Category: BASEBALL

Tuesday sports report

Scores and highlights from Tuesday’s Salem County sports calendar; Woodstown, Salem Tech score softball wins; tough day for Salem CC baseball, softball

SOFTBALL
Salem Tech 24, Pilgrim Academy 13
Woodstown 8, Sterling 3
BOYS TRACK
Penns Grove at Glassboro
BOYS TENNIS
Pennsville 5, Glassboro 0
Woodstown 5, Clearview 0
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Montgomery County 26, Salem CC 4
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Lackawanna 10-2, Salem CC 2-0

By Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN — The thing Woodstown softball coach Rob Hildebrand really likes about his lineup is its capability to deliver from any spot at any time regardless of the situation, but they’re especially tough late in the game.

That ability was on full display in the fourth inning Tuesday when the Wolverines scored six runs with two outs to break open a one-run game and power an 8-3 win over Sterling.

“I’ve never had an opportunity to coach a team on any level, and I tell them all the time, where we get better every single time we get another at bat against a pitcher,” Hildebrand said. “We only get stronger as the middle of the game goes on and like our third at-bat every game that’s when everybody starts hitting. I’m proud for them to be able to hit the ball.”

Kendall Young’s three-run double and Talia Guardascione’s inside-the-park homer highlighted the big inning. The Wolverines (2-0) led 2-1 going into the fourth and then sent 10 batters to the plate to break it open.

Brianna Hitchner scored on Ellie Wygand’s ground out that was the second out of the inning and cleared the bases. Guardascione followed by slashing her homer past a drawn-in left fielder to the fence. Madison LaPalomento scored on Grace Hitchner’s single and after Lila Bowling and Macie Moore drew walks to load the bases Young brought them all home with her double.

Hildebrand called Young’s hit a “sign of relief.” The Wolverines loaded the bases in the third with nobody out and only scratched out a couple runs.

Guardascione’s homer was the second of her career. Her first also was an inside-the-parker, against Salem last season.

“She’s the two-hole hitter and they play her in a lot in the outfield,” Hilderbrand said. “When they play her in like that she burns them. She’s so fast, I knew she was going to score when she came around second.”

The Wolverines took a 2-0 lead in the third on RBI singles by Grace Hitchner and Moore.

Leah Clark went the distance in the circle, allowing five hits, one earned run and striking out four. She retired the first seven batters she faced and faced the minimum through three innings.

The Wolverines host rival Schalick Wednesday.

Sterling (1-1)0001002-351
Woodstown (2-0)002600x-884
WP; Leah Clark. LP: Peyton Emmertz. HR: Talia Guardascione.

SALEM TECH 24, PILGRIM ACADEMY 13: The first-year Chargers took advantage of 11 walks and 11 errors to score a school-record 24 runs and win for the fourth time in five starts.

Shelby Drummond went 3-for-3, Claire Kier had three RBIs, Kate Liber and Morgan Fogg both had two hits and two RBIs. Drummond has hit in all five games and is hitting .769 (10-for-13) for the season. Kier also has hit in all five games.

The Chargers broke a 2-2 tie with five runs in the third inning and then broke it open with nine in the fourth.

Salem Tech (4-1)025908-2492
Pilgrim Academy (1-1)112540-13611
WP: Isabele Roberts. LP: Addison Brittin. HR: Moriah Parmer (PA)

Tennis

PENNSVILLE 5, GLASSBORO 0
Lucas Cooksey (P) def. Andrew Miller, 4-6, 6-0, 10-5
Sawyer Humphrey (P) def. James Pence, 6-0, 6-0
Jacob Cheeseman (P) def. Seth Taylor, 6-1, 6-1
Coen Rinnier-Matthew Forino (P) def. Joy Patel-Vincent Pasquarello, 6-1, 6-1
Records: Pennsville 2-1, Glassboro 0-2.

