Woodstown wins a pair of third-set tiebreakers to lock down a spot in SJ Group 1 boys tennis finals; Wolverines win their girls lacrosse playoff opener; includes scores from Thursday’s South Jersey Groups 1&2 playoff action
BASEBALL South Jersey Group I Tournament Schalick 23, Cape May Tech 0 Audubon 3, Gateway 0 Wildwood 10, Paulsboro 0 (Tues.) Maple Shade 2, Riverside 1 Haddon Twp. 19, LEAP 1 Pennsville 6, Pitman 5 Buena 8, Glassboro 2 (Wed.) Woodstown 12, Clayton 0 (Wed.) South Jersey Group II Tournament Barneget 16, Salem Tech 1 (Story on website) SOFTBALL Penns Grove vs. LEAP, Rutgers-Camden, 6 p.m. South Jersey Group I Quarterfinals Audubon 10, Riverside 0 Pennsville 8, Pitman 0 Palmyra 3, Gateway 2 Woodstown 3, Buena 1, 8 inns. (Story on website) GIRLS LACROSSE South Jersey Group I Tournament Woodstown 11, West Deptford 8 (See story below) TENNIS South Jersey Group I Semifinals West Deptford 5, Pt. Pleasant Beach 0 Woodstown 4, Haddon Twp. 1 (See story below)
Tennis: Woodstown plays for title
WESTMONT — Luke Shaw and the doubles team of Connor Miller and Josh King both came all the way back from dropping the first set to win third-set tiebreakers and lift Woodstown to a 4-1 win over Haddon Twp. for a spot in the South Jersey Group I boys tennis championship match.
The Wolverines (14-8) will play at top-seeded West Deptford (23-1) in the title match Tuesday. It’s their first trip to the SJ Group 1 boys final since 2019 — and first under head coach Jesse Stemberger — when they lost to Middle Twp. 3-2. Stemberger was the program’s assistant coach when it made the South Jersey final four straight years from 2016 to 2019.
Shaw lost the first set at third singles to Grady Carson, then evened the match 6-2 and won the pro set 10-5. Shaw was 9-9 at third singles, 10-10 overall, entering the match. Carson had won his last six matches and 13 of his last 15.
“Luke’s win was a little more intense because we had two points and if he wins, the match is over,” Stemberger said. “After losing the first set he told his parents he wasn’t going to lose. He took control of the second set, built a lead in the tiebreaker and closed it out with a big first serve on his first match point.”
Miller and King dropped their first set to Sylar Kennedy and Jack Considine at second doubles 5-7, then won the second set 6-3 and the pro set 10-4. Miller and King were 13-4 entering the match (2-1 in third-set tiebreakers). Kennedy and Considine had won their last five matches
“They didn’t have the pressure, but they wanted to win and basically followed the same script as Luke,” Stemberger said.
GROUP 1 SECTIONAL FINALS Tuesday’s matches Central: Edison Magnet (7-12) at Metuchen (14-0) North I: Pascack Hills (15-4) at Glen Rock (16-3) North II: Glen Ridge (8-12) at Verona (17-5) South: Woodstown (14-8) at West Deptford (23-1)
Girls lacrosse: Woodstown wins opener
WOODSTOWN — Delaney Walker added four more goals to her school-record total and Emma Morgan added another assist to that all-time school record, powering Woodstown to an 11-8 victory over West Deptford in the first round of the South Jersey Group 1 playoffs.
Walker’s four goals ran her career total to 243. Morgan extended her assist record to 85 and also scored a goal.
Blair Baldi, Arianna Hyman and Emma Perry all scored twice for the Wolverines (10-7), who now travel to second-seeded Rumson-Fair Haven (14-5) for Monday’s quarterfinals.
Woodstown rallies to take down Schalick in South Jersey Group I softball tourney opener; Pennsville win, Salem Tech falls; Woodstown lone survivor in SJ Group I tennis quarterfinals
SOFTBALL South Jersey Group I Tournament Audubon 15, Paulsboro 0 Riverside 8, Maple Shade 1 Pennsville 10, Wildwood 0 Pitman 11, Haddon Twp. 2 Glassboro at Palmyra, 3:30 p.m. (Wed.) Gateway 12, Cape May Tech 8 Woodstown 7, Schalick 3 Buena 14, Burlington Twp. 1 South Jersey Group II Tournament Gloucester 10, Haddonfield 0 Middle Twp. 8, Oakcrest 7 West Deptford 11, Collingswood 0 Cedar Creek 15, Manchester Twp. 0 Haddon Heights 15, Lower Cape May 0 Cinnaminson 11, Salem Tech 0 Medford Tech 5, Sterling 1 Barnegat 14, Overbrook 0
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – He watched his team hit softball after softball on the button for four innings and get nothing for it, but Woodstown coach Rob Hildebrand remained confident all it would take is one ball falling in play to change the Wolverines’ fortunes.
There was a slow roller up the first base line that refused to go foul, a dropped fly in the outfield, another ball just out of the reach of an outfielder that cleared the bases and suddenly the Wolverines had a rally going.
The dropped fly, instead of being the last out of the fifth inning, opened the door for a five-run rally that gave Woodstown the lead and lifted them to a 7-3 win over Schalick in the opening round of the South Jersey Group 1 playoffs.
“All that it takes is putting one ball in play, I literally told them that the inning before,” Hildebrand said. “The first inning it’s rocket, rocket, rocket and a blooper falls in for our base-runner. That’s the game of softball/baseball. It will fall when it wants to fall; when it doesn’t (want to), it doesn’t.
“That’s why you have to put the ball in play and we’ve got to limit our strikeouts. That’s something we’ve really been working on, having better quality at bats. The girls have only gotten better and better at that as the year’s gone on.”
The seventh-seeded Wolverines looked in real danger of losing to their county and division rivals for the third time late in the game.
The Cougars took a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the fifth and Addi Shimp was pitching brilliantly in the circle. The left-hander held the Wolverines to just two hits and three baserunners to that point, and kept them off the scoreboard with the help of a diving catch by centerfielder Noelani Whitley in the first inning that Hildebrand called “the best play I’ve seen all year in the outfield” and robbed Kendall Young of an RBI double or more.
