p.m.
BOYS LACROSSE
Clearview at Woodstown
BOYS TENNIS
GCIT at Pennsville
Schalick at Wildwood, 4:15 p.m.
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at Washington Twp., 3:45 p.m.

Saturday

COLLEGE BASEBALL
Region XIX Tournament
(All doubleheaders starting at noon)
Salem CC at Northampton
RCSJ-Cumberland at Middlesex
Ocean at Brookdale
(Game 3, if necessary, Sunday, noon)
BASEBALL
Lee Ware Tournament
Woodstown vs. Camden Catholic, 10 a.m.
Paulsboro vs. Cherry Hill East, 10 a.m.
Consolation game, noon
Championship game, noon
GIRLS LACROSSE
Lower Cape May at Woodstown, 10 a.m.

One more to go

UPDATED

It still has one game to play, but Salem CC will be on the road in the first round of Region XIX baseball playoffs, likely to play Northampton

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT – The rain wiped out the second game of Salem CC’s regular-season-ending doubleheader with RCSJ-Gloucester Saturday, turning Monday’s rescheduled game a potentially big one for the Mighty Oaks’ Region XIX Division III playoff seeding.

The Oaks dropped Game 1 of the scheduled doubleheader 21-1, but the second one never got started. The game will be made up 3:30 p.m. Monday at the Carneys Point Rec Complex and must be completed by Tuesday. If the Oaks win, they could move up a spot in the seedings.

Salem currently holds the No. 7 seed in the seven-team field, but if Ocean gets swept in its final two games with Camden Sunday, a Mighty Oaks win over the top-ranked Roadrunners would vault them to No. 6 by virtue of holding the tiebreaker over Ocean.

A No. 7 seed would send them to No. 2 Northampton in the opening-round best-of-3 series, while a No. 6 seed would send them to No. 3 Brookdale. Gloucester is the No. 1 seed by virtue of its 26-3 (.897) region-eligible record and a no contest ruling on Bergen pulling out of its series with Northampton, which finishes at 23-4 (.851).

“I guess we can kind of determine who’re going to play,” Salem coach John Holt said.

Right now, it looks like this: 1. x-RCSJ-Gloucester 26-3, 2. Northampton 23-4, 3. Brookdale 23-7, 4. Middlesex 18-12, 5. RCSJ-Cumberland 17-13, 6. y-Ocean 14-14, 7. x-Salem 13-16. x-1 game remaining vs. each other, y-2 games remaining vs. Camden

If these standings hold, the playoff series would be Salem-Northampton, Ocean-Brookdale, RCSJ Cumberland-Middlesex. RCSJ Gloucester has a first-round bye.

When it comes to making projections and preferences, Holt takes the Charlie Manuel approach.

“I’m not gonna put the cart in front of the horse yet,” he said. “I’ll worry about it when we know who we’re going to play.”

In the only game the Mighty Oaks played Saturday, freshman left-hander Sean Kelby pitched the first five innings Holt explained “to get him his innings to prep him for next week.”

The second game was going to see Ryan Silnik for the first three innings, Inaki Hutchinson for two and John McAllister for two. The pitching plan for Monday, Holt said, “probably won’t stray too far from that.”

“It’s baseball,” Holt said. “We’ve got to finish out the season, we want to try to win the game, but we also, at the end of the day, want to make sure everybody’s healthy and ready to go for the weekend.

“The good thing is I think we’ve got our pitching lined up to where it’s supposed to be and with the situations and scores and opponents we’ve had we’ve been able to give everybody some playing time to kind of sharpen up. This last one, granted, we don’t take the field to lose, but it doesn’t have a lot of bearing on where we’re at right now.”

Friday roundup

Top-ranked team in JUCO Division III ends Salem CC baseball’s 15-game winning streak; Salem High softball wins big, Rams’ baseball falls

By Riverview Sports News

SEWELL – The Salem CC baseball team’s 15-game winning streak came to an end Friday as No. 1 RCSJ-Gloucester scored seven runs over the first three innings and handed the Mighty Oaks an 8-2 defeat.

