Thursday, May 30, 2013

Baseball: Newton's turnaround season ends in semis

Newton's baseball team has plenty to be proud of in what was a tremendous season -- including its first conference title and winning season since 2001.

Unfortunately, Thursday's 13-3 loss to Pascack Hills in the NJSIAA North 1, Group 2 sectional semifinals is not one to be featured on the Sussex County program's highlight reel.

The Braves (18-7) saw their four-game win streak and a bid for the school's first sectional title in 12 years end abruptly on their home field before a good-sized crowd at Memory Park. In all, Newton pitchers issued 14 walks, while the defense committed four costly errors. Very uncharacteristic for a team that usually doesn't beat itself with mental mistakes.

"We picked a bad time for a bad game," said junior center fielder Ben Cramer, one of Newton's top hitters who finished 2-for-3 with an RBI in the loss and a combined 7-for-11 with three RBIs in three playoff games. "It was just one of those days."

Lefty Nick Grant struggled from the first inning through his 3 1/3 frames, walking six and allowing five earned runs on four hits. The Braves ace dropped to 5-1 on the season, despite working out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning. After allowing an RBI single in the third to Pascack Hills second baseman John Molinelli -- who walked three times on the day -- that tied the game at 1, Grant didn't make it out of a nightmare seven-run fourth in which he allowed two hits, a sacrifice fly and three straight walks before his departure.

"We were concerned about his pitch count, it seemed like he was 3-2 or 2-2 on every batter the first two innings," said Braves coach John Selitto, who lifted Grant in favor of Anthony Morro after 90 pitches. "He usually pounds the strike zone. He threw a similar game at Lenape Valley [an 8-6 Newton win on April 30]. He tends to get himself too amped up. He's young and needs to take the same approach every game and go about his business."

Selitto said all of his pitchers were available, except No. 2 starter Chris Branham, who threw 106 pitches in Sunday's 3-2 win over Glen Rock in the quarterfinals. That being the case, Selitto was forced to go with Morro out of the bullpen.

"It would've been asking an awful lot [of Branham to pitch]," the coach said. "In big moments this year he's come up to me asked for the ball. He didn't today. It was too important to his future [to not throw]."

Pascack Hills (11-14) took a calculated risk by throwing its No. 2 starter Corey Pic and saving ace Mike Benducci, a junior lefty, for Friday's sectional final against defending champion Mahwah. Pic, a right-hander, went all six innings, allowing two earned runs on nine hits with one walk and four strikeouts.

The Cowboys envoked the possibility of a 10-run rule win with four in the top of the sixth, as reliever Luke Leifken issued four walks, along with a two-run double to shortstop Justin Cirieco and a two-run single to Pic. Amazingly, the Bergen County school left a total of 12 men on base, despite scoring 13 runs on eight hits.

"They came right back at us," said Selitto, whose Braves led 3-1 after three innings thanks to Grant's two-run single with two out. "They're a much better team than their record shows. They're a quality team."

Morro, who started at first base, came on in that decisive fourth inning and issued two walks -- five straight bases on balls for the Cowboys -- and two hits as the visitors sent 12 men to the plate. Down 6-3, an error on shortstop Casey Thomas extended the inning when he couldn't field a routine grounder and get the force at second. Instead, the lead swelled to five runs and essentially took Newton out of the game.

Thomas, who had a tough day in the field, was subbing for starter Jon Bernotas, who was injured during pregame warmups when he was struck in the nose by a thrown ball. Bernotas, who had four RBIs in the previous three games, pinch-hit for Thomas leading off the sixth and grounded out to third.

Pic (5-2), who helped himself at the plate with three RBIs, retired the final five Braves in order -- three on weak ground balls, a flyout and a strikeout. Newton went 3-for-9 with runners in scoring position and had zero extra-base hits.

"Sometimes you tip your hat to the other guys," Selitto said. "We helped them a little bit. We didn't play well. We didn't hit the ball well. We lost a little bit of our swagger around the third or fourth inning. I don't think they got intimidated.

"What we had done well all year was get back in the dugout with 1-2-3 innings and be able to tack on runs. I would've liked to see how we matched up with Mahwah. I thought we were destined for [the title game]."

Despite the loss, Newton can look back on a special season, including its first Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference Freedom Division title. In addition, the bulk of the team returns next year, sans senior starters Morro, second baseman Joey Selitto and Branham. Junior catcher Charlie Grotyohann had a breakout season behind the plate, while junior left fielder Justin Smith produced around 40 hits from the leadoff spot.

