Here are the scores and details from the Tuesday’s Salem County sports calendar
BASEBALL Overbrook 15, Penns Grove 0 Salem Tech 16, Clayton 10 BOYS GOLF Salem Tech 226, Wildwood 233 TENNIS Pitman at Schalick TRACK Salem at Cherokee Penns Grove at Schalick BOYS VOLLEYBALL GCIT 2, Salem Tech 0 (25-7, 25-15) COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC 9, Bergen 7 COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC 29-21, Morris 1-1
By Riverview Sports News
CLAYTON — Chase Pompper had three doubles among his four hits and pitched the final three innings to get the win as Salem Tech outscored Clayton 16-10 in high school baseball Tuesday.
The Chargers ripped seven doubles in their 16-hit attack. Seven of their nine batters had at least one hit and eight scored at least one run.
Daulton Sites went 4-for-5, Logan Hearn, starting pitcher Jack Beal and Brayden McAllister had two hits apiece and Bryce Harris drove in three runs.
The Chargers never trailed in the game, scoring three in the first and four in the second.
OVERBROOK 15, PENNS GROVE 0: Luke Boyd pitched a five-inning three-hit shutout and the Rams took control with eight runs (five unearned) in the first inning. Liam Irvin, Dylan Hyatt and Angel Ocasio had the Red Devils’ hits.
Golf
WOODBURY — West Deptford’s Rylee Delaney bounced back from a double bogey on her first hole of the day and played the last eight holes even par to shoot 2-over 38 for medalist honors in the South Jersey Girls Invitational at Westwood Golf Club.
She won the individual title by four shots over Cumberland’s Nicole Tarquinio. Moorestown (195) won the team title by seven strokes over Clearview. Kingway was third (203).
Delaney, a senior, bogeyed the par-5 first and because of the shotgun start was four shots behind Moorestown’s Sonia Rosenman, who birdied her first hole (No. 4). But she steadily closed the gap, pulled even with her birdie at 6 and took the lead with the birdie at 7.
Schalick finished 11th (262), eight shots ahead of 12th-place Pennsville. Ava Marynowicz posted the Cougars low round (57). Gabriella Marandola shot the low round for Pennsville (58).
SOUTH JERSEY GIRLS INVITATIONAL At Westwood Golf Club TEAM LEADERBOARD: Moorestown 195, Clearview 202, Kingsway 203, Cumberland 207, Bordentown 210, Eastern 227, Moorestown 228, Mainland 230, Sterling 243, Northern Burlington II 248, SCHALICK 262, PENNSVILLE 270.
Big inning carries Salem Tech softball to its most impressive win of inaugural season; also, scores and highlights from Monday’s Salem County sports action
SOFTBALL Salem Tech 22, Buena 7, 4 inns. Schalick 17, Gloucester County Christian 1 BASEBALL Salem Tech 15, Pilgrim Academy 5 GOLF Woodstown 174, Wildwood 242 Salem Tech 157, Clayton 159
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – The schedule makers at Salem Tech laid out a calendar for all their newest teams this year that was built for competitive games and first-year success.
The difficult thing is you can’t predict the improvement or success some of those teams might make from the projection when they’re scheduled to the time they actually play the game.
The Chargers softball team faced an opponent with by far the best won-loss record of any they’ve faced so far this season, but they handled it just as they had most all of the others they’ve played so far.
It was tough at the start, but they recovered more than nicely and eventually overran Buena 22-7 in a game that ended in the fourth inning. It was their eighth win in nine games as a varsity program and sixth in a row.
“If you would’ve asked me on March 9, our first day of practice, if you’d be 8-1 on April 20, I’d be shocked,” Chargers coach Pat Fisher said. “But as we’ve gone on each day, our goal is to be one percent better. We’ve been doing that.
“With this being our inaugural season, we don’t even know what we don’t know. We haven’t played anybody, we don’t have a history with anyone, we just come in and play hard. One thing I like about the team is when the other team scores and punches us, we punch back. All year we’ve been able to answer. I think that’s been the secret to our success.”
The game laid out as the first serious test of the Chargers’ legitimacy. They had risen to No. 8 in the South Jersey Group 2 power points standings, but had only played two and beaten one team with a winning record heading into Monday. Buena, meanwhile, started the season with an 11-game winning streak and was No. 7 in South Jersey Group 1.
Like all of the Chargers’ new teams this school year, the softball team is playing as an independent before joining the Tri-County Conference during next year’s scheduling cycle, but is eligible for the playoffs.
“We’re making history for a first-year team,” pitcher Izzy Roberts said.
The Chargers went down 6-0 before even coming to bat and when they finally did bat their first five hitters in the lineup, a group batting a collective .616 (69 for 112) with 66 RBIs entering the game, went down without a hit.
Some teams might have continued to spiral, but the Chargers don’t do that. Roberts threw up a zero in the top of the second and her hitters came in and erupted for 15 runs in the bottom of the inning.
They batted around twice and then some, sending 20 batters to the plate. They batted around before the Chiefs recorded an out. There six hits, seven walks and three hit batsmen. Even the first two outs produced runs. Eight players scored in the inning and seven scored twice. Shelby Drummond, the leading hitter in the county, had a two-run single and a two-run double. Claire Kier had two hits and Kaitlyn Liber walked three times.
They walked it off with six runs in the fourth, capped by a two-run, two-out single from Shelby Liber, the tenth batter of the inning.
“I thought it was really great,” Drummond said of the second-inning outburst. “I’m happy that my team exploded. Once one person gets going, that’s when we all start getting fired up and we all just get hits right after that. That’s one thing with us Chargers, we never give up. We always keep fighting.”
Buena sent 10 batters to the plate in the first. Jen Agosto had the big hit of the inning, a bases-loaded triple to make it 5-0. Callie Grabowski’s RBI single made it 6-0, but after that Roberts allowed only one hit, one run (on a ball that got past the catcher on a ball four) and four base runners. The Chiefs scored most of their runs after the Chargers turned a nifty double play on the bases, nailing runners at second and the plate.
