Category: BASEBALL

This week’s schedule

Here is the sports schedule for teams in Salem County for the week of April 8-13; all events 4 p.m. unless noted

MONDAY

BASEBALL
Penns Grove at Salem
Schalick at Clayton
Woodstown at Pennsville
SOFTBALL
Clayton at Schalick
Pennsville at Woodstown, 4:30 p.m.
Salem at Penns Grove
GOLF
Schalick girls vs. Williamstown, Scotland Run GC
Overbrook vs. Woodstown, Town & Country GL, 4:30 p.m.
Pennsville boys vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 3:45 p.m.
Salem Tech at Pitman, 3:45 p.m.
BOYS TENNIS
Pennsville at Glassboro, 3:45 p.m.
Triton at Woodstown, 4:30 p.m.
Clayton at Penns Grove, 4:30 p.m.
BOYS LACROSSE
Woodstown at Cedar Creek, 4:30 p.m.
GIRLS LACROSSE
Woodstown at Haddonfield, 5:30 p.m.
TRACK
Pennsville at Penns Grove
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at GCIT, 3:45 p.m.

TUESDAY

BASEBALL
Clayton at Woodstown
Delsea at Pennsville
Schalick at Hammonton
SOFTBALL
Pennsville at Delsea
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Middlesex at Salem CC, 3:30 p.m.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Salem CC at Northampton (2), 3:30 p.m.
GOLF
Pennsville vs. Clayton, Pitman CC, 3:45 p.m.
Schalick girls in South Jersey Open, Westwood GC
BOYS TENNIS
Schalick at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.
Pennsville at Washington Twp.
TRACK
Overbrook at Woodstown
Schalick at Glassboro

WEDNESDAY

BASEBALL
Gloucester at Woodstown
Overbrook at Penns Grove
Schalick at Glassboro
Wildwood at Salem
SOFTBALL
Glassboro at Schalick
Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville
Penns Grove at Overbrook
Salem at Wildwood
Woodstown at Haddon Heights
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Salem CC at Montgomery County CC, 3:30 p.m.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Salem CC at RCSJ-Cumberland (2), 3 p.m.
BOYS TENNIS
Woodstown at Penns Grove, 3:45 p.m.
Cumberland at Pennsville
Schalick at Overbrook
GIRLS LACROSSE
Woodstown at West Deptford
GOLF
Pennsville vs. West Deptford, Riverwinds GC
Salem Tech vs. Overbrook, Kresson GC, 3:30 p.m.
Schalick girls vs. Clearview, Westwood GC
TRACK
Clayton at Salem
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at Triton, 3:45 p.m.

THURSDAY

BASEBALL
Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville
Schalick at Deptford
SOFTBALL
Camden at Penns Grove
Woodstown at Cumberland
BOYS TENNIS
Pennsville at Vineland, 3:45 p.m.
Schalick at Millville
GOLF
Pennsville vs. Woodstown, Town & Country GL, 3:30 p.m.
Salem Tech vs. Gateway, Riverwinds GC, 3:45 p.m.
Schalick girls vs. Cumberland, Running Deer GC
BOYS LACROSSE
Woodstown at Mainland

FRIDAY

BASEBALL
Penns Grove at Gateway
Salem at Paulsboro
Schalick at Haddon Heights
SOFTBALL
Salem at Cumberland
Schalick at Gloucester Catholic
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Bergen CC at Salem CC, 3:30 p.m.
GOLF
Millville vs. Pennsville, Sakima CC, 3:30 p.m.
BOYS TENNIS
Pitman at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m.
Woodstown at Delsea, 3:45 p.m.
Penns Grove at Wildwood
Schalick at Clayton
GIRLS LACROSSE
Woodstown at Haddon Heights

SATURDAY

BASEBALL
Woodstown at West Deptford, 10 a.m.
Schalick at Paulsboro, 10 a.m.
SOFTBALL
Pennsville at West Deptford, 6 p.m.
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Salem CC at Bergen CC (2), noon
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Morris at Salem CC (2), noon
BOYS LACROSSE
Woodstown at Egg Harbor Twp., 10 a.m.
TRACK
Schalick girls, Penns Grove girls, Pennsville, Salem at West Deptford Relays, 9 a.m.
Schalick boys at Bridgeton Relays, 9 a.m.
Penns Grove boys at Cherokee

Saturday roundup

Here is a roundup of Saturday’s action involving Salem County high schools in track, baseball and lacrosse

Track

DEPTFORD – Salem’s Anthony Parker and DaviYonn (Pop) Jackson won individual events and four other Salem County athletes or relays won medals at the Deptford Spartan Relays Saturday.

Parker won the boys 400 Hurdles in 58.50 and Jackson won by boys triple by by a quarter-inch with a winning jump of 43-5.5.

The top three finishers in each event received medals.

Pennsville’s Connor Ayars finished second in the boys javelin (154-2). Schalick’s Grace O’Neill was third in the girls 400 Hurdles (1:11.64), Pennsville’s Megan Morris was third in the firls pole vault (8-0); and the Cougars’ girls 1600 sprint medley team (Ella Shimp, Karlie Bakley, Zoe Jenkins, Gia Martellacci) was third in 4:39.67.

Below are the Salem County athletes who finished in the top eight of their respective events.

