Schalick scores first Diamond Classic win in 30 years, Pennsville baseball turns game-ending triple play, county track athletes have fun at TCC Showcase, and more
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
BURLINGTON – Things were going so well for so long for the Schalick baseball team in its Diamond Classic opener at Doane Academy Wednesday and then it got “real interesting” real fast.
The Cougars carried a five-run lead into the last inning and just needed to get three easy outs. It was anything but easy. They survived a three-run homer in a four-run seventh and faced the winning run on first with two outs, but held on for an 8-7 win and their first Diamond Classic victory in 30 years.
“They made things interesting,” said Cougars coach Sean O’Brien, playing in the Classic for only the second time in his 10 years as the Schalick coach. “I think it happens to us way too often, more often than it should happen.
“For Mason (Sanchez) to have the confidence to come back and get that last out there is big. He did a good job. The situation didn’t go his way, he gave up a big hit, but he then he was able to (bounce back). I think in the long run moments like that just kind of helps us. It makes us better, where in tight situations where we don’t panic and we get the job done.”
The Cougars were pummeling the undefeated Spartans early in the game, building a 5-0 lead after four innings against Chestnut Hill-bound starter Jake Powell and an 8-3 cushion through five. Through that stretch, the meat of their order – Ricky Watt, Evan Sepers and Bo Schalick – were a combined 8-for-11 with six extra-base hits and six RBIs.
Sepers and Schalick had back-to-back doubles in the first, Sepers had a two-run double in the second, and in the fifth Watt had an RBI double, Sepers a run-scoring single and Schalick an RBI triple.
“We did a great job as a whole as a team jumping on their starter,” O’Brien said. “He was pretty good too. We hit the guys really well 1 through 5 and even Cooper (Willoughby) in the 9-hole he almost knocked the kid’s head off – he hit a line drive right back at his face and he got his glove up in time. Overall, we hit their guy hard the entire time, which was huge, and we put pressure on their defense.”
The ninth started innocently enough with a pop out and a single, but then Matt Kulyk reached on a squirter back to the box and Chris Powell followed with his three-run homer to center to give the Spartans hope.
Jake Powell kept the line moving with a single, but was erased on Hunter Johnson’s fielder’s choice for the second out, then Josh Rivera reached on a ball that took a wicked hop past Schalick to move the tying run into scoring position. Mason Sanchez closed it out with a grounder back to the box.
“It was little things like that that kind of made things interesting,” O’Brien said. “Mason was throwing strikes, they hit a couple and there were some bad hops here and there, but he beared down and got the last out.”
The Cougars (12-5) will now play sixth-seeded Clearview (13-4) in the second round at Clearview Saturday 10 a.m. Before that, however, they’ll face Penns Grove with the possibility of clinching a second straight Tri-County Diamond Division title Thursday and, unless they can move the game, Collingswood Friday for their fifth game in five days.
It’s been a grind, of course, but in the end the rewards would be historic.
“It’s a cool situation where we’re kind of doing things we want to achieve that haven’t been done in the school’s history,” O’Brien said. “The Diamond (Classic) hasn’t been done in a long time, probably 30 years. You look at the division title – we have a chance to win back-to-back division titles for the first time ever in school history. You have a chance to win back-to-back South Jersey titles; it’s never been done. The first ever team to win a state title.
“You’re putting your name, your stamp, on your careers and what you’ll never forget for the rest of your life.”
PENNSVILLE 12, CLAYTON 1: The Eagles started big and ended bigger in clinching a share of their fifth straight Classic Division title. They can win it outright by beating Wildwood for a second time this season Thursday.
The Eagles took charge of this one early, scoring eight runs in the first inning, highlighted by Jeff Wagner’s two-run double and Grady Sanders’ two-run single. Logan Cooperthwait, Jake Layfield, Gavin Spears and Mason O’Brien also drove home runs in the inning. Wagner and O’Brien both had two hits and three RBIs in the game. Three pitchers held the Clippers to one hit and they ended the game on a triple play.
SOFTBALL
WOODSTOWN 8, MILLVILLE 1: Karly Spears drove in three runs and Leah Clark spun a two-hit shutout as the Wolverines won for the second day in a row to get back over .500. Spears had a two-run single in the second when the Wolverines opened a 4-0 lead and an RBI ground out in the third. Clark gave up a leadoff single, then didn’t allow another hit until two outs in the fifth inning.
CAPE MAY TECH 7, SALEM TECH 6: The Hawks walked it off on Cheyanne Enright’s RBI single with two outs in the eighth inning. The Chargers never led in the game, but tied it with four runs in the sixth, highlighted by Shelby Drummond’s two-run triple. They scored the tying run on a bases-loaded walk.
GIRLS GOLF
WASHINGTON TWP. 157, SCHALICK 166: Washington Twp.’s Azure Meares won medalist honors at The Birches with a 5-over-par 33. Natalie May shot the low round for Schalick (40).
GIRLS LACROSSE
HADDONFIELD 18, WOODSTOWN 12: Riley Austin and Lauren Hamblin each scored five goals for Haddonfield. Delaney Walker netted four (208) for Wolverines. The other Woodstown goals came from Emma Morgan (3), Blair Baldi (2), Arianna Hyman (2) and Emma Perry (1).
TRACK
FRANKLINVILLE — On a day designed to promote fun and maybe give a shot at events they might not otherwise experience, it’s safe to say all the Salem County athletes had fun in the Tri-County Showcase at Delsea.
County athletes claimed 45 medals in the non-scored meet. They won eight events, had eight seconds and eight thirds.
Woodstown won five events (4 boys, 1 girls) and established eight PRs. Schalick’s David Stewart won twice individually (400 hurdles, triple jump); his 400 hurdles was a close 1-2 finish with Penns Grove’s Bryan Garlic that some are projecting as the top two in the event at the state meet.
Winning gold for Woodstown were Josh Crawford (1600), Karson Chew (800), David Farrell (3200), Aidan Taulane (discus) and Kami Casiano (girls high jump). For Crawford, it was his first time running the 1600 in competition and he won it in 4:32.57.
“I went into it just telling myself that it’s only two more laps than usual and there was no pressure so have fun,” said Crawford, an 800 specialist. “So I did just that. I went out there running with the experienced runners and had fun.”
Penns Grove’s 4×400 relay team held off Woodstown down the stretch to win that race.
Kylee Goodson, who ran a leg on Penns Grove’s winning 4×4, finished second in the 400 to impressive Overbrook junior John Froehlich. Other second-place finishes belonged to Penns Grove’s Will Roy (long jump), Woodstown’s Eli Caesar (high jump) and Abby Marino (girls 800), Salem’s girls 4×100, and Schalick’s Navaeh Robinson (girls javelin).