“I was proud of the girls that they went down six and didn’t pack it in, they didn’t give up,” Fisher said. “They were finding barrels and staying aggressive. When you’re aggressive in the batter’s box good things will happen. We knew that team was 11-2, so they were capable of a big inning. We play them (again) in two weeks; we’ve got to be ready. Today was our day.”
Buena (11-3)
600
1-
7
5
2
Salem Tech (8-1)
0(15)1
6-
22
12
1
WP: Izzy Roberts. LP: Alyssa Reyes.
SCHALICK 17, GLOUCESTER CO. CHRISTIAN 1: Emily Miller hit her first career home run and was among six Cougars with a pair of RBIs
Miller hit a two-run homer in the first inning to give Schalick a 3-0 lead. The Cougars broke it open with nine in the second inning. The first 14 hitters of the inning reached safely. Alexa Shimp had a two-run triple in the frame.
Noelani Whitley and Addi Shimp combined on a three-hitter in the four-inning game. They each struck out five.
Baseball
SALEM TECH 15, PILGRIM ACADEMY 5: Daulton Sites and Logan Hearn had three hits apiece and Brayden McAlister drove in three runs.
The Chargers jumped out with three runs in the first inning, then broke it open with four in the third. Three Salem Tech pitchers allowed six hits and struck out 13. Bryce Harris worked the first 4 1/3 innings to get the win.
Golf
WOODSTOWN 174, WILDWOOD 242: Logan Jones played his final four holes in even par and shot 4-over 39 to win medalist honors and lead the Wolverines to victory at Town & Country Golf Links. The Wolverines also counted a trio of 45s from Chris Porreca and freshmen Jacob Tocco and Bradley Heck.
SALEM TECH 157, CLAYTON 159: Clayton’s Kyle Lex (34) and Noah Crewalk (37) posted the two lowest scores at par-28 The Birches, but Salem Tech’s fourth, fifth and sixth seeds – Avery Dalton, Daniel Atanasio and Hannah Kormann – all shot 39 to lead the Chargers to the victory. The Chargers also counted a 40 from 1-seed Cohen Sutton.
Here is the weekly update on former Salem County high school baseball and softball players on the college level; will be updated every Monday; anyone missing? send additional players to al.muskewitz@gmail.com
Baseball
PLAYER
SCHOOL
GP
BA
H
HR
RBI
Elijah Crespo, Penns Grove
RCSJ-Cumb
13
.167
3
0
3
Lucas D’Agostino, Schalick
RCSJ-Cumb
16
.250
7
0
11
Andrew Pedrick, Woodstown
Harford CC
22
.388
26
2
26
Lucas Prendergast, Woodstown
York
34
.425
54
5
25
Jarrett Pokrovsky, Schalick
Penn
31
.287
35
1
14
Terrell Robinson, Salem
Rosemont
23
.246
15
0
9
Jackson Schalick, Schalick
Frostburg
40
.368
49
5
41
Caiden Spinelli, Woodstown
Rosemont
29
.283
26
0
11
Connor Starn, Pennsville
Keystone
10
.154
2
0
2
Rocco String, Woodstown
Salem CC
26
.263
20
3
22
Chase Swain, Woodstown
LaSalle
39
.368
56
8
33
Mike Valente, Woodstown
Salem CC
8
.000
2
0
0
Brent Williams, Woodstown
G-Beacom
26
.284
27
2
17
NOTE: Chase Swain is 10 hits shy of 250 for his college career and 1 RBI shy of 150; Lucas Prendergast is 2 hits shy of 200.
PITCHER
SCHOOL
GP
W-L
ERA
IP
K
Evan Biddle, Salem
Frostburg
7
1-0
7.56
8.1
6
Lucas D’Agostino, Schalick
RCSJ-Cumb
9
3-2
2.56
38.2
35
Ben Foote, Woodstown
Caldwell
5
1-1
16.62
4.1
2
Jack Holladay, Woodstown
Neumann
5
0-3
12.83
13.1
11
Peyton O’Brien, Pennsville
Harford CC
6
0-0
0.90
10.0
11
Luke Pokrovsky, Schalick
Penn
11
0-0
11.85
13.2
14
Terrell Robinson, Salem
Rosemont
4
0-0
8.10
6.2
2
Caiden Spinelli, Woodstown
Rosemont
2
0-0
27.00
1.1
1
Rocco String, Woodstown
Salem CC
4
0-1
46.29
2.1
4
Mike Valente, Woodstown
Salem CC
7
2-1
6.05
19.1
11
Luke Wood, Pennsville
McDaniel
8
3-1
5.08
33.2
29
Softball
PLAYER
SCHOOL
GP
BA
H
HR
RBI
Emily Holladay, Woodstown
Hartwick
7
.200
3
0
1
Tulana Mingin, Woodstown
East Stroudsburg
40
.331
44
0
5
Ava Ortiz, Salem
Salem CC
12
.455
5
0
3
Savannah Palverento, Pennsville
Salem CC
34
.350
28
2
25
Lilly Peverelle, Pennsville
Salem CC
36
.472
51
4
37
Bella Rappa, Pennsville
Salem CC
28
.444
32
0
31
Cayla Sbrana, Schalick
RCSJ-Cumb
17
.286
12
0
7
Sawyer Simmons, Pennsville
Salem CC
26
.275
14
1
11
NOTE: Tulana Mingin has 33 runs and is 16-20 in stolen bases
Here is the Salem County sports calendar for the week of April 20-25; all games at 4 p.m. unless noted; senior trips reduce the high school slate
MONDAY, APRIL 20 BASEBALL Salem Tech at Pilgrim Academy SOFTBALL Buena at Salem Tech, 3:45 p.m. Schalick at Gloucester County Christian GOLF Woodstown vs. Wildwood, Town & Country Salem Tech vs. Clayton, The Birches
TUESDAY, APRIL 21 BASEBALL Penns Grove at Overbrook Salem Tech at Clayton BOYS GOLF Schalick vs. Overbrook, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m. Salem Tech vs. Wildwood, Union League National, 3:45 p.m. GIRLS GOLF South Jersey Open, Westwood GC TENNIS Pitman at Schalick TRACK Salem at Cherokee, 3:30 p.m. Penns Grove at Schalick, 3:45 p.m. BOYS VOLLEYBALL GCIT at Salem Tech, 3:45 p.m. COLLEGE BASEBALL Bergen at Salem CC, 3:30 p.m. COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC at Morris, 3:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22 BASEBALL Overbrook at Penns Grove SOFTBALL Penns Grove at Overbrook TENNIS Winslow at Penns Grove COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Bergen, 3:30 p.m.