The offense, meanwhile, pushed across a run in the third on Liv VanAcker’s RBI single and two in the fourth on a walk and four consecutive singles. They also had two runners cut down on close plays at the plate.
Shimp was headed for another quiet inning in the fifth when she retired the first two batters on a fly to center and a strikeout. But Emma Hitchner, pressed into her second career start due to an injury to regular catcher Lila Bowling, kept the inning alive with a single to center.
Ellie Wygand followed with a roller up the first base line that stayed in for a single, bringing Talia Guardascione to the plate for the at-bat that changed the game. Wanting to “do something big” after a hard flyout in her previous at-bat, Guardascione lifted a fly to center that looked like it would end the inning. Instead, the ball hit the heel of Whitley’s up-turned glove and after making an attempt to save it the ball fell away to score Hitchner with the Wolverines’ first run.
“That girl made a great catch the first inning and I was really shocked that she dropped my ball.,” Guardascione said. “When I saw it hit in the air I knew I got under it. I thought for sure she had it and I was just hoping everyone was still running. I even slowed up a little bit at first because I was already there by the time they were. It was great to see her drop it. I think she tried to be a little nonchalant (and) it got to her, and then after that it sparked the rally a little bit.”
Leah Clark walked to load the bases. Young then dropped a single in front of a diving Whitley that cleared the bases and gave the Wolverines a 4-3 lead. Maddie LaPalomento then doubled past a diving Kassady Sickler in right to make it 5-3.
“I just really let it all happen,” Young said. “After it comes off my bat I just run all the way through the bases and see what happens.”
“I could tell off the bat it was a base hit but because she made that other great catch I was just running as fast as I could with two outs because I knew I was getting home,” Guardascione said.
For all the balls the Wolverines put in play in the fifth, several of them said the biggest hit of the inning belonged to Hitchner for setting it all in motion. The sophomore had played in only seven games this season prior to Tuesday’s start and had nine career at-bats prior to her hit.
“Emma’s hit gave us the confidence to come back,” Young said.
“I was pretty nervous going up there because my first at bat was not very good,” she said, “but then I just told myself it’s a 2-2 count you’ve gotta do something here. Definitely going into (the game) I was just like I’ve got to prove myself, I haven’t really gotten the opportunity all year, but I definitely proved myself today.”
The Wolverines extended their lead to 7-3 with two runs in the sixth. The Cougars threatened in the seventh, getting two on after two were out, but Clark struck out the next batter to end the game. Clark held the Cougars to just one hit and four base runners over the final three innings to pick up her 15th win of the season, believed to be the most by a Woodstown pitcher since Anna Marino’s 16 in 1979.
It was the third year in a row the Cougars (14-7) were eliminated by Woodstown.
“It wasn’t our best effort; we didn’t put out the defensive effort that we should have and it cost us,” Schalick coach Rick Higinbotham said. “We knew that would be the case, we would have to play defense; we didn’t do what we needed to do. We’ve got to play seven innings of solid softball, not five, not four, and that’s what we haven’t been able to do on some of our games this year. We get five, six innings, and then we have a cluncker of an inning. We’ll get better from it.”
Woodstown (17-8) now travels to second-seeded Buena (18-8) for Thursday’s quarterfinals game. The Wolverines have won eight in a row and 11 of their last 12
PENNSVILLE 10, WILDWOOD 0: Graillyn Weber went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and spun a four-hit shutout in the circle, Avery Watson went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Lily Edwards went 3-for-3 to collect her 100th career hit. The Eagles walked it off on Taylor Bass’ RBI single following Reagan Wariwanchik’s leadoff triple in the fifth.
Weber walked three and struck out four while shutting out the Warriors for the second time this season. She threw a three-hit shutout at them with a career-high 11 strikeouts on April 13.
Edwards led off the home first with a single, stole second and third, and scored on Weber’s sacrifice fly. She singled in the second and scored on an RBI single by Watson and collected her milestone hit with a single to center in the third. She’s had three hits in three of her last four games.
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP 2 CINNAMINSON 11, SALEM TECH 0: The Pirates put together Hailee Hunter’s two-run homer and three consecutive doubles to produce five runs in the first inning to take the upper hand.
The 11th-seeded Chargers (13-6) were held to two hits in their first-ever playoff game in program history — singles by Izzy Roberts in the first and third innings. They did put two runners on with one out in the first, but the Pirates quelled the threat with a pair of strikeouts.
Hunter had three hits and four RBIs for the Pirates (13-11). Mia Zuccarelli had three hits and three RBIs.
Woodstown celebrates its come-from-behind playoff victory over Schalick in the circle with pitcher Leah Clark after getting the final out.
