Wolverines find way to finals

Clark, Woodstown blank Palmyra to reach first berth in South Jersey Group 1 softball final since 1979

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PALMYRA — The last time the Woodstown softball team played in a sectional final, none of their current players were even born. Probably not a lot of their parents either. Heck, it’d be another five years before Wolverines coach Rob Hildebrand even entered the game of the life.

The seventh-seeded Wolverines earned their first trip to the sectional finals since 1979 Tuesday when they shut out Palmyra behind record-setting Leah Clark 5-0 for their 10th straight win.

**Ellie Wygand set Woodstown’s single-season hits record in the game.**

**Leah Clark set Woodstown’s single-season wins record for a pitcher.**

They will travel to fifth-seeded county rival Pennsville (17-7) Thursday for the 3 p.m. South Jersey Group 1 title. The winner is expected to host the state semifinals.

“A long time, a long time,” Hildebrand said. “(Girls soccer coach) Kieran Keyser came and supported us and he was like ‘ok, since 1979,’ and then he texted me back and said ‘holy crap, we’re getting old, that’s 47 years ago!’ It doesn’t sound like that long ago for us old people, but it really is. Almost 50 years ago.

“We have a banner in the gym. The first year my wife coached and my father-in-law helped her, he would always motivate the girls in the gym with look at that banner and see that first year 1979 and get our names on the banner for the division. Using that as motivation is kind of how they did it. I think it sinks in (with the current team). They do talk about it. I think they really want to leave a mark on it; we aren’t done yet, really you’re going to be kind of forgotten about unless you win this South Jersey championship.”

Clark, who set Woodstown’s single-season wins for a pitcher with the shutout, said she was “super excited and proud of everyone for getting us to this point” and “impressed with how much we’ve grown as a team and learned to work with each other to be able to win games like these.”

Senior outfielder Ellie Wygand called it a “huge blessing” and she was “grateful beyond measures” to be part of such an “amazing experience with an amazing group of girls.”

“Going into this year we were seen as the underdogs as a younger team and I am really proud of how the team has shown up and I fully believe we deserve to be in this position,” Wygand said. “It’s been a long time since Woodstown has been in the finals, but this group of girls is truly special and even though it took a while, the 2025-26 Woodstown softball team definitely deserves it.”

The Wolverines (19-8) had to work for their bit of history. They were being no-hit by Palmyra left-hander Jasmine Martinez for four innings, but came to life in the fifth.

They loaded the bases on a one-out walk to Gracie Hitchner and singles by Karly Spears and Macie Moore. The Panthers got the second out at the plate, but Wygand broke the scoreless tie with a two-run bases-loaded bouncer past a diving shortstop.

Wygand had two hits in the game, setting the Woodstown single-season hits record, which she said “came to me as a complete surprise.” The senior outfielder now has 44 hits this season, breaking Tulana Mingin’s 2022 record of 43. She went over 100 career hits two weeks ago.

“After the first four innings we were starting to get a little frustrated because we absolutely knew we could hit her and when that top of the fifth inning reached I knew something had to be done to get us on top,” she said. “My hit wasn’t the best hit, but it got the job done and put us on the board and that’s all that matters.”

The Wolverines scored three runs in the seventh inning with two outs to put it out of reach. Talia Guardascione had an RBI double and Clark and Maddie LaPalomento had run-scoring singles.

“We weren’t hitting at all in the beginning of the game, but these girls just never give up,“ Hildebrand said. “They have quality at-bats. Even if they struck out they’re quality at-bats. They see so many pitches that by the time we get to that third time up at bat they start hitting these girls. I think it’s not a coincidence when it happens over and over again. It kind of felt like it was to be due.

“When you know you have your MVP up it’s going to come through more times than not – and she did.”

Clark, meanwhile, was virtually unhittable in the circle. She spun a two-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts to record her 17th win of the season. She had a one-hitter through 5 2/3 innings. In three playoff games this spring she has allowed just 12 hits, three earned runs and struck out 31.

“It’s ice in the veins, it really is,” Hildebrand said. “I don’t know how she can be that way, but things don’t get to her. Whenever she has adversity to face she digs down deeper, becomes a bulldog and pushes through. She’s had so many times shes had bases loaded with one out, no out, and she gets out of it without any damage. Just time in and time out she just knows when to beat down. She just never ceases to amaze me.