THURSDAY, APRIL 23 SOFTBALL LEAP at Penns Grove BOYS GOLF Salem Tech vs. Pitman, Sakima CC, 3:45 p.m. Woodstown vs. Sterling, Town & Country, 3:45 p.m. TENNIS Schalick at Haddon Heights TRACK Penn Relays COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC at Brookdale, 3:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, APRIL 24 BASEBALL Buena at Salem Cape May Tech at Salem Tech Penns Grove at Winslow SOFTBALL Lower Cape May at Salem TRACK Penn Relays COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at RCSJ-Gloucester, 3:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25 BASEBALL Schalick at Vineland, 1 p.m. SOFTBALL Salem Tech at Highland, 10 a.m. TRACK Penn Relays COLLEGE BASEBALL RCSJ-Gloucester at Salem CC (2), noon COLLEGE SOFTBALL Raritan Valley at Salem CC, noon
Hacker gives Mighty Oaks big boost, pitching them to a Game 3 win over Camden to stay in the Region XIX playoff hunt; softball sweeps Sussex
SALEM CC BASEBALL Camden CC 10-2, Salem CC 9-12 SALEM CC SOFTBALL Salem CC 10-8, Sussex CC 1-6
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
CARNEYS POINT – In a game that suddenly had a lot of meaning for the Salem CC baseball season, Mighty Oaks coach John Holt handed Tyler Hacker the ball and told him to just go out and have fun.
For the sophomore right-hander that suggestion took him back to the days as an 8-9-10 year-old learning how to pitch by throwing the baseball against a big ol’ tree in the family’s yard in Lake Mary, Fla., next door to a future major-leaguer. Not to a catcher with tree trunks for legs or a guy named Wood or Birch or Pine, but to an honest-to-goodness oak.
When you want something bad enough, you make do, and that’s what Hacker did. It was those lessons and memories he leaned on Saturday to throw a 100-plus pitch complete-game victory, 12-2 over Camden CC, that salvaged the getaway game of the three-game series and kept the Mighty Oaks on the right side of the Region XIX playoff hunt. The Cougars won the opener 10-9 to win the series.
Hacker threw 111 pitches in the seven-inning game just one week removed from his second college start on the mound. He started last week’s Game 3 at Middlesex and one time on the team’s early-season trip to Myrtle Beach.
He had come to campus with a big bat and, a year removed from Tommy John surgery, the idea of being the Mighty Oaks’ closer. The bat – and legs – has always been a part of the plan. He’s the Mighty Oaks’ leading hitter, their top RBI producer and leads the nation in stolen bases. And now the self-taught pitcher is a Game 3 series starter due to injuries to Seth McCormick and Sean Bogan. Self-taught is the operative word.
“When I was younger I didn’t have like friends in the neighborhood so I learned to pitch to a tree,” Hacker said. “Learned to pitch to a tree. I watched baseball and I just tried to mimic what they did. I watched YouTube videos. I read – surprisingly. Everything I learned it was for myself and that’s what happens.
“I measured it out, put a mound there, and just sat in my driveway and threw at a tree. It’s almost a strike zone. I put some tape on there and threw baseballs at it all day. All day. Even now I wouldn’t consider myself a pitcher. I consider myself a thrower. I understand the game well, so I think I can get by. I think throwing at that tree has helped me with the basics and coming here I’ve learned to be a pitcher.”
Holt confirmed the tree story. He’s heard it before from the player and the coach who sent the player to him.
The Mighty Oaks didn’t need a closer Saturday, they needed a stopper. They had lost the first two games with the Cougars and let a 6-3 lead in the opener get away. They were falling farther below .500 in both their region and overall record and getting dangerously close to dropping out of the top eight to get in the playoffs.
It didn’t look good early. Hacker gave up two runs on two hits and a bad pickoff in the first inning, but things began to change when he surrendered to the idea of letting his teammates help him. He kept the Cougars off the board the rest of the game. He only gave up two hits after the first inning – and one of those was a bad hop single in the ninth – walking two, hitting two and striking out one.
Holt was going to take him out in the sixth inning when the pitcher was up to 99 pitches – there were relievers warming in the bullpen – and there was what Holt called “some conversation” but Hacker convinced his coach to let him stay.
“I wanted to beat them bad, especially after yesterday,” Hacker said. “Yesterday they owned us and we just did it back to them today. That was really what wanted me to keep going and stay in. Coach tried to pull me out, I said no, absolutely not. It’s going good for me, you’re not taking me out. He said you get one batter. As soon as I got 3-1 to that last guy I locked it in.”
There was a little more to the conversation than that. When his pitcher started looking unsteady, Holt told him just throw it at that tree. It flipped the switch and he started mowing down the Cougars like a lumberjack in the forest.
“It didn’t lock me in to throw strikes, it locked me in to have fun,” Hacker said. “In games like that when you’re trying to go for a complete game, when you’re trying to put up zeroes, you typically don’t have fun. You’re in your head a lot and if you watch me at first base, I have a lot of fun. That’s just the way I need to play and the way I need to pitch. It was a good idea for him to say throw to the tree because it absolutely snapped me in.”