DEPTFORD SPARTAN RELAYS
(Top 3 places win medals)
BOYS
400 Hurdles: 1. Anthony Parker, Salem, 58.50
Distance Medley: 8. Schalick (Bradford Foster, Charles Fuerneisen, Steve Chomo, Salvatore Longo), 12:20.17
800 Sprint Medley: 8. Salem (Jelani Beverly, Omarion Pierce, Terrance Smith, Anthony Parker), 1:41.39
4×100 Shuttle Hurdle: 6. Schalick, 1:18.92
4×800: 4. Schalick (Steve Chomo, Charles Fuerneisen, Wyatt Juczak, Salvatore Longo), 9:11.16
4×200: 4. Salem (Anthony Parker, Terrance Smith, Omarion Pierce, Kaden Robinson), 1:35.41
4×400: 6. Schalick (Reggie Allen, Jacob Carter, Hunter Dragotta, Sickler Kolby), 3:44.72; 8. Penns Grove (Knowledge Young, Theus Barrios, Sebastian Hernandez, Kylee Goodson), 3:47.33
Javelin: 2. Connor Ayars, Pennsville, 154-2; 5. Cole Campbell, Pennsville, 135-10
Long Jump: 5. David Stewart, Schalick, 19-0
Triple Jump: 1. DaviYonn Jackson, Salem, 43-5.5; 7. David Stewart, Schalick, 39-11

GIRLS
400 Hurdles: 3. Grace O’Neill, Schalick, 1:11.64
Distance Medley: 5. Schalick (Jordan Hadfield, Sophia Longo, Ella Shimp, Grace O’Neill), 14:04.16
800 Sprint Medley: 5. Salem (Karima Davenport-White, Anna Buzby, Rhionna Timmons, Dayana Jones), 1:57.57
4×100 Shuttle Hurdle: 4. Salem (Anna Buzby, Karima Davenport-White, Tahirah Davenport-White, LaMiracle Summers), 1:13.74; 8. Schalick (Brooke Watt, Gabriella Simonini, Allison Phillips, Grace O’Neill), 1:16.90
4×800: 6. Schalick (Caylen Taylor, Jordan Hadfield, Ella Shimp, Sophia Longo), 11:15.20
4×200: 4. Salem (Anna Buzby, Karima Davenport-White, Rhionna Timmons, Dayana Jones), 1:53.81
1600 Sprint Medley: 3. Schalick (Ella Shimp, Karlie Bakley, Zoe Jenkins, Gia Martellacci), 4:39.67
4×400: 7. Schalick (Karlie Bakley, Alivia Klancic, Katelyn Little, Sophia Longo), 4:37.77
Discus: 5. Grace O’Neill, Schalick, 97-8
High Jump: T-6. Brooke Watt, Schalick, 4-8
Pole Vault: 3. Megan Morris, Pennsville, 8-0; 5. Anna Buzby, Salem, 7-6

Baseball

KELLY TOURNAMENT
SCHALICK 11, CLAYTON 1
GLOUCESTER CITY 6, SCHALICK 5

The Cougars misplayed Ayden Daily’s bases-loaded grounder to third with two outs in the bottom of the eighth to chase home the decisive run against Gloucester City.

In their opening-game victory, Ricky Watt and Luke Pokrovsky both hit a pair of doubles and combined for seven RBIs and two pitchers combined on a three-hitter as the Cougars beat Clayton.

Seven of the Cougars’ 14 hits in the game were doubles. Every spot in the lineup had at least one hit. Watt went 2-for-3 with four RBIs and Pokrovsky went 2-for-2 with three RBIs.Cole Hartley pitched the first four innings of the five-inning game, giving up two hits and a run. Jamari Whitley pitched a one-hit fifth with three strikeouts.

CEDAR CREEK 12, WOODSTOWN 8: The Wolverines had answers for almost every Cedar Creek salvo except the four-spot the Pirates put up in the third inning and was the difference in the game.

Sean O’Kane and Tyler McCorriston both went 2-for-4 with three RBIs for the Pirates. Brent Williams had the big bat for Woodstown, going 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs. Jack Holladay and Ty Coblentz both had a pair of hits for the Wolverines.

GCIT 19, PENNSVILLE 1: Eagles coach Matt Karr wasn’t making excuses, but he can’t remember seeing as many hits off the handle and seeing-eye singles GCIT produced in a 16-run third inning that broke the game open.

The Cheetahs sent 20 batters to the plate in the inning and banged out 12 hits. Ben Sumek batted three times with a walk, single, bases-loaded double and five RBIs, Willie Popoff had a single, triple and four RBIs.

Cohen Petrutz had two of Pennsville’s four hits and Stevie Fatcher drove in their only run.

Lacrosse

WASHINGTON TWP. 16, WOODSTOWN 9: The Wolverines played their visitors even after halftime, but fell into an 11-4 halftime deficit they couldn’t shake. Nine players scored goals for Washington Twp. Robbie Finnegan had five goals and two assists.

Friday roundup

Here is a compilation of sports results from around Salem County Friday; includes college baseball, boys tennis, girls lacrosse

College baseball

RCSJ-CUMBERLAND 9, SALEM CC 4

The Dukes squeezed all nine of three runs into the sixth and seventh innings.

Yen Rodriguez, who’s made a mid-season Mookie Betts move going from right field to shortstop, homered for Salem and Cole Dawson drove in a pair of runs. Ben Charbonneau had three hits

The Mighty Oaks led 1-0 in the fifth, but the Dukes scored five in the sixth, then after Salem got within a run added four in the seventh.