The Oaks (26-21) scored a run in the top of the first that the Roadrunners answered in the bottom of the inning. The hosts then scored four in the second.

The Oaks still have won 18 of their last 20 and are still guaranteed a winning season. The series concludes with a doubleheader Saturday at the Carneys Point Rec Complex that will mark the end of the regular season.

HIGH SCHOOLS
BASEBALL
OVERBROOK 14, SALEM 4: Mike Rosano had two hits and three RBIs from the leadoff spot and Overbrook took control with six runs in the first inning.
Chase Pompper, Caleb Clair and Ethan Longo had Salem’s hits. Terrell Robinson had an RBI.

SOFTBALL
SALEM 23, LEAP 5: Kyla Henderson went 5-for-5 with three doubles and four RBIs and the Rams got hits from every player in the boxscore. Eleven of the Rams’ 27 hits were doubles.

The top five batters in the Rams’ lineup were a combined 19-for-22 with 16 RBIs. Julliana Love had four hits and four RBIs, Raegan Wilson was 4-for-4 with two RBIs, Morgan Johnson and Ava Ortiz both had three hits and three RBIs.

Cimiyyia Corbin had two hits and three RBIs and Destiny Carr had two hits and two RBIs.

The Rams already had a 4-0 lead, then broke it open with 11 in the second.

Pedal to the metal

Salem CC baseball keeps foot on the gas, blanks Lehigh Carbon to win 15th in a row, guarantee winning season

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT – With their first playoff berth in 13 years safely tucked in their back pocket, the Salem CC baseball team played a game without pressure for the first time in about two months and looked like it.

The Mighty Oaks played loose and active Thursday. They pounded out 15 hits, three pitchers combined for a two-hit shutout and the defense played a clean game in the field as they crushed Lehigh Carbon CC 12-0.

The win was their 15th in a row and 18th in their last 19 games. It also guaranteed the Oaks (26-20) a winning season.

“It was fun, but we still owed these guys a little something (from) the first two games of the series,” catcher Angel Velez said. “We had them on the calendar for a while.

“It felt good, it felt really good. The last couple weeks we had a goal, we’ve been trying to hit it, and now that we’ve hit it, it’s like the weight’s off your shoulders.”

The Oaks clinched their first playoff berth since 2011 when they swept a doubleheader from Anne Arundel on the road Tuesday. It’s been a long road back – at one point this team was 8-19 – but even with a main goal secured they didn’t take their foot off the gas.

Eight of the nine spots in the lineup got at least one hit.

“I tried to enforce to them that regardless of where we are nothing needs to change yet,” Mighty Oaks coach John Holt said. “At the end of the day the goal is a lot more than just getting into the playoffs. These guys have really bought into the premise of what we’re trying to do here. Just because we made the playoffs, I don’t want that to be the end game for us. I want them to continue to feel that grind and continue to push through.

“That’s kind of hard sometimes when you go through the grind that they had to just to get into the playoffs. Some of them can see that as the finish line and that’s not where we’re at.”

Velez and Demetrius DeRamus led the offense. Velez went 4-for-4 with an RBI. DeRamus went 3-for-3 with a sacrifice fly and two RBIs. Nick Ciesielka and Cole Dawson both had a pair of hits.

Even guys who hadn’t been around for a while contributed. Chris Kelly played in his first game since March 10 (broken hand) and delivered a pinch single in the sixth inning.

Velez is 24-for-46 (.522) with nine multi-hit games during the winning streak. DeRamus is 30-for-69 (.435) with 29 RBIs during the turnaround.

“I got with Coach Z (Justin Zbikowski) and we both agreed to just start slapping the ball, not trying to do too much,” Velez said. “A feel like in the beginning I was trying to do too much in my swing. Down in Myrtle, it was rough down there, so I feel like I figured out when we came back just learn how to hit my pitch, hunt the fastball, keep catching barrels and I’ve been doing that.”

Hard-throwing starter Aiden Ewe allowed one hit and struck out seven over the first innings. Mike Ochmanski and Matt Decker each pitched a scoreless inning to preserve the shutout. The Cougars only had three runners reach scoring position.