Tennis
South Jersey Group I Quarterfinals West Deptford 5, Penns Grove 0 Pt. Pleasant Beach 3, Pennsville 2 Woodstown 4, Pitman 1 Haddon Twp. 5, Schalick 0 Thursday’s Semifinals Pt. Pleasant Beach (14-4) at West Deptford (22-1) Woodstown (13-3) at Haddon Twp. (14-7)
WEST DEPTFORD 5, PENNS GROVE 0 Carter Watson (WD) def. Stuart Mondragon Aiden Bardon (WD) def. Anthony Pacheco, 6-1, 6-1 Carter Weber (WD) def. Juan Ortiz, 6-1, 6-2 Chase Eagle-Jeffrey Hack (WD) def. Jesus Arredondo-Adan Gonzalez, 6-0, 6-1 Allen Eastlack-Connor Watson (WD) def. Jordan Hernandez-Fernando Palacios Lima, 6-1, 6-0 Records: West Deptford 22-1, Penns Grove 7-9
Here is the Salem County sports calendar for the week of May 25-May 30
TUESDAY, MAY 26 SOFTBALL South Jersey Group I Tournament Paulsboro at Audubon Riverside at Maple Shade Wildwood at Pennsville Haddon Twp. at Pitman Glassboro at Palmyra Cape May Tech at Gateway Schalick at Woodstown, 3 p.m. Burlington Twp. at Buena GOLF TCC Showcase, Pitman GC GIRLS LACROSSE Woodstown at Nottingham, 5 p.m. TENNIS South Jersey Group I Quarterfinals Penns Grove at West Deptford Pennsville at Pt. Pleasant Beach Pitman vs. Woodstown Schalick vs. Haddon Twp., 3 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 27 BASEBALL South Jersey Group I Tournament Cape May Tech at Schalick Gateway at Audubon Paulsboro at Wildwood Riverside at Maple Shade LEAP at Haddon Twp. Pitman at Pennsville Buena at Glassboro Clayton at Woodstown, 3 p.m. South Jersey Group II Tournament Salem Tech at Barnegat
THURSDAY, MAY 28 SOFTBALL Penns Grove vs. LEAP, Rutgers-Camden, 6 p.m. South Jersey Group I Quarterfinals Paulsboro-Audubon vs. Riverside-Maple Shade Wildwood-Pennsville vs. Haddon Twp.-Pitman Glassboro-Palmyra vs. Cape May Tech-Gateway Schalick-Woodstown vs. Burlington Twp.-Buena South Jersey Group II Quarterfinals Haddon Heights-Lower Cape May vs. Salem Tech-Cinnaminson GIRLS LACROSSE South Jersey Group I Tournament West Deptford at Woodstown TENNIS South Jersey Group I Semifinals Penns Grove-West Deptford vs. Pennsville-Pt. Pleasant Beach Pitman-Woodstown vs. Schalick-Haddon Twp.
FRIDAY, MAY 29 BASEBALL South Jersey Group I Tournament Cape May Tech-Schalick vs. Gateway-Audubon Paulsboro-Wildwood vs. Riverside-Maple Shade LEAP-Haddon Twp. vs. Pitman-Pennsville Buena-Glassboro vs. Clayton-Woodstown South Jersey Group II Tournament Salem Tech-Barnegat vs. Mastery Camden-Haddon Heights TRACK NJSIAA Championships, Franklin HS
SATURDAY, MAY 30 TRACK NJSIAA Championships, Franklin HS
Penns Grove sweeps Palmyra for first win in South Jersey Group I tennis tournament since 2022, Pennsville swamps Audubon
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNS GROVE — Back in 2022, the last time Penns Grove tennis had any success in the postseason, the current players on the Red Devils’ team hadn’t given a second thought to picking up a tennis racquet.
They were all soccer players first and foremost and spent most of their time dreaming of being the next Messi, Junior or Neymar than the next Rafael Nadal.
Most of them, unless they had a brother playing the sport already, didn’t pick up a racquet with a serious thought of becoming a tennis player until the summer of 2024 when they followed their buddies after assistant soccer coach Chucho Lopez told them to play another sport in the spring just to stay in shape. The fact Lopez also was the new tennis coach made it an easy choice.
Fast forward to Friday. Those same players who didn’t know a tennis racquet from a flyswatter two years ago made a little Penns Grove tennis history, sweeping past Palmyra 5-0 to win the school’s first South Jersey Group I tournament match since 2022, Lopez’ first year as a tennis assistant one year removed from playing in the program himself.
“This is great,” Lopez said. “We haven’t won since 2022 and we couldn’t have done it without these athletes. These guys are all soccer guys. None of these guys are true tennis players
“We’re the underdogs. Our school builds these athletes. We don’t play tennis, we come here, we learn. They don’t even know how to hold a tennis racquet. I tell them all the time make sure you get the right-handed racquet when you go buy one. It’s good to see that (development). You can learn and teach them something they can use their whole life. It’s very special.”
Sophomore third singles Juan Ortiz was in sixth grade the last time Penns Grove won a tournament match and he, for one, “never expected” he’d be playing tennis.
“I don’t think anyone here expected to play tennis, to be totally honest with you,” he said.
The Red Devils’ last tournament win before Friday was a 3-2 opening-round upset at seventh-seeded Pennsville almost four years ago to the day. All three of their points that day were won in three sets, with two going to intense third-set tiebreakers. They were swept out in the next round and while they made the tournament each of the next three years they were swept in the first round each time.
Ortiz ended the dry spell with the program’s first tournament point in four years when he beat Simon Jacobs in straight sets, 6-1, 6-0. That was quickly followed by a sweep of the doubles points by Jesus Arredando and Adan Gonzalez (6-3, 6-1) and freshmen Jordan Hernandez and Fernando Palacios (6-2, 6-3) to clinch the match.
They played on after the clinch and Anthony Pacheco won at No. 2 singles and Stuart Mondragon won a second-set tiebreaker at first singles with a couple beautiful passing shots down the line to complete the sweep.
“It means a lot to be in the history of the school and representing,” Ortiz said.
“I knew (the history), that’s why I was really excited for this,” captain Arredando said. “There was a lot of pressure but we overcame it. We did great.”
Penns Grove’s Juan Ortiz (L) and coach Chucho Lopez are all smiles after the sophomore secured the Red Devils’ first sectional tournament point since 2022 in Friday’s first-round match against Palmyra.
The Red Devils (7-8) had to overcome a lot to get where they are. The lineup Lopez rolled out Friday only slightly resembled the one that started the season. It underwent a major shift after they lost their first single player to work obligations.
Mondragon moved up to first singles where he consistently faced the opponent’s best player, Pacheco went to second singles and Ortiz went to third singles after beating out doubles partner Arredando in two challenges matches. Arredando stayed in doubles and the freshmen Arredando helped recruit from the soccer team were put together when another player wasn’t available.
The Red Devils have gone 5-7 since the shakeup and earned the bracket’s No. 8 seed for their first home match in the tournament since before 2017. .
“It was terrible at first; it was really, really difficult,” Ortiz said of the switch. “Since I was used to playing with a partner and (now it was) me just depending on myself it was hard, but I stuck to it and now I’m here. At first it was difficult, but then you get used to it. I just got used to it. I started to practice with the other singles and now it is more fun to play singles than doubles.”
Since the shakeup, Arredando has had so many doubles partners even Lopez has lost count (it’s actually been six), but the sophomore has remained steady throughout. He has a 10-4 record in all doubles, 5-3 at first doubles.