Boys tennis

PENNSVILLE 3, DELSEA 2
Andrew McWilliams (D) def. Gabe Schneider, 6-3, 6-0
Maddox Efelis (P) def. T.J. Natalie, 6-2, 6-2
Brody Wiggins (P) def. Zeph Kell, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
Noah Bohn-Noah Flitcraft (P) def. Eli Croce-Jacob Bramble, 6-2, 6-3
Dominik Maronski-Zach Natalie (D) def. Luke Chamberlain-Sawyer Humphrey, 6-4, 5-7, 7-5

WOODSTOWN 3, KINGSWAY 2
Tim Schwienbacher (W) def. Filip Mirkovic, 6-4, 6-4
Drew Stengel (W) def. Dominic Palladino, 6-4, 2-6, 10-6
Nick Decinque (K) def. Erich Lipovsky, 6-3, 6-2
Joseph Kurpis-Ben Stengel (W) def. Charlie West-Tyler Wilkinson, 1-6, 6-2, 10-8
Aiden Shoemaker-Nolan Steurer (K) def. Jason LaFord-Mason Shimp, 4-6, 6-2, 10-8

HADDON HEIGHTS 3, SCHALICK 2
Ben Mazzucco (H) def. George Gould, 6-4, 6-1
Ryan Connor (H) def. Jesus Espinoza, 6-1, 6-0
David Santana (S) def. Milan Stocker, 6-1, 6-0
Mike Pender-Gavin Ewing (H) def. Conor O’Toole-Rocky Monticello, 2-6, 6-2, 10-7
Kayden Barnes-Cayden Brzozowski (S) def. Josh Harris-David Maher, 6-1, 6-2

Girls lacrosse

PAUL VI 19, WOODSTOWN 2: Paul IV’s Ava Diaz had eight goals and three assists, while Ave Martin and Emma McCarthy each had four goals and four assists. Delaney Walker scored both goals for Woodstown.

Salem County slams

Pedrick’s grand slam gives Woodstown the lead for good against Schalick; Fatcher’s first career homer a slam for Pennsville

FRIDAY BASEBALL
Pennsville 29, Penns Grove 3
Pitman 16, Salem 2
Woodstown 9, Schalick 4

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – Andrew Pedrick hit a grand slam in the fifth inning Friday to give Woodstown the lead on Opening Day and from the reaction it got you’d have thought another earthquake was shaking the area.

Pedrick’s blast broke a 2-2 tie and sent the Wolverines to a 9-4 victory over rival Schalick. The response to his first varsity grand slam, which you could hear all the way to the softball field at the front of the complex, took him back to his Little League days.

“I’ve never heard anything like that, it was amazing,” he said. “Maybe Little League. I think when I was 11 I hit a grand slam and the place was going crazy, but there’s nothing like that.

“Off the bat I think everybody started to yell. It felt good. I just said, ‘Get out.’”

There might be something to that earthquake thing. Earlier in the day, Salem County residents felt a 4.8 magnitude quake that was centered in Hunterdon County. There was 4.0 magnitude aftershock centered about 15 miles from the original tremblor at just about the time Pedrick connected.

The slam was big on a number of fronts. Pedrick made a bad throw on a tailor-made double play that gave Schalick its second run of the fourth inning, so the blast brought a sense of redemption. The first time he came to the plate after the error, he singled home the Wolverines’ first run in the home fourth and then in his next at bat he hit the slam.

He went 3-for-4 in the game, his fourth career three-hit game against the Cougars. He was 3-for-4 against them in last year’s season-opener, too.

“It was a really good swing to left-center field,” Wolverines coach Marc DeCastro said of the slam. “He got jammed a lot earlier in the game so it was nice to see him be able to see that and still get it the other way.

“I know he’s disappointed in himself, too, because of the double-play ball that would have got us out of the inning; he’s so much better than that. I’m happy for him. He makes that mistake and he’s disappointed and now the next opportunity he gets he can either sink because he’s upset about that or he can challenge himself to forget about that and do something for the team and that’s what he did.”

Pedrick wasn’t the only Wolverine to homer in the game.

Jack Holladay provided Woodstown some insurance with a two-run shot in the sixth. It was his first career home run on “the big field” and helped him avoid an oh-for on Opening Day. Teammates standing around his post-game interview roared with approval when the first baseman was reminded he has a similar sounding name as the MLB’s top prospect, Baltimore’s Jackson Holliday. 

“It felt good for me,” he said. “I was just thinking stay up the middle. I was trying to get my first hit on the day. It didn’t feel good off the bat, but I think the wind helped out a lot.”

The Wolverines hit 15 homers last season. They had one in their season opener, but just two through their first seven games. There’s a sense this could be a power hitting team because it’s virtually the same team as a year ago only one year older and stronger.

“We look for our pitch a lot so when we get it we’re ready to hit it out,” Pedrick said.

Until each team broke through in the fourth inning, Schalick’s Luke Pokrovsky and Woodstown’s Aaron Foote were matching zeroes. Pokrovsky got all 10 of his outs in 3 1/3 innings via strikeout but he threw 94 pitches. Foote gave up three hits and struck out four in 3 1/3 innings.

WOODSTOWN 9, SCHALICK 4

Schalick (0-1)000 202 0-4 10 0
Woodstown (1-0)000 243 x-9 5 0
WP: Michael Valente. LP: Lucas D’Agostino. 2B: Ricky Watt (S). HR: Andrew Pedrick (W), Jack Holladay (W).

PENNSVILLE 29, PENNS GROVE 3: Sophomore Stevie Fatcher hit his first career home run in his first at-bat of the season – a grand slam in the first inning – and Logan Streitz threw four innings of shutout ball for his first career win.

Fatcher, 8-for-23 with two extra-base hits as a freshman last season, went 2-for-2 with five RBIs against the Red Devils. Luke Wood had four RBIs, Jeff Wagner (two hits) had three, and Connor Starn, Mike McClincy, Jovanni Rios and Streitz each had two.

Streitz allowed three hits, struck out six and walked one on 53 pitches. Elijah Crespo had two of Penns Grove’s four hits.

The 29 runs were Pennsville’s most in a game since a 31-8 win over Wildwood in May 2018.