The Oaks jumped out front with two runs in the first inning. DeRamus sliced an RBI triple into right field and scored on J.D. Wilson’s double. They added two more in the fourth on Eli Real’s two-run single.

They broke it open with seven runs in the fifth. Eleven batters came to the plate. Two runs scored when the Cougars misplayed Velez’ single in the outfield and he later scored on a wild pitch. Dawson had a two-run single, Ciesielka singled home a run and DeRamus produced his sacrifice fly.

Lee Rodriguez plated the Oaks’ final run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

“I’ve been playing a lot looser lately and I see it in everyone else,” DeRamus said. “We’re just hungrier because we really wanted to make it to the playoffs. There were a lot of technical things a lot of us cleaned up on and it’s been really showing. I know earlier in the season I was just so frustrated, but lately it’s just letting the ball come in deeper and trusting my hands.”

The Mighty Oaks return to action Friday to start a three-game series with RCSJ-Gloucester, a potential playoff opponent, that wraps the regular season. The series and Oaks’ regular season wraps with a home doubleheader Saturday.

“We’ll try to make a statement,” Velez said. “Try to take at least a game, let them know (they’re going to be a factor) and try to knock them down a seed. They want us bad, we want it more. They don’t want to lose to us.”

Fantastic firsts

Pennsville’s Burchfield makes first varsity appearance on mound, assistant McAllister gets first varsity coaching win; includes rest of Wednesday’s Salem County roundup

WEDNESDAY COUNTY BASEBALL
Pennsville 17, Salem 2
Schalick 24, Bridgeton 4

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

SALEM – Chase Burchfield won’t soon forget the first game he’s ever pitched in high school. And neither will Aaron McAllister.

Burchfield had been begging to pitch in a game for the last couple weeks and the Pennsville coaches finally granted his wish Wednesday, giving him the fifth inning to finish off a 17-2 win over Salem for McAllister’s first varsity coaching win.

McAllister has been running the team while Eagles coach Matt Karr has been recovering from a surgical procedure last week. It was hoped Karr would return to the team in some capacity by the weekend, but McAllister is moving the pieces in the meantime.

In his first two games over the weekend, the Eagles lost to Cedar Creek in Mainland’s Coaches vs. Cancer Classic and Rancocas Valley in the Diamond Classic.

“It’s good to get back in the win column,” McAllister said. “We preach to these guys from Day One that we’ve got pretty lofty goals for this program and it’s about the program and not who gets it. We talk about be ready for your opportunity and next man up. Whoever gets the hit, whoever gets the RBI, it’s where we’re trying to be in June what we’re really about.”

That next man up on this day was Burchfield. With the Eagles running short of pitchers for various reasons, the coaches thought it was a good time to grant Burchfield’s wish to pitch.

The junior right-hander entered in the fifth inning with a 15-run lead and faced four batters. He threw 11 pitches, seven for strikes. He struck out the first batter he faced as a pitcher since eighth grade, had the next one reach on an infield error and balked that runner to third for not pausing between two fly outs to end the game.

“I was begging them to let me pitch since the Buena game (April 20),” Burchfield said. “They let me warmup in the Williamstown game (the day before) and I’ve been waiting. I finally got them to let me pitch today and I was just trying to throw some gas.

“I did not think I was going to step foot on the mound ever again, but I was able to get back out there. It felt pretty good. It was the first time since eighth grade, but hopefully I can get out there more.”

Although he left the field with a career ERA of 0.00 Burchfield thought he could have done better. He promised the next time he gets out there he’ll throw even more strikes.

Is there going to be a next time?

“His opportunity might come again,” McAllister hinted. “We’ve got a lot of games and our schedule is so compact and condenses that there may be another opportunity where he gets to come in a situation to close out a game. I wouldn’t say it’s a one-and-done. I’d say it’s a potential he could get back out there … without having to beg.”