“Two years ago when I took this job over I got told by countless people you’re going to suck (that year) because you have no pitching; she’s not a varsity style pitcher, you’re not going to win. I don’t know whether that’s true or not, I hadn’t seen these girls yet. Obviously she proved that wrong last year and for as good as she was last year she’s only been better (this year).”

Clark said she got a big jolt of confidence when she struck out Martinez in the first inning with one out and a runner on second. The Panthers put two go-ahead runners in scoring position in the fourth with one out and two tying runners in scoring position in the sixth with two outs and Clark got out of both jams to keep the shutout alive.

“I feel like during the playoffs I’ve really picked up the pace in the circle and thrown better than during the regular season,” she said. “I think it’s partially because the stakes are so high and the energy is up, but also partially because I’m just not ready for my last high school season to be over yet.”

Woodstown	000	020	3-	5	10	2
Palmyra	000	000	0-	0	2	2

WP: Leah Clark. LP: Jasmine Martinez. 2B: Ellie Wygand (WO), Talia Guardascione (WO).

GROUP 1 SECTIONAL FINALS
Thursday’s games
(Records, power points in parenthesis)
SOUTH: No. 7 Woodstown (19-8, 21.259) at No. 5 Pennsville (17-7, 22.191)
CENTRAL: No. 8 Florence (15-5, 18.83) at No. 7 Bound Brook (14-12 21.005)
NORTH I: No. 4 Indian Hills (19-8, 28.094) at No. 2 Midland Park (25-3, 32.675)
NORTH II: No. 4 Dayton (16-12, 22.889) at No. 3 Whippany Park (19-7, 26.917)
Power points to determine host team in state semifinals

Eagles soar into sectional final

Pennsville rally from close calls, early deficit to beat top-seeded Audubon for a spot in South Jersey Group I softball finals; hosts Woodstown Thursday

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

AUDUBON — Two years ago Pennsville softball coach Beth Jackson stood in foul territory at the Audubon Little League complex fighting back tears. She was brought to tears in just about the same place Tuesday, but for an entirely different and much happier reason.

That first time her Eagles were on the very wrong end of a one-sided South Jersey Group 1 semifinal loss to Audubon. On this day, the tears were borne of pride and joy after the Eagles came from behind both physically and emotionally to knock off the top-seeded Green Wave, 3-1 for a spot in the sectional finals.

“I am just so proud of them,” Jackson said, her words cracking with emotion. “So proud of them for being frustrated and coming back, and being frustrated at the umpires and coming back.

“They make their calls. We talk about all the time about being human and having the controllables and stuff. They rose above that and came out and had a couple hits strung together and they played good defense and Graillyn (Weber) did a great job keeping them in the game. I’m very happy.”

The win sends the fifth-seeded Eagles (17-7) to their first SJ Group 1 title game since 2019. They will host county rival Woodstown Thursday at 3 p.m. The seventh-seeded Wolverines (19-8) blanked Palmyra 5-0 for their tenth straight win and first sectional final berth since 1979.

The Eagles overcame a couple difficult umpiring decisions early in the game that could have sapped their energy to win, but they kept their focus, rallied from a 1-0 deficit and took the lead in the sixth inning off Audubon’s best pitcher. They tied it on Kenzie Widener’s solo homer in the fourth and took the lead with two in the sixth.

Early in the game they had a runner called out for leaving first base too early on a missed bunt attempt. Then there was a confusing call in the third on a ball Weber appeared to foul off her foot – she said it went off her toe in the batter’s box and photo evidence seemed to back the claim — but the umpires huddled and said it did not. Weber was ruled an out and the runner on base was returned to first. The runner, Lily Edwards, was later called out at second despite sliding away from the tag trying to advance on a ball that got away at the plate.

Adding to the hurt was Audubon (19-10) scored in its half of the inning to take a 1-0 lead.

The Eagles got the run back when Widener took starter Addie Leahan deep with two outs in the fourth. It was her second home run of the season.