PENNSVILLE 29, PENNS GROVE 3

Penns Grove (0-1)000 03-3 4 2
Pennsville (1-0)894 8x-29 13 1
WP: Logan Streitz. LP: Dylan Hyatt. 2B: Luke Wood (Pv), Jeff Wagner (Pv). HR: Stephen Fatcher (Pv).

PITMAN 16, SALEM 2: The Rams scored a pair of runs in the first inning to get their season off to a fast start, but some loose fielding and lack of command that followed conspired to send them to an Opening Day defeat.

Three Pitman pitchers held the Rams to two hits – a single by Caleb Clair in the first inning and a double by Colin Finney in the third. The Rams scored their two runs in the first on a bases-loaded error. The Panthers broke it open with nine runs in the fourth.

PITMAN 16, SALEM 2

Salem (0-1)200 00-2 2 9
Pitman (1-0)412 9x-16 8 3
WP: Jude Engstrom. LP: Terrell Robinson. 2B: Colin Finney (S), Stephen Devanney (P), Aidan Stranahan (P).

Cover photo: Woodstown’s Andrew Pedrick (L) talks with Brent Williams after hitting a go-ahead grand slam in the fifth inning against Schalick Friday.

This week’s schedule

Here is the sports schedule for Salem County teams for the week of April 1-6; all games 4 p.m. unless noted

MONDAY

BASEBALL
Schalick at Woodstown
SOFTBALL
Schalick at Woodstown
GOLF
Delsea girls vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m.
BOYS LACROSSE
Gloucester Catholic at Woodstown

TUESDAY

BASEBALL
Pennsville at Clayton
Penns Grove at Glassboro, 10 a.m.
Salem vs. Pitman, Alcyon Park
SOFTBALL
Glassboro at Penns Grove, 10 a.m.
Clearview at Woodstown
OLMA at Schalick
Pennsville at Clayton
Pitman at Salem
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Salem CC at Mercer County CC, 3 p.m.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Salem CC at Mercer County CC (2), 3 p.m.
GOLF
Washington Twp. girls at Schalick, 3:30 p.m.
Schalick boys vs. West Deptford, River Winds GC
Gloucester Catholic vs. Salem Tech, Sakima CC
BOYS TENNIS
Cunberland at Woodstown

WEDNESDAY

BASEBALL
Schalick at Millville
SOFTBALL
Ocean City at Woodstown
Penns Grove at Cumberland
Schalick at Clearview
TRACK
Pennsville at Glassboro
Penns Grove at Overbrook
GOLF
Pennsville vs. Gloucester Catholic, Westwood GC, 3:30 p.m.
BOYS LACROSSE
Woodstown at Paul VI, 3:45 p.m.
GIRLS LACROSSE
Clearview at Woodstown
BOYS TENNIS
Middle Twp. at Pennsville

THURSDAY

BASEBALL
Salem at Pennsville
Penns Grove at Woodstown
Pitman at Schalick
SOFTBALL
Pennsville at Salem
Woodstown at Penns Grove
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
RCSJ-Cumberland at Salem CC (2), 3:30 p.m.
GOLF
Schalick boya vs. Overbrook, Kresson GC
Clearview vs. Woodstown, Town & Country GL, 3:30 p.m.
Pennsville vs. West Deptford, Riverwinds GC, 3:30 p.m.
TRACK
Schalick at Woodstown
BOYS TENNIS
Schalick at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m.
Middle Twp. at Woodstown

FRIDAY

BASEBALL
Pennsville at Penns Grove
Schalick at Woodstown
SOFTBALL
Paulsboro at Salem
Penns Grove at Pennsville
Schalick at Woodstown
COLLEGE BASEBALL
RCSJ-Cumberland at Salem CC, 3:30 p.m.
GOLF
Pennsville vs. Penns Grove, Sakima GC, 3:30 p.m.
BOYS TENNIS
Delsea at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m.
Woodstown at Kingsway, 3:45 p.m.
Schalick at Haddon Heights
GIRLS LACROSSE
Woodstown at Paul VI
TRACK
Schalick at Woodstown

SATURDAY

BASEBALL
Salem, Schalick, Clayton at Gloucester City, 10 a.m.
Woodstown at Cedar Creek, 11 a.m.
SOFTBALL
Camden Catholic at Woodstown, 10 a.m.
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Salem CC at RCSJ-Cumberland (2), noon
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Raritan Valley at Salem CC (2), noon
TRACK
Pennsville, Salem, Schalick at Deptford Relays, 9 a.m.
BOYS LACROSSE
Washington Twp. at Woodstown, 10 a.m.

Getting to know …

Pennsville’s Luke Wood

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

Luke Wood has played a lot of sports growing up as the son of a high school coach, but make no mistake, he’s a baseball player. When Pennsville coach Matt Karr pencils Wood in the lineup card as his starting pitcher, he does so with the confidence the junior left-hander gives the Eagles every chance to win the game.

WOOD

That’s why he gets the ball in the biggest games and against the biggest teams.

Fittingly on Opening Day of the MLB season, a day many consider a national holiday, Wood sat down with the Riverview Sports News to talk about his love for the sport, the influences on his game, his plans for the future and what he does away from the field.

It’s a deeper dive into the life of an athlete in Salem County, the first of what is planned to be a regular feature in the Riverview Sports News this spring and beyond.

As he sat through the interview, Wood had another Opening Day on his mind. He is the scheduled starting pitcher in the Eagles’ 2024 season-opener Tuesday at Clayton.

RIVERVIEW SPORTS NEWS: You’ve played multiple sports growing up, but it seems like you’ve settled on baseball. Why?