“It’s a little difficult to adjust, but it’s good experience to play with different players,” he said. “Being able to adjust to different teammate is really good and is good for my growth.”
The Red Devils’ reward for winning Friday is a trip to once-beaten top-seeded West Deptford (21-1) in Tuesday’s quarterfinals. It’s a daunting task, the Eagles have won 13 in a row, but in the big picture an experience worth having.
“It’s a nice challenge, but it gives them an eye opener that you’re not bound to just this small pond,” Lopez said. “There are lot of more better players out there. There are people who’ve been doing this since they were little, but for you to show up and represent Penns Grove and let them know this is what I got and you’re gonna get what I have, that’s really what we embody here.
“We embody sportsmanship and at the end of the day just overall effort. I keep saying effort, but that’s what I want from them. I want the best they can provide and show every time I see them on the court or on the field. I always tell them it’s either you win or you learn. I don’t say the word lose,. You win or learn because every day you’re learning how to get better.”
PENNS GROVE 5, PALMYRA 0 Stuart Mondragon (PG) def. Jack Timlin, 6-0, 7-6 (7-4) Anthony Pacheco (PG) def. Rian Austin, 6-3, 6-0 Juan Ortiz (PG) def. Simon Jacobs, 6-1, 6-0 Jesus Arredando-Adan Gonzalez (PG) def. Aiden Finch-Will Rossignol, 6-3, 6-2 Jordan Hernandez-Fernando Palacios Lima (PG) def. Gavin Holland-Jack Vitalie, 6-2, 6-3 Records: Penns Grove 7-8, Palmyra 5-13.
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I QUARTERFINALS Tuesday’s matches (8) Penns Grove (7-8) at (1) West Deptford (21-1) (5) Pennsville (18-6) at (4) Point Pleasant Beach (13-4) (6) Pitman (14-7) at (3) Woodstown (12-8) (7) Schalick (9-10) at (2) Haddon Twp. (13-7)
Top photo: Penns Grove tennis coach Jesus “Chucho” Lopez talks with his team after it swept Palmyra in the South Jersey Group I tournament Friday.
Penns Grove No. 1 doubles team of Adan Gonzalez (L) and Jesus Arredando wait out a break during their sectional tournament match Friday.
Down to the game’s last strike, Schalick freshman hits go-ahead three-run homer in seventh to send Cougars past Pennsville; Woodstown’s Wygand collects hit No. 100 in win over Pitman
PENNSVILLE – Most of the boxes the Schalick softball team has marked off their historical checklist this spring are linked to things they haven’t done since that magical season of 2021. But there is something the Cougars pulled off Tuesday night that takes them back a lot farther than that.
SPARKS
Among the big things they’ve done this season are sweeping the regular-season series from rival Woodstown and winning the TCC Diamond Division title, two things that hadn’t happened in five years. When they beat Pennsville 6-5 at the Pennsville Little League complex Tuesday night, it marked the first time since 2017 they have completed a sweep of their Salem County rivals the regular season.
They went 6-0 against Woodstown (twice), Penns Grove (twice), Salem (once) and Pennsville (once). They didn’t play start-up Salem Tech. In 2017, they beat Woodstown (twice), Penns Grove (twice) and Salem (once) in the regular-season and then Pennsville in the playoffs.
“Oh, really, I didn’t know that,” Schalick coach Rick Higinbotham said. “I didn’t keep track of that, but that’s great. That’s good to know.
“That’s a historical thing I didn’t really think about, but it’s always fun to play Pennsville. We played them last year, I think the game 5-4 and we pulled it off at home. They’re a good team. A good quality win against them heading into the playoffs that would be a good thing for us.
“It’s nice to be the top dog in the county, but this is Year No. 1 of some of our freshmen and I’m looking for more from them going down the line. I hope we get some more county wins along the way. That’d be fun.”
They got the latest one in dramatic fashion with one of those freshmen providing the biggest punch. Freshman Paige Sparks, down to the team’s final strike in the seventh inning, drilled a go-ahead three-run homer to swipe the lead back after the Eagles snatched it from them with five runs the inning before.She also broke a scoreless tie with a two-run single to center in the third.
“All I was thinking was just make contact,” Sparks said of her game-winning blast. “Don’t swing away, just make contact.
“It was pretty exciting, being my first home run in high school. I was really happy, real excited, because it landed right next to my parents (watching in the outfield).”
Addi Shimp kept the Eagles off the board for five innings. But as he has done in the past Higginbotham lifted her in favor of hard-throwing freshman Kaylee Broglin as a late-game change of pace. This time the move backfired as the Eagles reached her for five runs through a combination of hits, speed and wild pitches.
The Eagles scored their tying and go-ahead runs on balls that got away at the plate, forcing Higinbotham to bring Shimp back into the circle from first base to prevent further damage. The first batter she faced, Taylor Bass, beat out an infield single and in her attempt to catch Reagan Wariwanchik straying too far from third, Broglin’s throw skipped in the dirt and got away allowing the fifth run to race home.
“They showed grit in that inning and showed they’re never out of it,” Pennsville coach Beth Jackson said. “They hit the ball today. They were making contact, but it was right at them. It’s tough.”
“I was thinking I made a mistake,” Higinbotham said. “She’s done that in the past four or five games for us, come in and shut the door. They were ready for it. We’ll learn from it.”
Now that they had the lead, all the Eagles had to do was hold the line in the seventh and they’d have a Senior Night win to remember. And they nearly got out of it. Neolani Whitley traded places with Shimp on the bases with a fielder’s choice that brought the second out. Pinch hitter Taylor Brown kept the inning alive when she reached on an infield error.
That brought Sparks to the plate. Graillyn Weber, who earlier in the game recorded her 100th career strikeout, had the freshman down in the count. One more good pitch could end it, but she threw a juicy fastball in the zone and Broglin sent it into the night to give Schalick a 6-5 lead.
“I think it’s pretty mind blowing,” Sparks said. “I’ve been watching it for a while because my sister played before me. It was very big because I didn’t see them do that.”