TRI-COUNTY SHOWCASE
(Event winners and Salem County medal winners)
BOYS
No team scoring
4×100: 1. Williamstown 42.71; 4. Penns Grove (Will Roy, Messiah Allah, Tommy White, Kylee Goodson) 43.77
4×800: 1. Highland 8:20.25; 4. Woodstown (Anthony Costello, Michael Turner, Pacey Hutton, Torsten Duva) 8:44.86; 5. Salem (Grady Buzby, Gavin Cronrath, Josh Gilbert, Jean Pierre Pozo) 8:46.48
400 Hurdles: 1. David Stewart, Schalick 55.36; 2. Bryan Garlic, Penns Grove 55.67; 6. Grady Buzby, Salem 58.79
1600: 1. Josh Crawford, Woodstown 4:32.57
400: 1. John Froehlich, Overbrook 49.42; 2. Kylee Goodson, Penns Grove 49.83
100: 1. Timothy Whitaker, Timber Creek 10.80
800: 1. Karson Chew, Woodstown 1:55.86
110 Hurdles: 1. Kareem Brown, Deptford 14.17
200: 1. John Froehlich, Overbrook 22.12; 3. Timothy Gregory, Salem 22.55
3200: 1. David Farrell, Woodstown 10:06.27; 5. Pacey Hutton, Woodstown 10:29.96
4×400: 1. Penns Grove (Bryan Garlic, Tommy White, Savior Allah, Kylee Goodson) 3:25.25; 2. Woodstown (Karson Chew, Anthony Costello, Michael Turner, Josh Crawford) 3:25.82
High Jump: 1. Moses Robles, Glassboro 6-0; 2. Eli Caesar, Woodstown 5-10; 5. Kaden Robinson, Salem 5-8
Pole Vault: 1. Mason Henry, Deptford 14-6; 3. Caleb Jenkins, Schalick 13-0
Long Jump: 1. Moses Robles, Glassboro 21-3; 2. Will Roy, Penns Grove 21-0.25; 3. David Stewart, Schalick 20-10.5; 6. Danny Knight, Pennsville 20-1.25
Triple Jump: 1. David Stewart, Schalick 45-5.75; 3. Andrew White, Woodstown 43-6; 5. Will Roy, Penns Grove 42-0
Discus: 1. Aidan Taulane, Woodstown 164-3; 3. Ethan McLean, Schalick 144-1
Javelin: 1. Richard Pierce, Cumberland 175-0; 3. Gary Simonini, Schalick 166-1; 5. Noah Chiu, Woodstown 143-9
Shot Put: 1. Eneas Tavella, Delsea 53-7.5; 4. Aidan Taulane, Woodstown 49-8.5; 5. JaKai Ingram, Penns Grove 49-1.5
GIRLS
No team scoring
4×100: 1. Kingsway 48.62; 2. Salem (Raniyah Parsons-Smith, Dynastie Tucker, Anyzha Williams, Amaia Massengill) 43.19
4×800: 1. Triton 10:17.72
400 Hurdles: 1. Norah Brown, Kingsway 1:04.14
1600: 1. Toni-Loren Powell, Highland 5:42.32
400: 1. Noemi Haller, Kingsway 56.91; 5. Dynastie Tucker, Salem 1:01.18
100: 1. NiaLeila Cuascut, Washington Twp. 12.05; 4. Raniyah Parsons-Smith, Salem 12.53
800: 1. Kayla Asis, Kingsway 2:26.36; 2. Abby Marino, Woodstown 2:29.02
100 Hurdles: 1. NiaLeila Cuascut, Washington Twp. 14.34 (meet record)
200: 1. Noemi Haller, Kingsway 25.26
3200: 1. Sophia Aldridge, Williamstown 11:25.79
4×400: 1. Deptford 4:06.18; 5. Schalick (Kiley Parvin, Caylen Taylor, Brooke Valentine, Jaelynn Jarmon) 4:27.48
High Jump: 1. Kami Casiano, Woodstown 5-2; 3. Kallie Morrison, Pennsville 4-10
Pole Vault: 1. Brynn Greenwood, Williamstown 11-0
Long Jump: 1. Kennedy Downs, Washington Twp. 16-8.5; 4. Arianna Dowe, Penns Grove 15-5.25; 5. Ramiyah Jones, Salem 15-5
Triple Jump: 1. Onye Peoples, Overbrook 34-11.5; 4. Jaelynn Jarmon, Schalick 32-4.75; 5. Kami Casiano, Woodstown 32-2
Discus: 1. Sunny Moore, Glassboro 148-6; 5. Sara Lodge, Woodstown 110-9; 6. Sebrina Bradford, Schalick 105-7
Javelin: 1. Kylie Shinn, Kingsway 113-10; 2. Navaeh Robinson, Schalick 113-8
Shot Put: 1. Hannah Nuhfer, Delsea 46-5.5 (meet record); 3. Tatiyonna Crawford, Pennsville 35-5; 6. Zoey Caesar, Penns Grove 34-1.5
Category: BASEBALL
Tuesday’s sports report
Here are scores and details from Tuesday’s Salem County sports calendar; includes baseball, softball, golf, tennis
Baseball
TUESDAY’S GAMES
52nd Diamond Classic
First-round games
No. 4 Cherry Hill West 8, Pennsville 4
No. 3 St. Augustine 13, Woodstown 3
Regular season
Glassboro 10, Penns Grove 0
Pitman 17, Salem 3
Schalick 10, Overbrook 7
Wildwood 10, Salem Tech 4
By Riverview Sports News
CHERRY HILL — Pennsville may have been down early in its Diamond Classic opener with fourth-seeded Cherry Hill West Tuesday, but the Eagles certainly didn’t consider themselves out.
They fell behind 6-1 after three innings, but they rallied with three in the sixth to make it a two-run game before the Lions scored two in the bottom of the inning and went on to win 8-4.
The sixth inning wasn’t the first time the Eagles knocked on the door and the Lions answered in the bottom of the inning.
They scored a run in the third on on Jeff Wagner’s two-out RBI double to make it 3-1, but the Lions got three in the bottom of the inning to go up 6-1.
The Eagles loaded the bases in the sixth with none out and Stevie Fatcher singled a run home. The Lions cut down Wagner trying to score on Grady Sanders’ bunt and Sanders was ruled out on interference, but Logan Cowperthwait kept the inning alive with a two-run single that made it 6-4. That’s all they would get.
West got two of the runs back on a run-scoring ground out and an RBI single by Jason Audino, then set the Eagles down in order in the seventh.
ST. AUGUSTINE 13, WOODSTOWN 3: Things looked good for the Wolverines early as they scored three in the top of second to take a 3-1 lead, but the third-seeded Hermits stormed back with four in the bottom of the inning and continued to score, denying Woodstown coach Marc DeCastro his 100th career win.
The Wolverines were setting up for a big inning in the second when they loaded the bases on two walks and a bunt single. Sol Elmer followed with a two-run single and after Talyn Priore walked to reload the bases Chase Harding was hit by a pitch to force another run home. But that’s they got as pitcher John Eddis got the next three hitters — the top of the Woodstown lineup — on a fly out and two strikeouts.
The Hermits retook the lead in the bottom of the inning and never trailed again. They broke it open with six in the fourth and walked it off with a run in the fifth.
Two St. Augustine pitchers held Woodstown to five hits. Tommy Tucci had two of them.
DIAMOND CLASSIC SCORES
Vineland 17, Shawnee 4
Bishop Eustace 7, Cherokee 3
Mainland 2, Moorestown 1
Cherry Hill West 8, Pennsville 4
Egg Harbor 7, Pennsauken 2
St. Augustine 13, Woodstown 3
Delsea 12, Lenape 9
Eastern 20, Highland 10
Rancocas Valley 8, Cedar Creek 7
SCHALICK 10, OVERBROOK 7: The Cougars jumped on their hosts for eight runs in the first two innings, weathered a brief flurry in the home second and threat in the seventhBo Schalick worked a six-out save for their second win in less than 24 hours.
Jamari Whitley went 4-for-5, Evan Glaspey went 3-for-3 and Evan Sepers had two hits and three RBIs. Sepers drove in the first run in a four-run first inning and had a two-run double in the four-run second.