LUKE WOOD: I think growing up pitching was always one of my favorite things to do. I’ve always loved throwing. I was born with a great arm, I was very lucky to have that, and as I got older and trying to figure out what I wanted to do with sports and what I wanted to focus on, baseball, getting on the mound and competing and going after hitters, I don’t know if there’s anything like that. That competitiveness that I can feel on the mound, I don’t feel anywhere else.

RSN: Will you go back to other sports going forward? I think one of your goals is to be Pennsville’s all-time leading scorer in boys basketball. (Wood has 1198 career points, third on the school’s all-time boys list behind Zach Manorowitz’ 1679 and Dan Feruck’s 1284).

LW: I didn’t play any football in the high school. I stopped playing when I was really little. Football wasn’t my thing. My dad (Ryan Wood) is a big football coach, won a state championship first year, did really good, but football wasn’t really ever my sport. I was more of a soccer kid growing up. I don’t play anything in the fall, I just take the fall off, although I might play soccer next year. It’s up in the air.

I would love for next year to go out and break Zach Manorowitz’ record for all-time points for the boys. I think that’s one of the coolest feelings you could probably have, especially since then I could come back here for my entire life and see my name up on that banner. I just think it’s a really cool deal.

RSN: What did reaching 1,000 career points in basketball mean to you and how neat will it be to have three members of the family on that 1,000-point banner when Marley does it maybe as early as next winter? (Older sister Ryane Wood finished with 1224 points in 2022. Marley currently has 720).

LW: I think it was one of the coolest feelings just because not a lot of people score 1,000 points and do something my dad never got the chance to do and then to do something my sister did that I got to watch, it was just a really good feeling to go out and score 1,000 points in three years.

Seeing Ryane scoring over 1,000 points was one of the coolest moments of my life and to be able to see my little sister score 1,000 is going to be even cooler, especially since our banner is going to have Wood-Wood-Wood going straight down it.

RSN: What’s your earliest favorite memory in baseball that put you on this path?

LW: Growing up with my dad and seeing his love for the game and just his competitiveness about the game is what put it in me. I didn’t really choose what I wanted to do until I got to high school. I was still playing AAU basketball, still trying to figure out what I wanted to do. I think it’s because my natural talent in baseball is better than it is in basketball, but it’s also the atmosphere of baseball. There’s nothing like going out and throwing a game.

RSN: We’re talking today on what is the day of the MLB Opening Day. As a baseball player does it give you an extra charge when it’s Opening Day. (He will draw the start for Pennsville on the Eagles’ Opening Day Tuesday against Clayton). 

LW: It’s always a good feeling when it gets to be baseball season because that means warm weather, you get to go outside a whole bunch, watch some baseball, get to play some baseball.

RSN: Any other memorable baseball experience you care to share that shaped you?

LW: I’ve gotten really lucky. I’ve gotten to go to a good amount of some good events where there have been some good people. I went to the PBR Futures Games the last two years (in Georgia). I got to pitch on the Wake Forest field for a camp, which I thought was really cool; I threw really well there, too. I threw on the Maryland field. I threw against the top 100 team in the state, had a good game.

The Carpenter Cup was one of the coolest things, too, just to get my name selected to be on the team as a sophomore. When they played at Citizens Bank I was down in Alabama for a travel ball tournament, so I didn’t get to go to that. I only ended up going to the first two games.

RSN: You sprained the ankle on your push-off foot during the basketball season. I know you came back from it, but how much did you worry about it impacting your baseball future? Teammate Chase Burchfield hurt his shoulder early in the basketball season and shut it down for baseball. You didn’t have any of those thoughts, did you?

LW: This isn’t the first time I’d hurt my ankle. I hurt it last year during baseball season. I hurt it last year during the summer really bad. I think I’ve gotten over the fear of hurting it again and even worrying about that. Once I hurt it, I made sure I did a lot of rehab on it to strengthen the muscles so it didn’t happen again. It’s not really a problem.

RSN: We came on the scene late last year, but what I learned is that even as a sophomore you get the ball against the better teams/bigger games. How much do you like that role and what do those games do for your energy?

LW: I think a lot of it is just going out and knowing I have to compete not just for myself but for my team. The competitiveness in me wanting to win really bad is why I want the big games, it’s why I throw the big games. I want to go play and throw against the best players so that it gives our team the best chance to win.

RSN: Your dad’s a coach. Probably coached you in a bunch of sports. What’s it like playing for your dad and what’s been his influence on your development and sports path?

LW: My dad has always been very focused on me and my career within any sport. Any time I need to go hit, throw, get shots up or anything, he texts back within five minutes and he’s right there, ready to do it right away. My dad just wants to see me succeed and will literally do anything for me in order to make that happen.

My dad, when he was going into his sophomore year of high school, had a really bad accident with his Achilles and it knocked him out for his sophomore year of basketball. I think he ended up playing his sophomore year of baseball in high-top sneakers. Knowing that happened to my dad and knowing he went out and made a Carpenter Cup team, scored 500 points as a senior, it’s something that makes me want to work harder knowing that he worked through all that adversity to get to where he’s at.

RSN: What do you do to switch gears emotionally and physically going from one spot to the next? Unlike where I came from (Alabama), the state gives you time in between seasons and there’s not much overlap.

LW: I really just get super geared up for baseball. I go out and hit every day, make sure I throw every day, make sure I’m tunnel-visioned focused on just baseball for that month. Not having the whole winter to train like some people do, that month is very crucial and important for me to get better for the season.

RSN: What do you do away from the field, like what do you do for fun on your downtime?

LW: I love doing LEGOs; I’m a LEGO guy. I love Harry Potter LEGOs. I build them and we don’t have anywhere in my house to put them so they just kind of get left around until I figure out what to do with them. There are probably like four in my kitchen right now. There’s a train in there.