"This is still a relatively young team," John Selitto said. "I love the way the program has turned. We want this to be a regular occurrence, where we're playing for a state title. That has to be the norm. A lot of good things happened for us. I'm already excited for next year."

PASCACK HILLS (ab-r-h-rbi) -- Messinger rf 4-1-1-1, Cirieco ss 4-2-2-2, Poleway cf 3-2-1-0, Spelling lf 1-2-0-2, Molinelli 2b 2-1-1-2, Pic p 3-0-1-3, MacLetti cr 0-0-0-0, Weinstein 3b 3-1-1-0, Chiavelli c 2-0-0-0, Trumbetti cr 0-2-0-0, Benducci 1b 2-2-1-1. Totals: 24-13-8-11.

NEWTON (ab-r-h-rbi) -- Smith lf 4-1-2-0, Selitto 2b 2-0-0-0, Cramer cf 3-0-2-1, Morro 1b-p 3-1-1-0, Maker 3b 3-1-1-0, Grant p-1b 1-0-1-2, Branham cr 0-0-0-0, Leifken p 1-0-0-0, Vasquez dh/Castle rf 3-0-0-0, Thomas ss 2-0-1-0, Bernotas ph 1-0-0-0, Grotyohann c 3-0-0-0. Totals: 26-3-9-3.

Pascack Hills (11-14)            001     714    --  13   8   3
Newton (18-7)                       102     000    --  3    9   4

E -- Pic, Benducci, Weinstein; Thomas 3, Maker. DP -- Pascack Hills 1 (Pic-Cirieco-Benducci, 4th inning). LOB -- Pascack Hills 12; Newton 7. 2B -- Poleway, Cirieco. SB --  Thomas. CS -- Cirieco. Sac -- Chiavelli; Selitto. SF -- Spelling.

Grant, Morro (4), Leifken (5) and Grotyohann. Pic and Chiavelli. W -- Pic (5-2). L -- Grant (5-1). SO-BB -- Grant 2-6, Morro 1-4, Leifken 0-4; Pic 4-1. WP -- Pic 4; Morro 1, Leifken 1.

Monday, May 27, 2013

Baseball: Newton, Pope John among six still alive

We're heading into the final two weeks of the baseball season and six teams from the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area are still chasing state sectional titles.

Sectional semifinals among the public schools are slated to be played -- weather permitting -- on Tuesday. The championships will be contested on Friday. Non-Public quarterfinals are Tuesday, semifinals on Friday and championships on Tuesday, June 4.

In Sussex County, Newton and Sparta posted thrilling wins in quarterfinal games, while Pope John won its opener, 2-0, in the Non-Public North A bracket.

Over in Hunterdon County, North Hunterdon and Hunterdon Central are still dancing, while North Warren is the lone Warren County team still playing games.

I had a chance to catch Pope John against Vernon last week and the Lions are playing with a lot of confidence. With only one starting senior, the Lions are building for a banner year in 2014, but haven't dismissed a run this postseason, despite playing in a killer section.

Up next for coach Vin Bello's team is a quarterfinal date with St. Joseph-Montvale and ace pitcher Rob Kaminsky on Tuesday. Kaminsky, a lefty, features in a mid-90s fastball and a dynamite curve. He will most certainly be selected in the first round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on June 6.

Pope John (15-13), which has reached at least the quarterfinal round the last five years and won its only sectional title in 2011, knows what it's up against on Tuesday.

"Anyone at this level can beat anyone at any given time," said Lions second baseman Axel D'Addario, one of the team's offensive leaders this season. "Our No. 1 goal is to win a state championship."

Bello said his team is an extremely heavy underdog with Kaminsky on the hill, but his Lions have prepared themselves for the playoffs by playing a very tough non-conference schedule, including games against Bergen Catholic, Don Bosco and Middlesex. Co-NJAC American Division foes, Mount Olive and Sparta, are both playing in Public sectional semifinals.

"We've played a lot of tough teams," Bello said.

Right fielder Michael Young also has been sensational on offense for the Lions, while right-hander Dan Cunico (4-3) will start against St. Joe. Lefty Ethan Collins (6-2) picked up the win on Sunday against DePaul.