Cole Hartley started on the mound for the Cougars and left with a 9-7 lead. Schalick worked the final two innings, allowing two hits, a walk and striking out two.
GLASSBORO 10, PENNS GROVE 0: Ryan Gendaszek and Jimmy McMahon drove in three runs apiece and three Glassboro pitchers combined on a one-hit shutout as the Bulldogs run-ruled the Red Devils for the second straight day. Liam Irvin had Penns Grove’s only hit.
WILDWOOD 10, SALEM TECH 4: Nolan Mawhinney’s two-run single snapped a 2-2 tie and sparked a five-run third inning that helped the Warriors snap the Chargers’ eight-game winning streak. Mawhinney went 2-for-3 with three RBIs in the game. The Chargers stook the first lead on Cole Sacks’ RBI double in the first and tied it 2-2 on Brayden McAllister’s two-out line single in the second.
PITMAN 17, SALEM 3: Logan Williams and Carter Snyder each had three hits and the Panthers broke the game open with a seven-run fourth inning. The Rams scored two in the second when Pitman misplayed Daniel Grusemeyer’s grounder and a run in the fourth when they booted another Grusemeyer grounder.
Softball
TUESDAY’S GAMES
Glassboro 15, Penns Grove 1
Pennsville 17, Clayton 1
Pitman 11, Salem 1
Salem Tech 19, Penn Tech 4
Schalick 18, Overbrook 15
Woodstown 7, Maple Shade 1
WOODSTOWN 7, MAPLE SHAPE 1: Ellie Wygand’s two-run single highlighted a five-run second inning that sent the Wolverines to a victory that snapped a five-game losing streak, their longest since 2019. The senior outfielder also ripped a two-run double in the fifth to extend the lead to 7-0. She’s working on an eight-game hitting streak in which she’s batting .593 (16-for-27). Leah Clark kept the Wildcats off the board until the seventh. She scattered four hits and struck out four.
“The last few games we have just been a bit off as a team, almost to a point the it felt like the preseason all over again,” Wolverines coach Rob Hildebrand said. “We weren’t being consistent in the field nor getting the job done offensively with runners in scoring position.
“That all changed tonight and I feel like the girls are back on track and playing the we all know they can.”
PENNSVILLE 17, CLAYTON 1: The Eagles turned up the power and speed and pummeled the Clippers to maintain their two-game lead in the TCC Classic Division. Kylie Harris, Kenzie Widener and Taylor Bass all hit two-run inside-the-park homers.
The Eagles pounded out 15 hits, six for extra bases. Widener went 3-for-3 and was a single shy of the cycle. Harris was 3-for-4 with four RBIs. Bass had two hits and three RBIs. Harris now has 149 career hits. She collected her 100th career RBI Monday against West Deptford.
Graillyn Weber scattered five hits in the four-inning game and struck out four.
SCHALICK 18, OVERBROOK 15: The Cougars erupted for 11 runs in the first inning, extended the lead to 13-0 after two and then held on for dear life. The bottom five hitters in the Schalick lineup went a combined 14-for-25 with eight RBIs. Khloe McGrath went 4-for-5, while Liv VanAcker and winning pitcher Kaylee Broglin had three hits apiece.
The Cougars sent 15 batters to the plate in the first with the help of five errors and four walks. The Rams scored seven in the fourth and drew within 13-10 in the fifth, but the Cougars pulled away with five in the bottom of the inning.
SALEM TECH 19, PENN TECH 4: Shelby Drummond went 4-for-4 with her first career homer and three RBIs, while Izzy Roberts, Claire Kier and Shelby Liber had three hits apiece to pace the 20-hit attack that got the Chargers back on the winning track after having their seven-game winning streak snapped in their last outing. Drummond hit a two-out, two-run homer in the second inning.
GLASSBORO 15, PENNS GROVE 1: The Bulldogs answered Penns Grove’s run in the fourth with eight in the bottom of the inning to put the game away. Marissa Rode hit a two-run inside-the-park homer in the inning and the Bulldogs worked 10 walks in the inning — eight in a row at one point — to keep the line moving. Domari Torres Caraballo scored the Red Devils’ run when she circled the bases after the Bulldogs misplayed her single.
PITMAN 11, SALEM 1: Maura Quinn went 3-for-3, Colette Rollins had two hits and three RBIs, and Emery Sharpnack drove in four runs for lead the Panthers. Akayla Nichols drove in Salem’s run with an RBI single in the fourth.
Golf
Schalick’s Jaxon Weber birdied his first and his last holes of the round and had another one in between on the way to a 7-over-par 79 and a T-8 finish at the South Group I Sectionals at Cream Ridge Golf Club.
Weber started on the par-5 ninth and nearly chipped in for eagle but got the birdie, then closed the round with a birdie on the par-4 eighth after hitting an 8-iron from 150 yards to three feet. The opening birdie didn’t translate into continued success as he played the first four holes on the back nine in 5-over. He played the rest of the side in 1-under with a birdie at the par-4 16th.
“It was a good start to the day with a birdie, but the holes in between were kind of tough,” he said. “The greens were fast and hard pin placements, but ending it off with a birdie to break 80 is always nice.”
The Cougars also got an 85 from Seth Fisher and shot 349 as a team to finish tied for eighth with Delaware Valley. Fisher also birdied his first hole of the day, the par-4 sixth.
Woodstown shot 367 as a team and placed 16th. Alejandro Vazquez posted the Wolverines’ low round (88).
SOUTH GROUP 1 BOYS SECTIONALS
At Cream Ridge GC, 6011 Yards, Par 72
| TEAM SCORES | INDIVIDUAL SCORES | ||
| Madison | 309 | Blake Steele, Madison | 75 |
| Bernards | 319 | Connor Keelan, PP Beach | 76 |
| Audubon | 332 | Teo Bengtsson, Madison | 77 |
| Pitman | 334 | Andrew Schiller, Madison | 77 |
| West Deptford | 338 | Brady Cassidy, Bernards | 77 |
| New Providence | 345 | Mattias Cordes, Metuchen | 78 |
| Arthur L. Johnson | 348 | Joseph Melchionna, AL Johnson | 78 |
| Delaware Valley | 349 | Jaxon Weber, Schalick | 79 |
| Schalick | 349 | Tim Decker, Shore | 79 |
| Bordentown | 352 | Ben Perticari, West Deptford | 79 |
| Haddon Twp. | 352 | Owen Nowak, Madison | 80 |
| Shore | 356 | Chase Carr, Audubon | 80 |
| Lower Cape May | 357 | Jake Bowen-Ashwin, Pitman | 80 |
| PP Beach | 358 | Theo Burns, Madison | 80 |
| Metuchen | 361 | Thomas Diemar, Bernards | 80 |
| Woodstown | 367 | Max Mund, New Providence | 80 |
| Cape May Tech | 369 |
(T8) SCHALICK (349): Jaxon Weber 39-40–79, Seth Fisher 41-44–85, Anthony Sepers 51-53–104, Michael Nelson 50-45–95, Reed Bucolo 45-45–90.
(16) WOODSTOWN (367): Jack Bucksar 48-45–93, Logan Jones 43-46–89, Nate Valente 47-50–97, Alejandro Vazquez 41-47–88, Greyson Hyland 54-52–106.
Regular Season
PENNSVILLE 209, SALEM TECH 241: Pennsville’s Trevor Hann shot 49 to win medalist honors at Sakima CC.
GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 168, SCHALICK 179: With its main team competing in the sectionals, the Cougars went into the match with their second group and junior Shawn Kelly shared medalist honors with a 40 at Centerton CC. He had two bogeys, two doubles and a birdie. GC senior Zack Payne also shot 40.
Tennis
No. 3 singles Luke Shaw bounced back from dropping a first-set tiebreaker to square the match and then rallied to win an intense third-set tiebreaker to beat Marcus Lorenzana 6-7 (4-7), 6-0, 11-9 and clinch Woodstown’s 3-2 win over Highland.
The team match was tied 2-2 when Shaw went up 3-0 in the second set. He was down 5-9 in the tiebreaker, but rallied to win the next six points to win the match. It was a doubly satisfying win for the senior. He lost a third-set tiebreaker to Lorenzana on April 13.
“The entire team was on pins and needles watching it,” Woodstown coach Jesse Stemberger said.
Highland (11-6) won the other two singles matches, but the Wolverines (11-5) swept the two doubles points.
PENNSVILLE 5, BRIDGETON 0
Sawyer Humphrey (P) def. Jonathan Barragan, 6-7 (6-8), 6-1, 10-5
Lucas Cooksey (P) def. Emilio Martinez Zambrano, 6-0, 6-1
Carter Willis (P) def. Enrique Hernandez, 6-0, 6-0
Coen Rinnier-Jacob Cheeseman (P) def. Edward West-Bryan Gonzalez, 6-1, 6-1
Lucas Thomas-Matthew Forino (P) def. Roylier DeJean-Bryan Coccol, 6-0, 6-0
Records: Pennsville 11-6, Bridgeton 2-9.
WOODSTOWN 3, HIGHLAND 2
Mohammad Sheyam (H) def. Drew Stengel, 6-1, 6-0
Andrew Whitelock (H) def. Mason Shimp, 6-0, 6-4
Luke Shaw (WO) def. Marcus Lorenzana, 6-7 (4-7), 6-0, 11-9
Nick DiTeodoro-Vincent Merendino (WO) def. Leonardo Vittese-Jacob Roman, 6-2, 6-1
Connor Miller-Josh King (WO) def. Sakibul Alam-Mohannad Isa, 7-5, 6-1
Reords: Woodstown 11-5, Highland 11-6.
PENNS GROVE 4, CLAYTON 1
James Mai (CL) def. Stuart Mondragon, 6-1, 6-2
Anthony Pacheco (PG) def. Jayden Sanchez, 6-1, 6-3
Juan Ortiz (PG) def. Michael Cummings, 6-1, 6-3
Jesus Arredondo-Doel Torres (PG) def. Robert Schultz-Dyshamir Miller, 6-4, 4-6, 10-7
Jordan Hernandez-Fernando Palacios Lima (PG) def. Malcolm Turpin-Brynne Contravo, 6-1, 6-1
Records: Penns Grove 4-4, Clayton 3-10.
Things change quickly
Woodstown had shutout, lead going into late innings, almost averted disaster in sixth, but three-run homer propels Delran to a win, denying DeCastro No. 100
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – The cruelest reality of the game of baseball is one pitch can change the demeanor of an entire game. It did Monday.
Woodstown jumped out to an early lead on Delran Monday afternoon and were one strike away from escaping a major threat in the sixth with only minimal damage, but Jackson Veneziano belted an 0-2 pitch over the left-field fence for a three-run homer that gave the Bears the lead in an eventual 5-3 victory that denied Wolverines coach Marc DeCastro his 100th career win.
“Going into the game after we had to use four pitchers on Saturday, we played Friday and we have five games this week, if you would’ve told me we had a three-run lead going into the sixth inning with as well as Tommy as pitched, that was the only way he was pitching in this game at all,” DeCastro said. “That’s the only thing that bothered me about it,
“With how much he had to pitch last week and get loose and all that. I wanted to avoid using him and that was about the only scenario (he goes in). The thing I liked the least is I had to use him. It didn’t work out. But as well as he’s pitched, to have that team on the ropes in the sixth inning, you couldn’t have asked for much more going into that.”
Tucci was the third of Woodstown’s pitchers as DeCastro tried to conserve the staff for the busy week ahead. Blake Rodriguez and Talyn Priore kept the Bears off the board through the first five innings. Rodriguez, who made his season mound debut Saturday, worked the first 2 2/3, giving up singles to the first two hitters of the game and none thereafter before being lifted after 38 pitches. Priore threw 30 pitches one time through the lineup, and also allowed two hits.
DeCastro bought Tucci in from short to start the sixth and the plan was to stick with him to the end except he was extended in the inning. The Bears loaded the bases with none out on back-to-back singles and a walk, but the junior right-hander who hadn’t given up a run in his previous two outings (5 innings) almost got out of it with the lead and only one run scoring. He got a strikeout and a sacrifice fly on the next two hitters and then went 0-2 on Veneziano, but the next pitched changed the game.
“I was feeling good, I just missed a spot,” Tucci said. “It was supposed to be a fastball up and I just didn’t get it up high enough. After I got the second out a lot of confidence came back. I was just trying to take my time on the mound, but just one pitch can ruin everything.”
“It’s a tough one, definitely,” catcher Ty Coblentz said. “He missed it by probably three inches; that’s all it took. That’s the difference between a fly ball and a home run, right there.
Coblentz kept the Bears off the board early when he raced back to the plate to cut down Troy Simpliciano trying to score on a wild pitch in the first. He kept them from adding on after the insurance run in the seventh, taking Drew Sutton’s throw from right field and tagging out Jackson Hager and then throwing behind the runner and picking off Dom Favieri in a rundown between third and home.
“Keeping that game at 0-0 at that moment was very important,” he said. “I was willing to put my body and do anything I could to get him out there.”
Luke Fraley gave Woodstown the lead when he broke the scoreless tie when he singled home Walker Battavio with a two-out single in the third. The Wolverines made it 3-0 in the fifth on back-to-back two-out RBI doubles by Fraley (grounds rule) and Coblentz.
“That’s how we’ve been winning our games a lot this year, getting up on the board early,” Tucci said.
DeCastro, in his sixth season with the Wolverines, will get his second shot the milestone win today at. St. Augustine in the Diamond Classic. Typically, he’s unfazed by the attention the magic number has brought.
“I know (about it) because other people care, and that’s the only thing that matters to me is that other people care enough to pay attention,” he said. “I could not care any less … I would rather just win today than worry about what that win is for me.”
Those “other people” include the players who think the attention is well deserved and are proud to be a part of it.
“I think it’ll prove that he’s one of the best coaches in South Jersey, with how little time he’s done it in with a Group 1 school playing all this tough competition and winning the state championship in 2022,” Coblentz said. “I think it proves that he’s the best of the best.”
| Delran | 000 | 004 | 1- | 5 | 11 | 1 |
| Woodstown | 001 | 020 | 0- | 3 | 4 | 0 |
Mighty Oaks get their help
Ocean’s win over Montgomery gives Salem CC seventh seed in upcoming Region XIX playoffs, Mighty Oaks open post season at Brookdale as opposed to RCSJ-Gloucester
MONDAY REGION XIX BASEBALL
Camden 30, Delaware County 0
Ocean 12, Montgomery 11
RCSJ-Gloucester 9, Atlantic Cape 2
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
For one night, the Salem CC baseball team became big fans of an Ocean CC Vikings team they swept in three close games earlier this season.