I love Harry Potter. I love the movies, I love the books. Every time I go to the LEGO store, Walmart, I just look for the Harry Potter ones.

RSN: Are you working on anything now?

LW: I’m actually midway through building the Taj Mahal.

RSN: OK, let’s wrap it up by talking about the future. I know you’re currently uncommitted to a college baseball program. Where do things stand with your recruiting, summer plans, life plans? What are you looking for in a college program?

LW: Ever since I got to be a freshman I was getting recruiting, but I’ve always just never really wanted to do it; I always felt like it was too early. I’ve always just wanted to wait just so I know where I’m at. Where I’m at now is completely different from where I thought I would be in two years. I don’t want to make a decision and then have that decision in two years not even be worth it because I rushed it.

For me, college has never been about where it is, what the school’s name is, it’s always been about trying to find somewhere where I would want to go, where I would feel at home for the next four years of my life. I’ve really gotten away from the whole recruiting lately, but I’m hoping to pick it back up in the summer when travel ball starts.

After college I would love to go play MLB baseball if I could, if I got the opportunity and ended up being good enough to. If not, I would love to go to law school, be a lawyer like my mom is. I would love to be a prosecutor or something like that. I would love to get into the corporate lawyer business because they make a ton of money.

NEXT UP: Woodstown softball player Tulana Mingin.

Coaches, if there is a player in your program with an interesting background or backstory that should be considered for a “Getting To Know …” feature, send the details in an email to Riverview Sports News at al.muskewitz@gmail.com

Another late loss

Lehigh Carbon scores twice in the seventh after Salem rallies to tie, hands Mighty Oaks third straight loss in late innings

By Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT – The bad luck that has shadowed the Salem CC baseball team in recent games continued Wednesday when the Oaks gave up two runs in the seventh inning after tying it an inning earlier in an 11-9 Region XIX loss to Lehigh Carbon at the Carneys Point Rec Complex.

The second game of the scheduled doubleheader was postponed by the rain that started falling right before the final out of the opener.

The Oaks (7-12) have lost seven of their last eight. Since walking off No. 3 Brookdale in the opening game of that series last week, they have lost four straight. They were blown out by the Blues in Game 2, blew an eight-run lead to them in the rubber game, lost in the bottom of the 10th to Lehigh Carbon Tuesday after tying the game in the ninth and then Wednesday happened.

The Oaks answered Lehigh Carbon’s opening salvo with five in the home first, but continued giving up runs and fell behind 9-7 after three innings. They tied the game in the sixth on back-to-back RBI doubles by Angel Velez and J.D. Wilson.

Matt Decker threw 3 2/3 innings of shutout relief to keep the Oaks in the game into the seventh, but then Cougars (5-6) reached him.

It started when Decker hit Ethan Kauffman with one out. Kauffman stole second and scored the go-ahead run on Hunter Rothrock’s single up the middle. Rothrock stole second, went to third on the throw to first on a dropped third strike and scored the insurance run on winning relief pitcher Robbie Behrens’ RBI single.

Yen Rodriguez gave Salem life in the seventh when Kauffman misplayed his fly to left into a three-base error. But Behrens doused the threat with two infield pops and a grounder to first.

The Oaks had seven hits in the game, five of them doubles. Rodriguez had two of them. Wilson also had two hits.

Lehigh Carbon (5-6)3420002–11115
Salem CC (7-12)5110020–970
Connor Kuster, Owen Ondrejca (1), ROBBIE BEHRENS (6, W 1-0) and Joey McNamara. John McAllister, MATT DECKER (3, L 0-1) and Angel Velez. 2B: Joey McNamara (LC), Noah Rush (LC), Yen Rodriguez 2 (S), Demetrius DeRamus (S), Angel Velez (S), J.D. Wilson (S). 3B: Kain Smith (LC).

Softball

VINELAND – The Mighty Oaks and RCSJ-Cumberland were scheduled to play a doubleheader, but the game were postponed by the Dukes for internal reasons. The teams are looking for a suitable date to reschedule.

Salem CC Sunday

Mighty Oaks softball team comes from behind in both games to sweep Northampton, winning streak at 10; baseball loses eight-run lead in loss to No. 3 team in country

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – The one thing the Salem CC softball team hasn’t faced since returning from its season-opening trip to the Carolinas is adversity.

The Mighty Oaks had, as they say in the South, a mean mess of it Sunday and came through it like a team that hasn’t lost in two weeks.

The Oaks trailed three times in their doubleheader with Northampton at Watson Field and rallied every time to score an 11-10, 10-2 sweep to run their current winning streak to 10 games and remain undefeated in their new home. It was the first time they trailed at any point in any game since returning from the Carolinas.

In the opener they trailed 6-3 in the third inning and 8-7 in the fifth. They fell behind 2-0 after two innings of the nightcap before Ella Hayes blasted a three-run homer in the third to give the Oaks (12-4) the lead for good. 

They pounded out 20 hits in the opener. Hayes went 5-for-5 with four RBIs and Karyn Trice went 4-for-4. Kiki Beukman and KC Garcia both went 3-for-4. But for all the offense they produced, they still needed ace Morgan Mecham to come out of the bullpen to get through a harrowing seventh inning.

They walked off the nightcap on Courtney Hoggard’s bases-loaded double in the fifth that got through a charging outfielder and cleared the bases although only two runs were needed for the run-rule margin. Hoggard went 4-for-4 in the game after being the only Salem player to go hitless in the opener. 

“Seeing it for the first time we put into perspective that if we’re behind or we’ve got to battle back and forth we’re able to do it, but most importantly they’ve got to keep playing for each other and you saw it there,” Oaks coach Angel Rodriguez said. “That’s key right there, just backing up your pitcher on defense, trying to make the next play, if someone’s a little down just picking them up and running from there.