Here's a capsule look at the other games on Tuesday involving Open Mike area teams:

North 1, Group 3

7-Sparta at 3-Paramus -- Sparta (17-8-1) rallied late on Monday to beat No. 15 seed Northern Highlands, 10-9, in the quarterfinals. Junior second baseman Austin Unglaub belted a two-out, two-run single for a thrilling walk-off win, after coach Sam Slobodzian's team had given up six runs in the top of the seventh and trailed by two heading into its final at-bats. Sparta, which hasn't won a sectional title since 2000, will now hit the road to face a good Paramus team, which beat Vernon, 9-1, in a first-round matchup. Sparta beat Vernon twice this season -- 9-3 and 6-3. Ace Kevin Foulds pitched 5 2/3 innings on Monday, so Dillon Mendel will likely start this one for the Sussex County Spartans, who have won four straight and have scored a total of 23 runs in their two state playoff wins.

Other semifinal: 12-Mount Olive at 9-Teaneck (Mount Olive lost to Sparta twice this season, 3-1 and 4-3).

North 1, Group 2

15-Pascack Hills at 3-Newton -- How 'bout them Braves? Coach John Selitto's team continued the program's best season since 2001 with an exciting walk-off win of its own on Sunday, 3-2, over No. 6 seed Glen Rock at Memory Park. Center fielder Ben Cramer continued his torrid postseason hitting with a 3-for-4 day, including a double and an RBI. In two playoff wins, Cramer is 5-for-8 with two RBIs. Right-hander Chris Branham (5-1) tossed a four-hitter and struck out seven for the win. Sophomore shortstop Jon Bernotas, who has at least one RBI in four straight games, delivered the walk-off hit with two outs for the Braves, who led 2-0 after six innings. Lefty ace Nick Grant (5-0) will start against Pascack Hills, which upset No. 2 seed Lakeland, 2-0, in the first round. Newton, which has allowed a total of seven runs in its last  four games, seeks its first finals appearance since '01.

Other semifinal: 4-Pequannock at 1-Mahwah.

North 1, Group 1

9-North Warren at 4-New Milford -- Patriots, who have won four in a row and six of seven, are still kicking after an 8-1 thumping of Park Ridge in Sunday's quarterfinals. Coach Jim Haupt's team, which beat Wood-Ridge, 2-0, in the first round, got strong performances from ace Alek Hladik (5-4), who had eight strikeouts, and Mike Clothier, who drove in three runs, against Park Ridge. Clothier is on fire at the plate, with seven RBIs in his last four games. Hunter Stevens (4-3) should get the ball against New Milford.

Other semifinal: 3-Emerson Boro at 2-Pompton Lakes.

North 2, Group 4

5-North Hunterdon at 1-Watchung Hills -- Lions advanced with a nice 5-3 win over Millburn on Thursday in the quarterfinals. Senior outfielder Andrew Gianos went 2-for-4 with an RBI, while senior outfielder C.J. Rasile was 2-for-4 with two RBIs against coach Brian Chapman's Millers. Tyler Smith picked up the win on the mound, so both he and Justin Trinity could pitch against Watchung Hills, which finished second in the Skyland Conference Delaware Division. The Warriors beat the Lions, 6-2, on April 16. Smith took the loss in that one. The second regular-season meeting was cancelled.

Other semifinal: 14-Perth Amboy at 10-Westfield.

Central Jersey, Group 4

12-Marlboro at 9-Hunterdon Central -- Red Devils are rolling right along -- beating West Windsor South, 7-4, in the quarterfinals for their 10th straight win. Coach Mike Raymond's team, which won its second HWS title, is 10-1 in the month of May. Shortstop Jeremy Ake belted a two-run homer -- his team-leading sixth of the season -- and ace right-hander Billy Maier (6-2, 2.10 ERA) struck out seven for his fourth win in his last four outings. Maier shut out Vernon, 10-0, on May 18 in the tri-county final. Mike Novello (5-2, 2.75 ERA) got the win over Howell in the opening round of the sectional tournament.

Other semifinal: 14-Brick Memorial at 2-Jackson Memorial.