The Eagles did mount a threat in the bottom of the seventh. Lily Edwards reached on an error and got into scoring position with one out, but Shimp got out of it with a fly out and ground out to end the game.
The Cougars aren’t done playing county rivals, actually. They’ll open the South Jersey Group I playoffs Tuesday at Woodstown.
“We beat ‘em twice, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t beat them a third time,” Higinbotham said. “We’ll see what happens. You never know. It’s playoff time.”
Wygand gets milestone hit in win
PITMAN – Ellie Wygand had been sitting on 99 career hits since last Thursday and was eager to get the milestone across the line.
The Woodstown senior wasted little time nailing down career hit No. 100, sending a payoff pitch into centerfield leading off the game in an eventual 5-3 Wolverines win over Pitman.
Woodstown’s Ellie Wygand warms up between innings during a recent game.
“I was just waiting to sit on the right pitch,” she said. “She was kind of a wildish pitcher, not sure what she was going to throw next, and I sat on a pitch. It wasn’t like a line drive, but it got the job done. It landed perfectly and that was my hit.”
The FDU-Florham signee went 1-for-3 in the game with a walk. She got her milestone hit in her 247th high school at-bat over four years. She’s increased her hit total each season she played and now had 37 for the season. She needs nine runs for 100 in that category.
“I think it took a lot of pressure on me,” she said of delivering in her first at-bat. “Coming in as a freshman I didn’t even have this as one of my goals, but going into my senior year I was really excited to have the opportunity to achieve that. Coming into my first at-bat and getting it done it took a lot of pressure on my shoulders and now you can just have fun with the rest of the season and work hard.”
After locking down the milestone hit, Wygand got all the way to third base, but the Wolverines could get her home. The Wolverines were then thrown into catch-up mode after Pitman scored three in the home half of the inning, but they steadily climbed back into it.
They got a run in the second on a wild pitch and tied it in the third on Karly Spears’ bases-loaded fielder’s choice and another wild pitch.
They took the lead in the fourth on Leah Clark’s tie-breaking RBI single and a run-scoring grounder to first by Maddie LaPalomento.
Meanwhile, Clark put up zeroes from circle after the first inning. She scattered five hits the rest of the game and allowed only one runner past second base, and that was with two outs in the sixth.
The Wolverines are gearing up for the South Jersey Group I playoffs, where they enter as the No. 7 seed and host rival Schalick in the opening round Tuesday. They’ll have some extra motivation for the game, having lost both games of the season series for the first time since 2021.
“We weren’t aware of this until a couple days ago and when I found out it definitely was shocking,” Wygand said. “But I fully believe if we go out there and play with our hearts on the line and give it our all we have a very good shot at winning that game.”
CLAYTON 16, PENNS GROVE 8: The Clippers erased an early 7-0 Penns Grove lead with 17 runs in the second inning. They sent 23 batters to the plate in the eruption. Janice Blair went 4-for-5 with four RBIs for Clayton.
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I SOFTBALL Tuesday’s First-Round Games (16) Paulsboro at (1) Audubon (9) Riverside at (8) Maple Shade (12) Wildwood at (5) Pennsville (13) Haddon Twp. at (4) Pitman (14) Glassboro at (3) Palmyra (11) Cape May Tech at (6) Gateway (10) Schalick at (7) Woodstown (15) Burlington City at (2) Buena
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP 2 SOFTBALL Tuesday’s First-Round Games (16) Haddonfield at (1) Gloucester (9) Oakcrest at (8) Middle Twp. (12) Collingswood at (5) West Deptford (13) Manchester Twp. at (4) Cedar Creek (14) Lower Cape May at (3) Haddon Heights (11) Salem Tech at (6) Cinnaminson (10) Sterling at (7) Medford Tech (15) Overbrook at (2) Barnegat
Schalick sophomore right-hander throws masterful complete-game in longest outing of his career, likely to start in Cougars’ playoff opener; Woodstown pair no-hits Pitman; includes SJ baseball playoff pairings
TUESDAY BASEBALL Schalick 12, Pennsville 3 Woodstown 8, Pitman 0 Clayton at Penns Grove Gloucester at Salem Tech Salem at Glassboro
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PITTSGROVE – Matt Karr flat-out said Schalick pitcher Mason Sanchez played truth or dare with his Pennsville hitters Tuesday afternoon.
The sophomore right-hander threw it up there, dared the Eagles to hit it and the truth was they never did, or simply couldn’t.
The Cougars’ projected first-round playoff starter looked like a righthander version of another pitcher named Sanchez in the Philadelphia market – Phillies’ left-hander Christopher Sanchez – especially in the late innings of a masterful 12-3 complete-game victory over the Eagles,
“That’s what they call me in school, actually,” the slender sophomore said with a smile.
The Schalick Sanchez, who still plays Little League baseball and is proud of it, allowed just three hits, no earned runs, walked one and struck out three. He was especially sharp late in the game, retiring the last 15 batters he faced after throwing away Mason O’Brien’s bunt single leading off the third inning. He threw 94 pitches, 64 for strikes.
“We got our butts kicked – period,” Karr said. “He threw well, shoved it. Threw the ball right down the middle and played truth or dare. Said I dare you to hit it and we couldn’t. Just an absolute, awful, poor, no effort. It’s just … embarrassing.”
It was the longest outing of Sanchez’ career and clearly the most effective. He had never gone more than three innings in any outing before. The Cougars are 7-3 in the games he pitches.
“I was thinking before the season even started what do I want to be this season, a starter, reliever, a starter, reliever,” the pitcher said. “They’ve been talking about it and now we decided on starter. My goal coming into this game was to get at least three strikeouts and keep it under four hits, because that’s just my goal for every game. I’m not a big guy who goes up there and strikes everybody out like Jamari (Whitley) and Cole (Hartley). I’m a guy who goes up there and tries to (get them to) hit the ball. I know my defense is really good, the guys behind me.”