The Mighty Oaks needed a little help to enhance their position for the upcoming Region XIX playoffs and they got it in the way of Ocean’s 12-11 win over Montgomery.
With the result in Toms River, the Mighty Oaks finish seventh in the Region XIX Division III standings and projected to play at region runner-up Brookdale in the opening round series that starts Saturday. Had the Ocean-Montco game gone the other way, the Mighty Oaks would have been reduced to the eighth seed due to tiebreakers and destined to open the tournament at top-seeded, three-time defending national champion RCSJ-Gloucester, a team that beat them in three one-sided games on Sophomore Weekend.
“The Oaks were all Vikings fans today,” first baseman Tyler Hacker said. “We all watched the game.”
The projected first-round pairings: Montgomery (17-16) at RCSJ-Gloucester (34-10), Northampton (30-17) at Middlesex (33-15), Salem CC (23-26) at Brookdale (38-10-1), Camden (25-15) at RCSJ-Cumberland (32-11-1).
“We’re excited to be a seventh seed as opposed to an eighth,” Mighty Oaks coach John Holt said. “Excited to be back in the regionals and establish Salem as a program that’s expected to be there year after year.
“I feel like if we play the way we are capable and play Salem baseball we can compete with anyone. Both of the teams we could have played are among the best in the country. Looking forward to the opportunity to get after it against the best.”
The Mighty Oaks were swept by Brookdale in the season series split apart by the weather that plagued the early portion of their schedule. They lost the doubleheader in early March right before their Myrtle Beach trip (17-7, 6-3) and lost Game Three a month later 21-5. They led Game Two 3-0 in the second inning, then gave up four unearned runs.
“Playing Brookdale or Gloucester, they got us during the regular season and we want to beat both,” Hacker said. “The closest games we had were with Brookdale, so we’re looking forward to playing them. We hit their pitching well, just came down to playing defense those games and we didn’t have it. Since then we’ve cleaned up our defense and are looking forward to winning two and meeting Gloucester back in the Final Four like last year.”
Big night of fun
Schalick seniors celebrate some special moments, big win, in the complex where their earliest baseball memories were forged
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
ELMER – If Evan Sepers were making the call, the Schalick baseball team would be wearing the throwback uniforms they sported for Senior Night at the Elmer Little League complex the rest of the year.
The first time the senior outfielder wore the green-and-gray vested unis the Cougars brought out Monday against Bridgeton, he went 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles as a freshman against Woodstown in the Elmer Classic. On this special night, on that same field, he went 2-for-2 with a double and his first official home run, and threw an inning and a third of no-hit relief in a 17-4 win.
“I’m batting 1.000 in them,” Sepers said.
The Cougars hadn’t worn them since that Woodstown game four years ago; coach Sean O’Brien only recently rediscovered them. The only problem was they only had 15 sets and they had 16 players. Fortunately, Luke Pokrovsky, the headliner of last year’s state semifinals team now at Penn, still had his jersey and brought it back so the team could be fully fitted. That jersey went to Bo Schalick.
“I don’t know how old they are; they’re before my time,” O’Brien said. “The kids liked them. They bugged me to wear them. I literally gave them out after school today.”
“We’ve had those for a long time,” catcher turned designated hitter Ricky Watt said. “I know a couple guys on the team their parents wore them back in the day. We always talked about wearing them.”
The throwback uniforms were only part of the Cougars’ funnest game of the year.
Freed from the pressure of playing a division opponent on Senior Night, the Cougars chose a traditional opponent and played on a field adjacent to where many of the players forged their earliest baseball memories. It was their second win at the Elmer LL complex this season and fifth in the last two years.
It was a chance to give players an opportunity to play some other position , like those who either hadn’t pitched since their freshmen year or hadn’t been on the mound at all.
Junior Bert Strain started the night and worked the first, striking out two. The rest of the night belonged to the seniors. Strain was followed to the mound by J.T. Fleming and Sepers, neither of whom had pitched since their freshmen year; Cooper Willoughby, who last remembers pitching in a JV game his freshman year but never on varsity; and Ethan Quiles, a senior called up to the varsity for the occasion. They combined on a one-hitter.
“They asked me in the beginning of the year about throwing on Senior Night,” O’Brien said. “I thought about it, but then with the circumstances of how many games we’re playing this week, we kind of needed to. We needed to conserve our pitching anyway, so it was a fun way and a productive way to keep our pitching where it needed to be.”
Fleming pitched the second, giving up an unearned run and striking out two. Willoughby worked two-thirds of an inning in the third, charged with three runs, and said he didn’t want to see his ERA at the end of it.
“It’s been a really long time,” Willoughby said. “The first half of freshman year I threw like two or three games. It looked about like that, too. I hadn’t pitched in a while and I was looking forward to it. It was just a fun night. OB wanted to let all the guys pitch who don’t traditionally pitch. It was a good time.”
Sepers worked the longest of the five pitchers, didn’t allow a hit, struck out two and walked two. He threw 7 1/3 innings in four games as a freshman. In his last outing before Monday he went 3 1/3 against Salem in 2023, giving up two hits, two runs and striking out five. He has a career ERA under 1.75.
“When I went out to pitch I was just thinking ‘have fun,’” he said. “It’s my senior night, we’re not playing the best team but everybody’s having fun. I was just trying to throw strikes. I threw two off-speed pitches and they both went really high and outside, so other than that I threw fastballs.”
He figures that closed the book on his pitching career, unless RCSJ-Cumberland decides it wants to use him on the mound next spring. Of course, he’ll always have his hitting. With his two hits against the Bulldogs, he’s now 11 shy of 100 for his career.
Quiles wrapped up the night and set the Bulldogs down in order in the fifth, recording his first career strikeout for the last out of the game.
“J.T. was a guy I thought would give me more innings, but he settled in,” O’Brien said. “Once he got going he threw really well. Back in his freshman year in games we were way ahead or way behind he was like my cleanup guy. He’d come in and throw strikes for me just to get us out of innings. He always did that for us when he was a freshman.
“Cooper hadn’t thrown. He wasn’t finishing and was leaving everything up. He did a good job with the situation he was put in. Evan had pitched before. I knew Evan would be OK out there, just kind of get used to throwing again. Ethan did a great job. It was awesome.”
If there is fun in scoring a lot of runs, then the Cougars had a ton of it. All nine spots in the lineup scored at least once. Ten of the 11 hitters who batted had a hit and 10 of the 11 scored.
Watt rediscovered his power stroke. After hitting four homers in his first five games of the season, he ended a nine-game homerless drought with a pair of two-run shots and finished 3-for-3 with five RBIs. He drove in the Cougars’ first run with a single in the first.
“I just went through a little bit of a period where I was struggling a little bit; it happens,” he said. “Not seeing the ball as well. I think I got a little bit back on my feet tonight. It’s good to get back in the swing of things.”
Sepers’ home run, a three-run shot in the fourth inning, was his first in 220 high school at-bats and more than 270 plate appearances. He hit a ball everyone insistent cleared a snow fence at Clayton last year ruled a grounds-rule double and hit one in a scrimmage at Highland this year.
“That was unreal,” he said. “Off the bat I was thinking to myself this is either going to go over the fence and I knew it was going off the fence off the bat or I’m going to look like a fool when the kid catches the ball. I’m very glad it happened on senior night. It was hard not to have a smile on my face the entire time I was running around the bases.”
He wasn’t the only one.