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Baseball: Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex standings

   Through games on May 23



Skyland Conference
Delaware Division
Overall
Division
x-Montgomery
(19-5)
(11-3)
Watchung Hills
(21-5)
(9-4)
North Hunterdon
(16-11)
(8-5)
z-Hunterdon Central
(18-8)
(8-6)
Bridgewater-Raritan
(18-10)
(8-6)
Immaculata
(12-11)
(6-8)
Hillsborough
(9-13)
(4-10)
Phillipsburg
(7-18)
(1-13)
Raritan Division
Overall
Division
x-Somerville
(15-12)
(9-1)
x-Ridge
(16-8)
(9-1)
Warren Hills
(11-14)
(4-6)
Delaware Valley
(9-12)
(4-6)
Voorhees
(6-16)
(3-7)
Franklin
(3-14)
(1-9)
Valley Division
Overall
Division
xz-Bernards
(21-5)
(13-1)
Pingry
(17-7)
(11-3)
Gill St. Bernard's
(14-12)
(10-4)
Belvidere
(10-14)
(6-8)
North Plainfield
(8-14)
(6-8)
South Hunterdon
(6-13)
(5-9)
Bound Brook
(6-15)
(4-10)
Manville
(3-15)
(1-13)
Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference
Freedom Division
Overall
Division
x-Newton
(17-6)
(13-1)
Jefferson
(18-11)
(10-4)
North Warren
(13-9)
(9-5)
Lenape Valley
(12-11)
(7-7)
Wallkill Valley
(8-13)
(7-7)
Hackettstown
(10-13)
(5-9)
Kittatinny
(7-15)
(4-10)
Hopatcong
(2-23)
(1-13)
American Division
Overall
Division
x-Montville
(17-8)
(11-3)
Sparta
(16-8-1)
(10-3-1)
Pope John
(14-13)
(8-6)
Morris Hills
(14-12-2)
(6-6-2)
Mount Olive
(16-11-1)
(6-7-1)
Morris Knolls
(7-17-2)
(5-7-2)
Vernon
(11-13)
(5-9)
High Point
(5-14)
(2-12)
x-division champion

z-county champion

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Baseball: Pope John blanks Vernon in division finale

Peaks and valleys. That's a baseball season.

Pope John and Vernon have experienced a fair share of both, but the Lions hope to be hitting their stride at the right time.

Left-hander Ethan Collins fired six scoreless innings and Axel D'Addario belted his fourth home run, as Pope John rolled to a 4-0 win on Tuesday in a Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference clash at Vernon Township High School.

Pope John (13-13, 8-6) won its final American Division game, while handing Vernon (11-13, 5-9) its fifth straight loss to close out its season. Coach Vin Bello's Lions, who gave Don Bosco Prep all it could handle in a tough 5-4 loss in nine innings on Monday, now gear up for Friday's opener in the Non-Public North A sectional playoffs at home against DePaul.

"We've played a lot of good teams, a lot of tough teams," said Bello, whose 2011 team captured the program's first North A championship. "We've blown some leads and we've come back in a few. Today, we got a good pitched ballgame from Collins and [Jack] Nelson."

Coach Scott Berge's Vikings, which featured a senior-laden lineup with four underclassmen regulars on the bench in the finale, saw their turnaround season end abruptly with their third loss in four days. After a 2-6 start, Vernon won nine of its next 11 and reached the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex title game for the first time in the event's four-year history.

The Vikes lost, 10-0, to Hunterdon Central in the HWS final on Saturday and were coming off a tough 9-1 defeat to Paramus on Monday in the opening round of the North 1, Group 3 playoffs. In that one, Vernon pitchers allowed five walks and hit three batters -- leading to seven Paramus runs.

It was a tough finish to a fine season for Vernon, which scored a total of seven runs in its final six games. Tuesday's loss also stretched the program's skid against Pope John to 11 straight dating to 2008, the last season in which the Vikings beat the Lions (4-1 on April 14).

"It was a year of streaks," said Berge, whose son, Kevin, had knee surgery on Monday and missed Tuesday's finale after a strong senior season on the mound. "We started cold and got hot midseason. Then, we went cold at the end. That's baseball at any level. Unfortunately, the high school season is so short. When you get hot, you hope it stays with you."

Pope John, which will host Somerset county champion Bernards in an independent clash on Wednesday, jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Vernon right-hander Mike Franklin, who gutted out a pretty solid seven-inning performance, hit leadoff batter Jay Sanford and walked Axel D'Addario. Mike Young singled home Sanford and a one-out error allowed D'Addario to score.

Collins retired the side in the first and third innings, while working around a hit batsman and a single in the second. Vernon had its leadoff batter on three times in the game, including the sixth and seventh frames, but couldn't get a runner past second base.

The Pope John lefty mixed his offspeed pitches well, rarely throwing a fastball. Collins struck out five and walked just one, while allowing five hits.

Collins (5-2) has now won his last three outings against the Vikings, including two victories against them in 2012.