“I wanted him to challenge them,” Schalick coach Sean O’Brien said. “We don’t want to walk guys. You saw what happened yesterday where we give free passes and teams will hurt you. Limit the walks and challenge guys to give you weak contact is kind of what we want to do. He did that, embraced that, and did a great job. If you compete and you’re not walking guys ,hitters are going to get themselves out. You just make the right pitch and you just have to trust your fielders behind you to make the plays and he did a good job doing that today.”
Offensively, it was a complete 180 from what both teams experienced the day before. Pennsville kept the meter running and crushed Penns Grove 28-8, while Schalick was lethargic in a 13-5 loss to Haddon Heights.
The Cougars (17-7) answered Pennsville both times the Eagles (14-9) scored in the first three innings. They finally took the lead for good on Jamari Whitley’s two-run single in the fourth, then broke it open with seven in the fifth on a combination of hard-hit balls, soft or seeing-eye liners and poor Pennsville defense. Ricky Watt had a chance to walk it off with his 100th career hit in the sixth, but flew out to center for the final out of the inning and leave him sitting on 99.
Five Cougars had at least two hits in the game. Evan Glaspey had three hits and three RBIs.
“The good thing about having a bad game and then you get to play the next day is then you can kind of quickly forget about the day before,” O’Brien said. “We did a good job of settling into the game, Mason did a good job settling into the game. We started a little slow, we were making some errors behind him, but we picked it up there and then offensively we finally started to pick things up. One through nine we were hitting the ball hard and we didn’t do that consistently yesterday.
“I just want our guys to just be playing good baseball when next week comes around. Playing good teams and beating good teams is playing good baseball. I think that helps us going forward.”
WOODSTOWN 8, PITMAN 0: Blake Rodriguez and Stone Hassler combined on a seven-inning no-hitter, facing the minimum 21 batters. The only base runner they allowed was a third-inning walk to Payton Miller by Rodriguez and Miller was erased on a double play.
Rodriguez worked the first 5 2/3 innings, coming out after 73 pitches. Hassler threw 16 pitches to get the final four outs.
The Wolverines took control of this one early, scoring four runs in the first inning. Luke Fraley had two hits and two RBIs. Drew Sutton and Sol Elmer also had a pair of hits. Tommy Tucci went 1-for-3 to collect his 50th career hit and Ty Coblentz went 1-for-4 to move within nine of 100.
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I PLAYOFFS Wednesday’s First-Round Games (16) Cape May Tech at (1) Schalick (9) Gateway at (8) Audubon (12) Paulsboro at (5) Wildwood, Tuesday (13) Riverside at (4) Maple Shade (14) LEAP at (3) Haddon Twp. (11) Pitman at (6) Pennsville (10) Buena at (7) Glassboro, 2 p.m. (15) Clayton at (2) Woodstown
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP 2 PLAYOFFS Wednesday’s First-Round Games (16) Collingswood at (1) Haddonfield (9) Manchester Twp. at (8) Middle Twp. (12) Lower Cape May at (5) Seneca (13) Gloucester at (4) Sterling (14) Pleasantville at (3) Cedar Creek (11) Medford Tech at (6) West Deptford (10) Salem Tech at (7) Barnegat, 3:45 p.m. (15) Mastery Camden at (2) Haddon Heights
Here are scores and highlights from Tuesday’s Salem County sports calendar; detailed stories will be posted on the website soon
BASEBALL Schalick 12, Pennsville 3: Mason Sanchez looked like another pitcher named Sanchez in Philly market with masterful complete game win. Woodstown 8, Pitman 0: Blake Rodriguez and Stone Hassler combined seven-inning no-hitter, facing the minimum 21 batters. The only base runner they allowed was a third-inning walk and he was erased on a double play. Clayton at Penns Grove Gloucester at Salem Tech Salem at Glassboro
SOFTBALL Clayton 26, Penns Grove 8: The Clippers erased an early 7-0 Penns Grove lead with 17 runs in the second inning. Woodstown 5, Pitman 3: Ellie Wygand collects her 100th career hit in her first at-bat. Schalick 6, Pennsville 5: Paige Sparks, down to her team’s last strike, hits go-ahead three-run homer in seventh, drives in five runs.
GOLF Schalick 180, Cumberland 186: One day after beating the Colts in a three-way card playoff for the Salem/Cumberland Challenge team title, the Cougars edge them in a match to claim a share of the TCC Diamond Division title (with Woodstown).
TENNIS Clayton at Penns Grove
BOYS LACROSSE Bishop Eustace 9, Woodstown 7: The Crusaders outscored three goals in the fourth quarter to win. Connor Haney and Bob Waddington each scored three goals for Woodstown. Bryce Downer made 15 saves, finishing his Woodstown career with 731.
Here are scores and highlights from Monday’s Salem County sports calendar; this report will be updated
BASEBALL Haddon Heights 13, Schalick 5 Pennsville 28, Penns Grove 8 Camden Academy Charter 10, Salem 8 SOFTBALL Pennsville 17, Salem 0 Haddonfield 13, Salem Tech 2 BOYS VOLLEYBALL Triton 2, Salem Tech 0 (27-25, 25-18) GIRLS LACROSSE Woodstown 21, Haddon Heights 8 TENNIS Pennsville 5, Penns Grove 0
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PITTSGROVE – A division title and the number one seed in the South Jersey Group I baseball playoffs may be firmly in Schalick’s back pocket, but the Cougars know there’s a lot more work to be done.
The Cougars have three games between now and the start of the playoffs – starting with Monday’s 13-5 loss to Haddon Heights – and while the games might not count for power points they still carry a lot of weight.
“These are games we need to try to get heading in that right direction, where we’re playing our best baseball heading into next week,” Schalick coach Sean O’Brien said. “There’s a week gap between the games so I think if we end on a positive note it just sets us up nicely for that first round. So, we’re trying to get playing good baseball before we start next week.:
It didn’t start the way they wanted. The Garnets (15-6), the No. 2 seed in the South Jersey Group 2 playoffs, led for the entirety of the 3-hour, 12-minute marathon. They reached Schalick starter Jamari Whitley for two runs in the first inning, extended the lead to 5-1 in the third and then broke it open with seven in the fifth to threaten to run-rule their hosts.