Burchfield came in to finish up for Logan Streitz, who was making his second start of the season and first since Opening Day. Streitz allowed one hit through four innings – a triple by Caleb Clark in the third inning – walked three and struck out eight. He struck out the side in his final inning.

“I figured out I was going to start on the bus,” Streitz said. “They didn’t tell me from yesterday and on the way here they mentioned I was pitching. Sometimes I like knowing before I’m going to pitch, like the day before, so I can prepare. Today I just had to switch my mentality that I was going to pitch.”

Throwing just 73 pitches with velocity McAllister said was as good as he has seen from him and feeling “pretty good,” the sophomore could have gone out to finish his first complete game. But the score being what it was, the situation was good to grant Burchfield’s wish.

“That’s something we’ve been wanting to do for a while,” McAllister said. “Burchfield has always let us know that he’s ready, always ready. He told me pregame today he’s ready, what’s the situation gpnna have to be for me to get into the game. I said you just do your job and you stay ready and when it’s time for your number to be called you’ll know.

“Luckily these guys came out and swung the bats and did what they were supposed to do to get us in a position to get him on the mound today.”

Salem countered with Colin Finney, who was starting for the second day in a row. He threw 28 pitches in two innings against Camden Eastside on Tuesday, but threw 24 in the first inning against a vastly different team.

Rams coach Eric Fizur gave him the choice of staying in and not be able to pitch again until the middle of next week or coming out and have an earlier return. The right-hander opted for the early exit so he could pitch again Monday.

The Rams ran out three pitchers behind him, but the results were the same. The Eagles scored in every inning. Every spot in their order reached base at least twice and seven spots had at least one hit. Mason O’Brien, Peyton O’Brien and Streitz had two hits apiece. Burchfield and Cohen Petrutz each had three.

“They were what we thought they were as Dennis Green said before,” Fizur said. “You could see why even missing three or four of their top guys that’s the No. 1 Group I South right now; you could easily see that.

“(Colin) threw well. He didn’t change anything (from Tuesday). We just saw a team that knows how to play the game versus a team that is young and developing.”

**Pennsville right-hander Logan Streitz looks in for a pitch in his first start since Opening Day. On the cover, Chase Burchfield delivers a pitch in his first mound appearance since eighth grade.**

SCHALICK 24, BRIDGETON 4: Playing under the lights at Elmer LL, the Cougars erupted for 23 hits and scored their most runs in a game since putting up 24 in a game last May for their fourth win in a row.

Luke Pokrovsky led the hit parade going 4-for-4 with five RBIs. Jamari Whitley went 3-for-4 with four RBIs and Wyatt Cushane went 3-for-3 with three RBIs. J.T. Fleming, Jake Siedlecki and Elijah Cummings also had three hits.

The Cougars actually trailed 4-1 after the first inning, but they took control with 12 in the second. Seventeen batters came to the plate in the inning with the first 11 all reaching safely. Siedlecki’s bases-loaded walk tied the game and Lucas D’Agostino’s hit by pitch put the Cougars in front for good.

SOFTBALL
CUMBERLAND 12, SCHALICK 1: The bottom four hitters in the Colts’ lineup combined for six hits, five runs and seven RBIs. Shayla Richmond was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Storylynn Dagostino was 2-for-3 with three RBIs. The Colts broke it open with an 11-run third inning.

Taylor Sparks drove in Schalick’s run with a two-out bases-loaded walk in the fifth inning as the Cougars tried to extend the game. Addy Shimp had two of Schalick’s three hits.

BOYS TENNIS
SCHALICK 4, GCIT 1
George Gould (S) def. Luke Clodfelter, 6-2, 6-0.
Jesus Espinoza (S) def. Jeffrey Smith, 6-2, 6-3
Conor O’Toole (S) def. Lorenzo Miglino, 6-1, 6-2
Rocky Monticolo-David Santana (S) def. Rory Guice-Liam Masusock, 6-0, 6-2
George Gould-James Helder (G) def. Kaden Barnes-Cayden Brzozowski, 6-0, 2-6, 10-6
Records: Schalick 8-4, GCIT 4-8.