WOODSTOWN 5, CLEARVIEW 0
Drew Stengel (WO) def. Dan Meader, 7-5, 6-0
Mason Shimp (WO) def. David Carter, 6-1, 6-1
Luke Shaw (WO) def. Cole Harper, 6-4, 6-2
Vincent Merendino-Nick DiTeodoro (WO) def. Chase Roberts-Jared Wax, 6-3, 6-4
Connor Miller-Josh King (WO) def. Matt Kalpas-Raj Rana, 7-5, 6-2
Records: Woodstown 1-1, Clearview 1-2.

College baseball

MONTGOMERY 26, SALEM CC 4: The Mustangs continued to mash the baseball, setting a season high in runs while scoring in double figures for the fourth game in a row. They have scored 75 runs over the last four games.

The 26 runs were the most the Mighty Oaks have given up in a game since reviving the program. The previous high came in a 25-7 loss to RCSJ-Cumberland in April 2024.

College softball

LACKAWANNA 10-2, SALEM CC 2-0: Mackenzie Adolfson hit a two-run homer in each game for Lackawanna, but the swing in the second game was the dagger for the Mighty Oaks.

Salem’s Jordyn Busch and Lackawanna’s Ayahna Fleisher were locked in a scoreless pitching duel for five innings in the nightcap, but one pitch broke the ice. Adolfson launched a two-run homer to center to get the Falcons on the board.

The Mighty Oaks threatened in the seventh, getting two runners in scoring position with one out, but couldn’t get them home. Savannah Palverento and Bella Rappa opened the inning with singles and moved up on Sawyer Simmons’ sacrifice, but Fleisher got out of it with a pop out to the catcher and game-ending grounder to the pitcher.

Salem also had a runner in scoring position in the first inning with two outs but stranded her.

Adolfson’s two-run shot in the opener highlighted a four-run first inning. The Mighty Oaks cut their deficit in half in the third on an RBI single by Megan Koski and Bella Rappa’s bases-loaded hit batsman, but the Falcons answered with two in the bottom of the inning and walked it off with four in the fifth.

The doubleheader starts a busy week for the Mighty Oaks. They travel to Monroe-Bronx Thursday, host Howard CC Friday and visit Mercer Saturday.

‘First of many more’

Salem Tech scores its first baseball win in school history in rout of Lindenwold; includes reported scores and highlights from Monday’s Salem County sports calendar


BASEBALL
Salem Tech 24, Lindenwold 2
Schalick 5, Glassboro 0
Wildwood 26, Salem 2
Woodstown 15, Penns Grove 2
GOLF
Gloucester Catholic 170, Salem Tech 208
Woodstown 187, Pennsville 222
Schalick 164, Wildwood 245
Schalick girls vs. Williamstown, Centerton CC
TENNIS
Penns Grove 4, Glassboro 1
Pennsville at Wildwood
Schalick 3, Clayton 2
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Highland 2, Salem Tech 0 (25-19, 25-15)
BOYS LACROSSE
Woodstown at St. Joseph
GIRLS LACROSSE
Woodstown 18, Cedar Creek 11

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

LINDENWOLD — Sometime during the course of the day Tuesday, the players on the Salem Tech baseball team are going to pass around a shiny new baseball that each will sign his name until there’s no space for another. When the last player has signed one of them is going to take that baseball and run it back up to the school where it will be set in a place of honor for posterity.

The Chargers made history Monday afternoon. They won the first game in their baseball program’s history, routing Lindenwold 24-2.

“Being the first coach is an honor and getting the first win’s an honor,” head coach John Helsel said. “I’m so happy for all the kids and for Mr. Swain (superintendent Jack Swain) because I know he really loves baseball. I’m glad I could get us our first of many more to come, I believe.”

Jaxon Raymond was credited with the inaugural win. He pitched the first four innings, giving up one hit and striking out 10. Jack Beal pitched the fifth, giving up one hit and striking out the side.

Raymond didn’t give up a hit until the fourth, faced only two over the minimum through the first three innings and struck out the side twice.