The Mighty Oaks erased Camden’s two runs in the first with three when they came in to bad. Cliff Wysinger got it started with a double and scored on Hacker’s RBI single – his fifth RBI of the doubleheader. Hacker scored on Roman Hernandez’ RBI single and Rocco String scored the go-ahead run when the catcher’s throw trying to catch him stealing third sailed into left field.
Aiden Nestor’s 0-2 RBI single in the third extended the lead to 4-2. They scored four more in the fifth on back-to-back two-run singles by Wysinger and Jason LeBold, then blew it open in the sixth on Nestor’s RBI double and a two-run single by J.J. Pankowski.
What Hacker does on offense has never been questioned. He had three hits and five RBIs in the doubleheader – doing the Ohtani thing as a pitcher/designated hitter in the nightcap – and stole three more bases to extend his JUCO Division III-leading total to 49. He would have reached his goal of 50 in his next-to-last at bat of the day had String not bounced into the final out of the fourth inning with Hacker on the move.
And what of that tree? They ended up cutting it down.
He doesn’t throw at trees any more.
“I’ve gotten friends since,” he said. “And a car. I can drive places.”
The Mighty Oaks are hoping he drives them into the playoffs.
Camden
003
007
0-
10
13
3
Salem CC
002
503
0-
9
6
2
WP: Michael Manera. LP: Logan Peters. HR: Billy Bentliff (Ca).
Camden
200
000
0-
2
4
3
Salem CC
301
053
x-
12
12
1
WP: Tyler Hacker. LP: Aidan Stranahan.
Softball
NEWTON — The Salem CC softball team snapped its longest losing streak of the season by sweeping a doubleheader from Sussex, 10-1 and 8-6.
The Mighty Oaks had lost their last four games, but got back on the winning track behind a combined six-hitter from Reagan Wilson and Jordyn Busch.
Salem struck for four in the first inning and never trailed against. J.J. Aguirre, Emme Witter and Savannah Palverento had consecutive RBI singles and Jocelyn Melendez brought the fourth run home with a ground out. Witter and Lilly Peverelle both had three hits in the game.
The Skylanders got a run in the fourth inning, then the Mighty Oaks broke it open with four in the sixth
The nightcap was a bit closer, with the Mighty Oaks taking the lead for good with two in the sixth. Peverelle broke a 6-6 tie with a two-out run-scoring single and Peverelle scored an insurance run on a passed ball.
Sawyer Simmons went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Peverelle had two hits to lead the offense. Busch threw a complete game in the circle. She struck out nine.
Before take the lead for good in the sixth inning, the Mighty Oaks had leads of 1-0 and 6-5 only to see the Skylanders rally to draw even.
REGION XIX BASEBALL Camden 10-2, Salem CC 9-12 Northampton 17-3, Atlantic Cape 0-4 Ocean 10-18 Montgomery 6-12 Brookdale 12-7, Union 6-2 Bergen 7-5, Delaware County 6-0 Middlesex 6-3, RCSJ-Cumberland 4-8 Sussex 7-6, Raritan Valley 0-1 Lackawanna 4-9, Delaware Tech 3-2
REGION XIX SOFTBALL Salem CC 10-8, Sussex 1-6 Camden 11-3, Middlesex 1-1 Northampton 13-15, Bergen 4-3 Brookdale 11-13, Ocean 2-1 Mercer 4, Howard 1 Delaware Tech 4-4, Lackawanna 1-3 RCSJ-Gloucester 9-5, CC of Rhode Island 1-3
Pennsville softball rips four first-inning doubles on the way to a division-controlling win over Pitman; includes scores and highlights from Friday’s Salem County sports action
SOFTBALL Cape May Tech 16, Salem 2 Cumberland 13, Woodstown 6 Pennsville 8, Pitman 1 BASEBALL Cumberland 7, Woodstown 0 Pennsville 9, Pitman 6 Salem Tech at Atlantic City TENNIS Delsea 3, Woodstown 2 Schalick at Penns Grove GOLF Audubon 165, Pennsville 221 Lower Cape May 161, Schalick 166 Overbrook 202, Salem Tech 214 GIRLS LACROSSE Woodstown 20, Millville 3 COLLEGE BASEBALL Camden 6, Salem CC 1
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE — The players on the Pennsville softball team were arriving at second base so often in the first inning Friday one would have thought stopping at first base was just a suggestion.
The Eagles produced three straight RBI doubles from the heart of their batting order in the first inning and a two-run two-bagger later in the inning to set the stage for an 8-1 win over Pitman that gave them complete control of the TCC Classic Division race.
The Eagles (7-1) hit five doubles for the second game in a row. Kylie Harris, the recognized Queen of the Double, hit two. It was such a complete win, eight players got a hit and six scored. Graillyn Weber came within one out of posting their third straight shutout.
Pennsville took control of their straight win from the start. Lily Edwards started the inning with a single and stole second. After Weber flew out to deep right, the Eagles got consecutive RBI doubles from Harris (the 45th of her career), Avery Watson and Kenzie Widener.
“That was so crazy,” Harris said. “I think we just connected the ball really well and found the gaps. I’ve never seen three doubles hit in a row like that, but that was the best feeling ever, especially here on our field. Probably maybe we’ve had three doubles, but never back-to-back like that. That was awesome.”
Later in the inning, Taylor Bass hit her first career double to drive in the last two runs of the inning. Harris hit her 46th career double later in the game and scored the Eagles’ final run on an RBI single by Widener. The Eagles have hit 24 doubles this season, half of which have come on their home field.
“It’s just like a momentum thing,” Watson said. “We all see each other ripping line drives off this girl – both of them were great pitchers – and we gave each other advice coming into the dugout and saw what we saw up there.