“You definitely start turning to some of the returners or some key people who are going to come up in big moments and see how they’re going to do and they handled it well. They came and took it one pitch at a time and just kept it rolling. They didn’t panic, they just kept going and let the game come to them and it was good.”

With the lineup Rodriguez has at his disposal, the Mighty Oaks really aren’t out of any game. They’ve outscored their opponents 106-19 during the 10-game winning streak and are batting a torrid .515 as a team.

“One thing we learned from the Carolinas that we kept consistent is when we have big moments or we need something going we always tend to find ourselves right around the beginning or middle of the lineup,” Rodriguez said. “If we can keep doing that, it’s going to be just great for us.”

The Oaks led the opener 3-0, but the Spartans wiped it out with a six-run third on the strength of back-to-back homers by Hannah Karc and Shana Guliandolo to open inning and Chelsea Melkowits’ three-run shot three batters later.

Salem retook the lead with four in the bottom of the inning, but Northampton grabbed it right back with two in the fourth. The Oaks took the lead for good in the fifth on Hayes’ game-tying double, a go-ahead RBI single by Haylee Pickrell and an RBI double by Callie Rozak.

The teams traded runs in the sixth. The Spartans loaded the bases against Mecham in the seventh and made it 11-10 with one out, only the second run on the Oaks ace’s ledger since the team returned from the Carolinas. They still had the bases loaded, but Mecham got the final two outs on strikeout and pop to short.

“I think we did a very good job keeping our energy up,” Hoggard said. “When we got down, we stayed up (emotionally). When people were struggling, they picked them up. I know I was struggling for a while (3-for-13 in her previous four games), but they picked me up and I came out in the second game and did really good.

“Our coaches this year have told us you get down you’ve got to keep your foot on the gas pedal no matter what. We can’t look back. You’ve got to keep moving forward.”

The Oaks never wavered when they fell behind 2-0 in the nightcap. Hayes put them back on top with her third homer in four games and they continued to pour it on. They pushed across three in the fourth and walked it off in the fifth.

“I was never worried about it,” Hayes said. “Even in practice there will be times where there’s adversity and we come back and are fully prepared. I think we all just really wanted it, too.

“I love being on a winning streak. There is pressure, you don’t want that to end, it’s also fun. I think we’re having a lot of fun and that’s why we’re continuing the streak instead of feeling the pressure.”

Softball

GAME 1
SALEM CC 11, NORTHAMPTON CC 10

Northampton CC (0-1)0062011-10170
Salem CC (11-4)124031x-11201
Theresa Luongo, SYDNEY HARPER (3, L0-1), Kamryn Tokar (6) and Chelsea Melkowits; Caitlin LaGreca, KARYN TRICE (W 1-0), Morgan Mecham and Callie Rozak. 2B: Callie Rozak (S), Ella Hayes (S), Haylee Pickrell (S). 3B: Kiki Beukman (S). HR: Chelsea Melkowits (N), Hannah Karc (N), Shana Gugliandolo (N).

SALEM CC 10, NORTHAMPTON CC 2

Northampton CC (0-2)11000-271
Salem CC (12-4)00433-10121
TAYLOR NEUMANN (L 0-1), Theresa Luongo (3) and Morgan Rissmiller; MORGAN MECHAM (W 7-2) and Vaye Savage. 2B: Chelsea Melkowits (N), Hannah Karc (N), Courtney Hoggard (S), Vaye Savage (S). HR: Ella Hayes (S)

Baseball

LINCROFT — The Mighty Oaks led the No. 3 team in the country by eight runs in the fourth inning, but couldn’t hold it and fell to Brookdale 14-10 in the rubber game of their three-game series.

The Oaks won the series opener 7-6 on a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth and appeared headed for an even easier win in the getaway game, but it got away from them under a hail of walks and errors.

“It was just a rough day,” Salem coach John Bolt said. “We didn’t play our best baseball.”

BROOKDALE CC 14, SALEM CC 10

Salem CC (7-10)007300000-10
Brookdale CC (18-1)20080022x-14

Cover photo: Salem CC’s Courtney Hoggard prepares to connect with her walk-off hit in the bottom of the fifth inning of Sunday’s second game with Northampton CC. The Mighty Oaks won both games to extend their winning streak to 10 games.

This week’s schedule

Here is this week’s Salem County sports schedule for the week of March 24-30; all games 4 p.m. unless noted, x-scrimmage

Sunday

COLLEGE BASEBALL
Salem CC at Brookdale, 1 p.m.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Northampton at Salem CC (2), noon

Monday

BASEBALL
x-Cumberland at Woodstown
x-GCIT at Pennsville
x-LEAP at Penns Grove
x-Millville at Schalick
SOFTBALL
x-Pennsauken Tech at Penns Grove
x-Pennsville at GCIT
x-Salem at Winslow
GOLF
Woodstown vs. Burlington City, Burlington CC
BOYS TENNIS
x-Pennsville at Gateway, 3:45 p.m.
x-St. Augustine at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.
GIRLS LACROSSE
x-Woodstown at OLMA
BOYS LACROSSE
x-Millville at Woodstown

Tuesday

BASEBALL
x-West Deptford at Pennsville
SOFTBALL
x-Salem at Lindenwold
BOYS TENNIS
Schalick at Gateway
x-Woodstown at Millville
TRACK
x-Camden Co. Tech at Pennsville
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Salem CC at Lehigh Carbon CC, 3 p.m.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Middlesex at Salem CC (2), 3:30 p.m.