“I would say (he pitched) good, just from the amount of strikes I threw (43 in 82 pitches) and how fast I got out of innings,” Raymond assessed. “JI felt I wasn’t going to do good and started a little flat, (but) halfway through the first inning just more strikes were coming through the zone.”

“He was a little shaky in the beginning, but once he got his command down he was good,” Helsel said. “He had a little trouble with that mound – it was a little rough where they were landing – but once he got used to it, he was all right.”

The Chargers (1-1), who lost their inaugural game 13-0 at Cumberland, were as prolific in this game as they were in winning their two preseason scrimmages. They banged out 14 hits and took advantage of 12 walks and seven Lion errors. Cooper Coles went 3-for-5 with five RBIs. Chase Pompper had two hits and three RBIs. Lucas Clement had two hits and two RBIs, and Shamus Smith and Raymond had two hits apiece.

Take away the 10-run first inning of the Cumberland game and the Chargers have outscored their opponents 24-5 over their last nine innings.

“They showed me they bounced back and didn’t let that (Cumberland) game bother them,” Helsel said. “We played well. We had some real good hits. We were sound defensively.”

Pompper scored the first run in school history when he raced home on Coles’ inaugural RBI single after reaching on an error and going all the way to third on a passed ball. Coles scored on Clement’s RBI single. Clement scored on a wild pitch and Harris’ sacrifice fly made it 4-0. They added four more in the second and then broke it open with 11 in the third.

The Chargers also gunned down their first runner attempting to steal when freshman catcher Logan Hearn nailed Julius Hammond trying to steal second in the second inning.

This Chargers play their first home game in school history Thursday against Wildwood Catholic.

Salem Tech (1-1)44(11)05-24141
Lindenwold (0-3)10010-227
WP: Jaxon Raymond. LP: Aidan Ryan.

SCHALICK 5, GLASSBORO 0: Ricky Wattt went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and starting pitcher Jamari Whitley threw 3 2/3 innings of no-hit ball with eight strikeouts to lead Schalick over Glassboro, 5-0, Monday.

Cole Hartley broke a scoreless tie with a two-run single in the third. Watt doubled the lead with a two-run double in the fourth. Evan Glaspey’s grounder to short produced the Cougars’ fifth run. Evan Sepers had two hits for the Cougars.

Three Schalick pitchers held the Bulldogs to two hits and struck out 13. Whitley faced 15 batters and threw 66 pitches in his first start of the year. Mason Hollywood went the next 2 1/3, giving up one hit and striking out three. Mason Sanchez pitched the seventh, giving up a hit and fanning two.

The defending South Jersey Group 1 champs have given up just one run in their first two games.

Schalick (2-0)0022010-5100
Glassboro (0-2)0000000-021
WP: Jamari Whitley. LP: Ryan Newell.

WOODSTOWN 15, PENNS GROVE 2: Talyn Priore went 4-for-4 in his varsity debut, three pitchers scattered two hits and the Wolverines pulled away from a one-run game with an 11-run third inning.

Drew Sutton came on after starter Cole Begley struggled out of the gate and gave the Wolverines 2 2/3 innings of no-hit relief with five strikeouts. Stone Hassler went the final two innings without allowing a hit and fanning six of the seven batters he faced.

Eighteen Wolverines got at least one plate appearance and 14 reached base. Priore was their only batter with multiple hits. Ty Coblentz, Luke Fraley and Tommy Tucci drove in two runs apiece.

Woodstown (1-0)21(11)10-1590
Penns Grove (0-1)20000-220
WP: Drew Sutton. LP: Liam Irvin.

WILDWOOD 26, SALEM 2: Nolan Mawhinney had a two-run double and Owen Bannon a two-run single to highlight an 11-run second inning that broke the game open. The first three runs in the inning scored on bases-loaded walks.

Bannon had five RBIs in the game. Gianni Troiano went 4-for-5 with three RBIs and Trevor Triano scored six runs.

Three Wildwood pitchers held Salem to three hits, two by Jonathan Bower. The Rams scored both their runs in the fifth inning. Bower led off with a triple and scored on Izaiah Santiago’s ground out. Cole Sayers scored on a double steal.