"My curveball and changeup were working, and I was mixing [my pitches] to both sides of the plate," said Collins, who may see action in relief of starter Dan Cunico in Friday's state game. "We lost our last [three] games coming in, so this was a big win for us."

After catcher Zach Leach stretched Pope John's lead to 3-0 with an RBI double in the third, D'Addario smacked a huge solo home run over the center-field fence to give the Lions a four-run cushion. D'Addario, a junior, has been one of the Lions' best hitters, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored in this one.

"I didn't really think it was going out," said D'Addario, whose ball caught a nice tailwind that aided its flight over the fence. "Luckily, I hit it with the good part of the bat. It was big, four runs [down] is possible [to tie] with one swing of the bat, but it's really hard to do. Three runs down, you're a double to the gap and couple of hits away from tying the game up."

Franklin (1-2), a tall and lanky righty, only allowed two hits the rest of the way. He allowed eight hits and struck out six, while picking off Sanford at first base in the sixth.

The Vikings had one on in the sixth, but senior third baseman John Lipari lined into a double play, when Sanford caught his liner and Kevin Ufferfilge napping at first following a leadoff single. In the seventh, Nelson relieved Collins and walked leadoff man Tyler Kart, but the Lions got turned another double play on Max Schriner's comebacker to Nelson. Sam Vitellaro drew another walk, Riley Keenan lined out to Sanford to end the game.

"Overall, I'm pleased with where this program has gone," said Berge, whose teams went 28-57 in his first four seasons at the helm, while this year's club posted the program's highest win total since going 15-8 in 2008. "We have a very strong nucleus coming back next year."

POPE JOHN (ab-r-h-rbi) -- Sanford ss 3-1-1-0, D'Addario 2b 3-2-2-1, Young rf 4-1-2-1, Sanders dh/Collins p/Nelson p 4-0-0-0, Piwko 1b 2-0-0-1, Leach c 3-0-1-1, Fierro cr 0-0-0-0, Ahmadi lf 3-0-0-0, Malejko rf 3-0-0-0, Kopnick 3b 3-0-2-0. Totals: 28-4-8-4.

VERNON (ab-r-h-rbi) -- Duvall 2b 3-0-0-0, Harboy ss 3-0-0-0, Ufferfilge cf 3-0-1-0, Lipari 3b 1-0-1-0, Baxter ph 1-0-0-0, Franklin p 3-0-1-0, Kart 1b 2-0-0-0, Schriner rf 3-0-1-0, Vitellaro lf 1-0-0-0, Keenan c 3-0-1-0, Moen cr 0-0-0-0. Totals: 23-0-5-0.

Pope John (13-13, 8-6)             201     100    0 --  4    8   0
Vernon (11-13, 5-9)                  000     000    0 --  0    5   2

E -- Harboy, Franklin. DP -- Pope John 2 (Sanford-Piwko, 6th inning, Nelson-Sanford-Piwko, 7th inning). LOB -- Pope John 6; Vernon 6. 2B -- Leach. HR -- D'Addario (4, 4th inning off Franklin, none on, 2 out). SB -- Sanford 2, Young 2, Kopnick, Piwko. PO -- Sanford.

Collins, Nelson (7) and Leach. Franklin and Keenan. W -- Collins (5-2). L -- Franklin (1-2). SO-BB -- Collins 5-1, Nelson 0-2; Franklin 6-1. HBP -- Sanford (by Franklin), Piwko (by Franklin); Lipari (by Collins).

Monday, May 20, 2013

Baseball: Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex rankings

We're down to the final weeks of the high school season, hopefully we go beyond this week for our teams in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area.

In all, 13 of 19 teams from the Open Mike area qualified in their respective sections. Great to see teams like Sussex Tech get a shot as the Mustangs, under first-year coach Brad Szatkiewicz, travel to Hasbrouck Heights on Monday for a North 1, Group 1 clash.

Hunterdon Central claimed the HWS title on Saturday with a 10-0 thumping of Vernon -- the same score Central defeated Sparta by in the first championship contest in 2010. Coach Mike Raymond's team is red-hot entering the Central Jersey, Group 4 playoffs and will be a tough out.

Here is the state playoff schedule in its entirety:

Monday, May 20 -- First round for public schools.

Friday, May 24 -- Second round for public schools; first round for Non-Public schools.

Tuesday, May 28 -- Semifinals for public schools; second round for Non-Public schools.

Friday, May 31 -- Sectional finals for public schools; semifinals for Non-Public schools.