The Cougars (16-7) scored in the home half of every inning the Garnets did, but it was never enough.
“The three aspects of the game – pitching, hitting and fielding – we didn’t do any of them well,” O’Brien said. “It’s hard to beat a good team when you don’t do those things well. They’re a scrappy team, they find ways to get runs, and we just didn’t do our job overall today. That’s what it came down to.”
The Cougars did manage to avoid the run rule by scoring just enough in the home fifth to keep the game going.
“I think offensively we’re too good to be held down for that long, so I knew we could still get some runs; it was just our mentality,” O’Brien said.
The Cougars just couldn’t get that timely hit to spark a big inning. They left the bases loaded in the second, third, fifth and sixth innings. The only production they got out of those situations was RBI singles by J.T. Fleming and Whitley in the fifth and Wyatt Cushane getting hit by a pitch in the sixth. They left 14 runners on base, 10 in scoring position.
“We’ve gotten better with less than two outs and bases loaded, but now with bases loaded with two outs it’s like a new challenge that we have to deal with,” O’Brien said. “We’re getting guys on, we’re just not getting them in, and you can’t do that against good team. You have to capitalize to stay in games and win games.”
Garnets leadoff man Ryan Govito had a big day. He singled in each of his first five at-bats and had a chance in the seventh to go 6-for-6, but Bo Schalick, the Cougars’ fourth pitcher, got the sophomore shortstop to line softly to second.
“Five is a lot, six would’ve been nice, but I did the job,” said Govito, who had a four-hit game earlier this season. “The last at-bat I was just trying to keep the approach simple, middle of the field, same thing as before. I was trying to get a fastball, but I didn’t; maybe swung at a bad pitch.”
Ricky Watt got the Cougars on the board with his eighth homer of the season in the first inning.
“I saw five or six sliders before and then I finally got a fastball and got the barrel to it,” he said.
Watt had a double later in the game. He now has 97 career hits.
“I want to get it before playoffs hit,” he said. “I hadn’t really thought about (100 career hits) a whole lot; it’s not the No. 1 thing on my mind. But I’m excited about it.”
PENNSVILLE 28, PENNS GROVE 8: Jeff Wagner hit a grand slam and drove in five runs, Mason O’Brien homered and Steve Fatcher and Logan Cowperthwait each had four RBIs. The Eagles scored 10 in the third to break it open and 11 in the fourth.
CAMDEN ACADEMY CHARTER10, SALEM 8; The Cougars answered Salem’s six-run fourth with five in the bottom of the inning to tie the game, then pushed across runs in the fifth and sixth to win. Andry Placencia scored the go-ahead run on a ball that got away at the plate and Lenox Angeles singled home the insurance run. Austin Davis had two hits and three RBIs for the Rams, Troy Carey had two RBIs.
SOFTBALL PENNSVILLE 17, SALEM 0: The Eagles scored 10 runs in the first inning and Savannah Guglielmo pitched a four-inning no-hitter.
HADDONFIELD 13, SAEM TECH 2: The Bulldogs pulled away from a 3-2 lead with seven runs in the fifth inning. Shelby Drummond had two hits for the Chargers and scored their first run on a steal of home.
TENNIS PENNSVILLE 5, PENNS GROVE 0 Sawyer Humphrey (P) def. Anthony Pacheco, 6-0, 6-0 Lucas Cooksey (P) def. Juan Ortiz, 6-0, 6-0 Carter Willis (P) def. Jesus Arredondo, 6-3, 6-0 Jacob Cheeseman-Coen Rinnier (P) def. Jordan Hernandez-Fernando Palacios Lima, 6-0, 6-0 Lucas Thomas-Matthew Forino (P) def. Alan Lopez-Jeremy TeJada, 6-2, 6-0 Records: Pennsville 17-6, Penns Grove 5-8.
Haddon Heights’ Ryan Gavin had five hits in his first five at-bats Monday against Schalick. The Cougars finally got him out in the seventh. Top photo: Schalick’s Ricky Watt crosses the plate after hitting his eighth homer of the season in the first inning.
Here is a list of Salem County’s all-time leading scorers in basketball; documented additions/updates should be sent to al.muskewitz@gmail.com
Boys
PLAYER
SCHOOL
TOTAL
YEAR
Paul Gause
Schalick
3144
2005
Keith Jackson
Salem
1940
1986
Richard Brokenbaugh
Penns Grove
1730
1989
Marcus Robinson
Salem
1726
1990
Joe Hickman
Woodstown
1726
1972
Zach Manorowitz
Pennsville
1679
2020
Mike Holloway
Schalick
1634
2015
Rashan Holloway
Schalick
1622
2014
Kavon Lewis
Penns Grove
1600
2020
Dominique Roy
Penns Grove
1574
2008
Mike Wright
Penns Grove
1551
1988
Derrick Parsley
Salem
1532
2008
Greg Frith
Schalick
1532
1990
Fred Drains
Woodstown
1444
1989
Jawan Roane
Penns Grove
1424
2018
Jerry Dickerson
Salem
1416
1963
Sean Collins
Schalick
1393
1996
Geshawn Davis
Penns Grove
1393
2013
Melvin Allen
Schalick
1355
2014
Ron Michael
Salem
1350
2002
Bradley Rowand
Woodstown
1346
2000
Tyler Lunsford
Schalick
1345
2016