‘We’re in’

Salem CC clinches a spot in Region XIX baseball tournament with a doubleheader sweep at Anne Arundel

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

ARNOLD, Md. – It has been a long road back, but the Salem Community College baseball team never lost faith or sight of the prize.

The Mighty Oaks extended their winning streak to 14 games Tuesday when they swept Anne Arundel CC 10-0 and 3-1 to clinch a spot in the Region XIX Division III Tournament.

Teams with a .500 or better record either overall or within the region get in the field. With Tuesday’s sweep, the Mighty Oaks are 25-20 with four regular-season games remaining. Had they split against the Riverhawks (27-22), they could have secured the spot Thursday at home against Lehigh Carbon.

Now, they don’t have to worry about it.

“We’re in,” Oaks coach John Holt said. “Step One, right? You’ve got to get in, you’ve got to get into the dance, before you can do anything.”

One other team still has a chance to qualify and make it a seven-team tournament before Saturday’s final games. The Oaks’ last four games will be all about improving their tournament seed.

On April 9, they were sitting at 8-19. Over the last three weeks of the month they went 17-1 with the only loss a game that got away from them in the ninth inning.

“I am as proud of the team as any team I’ve coached in 30 years,” Holt said. “We were in a pretty deep hole with our record and they bought in and believed in the ideas that we try to teach here regards to our culture. That’s what kind of turned the corner for us.

“I always had faith that this was a good baseball team and knew if we played the way I knew we could play we’d be a high-caliber team. To see them buy in and see the hard work and their belief in each other pay off is huge. It’s amazing.”

The Mighty Oaks won the first game behind a two-hit complete-game shutout from Ryan Silnik and three RBIs each from Demetrius DeRamus and Matt Murphy.

Silnik gave up two singles, struck out seven and walked four. DeRamus went 3-for-4 with a bases-loaded triple in the second inning that gave the Oaks a 4-0 lead. He also had four stolen bases.

The second game was tight throughout. The Oaks had only four hits in the nightcap, but Eli Real, who lost his starting shortstop spot in the middle of the season, delivered the playoff-clinching hit when he ripped a two-run single past third with two outs in the sixth to put the Oaks up 3-1.

“Eli is one of our guys who I believe truly believes in the culture we’re trying to build here,” Holt said. “He stuck with it every day, worked hard every day and believed in being a part of this team. Even when he wasn’t in the lineup he was still doing things to help the team out.

“He’s a guy I feel like believes in the culture and never checked out. He was just waiting for his opportunity and came up big for us.”

Inaki Hutchinson, the third Salem pitcher behind starter J.D. Wilson and Preston Stracci, worked the final three innings and put the Riverhawks down in the sixth and seventh to preserve his victory. He gave up three hits, an unearned run and struck out four.

When Hutchinson fanned the last batter to end the game, the Salem players poured out of the dugout and then poured the water bucket over Holt.

“I tried to keep them calm and really push the fact that this was Step One and I ended up getting a little bit of a Gatorade bath,” Holt said. “I had to change my clothes. Those are the moments that you … that’s why we do this.”

GAME ONE
Salem CC (24-20) 130 023 1 – 10 7 0
Anne Arundel (27-21) 000 000 0 – 0 2 2
WP: Ryan Silnik (3-1). LP: Evan Pohlman (4-6).

GAME TWO
Salem CC (25-20) 100 002 0 – 3 4 2
Anne Arundel (27-22) 000 010 0 – 1 5 2
WP: Inaki Hutchinson (2-0). LP: Kyle Smoak (1-1).

Quick work

Salem ace Finney was ready to go seven, but only went two in a rout so he can start Wednesday against Pennsville

TUESDAY SALEM COUNTY BASEBALL
Salem 15, Camden Eastside 0

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

SALEM – When Colin Finney arrived at the ballpark Tuesday afternoon he and Salem baseball coach Eric Fizur were fully prepared for the pitcher to go all seven innings and give the Rams everything he had.