Tuesday, June 4 -- State semifinals for public schools; Non-Public sectional finals.

Saturday, June 8 -- Public and Non-Public state championships at Toms River.

Enjoy the games. Now, onto this week's rankings:

1. Hunterdon Central (17-8) -- Red Devils rolled to their eight straight win and a second Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex title with Saturday's 10-0 win over Vernon at Diamond Nation. Senior Jeremy Ake went 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI, while Paul Cucco had two hits and an RBI. Winning pitcher Billy Maier (5-2) tossed his second straight tournament shutout, allowing two hits with six strikeouts. During its win streak, Central has outscored its opponents, 49-14.

Up next: at Howell on Monday in the Central Jersey, Group 4 playoffs.

2. Sparta (15-8-1) -- Spartans had the fate of the NJAC American Division title in their hands, until a 5-2 loss to Montville on Tuesday derailed coach Sam Slobodzian's club. Sparta must now hope for a Montville loss to Morris Knolls on Wednesday in order to win the title, despite two losses to Montville this season. The Sussex County school rebounded with back-to-back wins over Morris Knolls (14-2 last Wednesday) and Lenape Valley (6-4 on Friday). Next up is the state playoffs.

Up next: at Teaneck on Monday in the North 1, Group 3 playoffs; at Newton on Tuesday.

3. Vernon (11-11) -- Vikings were stonewalled in their first trip to the HWS final, dropping a 10-0 decision to Hunterdon Central. Coach Scott Berge's club, a No. 6 seed, has dropped three in a row since its thrilling extra-innings win over North Hunterdon in the semifinals. Freshman outfielder Zac Moen and junior shortstop Mike Harboy had two hits in a 3-2 loss at home to Morris Hills on Tuesday, while senior right-hander Kevin Berge took the loss on Saturday. Vernon will try to knock off Pope John this week for the first time since 2008.

Up next: at Paramus on Monday in the North 1, Group 3 playoffs; Pope John at home on Tuesday.

4. North Hunterdon (14-10) -- Lions rebounded from a tough loss to Vernon in the HWS semifinals with wins over Immaculata (6-0 on Tuesday) and Phillipsburg (14-3 on Thursday), before an 11-1 loss to West Morris in an independent clash on Friday. Sophomore utility man Tom Schumacher had a double and two RBIs against 'Lata and two doubles with six RBIs against the 'Liners. Senior outfielder Shane Brown had two RBIs in each of those wins.

Up next: Union at home on Monday in the North 2, Group 4 playoffs; Ridge at home on Tuesday; at Edison on Wednesday.

5. Pope John (12-12) -- Sussex County's Lions started last week with wins over Morris Knolls (7-2 on Monday) and Mount Olive (3-2 on Wednesday) before closing it out with losses to Wayne Hills (5-4 on Thursday) and Marist (10-1 on Saturday). Sophomore Matt Piwko went 3-for-4 with an RBI in the loss to Wayne Hills and took the loss on the mound against Marist. Sophomore catcher Zach Leach was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs against Knolls. Piwko was 2-for-3 with a triple in that one. Sophomore pitcher Ethan Collins leads the PJ staff with a 2.81 ERA.

Up next: Don Bosco at home on Monday; at Vernon on Tuesday; DePaul at home on Friday in the Non-Public North A playoffs.

6. Newton (16-6) -- Braves appear to be back on track having won five of their last six entering the week. Coach John Selitto's club posted back-to-back wins over Hopatcong (12-1 on Wednesday) and Kinnelon (4-3 on Friday) after a 6-5 loss to Boonton last Tuesday. Junior Luke Leifken earned two wins on the mound against Kinnelon and Kittatinny last Monday. Center fielder Ben Cramer, who had a pair of two-hit games last week and leads the team with 10 multihit games, is batting .423 with 30 hits and 13 RBIs to go with a .500 OBP.  Catcher Charlie Grotyohann is also having a fine season, leading the team with a .424 average and 20 RBIs, second only to first baseman Anthony Morro's 24.

Up next: Elmwood Park at home on Monday in the North 1, Group 2 playoffs; Sparta at home on Tuesday.

7. Delaware Valley (8-12) -- Terriers enter the week riding a modest two-game win streak, beating Pius X (Pa.), 7-1, on Tuesday and Belvidere, 6-3, on Friday. Senior first baseman Scott Skripko went 2-for-3 with an RBI and third baseman Ryan Hann was 2-for-3 with two RBIs against the Royals, while ace right-hander Chris Fiaschetti (4-3) got the win. Hann was 2-for-4 with an RBI, while catcher Chris Pilone went 3-for-4 with an RBI against the County Seaters. Pilone also had two hits and an RBI against Pius X.