James Rowe
Salem
1300
1997
Dan Feruck
Pennsville
1284
1980
Lowell Fortune
Salem
1255
1989
Brian Sye
Salem
1227
1978
Ralph Kowalkowski
St. James
1220
1955
Josh Hedgeman
Schalick
1219
1989
Luke Wood
Pennsville
1198
2025
William Barnes
Salem
1192
2005
Jamar D. Johnson
Penns Grove
1189
2020
Anthony Farmer
Salem
1175
2024
Jim Shivers
Woodstown
1170
1973
George Seager
Pennsville
1158
1989
Michael Moore
Penns Grove
1147
1991
Gage Ausland
Salem
1144
2020
Butch Karr
Pennsville
1143
2009
Scott Powers
Woodstown
1134
1993
Joe Cassidy
St. James
1117
1983
Clifton Shaw
Penns Grove
1111
1996
Blake Bialecki
Woodstown
1107
2026
Billy McMackin
Woodstown
1105
2003
Joe Mecholsky
Pennsville
1103
1992
Mike Driscoll
Woodstown
1100
1968
Brandon Bermudez
Salem Tech
1097
2023
Tim Buzby
Pennsville
1093
1987
Jim Brown
Salem
1085
1985
Ramon Roots
Salem
1080
2016
Mike Harrell
Schalick
1075
1986
Brian Booker
Woodstown
1068
2002
Keith Robinson
Penns Grove
1065
2019
Troy Johnson
Schalick
1062
2017
x-Tymear Lecator
Salem
1061
Lew Ridgeway
Salem
1058
1975
Eric Spencer
St. James
1054
1990
Tom Summiel
Salem
1050
1971
Clint Hitchner
Woodstown
1050
1996
Jamy Thomas
Pennsville
1048
1994
DeAndre Solomon
Schalick
1044
2014
Charles McNeil
Penns Grove
1040
1956
Jim Smith
Woodstown
1038
1955
Charles Haines
Penns Grove
1030
1953
Bruce Spencer
St. James
1023
1983
Colin Rieger
Pennsville
1014
2015
Terrence Sorrell
Salem
1014
1988
Darryl Gause
Schalick
1007
2001
Dan Yucis
Pennsville
1003
1999
Matt Kates
Schalick
1002
2008
Woodrow Furbush
Salem
1002
2011
x-active
Girls
PLAYER
SCHOOL
TOTAL
YEAR
Katie Kline
Pennsville
2110
2004
Amanda Young
St. James
1762
1995
Sharias Hill
Penns Grove
1661
2009
Brittany Smith
Salem
1623
2007
Talia Battavio
Woodstown
1620
2025
Megan Donelson
Woodstown
1588
2025
Tia Furbush
Schalick
1574
2021
Tori Smick
Woodstown
1566
2013
Shayla Llanos
Salem
1436
2008
Crystal Bailey
Schalick
1406
1984
Stephanie Owen
Woodstown
1381
1993
Marley Wood
Pennsville
1362
2026
Dawn Curry
Pennsville
1288
2008
Tamara Watkins
Penns Grove
1276
2005
Charlie Baldwin
Woodstown
1275
2020
Shaqui Coppage
Salem
1265
2010
Vynette Miller
Salem
1255
1985
Kelli Griffith
Pennsville
1248
1989
Paige Caldwell
Woodstown
1237
2017
Taylor Bass
Pennsville
1237
2026
Shanann Gavin
St. James
1234
1997
Ryane Wood
Pennsville
1224
2022
Carly Lane
Penns Grove
1217
2001
Shaniece Banks
Penns Grove
1205
2008
Elizabeth Hudock
Salem
1203
2019
Marie Patrick
Salem
1186
1995
Hannah Cooksey
Pennsville
1168
2019
Lindsey Minch
Pennsville
1163
2010
Riley Fulmer
Woodstown
1163
2022
RaNiyah Wilson
Penns Grove
1156
2025
Nora Ausland
Pennsville
1144
2025
Tiasia Tatem
Salem
1139
2015
Che’Na Thompson
Salem
1130
2009
Ashley Hansen
Schalick
1124
2008
Bethany Humenik
Woodstown
1120
2009
Kelly Thompson
Woodstown
1115
1990
Latika Ross
Salem
1102
2001
Lindsay Rivell
Salem
1081
2001
Caitlin McCaffery
Pennsville
1080
2003
Natrice Reed
Penns Grove
1065
2018
Meely Horace
Penns Grove
1063
2024
Kayla Mayers
Woodstown
1041
2015
Shannon Pollock
St. James
1037
1993
Christy Britton
St. James
1037
1989
Ashley Engel
Woodstown
1012
2007
Susanne Daly
St. James
1002
1991
Sandy Alston
Penns Grove
1983
x-active
There are a lot of points in this picture of 1,000-point scorers (L-R) Woodstown’s Talia Battavio and Pennsville’s Marley Wood, Ryane Wood, Luke Wood, Nora Ausland and Jamy Thomas. There were more than 7,100 points represented here at the time this photo was taken.
Here is the Salem County sports schedule for the week of May 18-23
MONDAY, MAY 18 BASEBALL Haddon Heights at Schalick Penns Grove at Pennsville Salem at Camden Academy Charter SOFTBALL Pennsville at Salem Haddonfield at Salem Tech, 4:15 p.m. BOYS GOLF Salem/Cumberland Championship, Centerton CC, 8 a.m. Woodstown vs. Deptford, Town & Country, 3:45 p.m. GIRLS GOLF Salem/Cumberland Championship, Centerton CC, 8 a.m. TENNIS Penns Grove at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m. BOYS VOLLEYBALL Highland at Salem Tech, 3:45 p.m. GIRLS LACROSSE Woodstown at Haddon Heights
TUESDAY, MAY 19 BASEBALL Clayton at Penns Grove Gloucester at Salem Tech Pennsville at Schalick Pitman at Woodstown Salem at Glassboro SOFTBALL Penns Grove at Clayton Woodstown at Pitman Schalick at Pennsville at Pennsville LL, 6 p.m. GOLF Schalick vs. Cumberland, Running Deer, 3:30 p.m. TENNIS Clayton at Penns Grove BOYS LACROSSE Bishop Eustace at Woodstown VOLLEYBALL Clearview at Salem Tech, 3:45 p.m. TRACK Nike Elite Meet, Delsea
WEDNESDAY, MAY 20 BASEBALL LEAP at Penns Grove Salem Tech at Wildwood Catholic Schalick at Collingswood SOFTBALL Glassboro at Salem Schalick at Middle Twp. Atlantic Tech at Woodstown, 4:15 p.m. GIRLS LACROSSE Timber Creek at Woodstown
THURSDAY, MAY 21 BASEBALL Mainland at Pennsville Salem Tech at Gloucester County Christian SOFTBALL Pennsville at Kingsway Salem Tech at Camden Co. Tech
Riverview Sports News 