“We grew up playing together and he always used to hit them out of the field right over there,” Watt said, pointing to the Little League fields on the other side of the batting cage. “I remember him hitting three in one game actually. I’m surprised he hadn’t connected with one yet. It was really cool to see.”
“I felt like it was coming,” O’Brien said. “Even at our place or here I think he was going to get one eventually, so it’s good he got it here, especially tonight on Senior Night.”
It gets a little more challenging for the Cougars from here. They potentially have four straight road games this rest of the week. They go to Overbrook Tuesday for a big Diamond Division game, to Doane Academy for their Diamond Classic opener Wednesday, to Collingswood Friday and possibly at second round Diamond Classic game at Clearview.
Whatever happens in the week ahead, they’ll always have the happy memory of Monday night to carry them through.
| Bridgeton | 013 | 00- | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| Schalick | 425 | 6x- | 17 | 15 | 2 |
Monday’s sports report
Here are scores from Monday’s Salem County sports calendar
BASEBALL
Glassboro 20, Penns Grove 7
LEAP at Salem Tech
Pennsville 19, Salem 6
Delran 5, Woodstown 3
Schalick 17, Bridgeton 4
SOFTBALL
LEAP at Salem Tech
Pitman at Penns Grove
Triton 3, Schalick 0
West Deptford 5, Pennsville 2
Cinnaminson 12, Woodstown 2
BOYS GOLF
Pitman 174, Schalick 175
Lower Cape May 165, Woodstown 167
GIRLS GOLF
Kingsway 197, Schalick 207
TENNIS
Clearvuew 5, Schalick 0
Overbrook 3, Woodstown 2
TRACK
Clayton at Salem
Woodstown in Haddonfield Invitational
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Highland 2, Salem Tech 9 (25-17, 25-13)
This week’s schedule
Here is the Salem County sports calendar for the week of May 4-10
MONDAY, MAY 4
BASEBALL
Glassboro at Penns Grove
LEAP at Salem Tech
Salem at Pennsville
Delran at Woodstown, 4:15 p.m.
Bridgeton vs. Schalick, Elmer LL, 6 p.m.
SOFTBALL
LEAP at Salem Tech, 3:45 p.m.
Pitman at Penns Grove
Schalick at Triton
West Deptford at Pennsville
Cinnaminson at Woodstown, 4:15 p.m.
BOYS GOLF
Schalick vs. Pitman, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m.
Woodstown vs. Lower Cape May, Town & Country, 3:45 p.m.
GIRLS GOLF
Schalick vs. Kingsway, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m.
TENNIS
Woodstown at Overbrook, 3:45 p.m.
TRACK
Clayton at Salem
Woodstown in Haddonfield Invitational, 5 p.m.
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at Highland, 3:45 p.m.
TUESDAY, MAY 5
BASEBALL
Penns Grove at Glassboro
Pitman at Salem
Salem Tech at Wildwood
Schalick at Overbrook
52nd Diamond Classic
First-round games
Pennsville at No. 4 Cherry Hill West
Woodstown at No. 3 St. Augustine
SOFTBALL
Penn Tech at Salem Tech, 3:45 p.m.
Overbrook at Schalick
Pennsville at Clayton
Penns Grove at Glassboro
Woodstown at Maple Shade, 4:30 p.m.
Salem at Pitman, 6 p.m.
GOLF
NJSIAA Playoffs, Cream Ridge GC, 3:30 p.m.
Schalick vs. Gloucester Catholic, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m.
Salem Tech vs. Pennsville, Sakima CC, 3:30 p.m.
TENNIS
Bridgeton at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m.
Woodstown at Highland, 3:45 p.m.
Penns Grove at Clayton
Schalick at Wildwood, 4:15 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 6
BASEBALL
Clayton at Pennsville
52nd Diamond Classic
First-round game
Schalick at Doane
SOFTBALL
Millville at Woodstown
Salem Tech at Cape May Tech
GIRLS GOLF
Schalick vs. Washington Twp., The Birches, 3:30 p.m.
TENNIS
Burlington Twp. at Pennsville
Woodstown at Millville
TRACK
TCC Showcase, Delsea, 3:30 p.m.
GIRLS LACROSSE
Haddonfield at Woodstown
THURSDAY, MAY 7
BASEBALL
Clayton at Salem
Overbrook at Woodstown
Pennsville at Wildwood
Penns Grove at Schalick
SOFTBALL
Salem at Clayton
Schalick at Penns Grove
Woodstown at Overbrook, 4:30 p.m.
Wildwood at Pennsville
BOYS GOLF
Carl Arena Tournament, Blue Heron GC
TENNIS
Pennsville at GCIT, 3:45 p.m.
Penns Grove at Williamstown
Washington Twp. at Schalick
BOYS LACROSSE
Triton at Woodstown
FRIDAY, MAY 8
BASEBALL
Schalick at Collingswood
SOFTBALL
Deptford at Salem
Schalick at Clearview
TENNIS
Schalick at Pitman
Wildwood at Penns Grove
Woodstown at Middle Twp.
SATURDAY, MAY 9
BASEBALL
Lee Ware Tournament, Woodstown
Woodstown vs. Camden Catholic, 10 a.m.
Cherry Hill East vs. Washington Twp., 10 a.m.
Consolation game, noon
Championship game, noon
SOFTBALL
Fred Powell Invitational, Williamstown
Woodstown vs. Williamstown, 9 a.m.
Mainland vs. Cumberland, 9 a.m.
Cherry Hill East vs. Absegami, 9 a.m.
Moorestown vs. Cedar Creek, 9 a.m.
Woodstown vs. Mainland or Cumberland, 11:30 a.m.
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Region XIX Tournament
Salem CC at Brookdale (2)
Mighty Oaks are in
Salem CC baseball gets into the Region XIX field of eight without a play-in game after sweeping Union Saturday, looking for help from eliminated Ocean to get a better seed
REGION XIX BASEBALL
Saturday’s Games
Salem CC 16-8, Union 2-5
Camden 6-16, Northampton 5-5
Middlesex 5-10, Atlantic Cape 0-0
RCSJ-Gloucester 19-19, Delaware County 0-2
Brookdale 7-14, Ocean 1-5
RCSJ-Cumberland 4-22, Bergen 0-1
CCBC-Essex 7-13, Lackawanna 6-5
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
CARNEYS POINT – The Salem CC baseball team got what it needed in the first game of Saturday’s regular-season ending doubleheader with Union. The Mighty Oaks got what they wanted from the day in the nightcap, but they had to work for it.
The Mighty Oaks secured the final spot in the eight-team Region XIX Division III playoff bracket with an dominating 16-2 rout in the opener, then they rallied from four runs down midway through the nightcap to win that 8-5 and give themselves a chance at a more favorable seed.
The doubleheader — and series — sweep, along with Brookdale’s sweep of Ocean, allowed the Mighty Oaks (23-26, 18-15) to make the bracket without having to deal with a play-in game with Ocean. Now they’ll become the biggest Ocean fans, hoping the Vikings can knock off Montgomery County Monday to give the Mighty Oaks the seventh seed and avoid top seed and three-time defending national champion RCSJ-Gloucester in the opening round.
If Montco wins the Monday game, the Mustangs and Mighty Oaks would finish tied for seventh in the standings, but Salem would be the eighth seed since the Mustangs hold the tiebreaker. The best-of-3 first-round series start Saturday at the sites of the top four seeds.
“We needed to win,” Mighty Oaks coach John Holt said. “We needed to control what we can control. We can control winning baseball games. We can’t control what happens with the other series that were going on. We just needed to control the variables we could control and we did that.