Wildwood (2-0)2(11)643-26152
Salem (0-2)00002-2310
WP: Will Auly. LP: Rudulfo Perez.

Tennis

PENNS GROVE 4, GLASSBORO 1
Andrew Miller (G) def. Alex Ramirez Martinez, 6-4, 7-5
Stuart Mondragon (PG) def. James Pence, 6-4, 6-4
Anthony Pacheco (PG) def. Seth Taylor, 7-6 (7-2), 6-2
Juan Ortiz-Adan Gonzalez (PG) def. Nico Tsoukalis-Vincent Pasquarello, 6-0, 6-0
Jesus Arrendondo-Rene Ruiz (PG) won by forfeit
Records: Penns Grove 1-0, Glassboro 0-1
NOTE: It’s the fourth year in a row the Red Devils have won their season opener.

SCHALICK 3, CLAYTON 2
James Mai (CL) def. Gabe McFeeley, 6-2, 6-4
Tyr Brattlie (S) def. Jayden Sanchez, 6-0, 6-1
Michael Cummings (CL) def. Reece Loatman, 7-5, 7-5
Cooper Halperin-Christopher Chica (S) def. Robert Shultz-Malcolm Turpin, 6-4, 7-5
Angelo Boston-Gavin McGrath (S) def. Emmanuel Ansah-Bryne Contravo, 6-0, 6-0
Records: Schalick 2-0, Clayton 0-1.

Golf

WOODSTOWN 187, PENNSVILLE 222: The Wolverines counted three scores in the 40s at Sakima CC, led by medalist Nate Valente’s 44. Trevor Hann (49) posted Pennsville’s low round.

WOODSTOWN: Jack Bucksar 45, Nate Valente 44, Alejandro Vazquez 48, Lucas Fulmer 50; Julia Swierczynski 52, Blake Bialecki 52.
PENNSVILLE: Trevor Hann 49, Caden Thomas 52, Abigail Bohn 59, Keagan Kaminski 62; Makenna Minguez 63, Jack Haley 65.

SCHALICK 164, WILDWOOD 245: Senior Seth Fisher was bogey-free over his final six holes at Union League National and shot 2-over-par 38 to win medalist honors. Jaxon Weber and Anthony Sepers followed close behind with 41s. All six Schalick players posted rounds in the 40s.

SCHALICK: Jaxon Weber 41, Anthony Sepers 41, Seth Fisher 38, Reed Bucolo 44; Michael Nelson 44, Bradford Foster 49.
WILDWOOD: Angel Gonzalez 55, Jess Alamein 54, Sarai Salas-Lopez 66, Alex Vida’s 70, Kianely Velasquez 71.

GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 170, SALEM TECH 208: Medalist Chad Niederman birdied his first hole and went on to post a 2-over-par 38 at Sakima CC to lead the Lions. Teammate Zack Payne birdied his last hole and shot 41. Freshman Cohen Sutton (45) posted the Chargers’ low round.

GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC: Anthony Beach 44, Nicholas Kolodzey 47, Zack Payne 41, Chad Niederman 38; Emmit Kiniry 47.
SALEM TECH: Cohen Sutton 45, Thomas Conto 50, Hannah Kormann 56, Sophia Conto 57; Jonah Baynes 71.

This week’s schedule

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lucas locks down

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

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

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Region XIX Baseball Standings

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

Friday sports report

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

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

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

Not-so golden hour

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

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

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

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

But sometimes even that’s not enough.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Region XIX Standings

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

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

Chargers get started

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

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

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“He’ll bounce back,” Helsel said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wednesday sports report

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

On a roll

Salem CC baseball continues march to getting better, run-rule Delaware County CC for fifth straight win; scored double digit runs for the fifth straight game, collected 17 stolen bases

REGION XIX BASEBALL
Salem CC 15, Delaware County 4, 7 inns.
Morris at Rockland
RCSJ-Gloucester 19, Lackawanna 10
RCSJ-Cumberland 16, Raritan Valley 12
Sussex at Orange County
Middlesex 9, Bergen 2
Camden at Brookdale
Queensborough at Union

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT – The Salem CC baseball team is on a roll. The Mighty Oaks have scored double digit runs in every game of their current five-game winning streak – 66 total – banged out 67 hits and stolen 60 bases.