After two innings and an 11-run lead that plan went out the window, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Finney was off the mound after 28 pitches, which lets him start Wednesday against Pennsville, and the Rams went on to beat Camden Eastside 15-0 for their second win in a row. It’s the first time the Rams have won back-to-back games since a three-game winning streak in late May 2022.

“I was absolutely fine with that,” Finney said. “Since Day One freshman year I was willing to sacrifice anything for this team. To see the younger guys stepping up is incredible to watch. Just being able to sit back and watch them improve is good.”

Finney, coming off six days pitching rest, said he felt “great” after his two innings against the Tigers and could have gone longer if necessary, but it wasn’t required. During his 28 pitches, he gave up a single through the box, a walk and struck out two.

“The first inning there were four batters and I think he threw three first-pitch strikes and I think he only threw two balls,” Fizur said. “I think he got hit hard once, and that was a pop up in the infield. He did exactly what I asked him to do – throw hard, throw well and trust the guys behind you.”

Finney’s fate on the mound was probably sealed after he belted a bases-loaded triple in the first inning that give the Rams (4-7) a 4-0 lead with nobody out. They ended up scoring nine in the inning. Andrew May had a two-run double and Chase Davis a two-run triple before it was over. Every spot in the lineup scored at least one run in the game.

“I’ve been put in big situations before,” Finney said. “I’m one of those guys (who believes) pressure makes diamonds and you build off that. To see everyone on base and all of them cheering you on, it was like let’s get this ball on the ground so where it’ll go deeper in the outfield and as soon as I saw it in that gap I was already going for third.”

Three relievers followed him to the mound – Jacob Parkell, Bryce Harris and Josthen Jimenez – and held the Tigers (1-5) hitless.

SOFTBALL
PAULSBORO 16, SALEM 3: Alexis Morrison went 4-for-5 with three doubles and six RBIs and pitched a complete game in the circle for the Red Raiders. The first four hitters in the Paulsboro lineup were a combined 12-for-16 with 12 RBIs.

Julliana Love went 3-for-3 at the top of the Salem lineup and Destiny Carr went 2-for-2 from the nine spot. Love, Kyla Henderson and Ava Ortiz drove the Rams’ runs home.

BOYS TENNIS
SCHALICK 5, WILDWOOD 0
George Gould (S) def. Giorgio Palesano, 6-0, 6-0
Jesus Espnoza (S) def. Justin Damian, 6-2, 6-1
Conor O’Toole (S) def. Brian Damian, 7-5, 6-1
Rocky Monticolo-David Santana (S) def. Christopher Olivera-Christopher Hernandez, 6-0, 6-0
Kaden Barnes-Cayden Brzozowski (S) def. Yahir Reyes-Simon Palacias, 6-1, 6-0
Records: Wildwood 3-6, Schalick 7-4.

Cover photo: Salem pitcher Colin Finney delivers a pitch in his second inning against Camden Eastside.

Better by the dozen

Salem CC baseball extends winning streak to 12, grateful Stracci returns to lineup after health scare

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

MEDIA, Pa. – The game was over. The players had gone through the handshake line and were making their way back to the collect their gear.

As the Salem Community College baseball players retreated towards the dugout one player turned back to the field, made his way back to his shortstop position, picked up a heaping handful of infield mix and rubbed it vigorously on his right pants leg. Chances are he won’t wash those trousers for a while because of what that dirt represents.

Six and a half weeks ago there were serious concerns if Preston Stracci would ever play baseball again. He collapsed after a running drill in practice and was later diagnosed with a heart murmur.

He only got cleared to play about an hour before the Mighty Oaks were schedule to play Delaware County CC Monday and he met the team at the field. The freshman from Bensalem, Pa., went into the game when Oaks coach John Holt cleared the bench in the fifth inning and even got his first college hit and RBI in the last of his three at bats in a wild 25-12 victory over the Phantoms.

“I missed almost two months and coming back it’s the greatest feeling in the world,” Stracci said. “I’m just so excited to be back with the boys.”

“It’s awesome,” Holt said. “It made the day for everybody.”