“Taylor’s (double) was really exciting. Seeing someone new to the game ripping a double out there is really exciting and it gets everyone hyped in the dugout. We were all talking like I’ve never seen this many doubles in a row before. It was just exciting. That’s what keeps us going.”
The Eagles don’t need extra-base hits in order to score. They used aggressive baserunning and Pitman errors to score two more runs in the second inning and extend the lead to 7-0. The next inning the Panthers brought in Listella Eisenhart to pitch and the sophomore lefthander kept the Eagles off the board until the sixth.
The big early lead made it more comfortable for Weber to throw strikes. She gave up just one hit over the first four innings, facing just three batters over the minimum, and kept the Panthers off the board until she tired in the seventh. The Panthers loaded the bases and scored on Cassidy Batten’s sacrifice fly and then Weber ended the game on the next pitch. It was the first run Pennsville allowed since Haddon Heights’ walk-off homer last Friday.
She gave up five hits, struck out three and walked one (in the seventh inning).
“I threw pretty good,” Weber said. “I probably could’ve been better on a few pitches, but I did pretty good. I’m happy with my results.”
The defense kept the shutout bid alive. The biggest run-saver came in the fifth when Eisenhart led off with a triple and with Delaney Pierson showing bunt, catcher Harris threw behind Eisenhart and got her in a rundown, where she was easily tagged out. Pierson wound up singling that would’ve gotten the run home.
Harris almost turned a double play two batters later when she caught a foul pop, but threw too high to first to get a runner who strayed too far off the base. Watson turned a nifty double play going to the backhand side earlier in the game and made two diving stops to keep singles from going into the outfield for potentially extra bases. And Reagan Wariwanchik snared a rising liner at second base that looked like it was headed into the outfield.
“They helped me a lot; I really appreciate it,” Weber said. “There were a lot of good plays made today, that honestly made me happy. I’m glad that our defense got a little chance when I’m pitching to field a little bit because I know they don’t get a lot. I tried to keep my arms to myself when I was pitching today a little more.”
CUMBERLAND 13, WOODSTOWN 6: Ellie Wygand went 4-for-4 at the top of the Woodstown lineup, but the Wolverines were in catch-up mode all day after the Colts erupted for seven runs with two outs in the home first.
Woodstown pitcher Leah Clark retired the first two batters she faced, then the Colts put together a walk and seven straight hits. The Wolverines cut into their deficit with three runs in the third on Macie Moore’s RBI triple, an RBI single by Wygand, and Madison LaPalomento’s run-scoring ground out, but the Colts got them all back in the fifth.
CAPE MAY TECH 16, SALEM 2: The Hawks broke open a close game with nine runs in the third inning. and Emma Oravits held the Rams to one hit.
The big inning was highlighted by a two-run single from Addison LeSage and a two-run triple from Melissa Rivello. Madison Johnson had Salem’s only hit, a third-inning single. Oravits faced the minimum through three innings thanks to a pair of double plays.
BASEBALL
PENNSVILLE 9, PITMAN 6: The Eagles rallied from a 6-2 deficit with seven runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings and reliever Gavin Spears was sharp on the mound after a rough start to score the divisional win.
Logan Streitz started tor the Eagles and pitched into the second inning on 30 pitches to prep for Saturday’s Steal Your Base (Williamstown) Tournament start against Kingsway. Spears was tabbed for 30 pitches as well, but after he gave up five runs in the third inning the Eagles just had him eat innings.
It turned out to be a good move. After finding himself, Spears held the Panthers hitless over the last four innings, facing just two batters over the minimum, while the Eagles rallied. Spears went 5 2/3 innings and struck out 12.
The Eagles (7-1) tied the game in the fifth when the Panthers misplayed Logan Cowperthwiat’s fly to right into a pair of run. They took the lead in the sixth when Mason O’Brien scored on a wild pitch and extended it on RBI singles by Jake Layfield and Mike McClincy.
“(Spears) went to work on the mound, pitched very well, pounded the zone and challenge hitters,” Pennsville coach Matt Karr said. “The offense chipped away and kept winning innings and we found a way to win. I’m proud of their effort to dig out of the hole on the road against a division opponent.”
CUMBERLAND 7, WOODSTOWN 0: Kameron Fiorani and Peyton Brennan shut out the Wolverines on five hits and Fiorani hit a two-run homer in the sixth to put an exclamation point on the performance.
Fiorani went the first six innings, giving up five hits, walking four and striking out five. Brenner set the Wolverines down in order in the seventh.
The Wolverines mounted a few threats, getting five runners in scoring position, but Fiorani got out of them every time. His defense helped with two double plays.
GOLF LOWER CAPE MAY 161, SCHALICK 166: Schalick senior Seth Fisher birdied 4 and 5 at Centerton CC to shoot even-par 35 and win medalist honors, but Lower Cape May posted two scores in the 30s to win the match. Cole Bade shot 37 and Alex Sekela 39 to lead the Caper Tigers.
The girls teams also played and LCM’s Lina Tastevin posted the low round (49). Jasmine Hunt shot Schalick’s low score (57).
AUDUBON 165, PENNSVILLE 221: The Green Wave posted the four lowest scores of the day to win the match. Ben Cameron was Audubon’s low man (40). Trevor Hann led Pennsville with a 48.
OVERBROOK 202, SALEM TECH 214: Joseph Linane parred his last three holes to shoot 4-over 40 at Kresson GC and lead the Rams to victory. Sophia Conto shot the Chargers’ low round (46).
GIRLS LACROSSE
WOODSTOWN 20, MILLVILLE 3: Delaney Walker moved closer to 200 career goals when she scored five and Arianna Hyman pumped in four to help the Wolverines snap a three-game losing streak.
Walker now has 195 career goals. Her first chance at the milestone will be April 28 at home against West Deptford. Isabella Lindenmuth, Angelina Lindenmuth, Blair Baldi and Emma Perry scored two goals apiece for the Wolverines (5-3).