Yet as good as the numbers have been over the last week, coach John Holt knows there’s more in the tank. Their 15-4 win over Delaware County CC Wednesday was just another step in getting to it.

“Honestly, we’re just trying to continue to get better because we haven’t played our best baseball yet,” Holt said after watching his team run-rule the winless Phantoms. “We’re not where we need to be yet, so we’ve got to take these opportunities just to continue to work on things and get better every game.”

Where was the “better” Wednesday? In the box score, every spot in their lineup scored at least one run and eight of the nine spots had at least one stolen base. They put a crooked number on the board in every inning they scored.

But that’s not where you’d find it. The better on this day came in their mindset, one day after a rather pedestrian win over the Phantoms on the road.

They had what Holt called a “very heart-to-heart conversation” before taking the field and the message hit home.

“(Holt) just talked about, like you said, we haven’t been playing our best baseball recently and we haven’t really played with emotion,” right fielder Roman Hernandez said. “We were just going out there going through the fundamentals. Just because we’re playing a team that we’re supposed to beat doesn’t mean anything, like we should treat them like the best team in the country and we haven’t been doing that.

“We’ve got to do that soon because (this weekend’s opponent) Cumberland is a very good team. We’ve got to start playing with some heart because they’re gonna want it as bad as we want it, if not more. I think today we definitely figured it out a little bit. Brought us closer together. I definitely enjoyed the talk. I think most of our team did also.”

Starter Andre Stewart gave the Mighty Oaks three no-hit innings to open the game. Their first four batters of the game reached base against Delco starter Aaron Wright, a Salem player last fall, and three scored. They batted around in the third to extend the lead to 7-1 and sent 11 batters to the plate in the fourth to score six more. At that point, every spot in the lineup had scored a run and they had 14 stolen bases. 

Jason LeBold, Sal Mesete and Jacob Sharrow had two hits apiece. LeBold was on base all four times he batted and stole three bases. Mesete and Jay Barber reached base all three times they batted. Barber also stole three bases. Aiden Nestor hit the first pitch offered by Delco’s first reliever for a two-run double in the third that made it 6-1. Sharrow had a two-run triple in the fourth that made it 9-1.

The Mighty Oaks stole 18 bases in the series opener with Atlantic Cape last Friday. They are now second in JUCO Division III and eighth in all of the NJCAA in stolen bases.

Delaware County (0-8)0010300-4 34
Salem CC (11-13)304620x-15100
AARON WRIGHT (L 0-1), Jayden Jeter (3), Hector Fierro (4) and Carlos Alverez-Rivero, Joe Watson (5), Teegan Jillard (6). ANDRE STEWART (W 3-0), Mike Valente (4), Pat Seitzinger (7) and Jacob Sharrow. 2B: Aiden Nestor )S_, Chase Hortiz (S). 3B: Jason LeBold (S), Jacob Sharrow (S).
THE LAST FIVERHSB
Delaware County 151017
Delaware County 111713
Atlantic Cape 15156
Atlantic Cape 13156
Atlantic Cape121018
Salem CC’s Sal Mesete (27) scores a third-inning run ahead of the tag of Delco catcher Carlos Alvarez-Rivero Wednesday. Top photo: Jason LeBold (4) steals home standing up in the first inning. It was one of 17 stolen bases the Mighty Oaks had in the game.