A day after the Oaks returned from an 11-1 loss to Northampton the players were doing some running in practice. Stracci leaned against the fence. Something just didn’t look or feel right. He went to the hospital and after undergoing a battery of tests it was determined he had a heart murmur. He was required to wear a heart monitor for the next month to make sure the condition wasn’t more serious.

Stracci came to Salem as a pitcher and utility infielder and was going to get a chance to show his stuff. Before his “episode” he made two appearances on the mound on the Oaks’ trip to Myrtle Beach, pitched two-thirds of an inning in that March 14 loss at Northampton and had five hitless at bats, but when the heart issue surfaced it shut him down completely.

“As soon as he told me that I was like, I’m going to get back on the field as soon as possible,” Stracci said. “But there were a lot of times where I went to bed thinking, oh my God, I might never pick up a baseball again, I might never run again, might never swing a bat again. When it started going in the right direction, I did everything I could to get healthy and it paid off.”

“It was scary,” Holt recalled. “I went to the hospital with them. His dad and I talked a lot. It’s just good to see him back on the field.”

When the cardiologist in Philadelphia told Stracci Monday morning he was good to go with no restrictions, a big smile crossed the player’s face and he immediately told the doctor “I’m going to go play.”

He didn’t know if he was going to get in the game. Holt considered pitching him, but put him in at short for Yen Rodriguez with the Oaks holding a 15-0 lead.

Between Rodriguez and Stracci, the leadoff spot batted seven times in seven innings. Stracci struck out his first time up. The next time he hit into a bang-bang double play that had everyone thinking the inning was over – it wasn’t, the Oaks went on to score five runs. His third time up was the charm. He shot a ball through through the hole at short that drove in the Oaks’ final run.

When he reached first base he clapped his hands enthusiastically and his teammates cheered from the dugout.

“I didn’t care about getting a hit,” he said. “Being in the game was enough. I struck out in my first at-bat. I was mad, but then I’m like, oh my God, wait, I’m back in the box.”

The win was the Oaks’ (23-20) 12th straight and moved them a step closer to Region XIX playoff qualification. They can clinch a spot with a doubleheader sweep at Anne Arundel (Md.) Tuesday — a twinbill in which Stracci might pitch.

If he does, it wouldn’t be surprising if he’s still wearing the same baseball pants.“I’m going to have these forever,” he said.

NOTES: The Mighty Oaks scored in every inning. The 25 runs were the second most they’ve scored in a game since restoring the program in 2020. They put 26 on the Phantoms in a 2021 win … The first four spots in the lineup all got seven plate appearances in seven innings … Angel Velez had two hits and two RBIs in his first two at bats. He’s 18-for-35 with 13 RBIs during the winning streak … Joe Fekete came off the bench and went 3-for-3 with two triples and five RBIs … Demetrius DeRamus hit a three-run inside-the-park home run in the sixth and reached base five times in the game … Lee Rodriguez took two more for the team. He’s now been hit 15 times this season. The Oaks were hit by eight pitches in the game … Oaks starter John McAllister faced the minimum through the first three innings. In three five-inning starts during the winning streak, he has allowed seven hits, six runs, walked four and struck out 28 … The Phantoms made it interesting with nine runs in the sixth inning that included several bunts and five Salem errors … Overall, the Oaks have won 15 of their last 16.

**Salem CC freshman Preston Stracci takes his position at shortstop in his first game back since mid-March. On the cover, Stracci takes his first at-bat in the game.**

Monday milestone

Schalick junior Luke Pokrovsky spins no-hitter against Wildwood, fans 15 to reach 200 career Ks; includes highlights from Monday’s Salem County sports calendar

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PITTSGROVE – It was red letter day for Luke Pokrovsky all the way around Monday.

The junior left-hander threw the first no-hitter of his high school career and collected his 200th career strikeout during Schalick’s 8-0 victory over Wildwood.

He threw 96 pitches in the complete game (64 for strikes), struck out 15 and walked three – the only base runners he allowed. He called it one of his top pitching game after his 16-strikeout, one-hit near-complete game against Gloucester on April 19.