Up next: at Matawan on Monday in the Central Jersey, Group 2 playoffs.

8. Warren Hills (10-13) -- Light week for the Blue Streaks, as they went 1-1. Coach Mike Quinto's team dropped a 14-9 decision to Iselin Kennedy on Monday before a 3-2 win over Gill St. Bernard's on Wednesday in independent showdowns. Despite winning five of seven, the Streaks missed the cut for the North 2, Group 3 playoffs. Senior second baseman Shea Kohler had two RBIs against JFK and an RBI double against GSB. Catcher Ronnie Legreide went a combined 4-for-7 with a double and an RBI in the two games.

Up next: Ridge on Wednesday at TD Bank Park in Somerset.

9. Phillipsburg (7-18) -- Stateliners wrapped up their season with back-to-back losses against Bridgewater-Raritan (2-1 on Tuesday) and North Hunterdon (14-3 on Thursday). Coach Dave Hinkle's club went 1-13 in the rugged Skyland Conference Delaware Division, which qualified seven of its eight teams for the state playoffs. Tyler Widitz, Bryan Gardner and Alex Martin all had RBIs against North Hunterdon, while Widitz (2-4), who led the 'Liners with 16 RBIs, took the loss on the mound. Outfielder Chris Trent led the team with a .391 average.

Up next: Season over.

10. High Point (5-14) -- Wildcats concluded their campaign with four straight losses, including a 13-5 defeat against Morris Hills in the season and NJAC American Division finale on Wednesday. Coach Mickey Thomas' team missed the cut in the North 1, Group 3 playoffs. Shortstop Kyle Adams went 3-for-3 in Monday's 9-3 loss to Mount Olive. Despite their record, the 'Cats posted wins over Wallkill Valley (twice) and Pope John this season.

Up next: Season over.

On the bubble: North Warren (11-9, at Wood-Ridge on Monday in North 1, Group 1); Hackettstown (9-12, Shabazz at home on Monday in North 2, Group 2); Lenape Valley (12-10, at Hawthorne on Monday in North 1, Group 2); Wallkill Valley (8-12, at Glen Rock on Monday in North 1, Group 2).

Friday, May 17, 2013

Baseball: Vernon, Central to clash in HWS title game

On the surface, Vernon's turnaround in baseball seems quite remarkable given the fact that the Vikings were 2-6 at one point this season and are now one win away from a tri-county championship.

But after a quick review of the numbers it all adds up:

Vernon's offense was averaging 3.8 runs per game through the first eight games, compared with 6.1 in the 13 contests since.

The pitching staff has yielded an average of just over three runs per game in the last 13 outings.

Simply put, Vernon is getting it done at the plate and on the mound -- a winning combination.

The Vikings will face perhaps their greatest test of the season on Saturday night, when they meet Hunterdon Central in the fourth annual Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament championship game at Diamond Nation in Flemington. First pitch is slated for 7:30.

"Our bats really came around and we started stringing hits when we needed to," said Vernon senior pitcher/catcher Kevin Berge. "And we started believing we can beat any team."

Vernon (11-10) is making its first appearance in the county final, while Hunterdon Central (16-8) is playing in its fourth straight. The Red Devils won their only title in 2010, beating another Sussex County opponent, Sparta, 10-0.

Vikings coach Scott Berge, whose team is only the third from Sussex to reach the county final (Pope John was the other in 2011), knows what this means for a program that went a combined 27-55 the previous four years and hasn't had a winning campaign since 2008.

"This is big for our program," said Berge, whose teams are 38-65 in his five seasons in charge. "Our program has been down the last couple of years. Obviously, we're back to where I always envisioned it. I didn't think it would take this long. I'll put my nine guys against anyone else's nine guys."

Senior Ryan Duvall, along with Kevin Berge, are a nice 1-2 punch atop the Vernon rotation. Both right-handers, Duvall possesses a traditional over the top delivery, while Berge is a submariner. Duvall is 5-2 with a 3.59 ERA, while Berge is 3-1 with a 2.01 ERA. They've combined for 75 strikeouts in 72 1/3 innings.