“At the end of the day the gameplan from the beginning was to win all three. Winning two out of three wasn’t an option. All along it’s we’ve got to win three. We did what we had to do to figure out how to win. It wasn’t pretty, but we figured it out.”
After having their way with the Owls (7-29) in the opener, the Mighty Oaks were held scoreless for the first four innings of the nightcap.
Meanwhile, the Owls scored four in the third as Salem starter Logan Peters lost the plate and his defense lost the handle. The Owls threatened again in the fourth, but Nick Reckard came on to get the final out of the inning before giving way to Tyler Hacker for the final three innings or however long it was going to take for the Mighty Oaks to pull it out.
They came to life in the fifth and tied the game on a pair of two-run singles by J.J. Pankowski and Hacker. Pankowski had two hits in the game and was on base in all three innings Salem scored down the stretch.
“When the inning starts I’m always telling the two batters before me get on for me because I know I’ll do the job,” the second baseman said. “Coach is always saying ‘pass the stick,’ so I just try to do my job, do whatever I can to get myself a ribbie and help the team get a rally going.”
Union retook the lead with an unearned run off Hacker in the bottom of the fifth, but Salem took it back for good in the sixth when Owls second baseman Hengel Brown threw to the first base side of the plate trying to cut down a run Pankowski’s ground ball and Roman Hernandez took a pitch off the helmet after the Owls intentionally walked Hacker in front of him to load the bases.
“I’m not looking to get hit by a pitch, but I am looking to get on base and get that winning run in no matter what it is,” Hernandez said. “It could’ve been a walk, a wild pitch, anything I could’ve done to help my team out. They’ve had my back, they’ve always cheered me on this entire season, it’s the least I can do to take one for the team.
“They intentionally walked Hacker to get to me, so I kind of took that personal, to be honest with you. The first couple swings I decided to swing for the fences a little bit, but then I realized that’s not the approach I needed to be having. I adjusted and got the game winning run.”
They added two insurance runs in the seventh on Chase Hortiz’ long sacrifice fly to left and Jason LeBold’s RBI single that handcuffed the third baseman.
Hacker stared down threats in each of his first two innings on the mound. He gave up the run in the fifth and In the sixth the Owls loaded the bases with one out, but he got out of it with a strikeout and ground out to third.
“I love it,” the sophomore right-hander said of the pressure. “You’ve probably heard the expression pressure make diamonds and if you want to be the best you’ve got to shine the brightest. No matter who the team is, no matter who we play, when we play them, how we play them, I want to win and if it’s up to me I’m going to make it happen.
“I think my willingness to win rubs off on the team, so whatever needs to happen needs to happen. It’s easier to rally around someone who wants to win and is busting his butt to do that. I have full confidence in my guys. Even after the couple errors. It was like we’re gonna get these runs back and we’re gonna shut ’em down.”
Holt handed the ball to Pat Seitzinger for the game that would get the Mighty Oaks in the playoffs. Seitzinger, pitching on Carneys Point mound for only the third time in 12 appearances this season, although it was technically a road game.
The sophomore left-hander threw 90 pitches over five innings, giving up two runs, five hits and struck out four. He walked two and hit two. Joe D’Amato worked the last two, facing eight batters, striking out three and getting a double play.
“I felt good,” Seitzinger said. “I pitched in a big game last year, probably the biggest game, so I didn’t feel any pressure. I didn’t really have everything, but I felt good enough to win.”
The Mighty Oaks had 10 hits in the first game, but took advantage of five Union errors and 20 walks and three hit batsmen. Every batter in the lineup reached base at least once. Eight of the nine spots in the lineup scored at least one run.
Colin McLaughlin enjoyed his first-ever four-hit college game, going 4-for-4 with a sacrifice fly. The freshman third baseman kept it going in the nightcap with a single in his first at-bat and two walks in four plate appearances. He had been three for his last 26, but had cut down on his early-season strikeouts considerably.
“It feels amazing,” he said. “I feel as of recently I’ve been making pretty good contact here and it just felt really good to see those balls finally dropping, to see something go my way. Nothing changed at the plate, those balls were just falling today.”
Unlike Friday’s series opener that was tighter than it should’ve been, the Mighty Oaks took control of their destiny with three runs in each of the first three innings. Hernandez had a two-run double in the first, Hacker had a two-run single in the second, and McLaughlin’s sacrifice fly and two bases-loaded walks (among five passes in a row) highlighted the third.
NOTES: The Mighty Oaks serenades assistant coach Jake MacNellis with a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday” in the outfield huddle after the game … Hacker picked up his national leading 60th stolen base of the season in the opener. He needs eight for 100 in his JUCO career … If the playoffs were to start today, RCSJ-Gloucester would host Montco, Brookdale would host Salem, RCSJ-Cumberland would host Northampton and Middlesex would host Camden. There are six game the next two days that would impact the standings, the most significant for Salem being Montco at Ocean.
| Salem | 333 | 141 | 1- | 16 | 10 | 0 |
| Union | 010 | 100 | 0- | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| Salem | 000 | 042 | 2- | 8 | 7 | 5 |
| Union | 004 | 010 | 0- | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| REGION XIX D-III | R19 | ALL | GSAC |
| RCSJ-Gloucester | 27-5 | 33-10 | 19-5 |
| Brookdale | 25-8 | 38-10-1 | 20-5 |
| RCSJ-Cumberland | 24-9 | 32-11-1 | 18-6 |
| Middlesex | 23-10 | 33-15 | 18-8 |
| Camden | 21-11 | 24-15 | 14-10 |
| Northampton | 21-11 | 30-17 | |
| SALEM CC | 18-15 | 23-26 | 15-11 |
| Montgomery | 17-15 | 17-15 | |
| Ocean | 15-18 | 18-21 | 10-15 |
| Bergen | 11-22 | 13-29 | 11-16 |
| Atlantic Cape | 5-27 | 5-27 | 2-22 |
| Union | 3-28 | 7-31 | 0-25 |
| Delaware County | 1-32 | 2-32 |
SUNDAY’S GAMES
Union at Northampton (2)
Monroe-Bronx at Brookdale
Suffolk CC at Middlesex (2)
Sussex at UConn-Avery Point (2)
MONDAY’S GAMES
Camden at Delaware County, resumption
Montgomery at Ocean
RCSJ-Gloucester at Atlantic Cape
Bucks County at Northampton
Close to clinching
Mighty Oaks in position to clinch a Region XIX playoff berth in final doubleheader of regular season after getting past Union in series opener
REGION 19 BASEBALL
Friday’s Games
Salem CC 11, Union 7
Brookdale 25, Ocean 6
RCSJ-Cumberland 12, Bergen 0
RCSJ-Gloucester 29, Delaware County 3
Camden 4, Northampton 3
Middlesex 16, Atlantic Cape 8
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
CARNEYS POINT – The stage is set for the Salem CC baseball team to clinch a spot in the Region XIX playoffs, but the Mighty Oaks still have to take care of business in their final regular-season doubleheader. At least they control their own destiny.
The Mighty Oaks need only split Saturday’s twinbill with Union after Friday’s 11-7 win at The Treehouse to get into the region playoffs, whether it’s the eighth seed outright, a play-in game participant or a better seed.