Wednesday

BASEBALL
x-Cumberland at Schalick
x-Deptford at Woodstown
x-LEAP at Salem
x-Penns Grove at Bridgeton
SOFTBALL
x-Cumberland at Schalick
x-Deptford at Woodstown
x-Paulsboro at Pennsville
GOLF
Pennsville vs. Gloucester Catholic, Westwood GC, 3:30 p.m.
BOYS TENNIS
x-Pennsville at Delsea, 3:45 p.m.
x-Woodstown at Millville
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Lehigh Carbon CC at Salem CC (2), noon

Thursday

BASEBALL
x-Clayton at Penns Grove
x-Gloucester at Salem
SOFTBALL
x-LEAP at Salem
x-Millville at Pennsville
x-Penns Grove at Clayton
x-Sterling at Woodstown
GOLF
Schalick vs. Woodstown, Town & Country GL
TRACK
x-Penns Grove, Bridgeton at Salem

Friday

BASEBALL
x-Paulsboro at Schalick, 11 a.m.
SOFTBALL
Millville at Pennsville
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Salem CC at Sussex (2), 1 p.m.
GOLF
Woodstown at Delran, Golden Pheasant GC

Saturday

GIRLS LACROSSE
x-Washington Twp. at Woodstown, 10 a.m.
BOYS LACROSSE
x-Woodstown at Absegami, 10 a.m.
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Salem CC at Keystone College JV, noon

Pay it forward

Velez rewards Salem CC with walk-off single against national No. 3 Brookdale in first game of doubleheader; Blues win nightcap for split

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT – Angel Velez was ever so thankful when Salem CC coach John Holt gave him a chance to play college baseball after two previous college experiences didn’t work out. He paid the Mighty Oaks back for that confidence they showed in him Friday with the game-winning hit in their biggest win of the season one day before his own special day.

VELEZ

Velez delivered a bases-loaded single with one out in the bottom of the ninth to propel the Oaks past Brookdale CC 7-6 in the first game of their Region XIX doubleheader, handing the third-ranked Jersey Blues their first loss of the season. Brookdale bounced back to win the nightcap 15-1 and gain a split.

“Make a statement, make some noise in this conference,” Velez said between games. “Everybody tries to write Salem off. We’re a good ballclub. When we play together, it shows.”

For a long time it didn’t look like college baseball would be in Velez’ future; he hadn’t played in two years. He went to Northampton CC out of Reading High School and worked with the baseball team in the fall, but “it didn’t work out.” The experience was similar when he went to CCBC Essex, so he took the next 18 months off and worked in his family’s landscaping business.

He connected with Holt and the Oaks after playing on a summer team with former SCC outfielder Nick Toms. 

“He had to grow up a little bit and he did,” Holt said. “He’s kind of figured it out a little bit.”

Coming into the game there weren’t a lot of outsiders who would’ve given the Oaks (7-9) much of a chance. The Blues won their first 16 games by an average of 10-plus runs and Salem was coming off losing three straight to No. 6 Northampton.

But the Oaks had what Holt called a “really good” week of practice in which they emphasized specific skills and functionality and demonstrated what they learned in winning the first game. Velez dove into it head first.

Brookdale hadn’t given up more than five runs in any game this season, but the Oaks scored six in the fifth inning to take a 6-4 lead before the Blues rallied to tie it in the sixth.

“If felt all along if we could play a clean game, like I said to the team at the beginning of the day, play to our standard, which is just make routine plays and throw the ball over the plate I think we’ll be OK,” Holt said, “and in the first game for the most part we did that.

“That’s the kind of the team we can be when we lock in and play up to our capabilities. I still feel like we haven’t played our best baseball yet; our best baseball is still ahead of us. We’re looking to get better each and every time out. If we play to our standard I think we’re going to be OK.”

Oaks left-fielder Nick Ciesielka saved his team in the ninth when he went above the fence to steal a leadoff homer from Brookdale’s Rocko Brzezniak. He ran down another long ball from the next hitter as well. All three Salem outfielders made spectacular catches during the course of the game.

“At first I took a left step and was like, ‘Oh, shoot, this ball might be out,’” Ciesielka said. “I turned to my right, felt my knee hit the wall, stuck my glove up and took it back.”

Ciesielka got the Oaks’ winning rally started with a single on the first pitch. Demetrius DaRamus followed with a single and they both advanced on a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt by cleanup hitter Matt Murphy.

The Blues intentionally walked Lee Rodriguez to load the bases and Velez, who delivered a two-run go-ahead single earlier in the game, followed by pulling the first pitch he saw inside the first-base bag for the game-winner. Once the ball went through, the players poured out of the dugout and eventually mobbed the freshman catcher around second base.

It was an early birthday present for a player whose 22nd birthday is Saturday.

“I can’t explain it; I can’t put it into words that feeling, man,” Velez said. “Coach always talks about playing to a standard, playing to our standard, we did that today. They walked the (batter) in front of me. I believe he wasn’t trying to pitch around me, so I saw the first pitch, put a barrel on it and it worked out.

“I was ready. I was ready since the eighth inning.”

It also made a winning pitcher of J.D. Wilson. The hard-throwing righthander from Pennsville pitched the last three innings, retiring all nine batters he faced with heat that consistently ran from upper 80s-low 90s on the 43-degree day. His strikeout pitch to end the seventh checked in at 92.

“It’s a little cold, I didn’t have my max velo, but it felt good, the team had my back,” Wilson said. “I kind of go out there and let it fly. I challenge everybody the same. I was giving a lot of fastballs … but it was working so I just kept rolling with it.”

Cover photo: Players pour out of the Salem CC dugout after the Mighty Oaks scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth to hand third-ranked Brookdale its first loss of the season.