“I was 2-0 i9n the count, I was ahead, and I was thinking she’s got to throw a fastball right down the middle; it’s what’s coming,” Widener said. “I just thought fastball, fastball, fastball and I hit it. I think it pumped all of us up. I think it made our energy go up 10 what it was before. After I hit that home run I really wanted to win this one.”

Pennsville’s Graillyn Weber is all smiles after delivering the go-ahead double in the sixth inning. She also kept Audubon off balance in the circle, giving up just three hits and striking out 11. (Photo by Michelle Pedrick)

With both starting pitchers hard to hit, the game stayed tied until the sixth.

Audubon sent Alaina Copsetta to the circle to start the inning with the top of the Pennsville order coming to the plate. Edwards greeted the hard-throwing senior with a single to right center and Weber followed with the go-ahead RBI double to the short side of left field. The Eagles weren’t intimidated by Copsetta’s velocity and she faced only two batters.

“I was ready to get a hit,” Weber said. “I was kind of mad they missed that call on the ball that hit my foot but I was really ready to get a hit. I was like you know what, I’m due. I need to get a hit. I need to score Lily; I know she’s there waiting for me. I didn’t really feel much pressure. I was calm in the box. Even though I had two strikes I was ready to get a hit.”

Kylie Harris met Copsetta’s relief, Kylie Cannaday, with an RBI single to make it 3-1. It was Harris’ 166th career hit and 116th RBI.

“They were starting to really hit Addie, even the outs we had gotten were shots to the fence,” Audubon coach Erin Small said. “We knew the top of the lineup was coming back up. We’ve been using Copsetta for those last two innings throughout the playoffs. She’s a different look. She throws a screw-rise ball, Addie does not. We just were looking for a different look and they got on her right away and we just decided to bring in Kylie after that.”

Weber, meanwhile, didn’t yield in the circle. Working with a lead she retired the Green Wave over the final two innings with only one base runner to finish off the complete game. Leaving the frustration of the early umpiring calls in the dugout, she allowed only one hit after the Audubon scored its only run in the third. She retired 13 of the last 15 batters she faced. The Eagles have given up only one run in three playoff games.

“We were definitely reaching out for most of our at bats, not being patient, letting the ball get to us, and it was resulting in a lot of pop ups,” Small said. “We only had three hits, one double. We definitely did not have a great day at the plate. You’ve got to give her a lot of credit for what she did on the mound. We just couldn’t produce today.”

Pennsville	000	102	0-	3	7	1
Audubon	001	000	0-	1	3	1

WP: Graillyn Weber. LP: Alaina Copsetta. 2B: Graillyn Weber (P), Lsabella Lamancusa (A). HR: Kenzie Widener (P).

Pennsville’s Kenzie Widener makes her approach to the plate after hitting a game-tying home run in the fourth inning. Top photo: The Pennsville players celebrate victory after the final out is recorded. (Photo by Michelle Pedrick)

**Kylie Harris shares a happy moment with first base coach Lisa Doran after the Pennsville catcher singled home an insurance run in the sixth inning. (Photo by Michelle Pedrick)**

**Pennsville outfielder Taylor Bass is moments away from putting the squeeze on the final out of the Eagles’ 3-1 playoff win over Audubon. (Photo by Michelle Pedrick)**

Don’t call it an upset

Woodstown, Pennsville both beat higher seeded opponents on road to reach South Jersey Group 1 softball semifinals; Woodstown’s Clark fans 16 in record 16th win, Eagles’ Jackson gets 250th coaching win

SJ GROUP i SOFTBALL
Tuesday’s semifinals
(5) Pennsville at (1) Audubon, 3 p.m.
(7) Woodstown at (3) Palmyra

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

BUENA – Even as much as he’s seen it, it never ceases to amaze Woodstown softball coach Rob Hildebrand the depth with which his team digs and finds a way to win.

The Wolverines faced their biggest test of the season Thursday, a win-or-go-home matchup with second-seeded Buena on the road in the second-round of the South Jersey Group I playoffs. They fell behind early, got it tied, turned back a couple serious threats, then won it with two runs in the eighth inning, 3-1.

The win keeps their run towards the first sectional final since 1979 alive and sends them to third-seeded Palmyra (18-7) in the semifinals Tuesday.

The Wolverines (18-8) have won nine in a row and 12 of their last 13. During the nine-game winning streak, they trailed at some point in five of the games.