In his last three starts he allowed one hit with 16 strikeouts against Gloucester, three hits with 13 strikeouts with 13 strikeouts in a complete game against Lower Cape May and then Monday.

“He’s been locked in, especially the last three starts where he’s been all around the strike zone, getting ahead of guys, finishing guys off,” Cougars coach Sean O’Brien said. “It’s been fun to watch.

“It’s been easy for our guys playing defense behind him, but he really has been ahead of every batter and attacking batters and not really walking that many guys.”

O’Brien couldn’t remember having a no-hitter in his tenure at Schalick and even this one caught him a little by surprise.

“I heard someone mention it to me, so it was around there, but I didn’t realize it until later in the game,” O’Brien said someone. “We were looking at the pitch count and then I realized they hadn’t had any hits.”

Pokrovsky was so sharp he didn’t allow a ball out of the infield. The closest the Warriors came to a hit was Logan Totten’s sharp grounder to second baseman Evan Glaspey for the first out in the seventh.

He retired the first eight batters he faced and 13 of the first 14. He hit the milestone strikeout on the number, fanning the last two batters of the game.

“I was going into the game knowing 15 Ks is a lot to get,” Pokrovsky said. “Wildwood is a good team after looking at the stats. I knew they were going to compete and look to jump on the fastball. I tried to mix up my off-speed pitches early in the count and then come back with the fastball hoping to get it past them.

“When I got into the dugout after the sixth inning, a teammate came up to me saying I needed two more (for 200). I got excited knowing I could get my 200 strikeouts. They had their top hitters up the next inning. After walking the third hitter and grounding out the fourth I knew the lineup kind of dropped off so I just tried to blow my fast by them and it ended up working out.”

The pitcher got a lot of support from his teammates. J.T. Fleming went 3-for-3, Evan Glaspey went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Lucas D’Agostino had a pair of hits. Pokrovsky also had two hits, giving him 79 for his career in that department.

Diamond Classic
Rancocas Valley 7, Pennsville 1
Lenape 6, Mainland 2
Egg Harbor 4, Seneca 3

Rancocas Valley 7, Pennsville 1: The Red Devils scored all their runs in the first four innings and held the Eagles to just two singles. Jeff Wagner and Peyton O’Brien had Pennsville’s two hits and Mason O’Brien drove in the Eagles’ run in the second inning to make it a 2-1 game.

SOFTBALL
Schalick 17, Wildwood 0: The Cougars erupted for eight runs in the first inning and Addy Shimp and Annie Podhel split a four-inning one-hitter. Cayla Sbrana had a two-run single in the first inning and had four RBIs in the game. Cloe Elliott, Maddie Brown and Lucy Virga all drove in three runs.

Salem 8, Cape May Tech 7: The Rams scored two runs in the sixth inning to snap a 6-6 tie and then held on to snap an eight-game losing streak. Ava Ortiz and Julliana Love scored the decisive runs stealing home.

CMT made it 8-7 with two outs in the bottom of the seventh and had the tying run at third, but the game ended with offensive interference.

Morgan Johnson had a bases-loaded triple in Salem’s five-run second inning and had four RBIs in the game. Love had three hits, Johnson, Ortiz and Kyla Henderson had two hits apiece.

GOLF
Woodstown 174, Wildwood 196: Grant Prater shot 38 at Union League National to lead the Wolverines (11-3).

Clearview girls 170, Schalick 209: Clearview’s Stella Bernardi won medalist honors at Centerton CC with a 41. Hannah Widdifield posted Schalick’s low score (46).

BOYS TENNIS
SCHALICK 4, WASHINGTON TWP. 1
Zack Torbik (WT) def. George Gould, 5-7, 6-3, 10-6
Jesus Espinoza (S) def. Khang Nguyen, 6-0, 3-6, 10-7
Conor O’Toole (S) def. Jack Hanson, 6-0, 6-0
Rocky Monticolo-David Santana (S) def. John Ecker-Kaden Murphy, 6-2, 6-4
Kaden Barnes-Cayden Brzozowski (S) won 6-1, 6-0
Records: Schalick 6-4, Washington Twp. 1-8.