TENNIS
DELSEA 3, WOODSTOWN 2 Zeph Kell (D) def. Drew Stengel, 6-4, 6-2 Eli Croce (D) def. Mason Shimp, 6-2, 6-1 Zach Natalie (D) def. Luke Shaw, 6-2, 6-4 Vincent Merendino-Nick DiTeodoro (Wo) def. Jacob Bramble-Jude Thompson, 4-6, 7-6 (7-0), 10-8 Connor Miller-Josh King (Wo) def. Marcus Saigueiro-Seth Bui, 7-5, 6-1. Records: Delsea 7-1, Woodstown 8-3
College baseball
FRIDAY’S REGION XIX GAMES Camden 6, Salem CC 1 Brookdale 22, Union 4 Mercer 25, Morris 7 Northampton 14, Atlantic Cape 4 Middlesex 13, RCSJ-Cumberland 7 Bergen 29, Delaware County 7 Lackawanna 19, Delaware Tech 9
BLACKWOOD — Two Camden pitchers held Salem CC to two singles and off the scoreboard until the ninth inning to beat the Mighty Oaks in their series opener 6-1.
Nick Mokienko, a freshman right-hander with a sub-1.50 ERA, worked the first 7 2/3 innings and gave up one hit while striking out 11. He hasn’t allowed an earned run in his last six appearances (24 innings). Michael Manera came in behind him and gave up one hit and the Mighty Oaks’ only run.
Until the ninth, the only hit the Mighty Oaks mustered was Colin McLaughlin’s leadoff single in the fifth. Mokienko faced only one batters over the minimum through the first four innings
The Mighty Oaks finally got on the board in the ninth. Jason LeBold led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch for the 15th time this season and Tyler Hacker singled. The runners pulled off a double steal and LeBold rode home on Roman Hernandez; sacrifice fly.
The Cougars scored two runs in each of the first two innings. C Hudson delivered a two-out two-run single off Pat Seitzinger in the first and I Monteith hit a two-run double in the second.
The series concludes with a noon doubleheader Saturday at the Carneys Point Rec Complex.
Here are the scores and highlights from Thursday’s Salem County sports calendar
BASEBALL Penns Grove 14, Bridgeton 4: Tim Zamorano went 2-for-4 with four RBIs and the Red Devils answered Bridgeton’s two in the first with eight in the bottom of the dining to snap a three-game losing streak. Bristol Scott and Juan Feliciano both had two hits and Yadiel Sierra Soto had two RBIs. Dylan Hyatt pitched a five-inning complete game, striking out 10.
SOFTBALL Sterling 17, Schalick 16: The Silver Knights rallied for six runs in the top of the seventh, then denied the Cougars in the bottom of the inning to win it. Schalick rallied from a 10-5 deficit with six in the fourth inning and led 15-11 after five innings. It was the second wild one-run game in as many days for Schalick, which beat Pitman 11-10 on Wednesday.
TRACK Woodstown at Lenape Field Day Pennsville at Penns Grove
BOYS GOLF Schalick 168, Pennsville 223: Mikey Nelson won medalist honors with a 4-over-par 40 and all four of the Cougars’ counters played better than bogey golf at Sakima CC to win the match. Caden Thomas had Pennsville’s low round (51).
Highland 168, Woodstown 174: Highland teammates Mac Weldon, Lucas Calabro and Michael Comorote and Woodstown’s Logan Jones all shot 6-over 41 to share medalist honors at Town & Country GL.
BOYS LACROSSE Mainland 12, Woodstown 7: Liam Kennedy scored four goals for the second time in three games for Mainland.
Salem CC softball coaches take, share encouragement from team’s play despite being swept by current region leader Mercer
REGION XIX SOFTBALL Mercer 8-7, Salem CC 4-6 RCSJ-Gloucester 9-0, Monroe 8-12 Lackawanna 10-6, Frederick CC 1-0 Bucks 12, RCSJ-Cumberland 5 Bergen at Dutchess Brookdale at Morris Middlesex at Orange County CC Morris at Sussex
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE — The Salem CC softball team came ever so close to giving acting head coach Mackenzie Freas an early birthday present by knocking off a team they haven’t had much luck against in the second game of Thursday’s doubleheader.
The Mighty Oaks had a lead after a big inning with six outs to go, but then Mercer did what Mercer always does against the Mighty Oaks and rallied to complete a sweep of their Region 19 twin bill and regular-season series, 8-4 and 7-6.
Under any other circumstances it would have been an occasion to hang heads and put on a brave face when it came to talking about what transpired over the last four and a half hours of softball. But this time, the Mighty Oaks were encouraged by the things they saw against a team they had only beaten only once in 12 previous meetings, never in the regular season, and hadn’t score a run the last four times they played, including both games the day before Easter.
The Mighty Oaks (20-18) scored three runs in the seventh inning of the opener to make that one close and had the tying run at the plate when it ended, then they scored six in the fifth inning of the nightcap to take a 6-3 lead with six outs to go and just had to get out of the seventh to earn the win.
“Obviously we lost, but it was, I don’t want to say a good loss, but it was like a ‘we needed that,” said Freas, who remains the face of the program while head coach Angel Rodriguez awaits clearance from the college to return. “I think our girls had some doubt, not doubt in themselves because they knew they could do it, but the first time we played them we didn’t even get six walks, or six hits, we didn’t get anything.
“This game we got six runs in one inning. The game before we had three runs on two outs. I think it was almost like an eye-opener to them in like we can do this. We just said to them this is such a good team and you are realizing it now. Now that we’re going into the postseason … during the postseason you don’t want the team that’s red hot, we’re getting red hot. We’re getting so close. We’re getting right there.
“This is the best team in the region and to hold them like we did and then to almost beat them, that felt a little bit good.”