“Team effort again,” Hildebrand said. “I can’t stress enough from our bench and how loud it was – I couldn’t hear – to our bottom of the lineup coming through to Leah (Clark) digging deep, striking out, leaving bases loaded twice … it was nothing short of amazing that they always consistently just dig deep when they have to all year long and don’t give up.

“It’s nothing short of shocking when we got in that situation to know we would pull it out because it hasn’t proved otherwise the entire year. We haven’t taken the roller coaster ride. It’s up the entire year of them not giving up.”

It was a true pitchers’ duel between Clark and Buena freshman Gracie Dixon.

Clark, a senior, gave the showing of her career, giving up three hits, a first-inning run, turning back bases-loaded situations in the first and eighth innings, and striking out a career-high 16 of 24 outs. After giving up a run-scoring single followed by a two-out walk in the first, she retired 14 in a row (nine by strikeout) before giving up a double to Dixon, who was thrown out at third on a relay from Ellie Wygand to Talia Guardascione aggressively trying to stretch it into a triple.

Dixon, meanwhile, gave up seven hits, three runs and struck out 10.

The Wolverines reached Dixon for the tying run in the third on Macie Moore’s RBI single then took the lead for the first time in the eighth. Guardascione’s one-out single to right brought home Wygand with the go-ahead run and Kendall Young singled home Guardascione with an insurance run.

The Chiefs threatened in the bottom of the inning, but Clark remained vigilant in the circle. It looked like it was going to be an easy finish as she retired the first two batters, but Laylani Muniz kept the inning alive when she reached on an error. Hildebrand then raised a few eyebrows by intentionally walking Dixon, a .667 hitter with 23 extra-base hits, 41 RBIs and two hits already in the game, putting the trying run on base to get to the bottom of the lineup that had 13 strikeouts.

“It’s not necessarily something you want to do, but our gameplan going in all along was if we ever had an opportunity to walk this girl and she looks like she’s going to be able to hit, we’re going to walk her,” Hildebrand said. “To be honest with you, if the bases were loaded with two outs I still might have done it because none of the bottom of the lineup had really even made contact with the ball.”

A passed ball put both runners in scoring position. Clark walked Makenna Feaster to load the bases, then killed the threat by striking out the last batter of the game to complete her 16th win of the season, tying Anna Marino for the most by a Woodstown pitcher since 1979.

“It’s all in the players and the bench,” Hildebrand said. “Every single person has a role and they’re all pulled in on it, they’re all bought in on the team. It’s consistently a team effort. All we’ve got to do is sit back and watch. Do we make mistakes, sure, but when it’s a clutch time they just come through. It’s nothing short of amazing. It’s just so fun to watch.”

Woodstown	001	000	02-	3	7	1
Buena	100	000	00-	1	3	2

WP: Leah Clark. LP: Gracie Dixon. 2B: Gracie Dixon (B)

Weber sharp for Pennsville

PITMAN – Graillyn Weber was brilliant in the circle and at the plate and Pennsville beat Pitman 8-0 to give coach Beth Jackson her 250th career coaching victory — all of them with the Eagles.

Weber, a sophomore, fashioned her second straight playoff shutout, another five-hitter with four strikeouts. She had not spun a shutout in 27 previous appearances before these playoffs. At the plate she was 2-for-4 with a double.

Her defense helped keep the shutout alive. They turned a double play to end the sixth inning and Lily Edwards made a game-ending running catch in deep centerfield with a runner on third.

The Eagles jumped on top with three runs in the first inning. The first run scored on an error after Edwards and Weber opened the game with a single and double, respectively. Kenzie Widener’s ground out chase home the second run and Reagan Wariwanchik’s RBI single brought him the third.

“I told my dad last night about being the away team and we get to bat first, jumping out, getting some runs and setting the tone,” Jackson said. “That’s what they did today. We sent nine people to the plate in the first inning. We had to come to play. It’s win or go home.”

As sharp as Weber was in the circle, that’s all they needed. But they added single runs in the third and fourth and stretched the lead with three in the fifth. Taylor Bass singled home the run in the third, Wariwanchik had another RBI single in the fourth, Kylie Harris, Avery Watson and Widener drove home runs in the fifth.

