Right fielder Kenny Wilson went 3-for-4 with four RBIs and first baseman Sean Thomas drove in three runs as defending champion Hunterdon Central steamrolled Hackettstown in a 14-3, five-inning mercy rule victory on Saturday in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex semifinal in Flemington.
The Red Devils (16-4), ranked fourth in West Jersey by Open Mike, handed the No. 2 Tigers (15-1) their first loss and extended their own winning streak to 11 straight since a 9-8 loss at Watchung Hills on April 21. Coach Mike Raymond's club will play for its second county title 7:30 p.m. next Saturday when it faces No. 1 Pope John at Diamond Nation. The Lions beat Voorhees, 4-2, in the other semifinal.
The Tigers, who lost 11-3 to Central in last year's semifinals, had not allowed more than eight runs in any game this season -- a 9-8 win over Warren Hills on April 16. Coach Gary Poyer's team had won 20 of 21 since a 5-0 loss to West Essex in last year's North 2, Group 2 sectional final.
Central wasted no time in jumping on Hackettstown ace Matt Reynolds. After taking a 1-0 lead on Chris Suseck's RBI single in the bottom of the first and leaving the bases loaded, the Red Devils broke it open with a six-run second inning to make it 7-1 in favor of the hosts. Catcher T.J. Mordeci delivered the big blow with a two-run double.
Reynolds, who entered the game 5-0 and 18-1 for his career, was tagged for 13 runs (seven earned) and allowed 10 hits and five walks in 2 2/3 innings, his shortest outing of the season. The Monmouth recruit struck out a season-low one batter.
The Tigers answered back with a run in the third to make it 7-2 on Adam Young's RBI double, but the Tigers drew no closer as the Red Devils put the game out of reach with a seven-run third inning, as Wilson blasted a grand slam -- his fifth homer of the season -- to highlight the frame. Wilson and Thomas share team lead in RBIs with 24.
Justin Knight singled in Hackettstown's final run in the fifth. The Tigers managed just five hits, including doubles by Young, Kirby Neuner, Mark Feci and James Novembre, off Central starter Greg Scassera and reliever Bryan Noonan. Scassera (5-1) allowed two runs on three hits in four innings.
Hackettstown (15-2) 011 01 -- 3 5 4
Hunterdon Central (16-4) 167 0x -- 14 13 2
HACKETTSTOWN (ab-r-h-rbi) -- Knight, 2b, 3-0-1-1, Neuner, cf, 2-1-1-0, Young, ss, 3-0-1-1, Feci, c, 3-0-1-0, Reynolds, p, 1-0-0-0, Kimball, 1b, 1-0-0-0, DeLorenzo, dh, 2-0-0-0/Souders, rf, 0-0-0-0, Novembre, 3b, 2-1-1-0, Pezzato, lf, 1-0-0-0. Totals: 18-3-5-2.
HUNTERDON CENTRAL (ab-r-h-rbi) -- Jo. Ake, ss, 3-3-1-0, Klimchak, 2b, 4-1-2-1, Suseck, 3b, 2-1-1-2, Wilson, rf, 4-2-3-4, Sokolowski, dh, 0-1-0-0/DelHoya, ph, 0-1-0-0, Mordeci, c, 4-0-1-2, Thomas, 1b, 3-1-2-3, Russomagno, cf, 2-1-2-1, Je. Ake, lf, 3-1-1-1. Totals: 22-4-5-3.
E -- Knight, Young, Reynolds, Pezzato. Klimchak, Suseck. DP -- Hunterdon Central 1. LOB -- Hackettstown 2, Hunterdon Central 7. 2B -- Neuner, Young, Feci, Novembre. Klimchak, Wilson, Thomas, Mordeci. 3B -- Russomagno. HR -- Wilson. SB -- Jo. Ake 2, Klimchak. CS -- Klimchak, Thomas.
Reynolds, Knight (3) and Feci. Scassera, Noonan (5) and Mordeci. W -- Scassera (5-1). L -- Reynolds (5-1). SO-BB -- Reynolds 1-5, Knight 0-1; Scassera 1-2, Noonan 0-1.
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