Mercer (29-3) led 3-0 in the nightcap before the Mighty Oaks flipped the game with six in the fifth. Bella Rappa single home the first run, then J.J. Aguirre gave them the lead with a three-run double. But the Mighty Oaks weren’t finished. They reloaded the bases and then Jocelyn Melendez ripped a two-run single up the middle to make it 6-3. Rappa had three hits in the game and Melendez had two.
“Oh my God, that felt great,” Freas said. “I don’t think we felt like that against them since the year (they beat them in the playoffs, 2024). The body of them was so similar and our girls were just like fueling off of it. it was their best way of (thinking) this is what post-season can feel like. That was their taste of it and they want it.”
The Mighty Oaks just had to get six outs to secure the win. Mercer scored two in the sixth, although Aguirre made a diving stop at third with the bases loaded to keep a ball from going down into the corner and really hurting the Mighty Oaks, and two more in the seventh to take the lead.
Karisa Krawiec raced home with the tying run on a wild pitch that was ball four to Isabella Cornish-Didonato. Cornish-Didonato continued around the bases on pitches that got away and finally came home with the go-ahead run when Jamie Kozarski hit a sharp grounder past third that shortstop Lilly Peverelle collected but couldn’t make a throw.
“I just think we tried to get too big in a moment, we tried to do too much in the moment,” Freas said. “When we had that six-run inning nobody was trying to do anything crazy. Everybody was just gotta get on base, gotta do my job, gotta stay patient. And then when we get to the sixth and seventh inning it’s I’ve got to do too much. Before, it was just like you’re just playing to play.
“Come playoffs you can feel this again. You’re going to feel this pressure opportunity again. You have to now get comfortable with that uncomfortable now when we’re in the regular season. Come postseason you’re going to knock it out of the park.”
The Mighty Oaks went down in order in the seventh, but not before making it interesting. Aguirre, the modern-era single-season home run record holder, led off with long fly Krawiac flagged down in right field. Megan Koski lofted a fly into shallow right that Krawiac raced in just as hard to snare and then Witter flew to center to end the game.
The Mighty Oaks hadn’t scored a run against Mercer since the third inning of an April 5, 2025 run-rule loss, but they broke that 27-inning drought in the third inning of Game One on Emme Witter’s sacrifice fly. They could have gotten a lot more early. They had bases-loaded, no-out situations in the first and third innings, but only got the one run out of them.
They finally capitalized on a bases-loaded situation in the seventh, but by then trailed 8-1. Witter delivered a two-run single to make it 8-3 and Jordyn Busch scored the final run on a wild pitch. They brought the tying run to the plate, but the game ended on a grounder back to the pitcher.
“We saw what we can be; we saw that we can play up here,” Freas said. “That’s the No. 1 team in the region and we saw we can get ahead and we can hang with the big dogs. And come playoff time we are going to beat the big dogs. It’s coming. I know it’s coming. This reminds me so much of that (2024) team. It is so similar and we’re starting to see the spurts now.”
ACORNS: The Mighty Oaks are now 1-13 in the series with Mercer since reviving their program. Their only win came in the first round of the 2024 Region 19 playoffs (6-0) … Game 2 Thursday was the closest game in the series … Aguirre is two RBIs shy of tying the modern era single-season school record (Ella Hayes, 61) … Freas continues to serve as the Mighty Oaks’ head coach while Rodriguez awaits clearance to return by college HR, although he has been medically cleared by his cardiac surgeon to return to his full-time job as a Salem CC advisor and fulfill his daily coaching responsibilities. He spoke to the team after the doubleheader … Freas’ birthday is Friday.
Woodstown boys hand Mason 399th T&F coaching win, milestone could come vs. former team; Schalick wins girls meet in final 200 meters of 4×400; includes scores from Wednesday’s Salem County sports calendar
BASEBALL Pennsville 15, Penns Grove 1 Schalick 16, Pitman 4: Woodstown 10, Salem 0 Salem Tech 10, Cape May Tech 2 SOFTBALL Pennsville 21, Penns Grove 0 Woodstown 14, Salem 0 Schalick 11, Pitman 10 BOYS GOLF West Deptford 162, Schalick 178 Gloucester Catholic 157, Salem Tech 220 GIRLS GOLF Schalick 206, Delsea 246 TENNIS Woodstown 5, Timber Creek 0 Pennsville 5, Schalick 0 BOYS TRACK Woodstown 88, Schalick 46 Pennsville at Glassboro Penns Grove at Overbrook Salem 77, Pitman 6 GIRLS TRACK Schalick 74, Woodstown 66 Salem 66, Pitman 40 GIRLS LACROSSE Mainland 15, Woodstown 3
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – For the last couple years, at least during the cycle of its current seniors, the success of Woodstown’s boys track program was carried on the legs of its long and middle distance runners. “The Four Horsemen” as they’ve been called garnered the points the Wolverines scored every meet through the various events in which they competed and anything else was considered a bonus.
They’ve won some, contended in most, with that approach. But since longtime county track coach Tom Mason came out of retirement to take over the team this spring, the Wolverines have added more elements to their arsenal, elements that make them much more dangerous in the major meets that follow the rest of the spring.
One of the first things Mason expressed upon arrival was a desire to develop jumpers and throwers and sprinters and technical hurdlers to go with the headline runners. Those pieces were on full display Wednesday as the Wolverines ran past rival Schalick 88-46 in a meet that was Mason’s 399th career dual meet victory.
Thrower Aidan Taulane won the shot put and discus, breaking his own school record in the latter. Eli Ceasar and Andrew White posted personal bests in going 1-2, respectively, in the high jump. They also went 1-2 in the triple jump, with White winning the event.
“I’m going to say this and try to say this humbly,” Mason said. “For the county meets it puts us in a better position against the powerhouse Schalick and the Penns Grove team. It puts us in a better position. I’m going to start with that before we comment about farther down the road. If the jumpers alone, if they keep competing the way they are, they could score at least 20-25 points at sections.”