Edwards had three hits for the Eagles. Weber, Wariwanchik and Bass had two apiece.

Jackson tried to keep her milestone under wraps for as long as possible. Her step-daughter made a poster commemorating the milestone and her husband had been talking it up, but beyond that not many actually knew it was near.

“I didn’t say anything, I didn’t want to tell anybody, I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it,” she said.

But it is a big deal. Through 17 years coaching at her alma mater, she is 250-124. She followed a coach who had 558 career wins.

“It’s a nice accomplishment,” she said. “All the girls have their accomplishments and whatnot, it’s nice to have one of your own. It wouldn’t happen without them. It’s a testament to them and the great program we have and the great players that Pennsville always has. It’s always nice to coach at your alma mater and know the winning continues and the tradition. It’s just a nice feeling to have all of that. Just to see everything continue. It’s nice and heartfelt.”

The Eagles (16-7) now face top-seeded and defending champion Audubon (19-9) in Tuesday’s 3 p.m. sectional semifinals.

Pennsville	301	130	0-	8	11	0
Pitman	000	000	0-	0	5	2

WP: Graillyn Weber. LP: Cassidy Batten. 2B: Graillyn Weber (P).

Thursday playoff report

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.

WOODSTOWN 4, HADDON TWP. 1
Nathan Keating (HT) def. Drew Stengel, 6-4, 6-2
Mason Shimp (WO) def. Declan Gallagher, 6-4, 6-4
Luke Shaw (WO) def. Grady Carson, 2-6, 6-2, 10-5
Vincent Merendino-Nick DiTeodoro (WO) def. Cristian Picerno-Shea Anderson, 6-4, 6-1
Connor Miller-Josh King (WO) def. Sylar Kennedy-Jack Considine, 5-7, 6-3, 10-4
Records: Woodstown 14-8, Haddon Twp. 14-8.

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.

Tuesday playoff report

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

Schalick	001	200	0-	3	7	2
Woodstown	000	052	x-	7	6	1

WP: Leah Clark. LP: Addison Shimp. 2B: Karly Spears (WO).

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.

Wildwood	000	00-	0	4	1
Pennsville	233	11-	10	14	0

WP: Graillyn Weber. LP: Emma Contreras. 2B: Graillyn Weber (P). 3B: Reagan Wariwanchik (P).

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.

Salem Tech	000	00-	0	2	3
Cinnaminson	521	3x-	11	11	0

WP: Evelyn Astor. LP: Izzy Roberts. 2B: Delaney Kroll (C), Hailee Hunter (C), Mia Zuccarelli (C), Peyton Farquhar (C). 3B: Makayla Sheker (C). HR: Hailee Hunter (C).

**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)

WOODSTOWN 4, PITMAN 1
Drew Stengel (WO) def. Nolan Russell, 6-1, 6-2
Liam Etter (P) def. Mason Shimp, 7-5, 1-0 (ret.)
Luke Shaw (WO) def. Ben Williams, 6-1, 6-0
Nick DiTeodoro-Vincent Merendino (WO) def. Spencer Bianchini-Jonah Raymer, 6-1, 7-6 (7-3)
Josh King-Connor Miller (WO) def. Ezra Ralph-Ayden Employ, 6-0, 6-0
Records: Woodstown 13-8, Pitman 14-8

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

HADDON TWP. 5, SCHALICK 0
Nathan Keating (HT) def. Gabe McFeeley, 6-0, 6-0
Declan Gallagher (HT) def. Reece Loatman, 6-1, 6-1
Grady Carson (HT) def. Tyr Brattlie, 6-2, 6-0
Cristian Picerno-Shea Anderson (HT) def. Cooper Halperin-Jack Genievich, 6-1, 6-2
Sylar Kennedy-Jack Considine (HT) def. Angelo Boston-Gavin McGrath, 6-1, 6-0
Records: Haddon Twp. 14-7, Schalick 9-11

This week’s schedule

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

What might have been

Schalick has game with Collingswood waved off leading in the fifth, two outs from making milestones by Watt, Hartley official; includes scores and highlights from Wednesday’s Salem County sports calendar

BASEBALL
Wildwood Catholic 7, Salem Tech 5
Schalick at Collingswood, canceled

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

COLLINGSWOOD – Ricky Watt got his milestone hit – and then some – and Cole Hartley was working on a no-hitter, but the only thing winning Wednesday was the weather.