Tuesday sports report

Salem CC baseball moves closer to .500 with a road win, softball coach Rodriguez recovering after undergoing successful bypass surgery, Salem Tech softball wins inaugural game in program history

SOFTBALL
Salem Tech 7, Cape May Tech 6
GOLF
Clearview 158, Woodstown 185
West Deptford 171, Pennsville 216
Washington Twp. girls 195, Schalick 227
TENNIS
Cedar Creek 3, Pennsville 2
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Salem CC 11, Delaware County 5
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Salem CC at Raritan Valley, ppd., wet grounds

By Riverview Sports News

MEDIA, Pa. — The Salem CC baseball team moved another step closer to getting back to .500 Tuesday with their fourth straight win, 11-5 at Delaware County CC.

The Mighty Oaks improved to 10-13 and play the Phantoms at home Wednesday.

COLLEGE SOFTBALL
CARNEYS POINT — Reports from the Salem CC softball team indicate head coach Angel Rodriguez underwent successful bypass surgery Tuesday.

“We’re just feeling thankful and blessed beyond words that Angel’s surgery was successful and he’s doing good,” interim coach Mackenzie Freas said. “We miss him tremendously.”

Rodriguez said over the weekend he hoped to be released as early as Friday, be back in front of the players in two weeks and “get back in time to hit a fun playoff run.”

“We’re all here for Angel and we just want to see him have a healthy recovery and get back on the field as soon as possible,” athletics director Bob Hughes said. “Right now our thoughts are with him and his health.”

The Mighty Oaks were scheduled to play a doubleheader at Raritan Valley Tuesday, but the games were postponed due to poor field conditions.

PREP SOFTBALL
WOODSTOWN — The Salem Tech softball team got its program off to a successful start Tuesday when it edged Cape May Tech 7-6 in the opening round of the NJTAC Tournament. Shortstop Shelby Drummond had two hits and two RBIs to lead the offense, while freshman Isabel Roberts struck out eight in a complete-game in the circle.

The Chargers scored the go-ahead run on an infield error in the bottom of the sixth after Cape May Tech tied the game with four in the top of the inning. The game ended in the seventh when they cut down a runner at the plate.

The Chargers’ baseball team plays its first official game Thursday at Cumberland.

GOLF
Boys
At Town & Country Golf Links
CLEARVIEW 158, WOODSTOWN 185
CLEARVIEW: Thomas Luu 37, Ryan Stankoski 39, Patrick Furfari 41, Joshua Baron 41; Daniel Marrow 45, Blaise Voit 42.
WOODSTOWN: Jack Bursar 44, Greyson Hyland 42, Lucas Fulmer 49, Austin Wood 50; Nate Valente 52, Blake Bialecki 51.

At RiverWinds
WEST DEPTFORD 171, PENNSVILLE 216
WEST DEPTFORD: Ben Perticari 40, Grayson Ryer 44, Ryan Delaney 43, Chase Dunda 44; Braeden Warren 68.
PENNSVILLE: Trevor Hann 49, Caden Thomas 51, Makenna Minguez 55, Abigail Bohn 61; Keagan Kaminski 64, Jack Haley 64.

Girls
At Centerton GC
WASHINGTON TWP. 195, SCHALICK 227
WASHINGTON TWP.: Paige Weber 42, Tessa Reilley 41, Viviene Aimone 57, Alessandra Caballero 55; Danica Bailey 57, Macy Sorrentino 62
SCHALICK: Lena Virga 56, Cali Fisler 56, Elena McGovern 58, Brooke Brown 57; Miya Watkins 65, Jazmin Perez 64.

TENNIS
CEDAR CREEK 3, PENNSVILLE 2
Miguel Manalang (CC) def. Lucas Cooksey, 6-0, 6-0
Sawyer Humphrey (P) won
Finnegan Watson (CC) def. Ian Peacock, 6-2, 0-6, 10-8
Carter Willis-Matthew Forino (P) def. Tristan DiGiacomo-Yahir Blanco, 6-4, 7-5
Lukek Senn-Shyler Aponte (CC) def. Coen Rinnier-Jacob Cheeseman, 6-7 (5-7), 6-0, 11-9.
Records: Cedar Creek 1-0, Pennsville 0-1.