A split will leave them 17-16 in region, satisfying the .500 or better record in region play caveat for qualifying; getting swept knocks them out. They can avoid a play-in game altogether if Ocean gets swept by current second-place Brookdale (Ocean lost Game 1 25-4) and they could finish as high as seventh if they sweep, Ocean gets swept and then beats Montgomery Monday, which is why they’re so intent on sweeping Union in Saturday’s doubleheader, which has been moved to the Carneys Point Rec Complex (with the Owls as home team).
“We just have to attend to our business,” right fielder Roman Hernandez said. “We played down to the level today, but we have to come out with energy and ready to kick their butt. We do have some pressure to win both of them (so) we can’t underestimate them. We’ve got to do our thing and play our way and not play down to the level.”
Pat Seitzinger is scheduled to get the ball for the Mighty Oaks in Game One. Interestingly, it will be only his third outing on the mound at The Treehouse – and it comes oddly enough in what technically is a road game. And just because they would clinch a playoff spot by winning the opener, it won’t change the way they approach Game Two.
“No, because we’ve got to win that one,” head coach John Holt said. “There’s a possibility of an 8-9 game. We don’t want an 8-9 game. That’s a one-game series on a Thursday. I’d rather control what we can control, win what we can win, and then let the cards fall.”
The game was a lot closer than it should have been given the teams’ positions in the standings. The Mighty Oaks (21-26) scored three runs in the first inning and opened a 5-1 lead in the second, and needed all of it. They never lost the lead, but they couldn’t shake the Owls (7-29).
It was a two-run game until the Mighty Oaks put three up in the seventh on a run-scoring error, Tyler Hacker’s sacrifice fly and Rocco String’s second RBI single of the game.
“Union played us tough,” Holt said. “They always seem to play us tough. Every year at the end of the year they always seem to find a way to make It a game with us.”
“I think some of our guys got out of our approach,” Hacker said. “Their guy wasn’t throwing very hard. We try to hit baseball hard and far, instead of putting it on the ground and doing our job.”
Hacker accounted for seven of the Mighty Oaks’ 11 runs. He had a two-run double in the first, a two-run single in the second and the sac fly for five total RBIs, and he scored twice. Hernandez had three hits and reached base four times. Cliff Wysinger and Jason LeBold both also reached four times.
“We get the stats before the game and see what the pitcher has done,” Hacker explained. “He walked a lot of guys, so going into the game we look for pitches we could hit, we could drive, and that’s what I did.”
Both of the Mighty Oaks’ statistical leaders added to their standing against the Owls. Hacker added two more stolen bases towards his all-of-JUCO leading total (56) on the way to his goal of 60 (and 100 career). Jason LeBold moved into solo second on this season’s Division III hit by pitch list after getting plunked in his first two at-bats. He’s now been hit 21 times – from head to toe.
“The thing for me is I don’t move out the way; I just let it hit me,” he said. “I’ve been called twice for learning into them. I just don’t really move out the way.
“Everyone in the dugout after I get hit by a pitch makes a big joke out of it. I know they find it fun. They know I get hit a lot, I just laugh it off. I had a lot last year for the little number of games I played. The Cumberland game here I got hit five times, in the head twice, everywhere. Now it’s just a big joke with all of them.”
There was a scary moment in the fifth inning when Salem starter Seth McCormick collapsed hard on the mound after his left leg buckled as he delivered a warm-up pitch. As scary as the scene looked, and he was helped off the field, team officials expect the sophomore right-hander to be all right. He already was dealing with elbow issues.
| Union | 010 | 112 | 110- | 7 | 13 | 4 |
| Salem CC | 321 | 101 | 30x- | 11 | 11 | 1 |
| REGION XIX D-III STANDINGS | R19 | ALL | GSAC |
| RCSJ-Gloucester | 25-5 | 31-10 | 19-5 |
| Brookdale | 23-8 | 36-10-1 | 18-5 |
| RCSJ-Cumberland | 21-9 | 29-11-1 | 15-6 |
| Northampton | 21-9 | 30-15 | |
| Middlesex | 21-10 | 31-15 | |
| Camden | 19-11 | 22-15 | 14-10 |
| Montgomery | 17-15 | 17-17 | |
| SALEM CC | 16-15 | 21-26 | 13-11 |
| Ocean | 15-16 | 18-19 | 10-13 |
| Bergen | 11-19 | 13-26 | 11-13 |
| Atlantic Cape | 5-25 | 5-25 | 2-20 |
| Union | 3-26 | 7-29 | 0-23 |
| Delaware County | 1-29 | 2-29 |
Friday sports report
Here are scores and highlights from the events on Friday’s Salem County sports calendar
BASEBALL
Woodstown 9, Gloucester 1: The Wolverines broke open a close game with six runs in the fourth inning, highlighted by consecutive RBI singles from Talyn Pirore, Blake Rodriguez, Chase Harding and Walker Battavio.
Battavio led Woodstown’s 11-hit attack with three hits and two RBIs, Priore had two hits and two RBIs, and Drew Sutton and Tommy Tucci both had two hits Dante Spina started on the mound and gave up one run over six innings and struck out eight.
Salem Tech 19, Lindenwold 2: The Chargers (11-3) already had a 9-0 lead, then erupted for 10 runs in the fourth to win their seventh in a row. They’ve scored 10 runs in more in all but two of their wins and are all the up to No. 8 in the South Jersey Group I power points standings. Jaxson Raymond went 3-for-3 with two RBIs, Logan Hearn went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and Daulton Sites had two hits and two RBIs.
Pennsville 18, Salem 0: Dante Cummings went 4-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs, Logan Streitz homered and drove in three runs and Mason O’Brien drove in four runs and pitched four innings of one-hit shutout ball with nine strikeouts. Streitz homered in the Eagles’ nine-run first inning and Cummings hit an inside-the-park homer in the nine-run third. Grady Sanders pitched the fifth and struck out the side in order.
SOFTBALL
Pennsville 15, Salem 0: The Eagles took control of their fifth straight win with six runs in the first inning to take control and Savannah Guglielmo spun a four-inning, one-hit shutout in the circle. Graillyn Weber had two hits and Kylie Harris and Gracie Mease both had a pair of RBIs.
Woodbridge Academy 8, Salem Tech 6: Woodbridge opened the season 0-10, but a couple one-run wins turned its season around and the Hornets have been playing better. Despite a 3-12 record, they opened a 7-0 lead over the then-once beaten Chargers after three innings and held on in the NJTAC 1/2 quarterfinals.
The winners had only three hits, but took advantage of 10 walks, seven in the first two innings. Claire Kier had two hits and two RBIs for Salem Tech, which scored three runs in the seventh inning to close the gap. Morgan Fogg and Isabele Roberts also had a pair of hits.
Schalick 11, Camden Tech 1: Freshman Kaylee Broglin went 3-for-3 with four RBIs and Paoge Sparks and Alexa Shimp also had three hits. The Cougars (9-2) extended a 2-1 lead with five runs in the third inning with five players each driving home a run.
TENNIS
WOODSTOWN 4, DEPTFORD 1
Drew Stengel (WO) def. David Decker, 6-1, 1-6, 10-8
Mason Shimp (WO) def. Easton Davis, 6-0, 6-0
Zane Rauner (D) def. Luke Shaw, 6-1, 6-2
Nick DiTeodoro-Vincent Merendino (WO) def. Xavier Dean-Noah Tennyson, 6-1, 6-3
Connor Miller-Josh King (WO) def. Jonathan Clark-Zayann Moosavi, 6-0, 6-2
Records: Deptford 9-5, Woodstown 10-5
Riverview Sports News 