Watt collected his 100th career hit and hit two home runs to tie Schalick’s single-season home run record and Hartley was building a lifetime memory, but it all got wiped away as the Cougars had their game with Collingswood called in the fifth inning before becoming official because of the weather.

The Cougars were leading 5-0 and just two outs away from the game and all the milestones becoming official when play was halted due to lightning in the area. Once they got on the bus, the skies opened and the umpires called it a day.

“It was definitely a bummer for it to go out in the bottom of the fifth like that,” Watt said. “I can’t remember a high school game that got rained out in the middle of the game my whole career. I wasn’t aware of the ruling. I walked off the field and everybody was just telling me that nothing counted.”

“I was definitely a little annoyed,” said Hartley.

The Panthers had cause to beef, too. They were mounting a charge when play was halted, loading the bases with one out on an infield error and two walks.

Watt got what would have been his 100th career hit in his first at-bat, a sharp RBI single into left field that put the Cougars on top 1-0. He then hit solo homers to center in the third and fifth, giving him 10 for the season. That’s what would’ve been entered into the record had the game been official. Instead, with the washout, he’s still sitting on 99 hits and eight homers.

“That would’ve tied Luke (Pokrovsky) and all of his brothers for the single-season home run record,” Watt said. “That’s kind of what I was more excited for, to be honest, aside from the 100 hits. Not only did it suck for me but Cole was pitching such an awesome game.”

Hartley took a perfect game into the fifth inning, but lost the gem on an error leading off the fifth. He struck out the next batter, then, pitching into a gusting wind that signaled the approaching rain and “messed with” his breaking ball, he walked the next two. That’s where it ended.

He was part of a combined five-inning no-hitter with Jamari Whitley two years ago and a five-pitcher, five-inning no-hitter last year, but had never put one together by himself. He had thrown just 45 pitches through the first four innings with three strikeouts.

“I was dealing, I was on a roll,” Hartley said. “I had a goal of at least getting closer to my 100th strikeout (he had four, still needs 18). I was actually feeling like I might throw a perfect game today, or at least close to it, and I did.”

The Cougars don’t play again until Wednesday’s first round of the South Jersey Group I playoffs. As the No. 1 seed, they’ll play all their sectional playoff games at home, where it’s a bit more challenging to put one out.

SOFTBALL
GLASSBORO 19, SALEM 3: Marissa Rode’s three-run double highlighted a nine-run third inning that broke the game open. Rode had three hits and six RBIs in the game. Phoenix Holland had two of Salem’s three hits.
WOODSTOWN 9, ATLANTIC TECH 4: Woodstown’s Ellie Wygand ran her career hit total to 103 with three singles. The Wolverines broke a scoreless tie with three in the third inning on Kendall Young’s RBI single and Maddie LaPalomento’s two-run single and built their lead to 9-0. The Wolverines (16-8) have won seven in a row and 10 of their last 11.
MIDDLE TWP. 4, SCHALICK 2: Sophia Brown’s two-run single highlighted a three-run fourth inning that gave the Panthers a 3-0 lead and they withstood Cougars comeback bid. Katie Creamer kept the Cougars off the board until the sixth and struck out 10. Alex Shimp had two hits for Schalick.

GIRLS LACROSSE
Woodstown at Nottingham, ppd. to Tuesday

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I TOURNAMENT
Projected First-Round Pairings
(16) New Egypt at (1) Haddonfield
(9) Shore at (8) Point Pleasant Boro
(12) Gateway at (5) Delaware Valley
(13) Dayton at (4) Bernards
(14) Middle Twp. at (3) New Providence
(11) Lower Cape May at (6) Haddon Twp.
(10) West Deptford at (7) Woodstown
(15) Johnson at (2) Rumon-Fair Haven

A real Paige turner

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

TUESDAY SOFTBALL
Schalick 6, Pennsville 5
Woodstown 5, Pitman 3
Clayton 26, Penns Grove 8

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

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.

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

Tuesday sports report

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.

VOLLEYBALL
Clearview at Salem Tech

Monday sports report

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.