Berge, who will likely start on Saturday, took a no-hitter into the seventh inning in Monday's semifinal win over North Hunterdon, 3-1, in eight innings. The Lions' Thomas Schumacher broke it up with a leadoff infield single, a "controversial" hit, according to Berge.

Offensively, Duvall and junior shortstop Mike Harboy have been catalysts all season. First baseman Dave Baxter and third baseman John Lipari also are among the team's leaders, along with impressive looking freshman Zac Moen, the starting right fielder and leadoff hitter.

Baxter, who is batting .400, has been so good that Berge moved Lipari from his traditional spot at first base to the hot corner. Lipari leads the team in homers with four, as seven different Vikings have gone yard this year for a total of 13.

Scott Berge points to his team's 7-3 win over North Warren in the first round on April 27 and the pair of victories over Newton the following week, including a 6-5 win on April 29 that ended on a walk-off homer by Baxter, who has just been promoted from the JV, as the turning points to the Vikings' season.

Vernon defeated Newton, 6-2, at Memory Park in the quarterfinals on May 4.

"The win over North Warren was real big, we were down early," Berge said. "In the fourth or fifth inning our bats really came alive and we chased their No. 1 [pitcher Alex Hladik]. From there we just started picking off teams one by one."

The Vikes have also used their No. 6 seed in the Sussex bracket as added motivation.

"We knew we were better than a No. 6 seed," Scott Berge said.

"[Open Mike] has been picking us to lose by three or four runs, and you can say what you want, but this team comes to play," Kevin Berge said.

"It's great to get to the finals. It's great for our program," Duvall said.

Hunterdon Central is also enjoying a second-half turnaround, following an uncharacteristic 2-5 start.

Coach Mike Raymond's Red Devils, who lost 2-1 to Phillipsburg in last year's final, can also swing the bats.

Sophomore second baseman Brett McManus is having a tremendous season, batting .448 with three homers and 18 RBIs. Shortstop Jeremy Ake, a Division I recruit, is hitting .300 with 16 RBIs, while freshman third baseman Matt Toke (.333, 14 RBIs) is enjoying a fine rookie season.

On the mound, ace Billy Maier (4-2, 2.79 ERA) has won two of Central's three HWS contests. He tossed a four-hit shutout against Sparta in the semifinals on Monday. In the Red Devils' last seven games, their pitchers have allowed a total of 15 runs. Central has won seven in a row following a 3-1 loss to Immaculata on May 2.

More stats and info on the teams:

Coaches: Scott Berge (38-65, fifth season); Mike Raymond (263-97, 13th season).

All-time HWS records: Vernon 4-3; Hunterdon Central 13-2.

How they got here: Vernon beat North Warren, 7-3, in first round; Newton, 6-2, in quarterfinals and North Hunterdon, 3-1, in eight innings in semfinals. Hunterdon Central beat High Point, 5-4, in first round; Pope John, 4-2, in quarterfinals; Sparta, 4-0, in semifinals.

Open Mike's pick: Hunterdon Central, 4-2.


Probable lineups:

No.
Vernon Vikings
Year
Pos.
Avg.
Hits
HR
RBI
37
Zac Moen
Fr.
RF
.275
11
1
6
18
Mike Harboy
Jr.
SS
.370
27
2
12
22
Kevin Ufferfilge
Sr.
LF
.311
19
0
9
20
Chris Pontus
Jr.
CF
.284
19
1
9
5
Ryan Duvall
Sr.
2B
.321
18
3
15
50
John Lipari
Sr.
3B
.250
13
4
16
27
Dave Baxter
Jr.
1B
.400
12
1
5
17
Anthony Germinario
Jr.
DH
.293
12
0
7
9
Kevin Berge
Sr.
P
.316
12
1
4
42
Riley Keenan
So.
C
.250
10
0
5
No.
Hunt. Central Red Devils
Year
Pos
Avg.
Hits
HR
RBI
7
John Icaza
Sr.
CF
.262
17
0
7
6
Brett McManus
So.
2B
.448
26
3
18
11
Jeremy Ake
Sr.
SS
.300
18
4
16
17
Geggie Russomagno
Sr.
DH
.350
14
1
13
26
Billy Maier
Sr.
P
.000
0
0
0
25
Matt Toke
Fr.
1B
.333
14
1
14
21
Paul Cucco
Sr.
LF
.254
16
0
14
22
Henry Hawkins
So.
RF
.231
9
0
6
13
Matt Stalter
Jr.
3B
.275
14
0
10
10
Brett Mele
Sr.
C
.237
9
0
2