“It shows that we’re a developed team and shows the quality of a coach that we have in that he really forced the program in all areas,” said senior Josh Crawford, one of the aforementioned Four Horsemen. “Within a month or maybe even less he made us into not just the Four Horseman but an entire team. I think it shows our entire team has heart now and we definitely are going to put up much better scores, much better show-outs for the colleges that are looking at my teammates and things of that nature. We’re such a well-rounded team now.”
Taulane broke the school record in the discus he set two weeks ago, sending the disc 166-feet, 1-inch in his second throw. Then he stepped over to the shot put pit a few feet to his right and won that event at 44-8. He hasn’t lost his event in a dual meet since his sophomore but, it was finishing one place out of qualifying for the state meet as a sophomore that has really motivated him these past two seasons.
“It shows that Woodstown’s not just the 4-by-8 team like everybody used to say and what they’re going to see at the sectionals and states is there’s more to Woodstown,” Taulane said. “I think it gives us a good chance to win it all. Nothing is guaranteed, but I think we have a pretty good chance.”
While the boys meet was so much a runaway they didn’t even run the 4×400 relay on that side, the girls meet came down to the wire, literally the final 200 meters of the day.
Schalick pulled out a 74-66 victory, but had to win the final event of the day – the 4×400 relay – to avoid a rare loss in the series. The Cougars had a three-point lead going into the day’s final event but had to win the two-team race to secure enough points for the victory. They actually trailed with about 200 meters to go, but anchor Caylen Taylor made up the deficit and pulled away bringing it home.
“It was obviously stressful.,” Schalick coach Missy Pine said. “We were down, we had some girls get injured while we were here, we had some girls not be able to compete, so for the girls who were able to step up and push and do their best I cannot tell you how proud I am of all of them. And I couldn’t be prouder of that 4×4 team that just went out there and fought with everything they had for that win.”
It was the first time the Cougars had run the race all spring, but they handled it like veterans. They hit the wire in 4:25.7. Woodstown finished in 4:32.5.
Lia Covely, normally Woodstown’s anchor, staked the Wolverines to four-second lead after the opening leg, but Jaelynn Jarmon closed it to basically a dead-heat at the mid-point of the race. Kylie Parvin had the Cougars in the lead again after the third leg, but Kyrsten Dussault caught Schalick anchor Caylen Taylor on the back straightaway and actually pulled ahead briefly before Taylor, supporting Pine’s strategy of putting a good distance runner at the end of relay for endurance sake, kicked it into another gear in the home stretch.
“This is my senior season and I really did not want to get the first loss against Woodstown,” Taylor said. “I really just wanted to go out and give it my all. I knew how much it meant to my coaches and my team and I just wanted to give it my all. I knew it was going to come down to this, so I was mentally preparing myself so I wanted to give it my all and whatever the outcome was I’d be happy with it as long as I did my best. I felt like Jell-O at the end.”
Woodstown coach Kim Kraky called the loss “disheartening.” The Woodstown girls hadn’t beaten the Cougars often, and only once in the County Meet, but they were thisclose this time.
The Wolverines had several multiple winners. Abby Marino won the 800, 1600 and 3200. Covely won both hurdles. Sara Lodge won the shot and discus. And Kami Casiano won the high jump and triple jump, setting the school record in the former with the bar set taller than she is.
Karlie Bakley won the two sprints for Schalick and ran its leadoff leg in the 4×400.
In one of the more anticipated races of the day, Schalick’s David Stewart beat Woodstown’s Josh Crawford by four-tenths of a second to win the boys 400. Stewart also won the 100, a race he runs just “to get my legs moving,” and the long jump.
“It was something I was looking forward to,” Stewart said of the 400. “Last year we faced off at our track and I beat him, so I knew the next time we faced off, which was today, he was going to come back stronger, faster, but I’ve been training, too. I knew it was going to be a tough match. I kind of paced off (Woodstown’s Karson Chew) to the 200 and once I hit the 200 I kicked and I had a really strong kick and I think my kick was stronger than theirs and I finished the race strong.”
“I feel like going into my races when I know the competition I’m up against I get into my head a little bit,” Crawford said. “That part I need to focus more on my strategy. Changing strategy, changing mindset and I’ll have plenty more races to go up against my good opponents.”
Crawford came back and won his specialty, the 800, standing his ground against Steve Chomo, who pushed him to a PR when they raced on the Cougars’ track last year. Jacob Marino, another of the Four Horsemen, won the 1600 and 3200.
The boys win left Mason one shy of 400 for his Hall of Fame coaching career. The milestone win could come as early as April 27, ironically, against the school with which he had built so much of his coaching success, Penns Grove
This story will be updated.
Caylen Taylor brings home the 4×400 relay, the final event of the day, to secure the Schalick girls’ victory over Woodstown.
BOYS MEET WOODSTOWN 88, SCHALICK 46 400 Hurdles: Jacob Carter, Schalick, 1:02.2 100: David Stewart, Schalick, 11.0 1600: Jacob Marino, Woodstown, 4:49 400: David Stewart, Schalick, 48.5 110 Hurdles: Sherrod Jones, Schalick, 15.6 800: Josh Crawford, Woodstown, 2:00 200: Anthony Costello, Woodstown, 22.6 3200: Jacob Marino, Woodstown, 10:48 High Jump: Eli Caesar, Woodstown, 6-2 Long Jump: David Stewart. Schalick, 21-7.25 Triple Jump: Andrew White, Woodstown, 43-3.5 Discus: Aidan Taulane, Woodstown, 166-1 Javelin: Garry Simonini, Schalick, 158-3 Shot Put: Aidan Taulane, Woodstown, 44-8 Pole Vault: Caleb Jenkins, Schalick, 12-0
Woodstown/s Elijah Caesar wins the high jump with a PR of 6-2. (Top photo) Wolverines senior Aidan Taulane broke his school record in the discus and won the shot put.
