Sean Keselica has produced one great outing after another on the mound this season. Admittedly, the lefty ace wasn't at his best on Saturday, but it was plenty good enough to help Voorhees earn an 8-2 win over Sparta in a Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament quarterfinal round clash at Voorhees High School.
Voorhees (11-1) earns a date with top-seeded Pope John in one semifinal on Saturday, May 14 and Hunterdon Central hosts Hackettstown in the other matchup. The winners meet for the championship on Saturday, May 21 at Diamond Nation.
Keselica improved to 7-0 on the season and the Virginia Tech recruit matched his season high with 14 strikeouts. He allowed only three hits, one blooper and another slow roller down the third-base line. Other than that, Sparta hitters were simply overmatched for the most part.
Keselica struck out 10 of the 13 batters he faced from the third through sixth innings, issuing two walks and a groundout, while getting four batters looking at third strikes.
"I couldn't really settle in the first two innings," said Keselica, who also fanned 14 -- on shy of his career high -- in a 3-0 win over Franklin on April 7. "Once I settled in I got ahead (in the counts) and tried to keep them off-balance. My curveball was good and I didn't throw too many changeups."
Keselica now has 71 strikeouts in six starts and one relief appearance with no less than nine in any of his starts. This time, Keselica was working on short rest.
"I've seen him pitch better," said Voorhees coach Spark Mattson, whose team has won four straight since a 4-3 loss at North Plainfield on April 29. "He was throwing on three days' rest and threw about 65 pitches (in a 10-0 win over Franklin on Tuesday), so I was comfortable throwing him. He wasn't as sharp and I don't think he had his normal velocity, but I think he did a great job."
Keselica, an excellent hitter, also helped himself at the plate. His two-run single, a rope to left-center, highlighted a six-run sixth inning that was the difference. A walk to leadoff hitter Josh Hausler and consecutive singles by Trey Conroy and Mitchell Palmer loaded the bases. After Bryan Konsig drew a bases-loaded walk, Casey Conroy plated two with a high-chopper up the box for a single. Keselica drove in the next two and scored on Tyler Duplaga's double to the left-center field fence to cap the scoring. In all, Voorhees sent 11 men to the plate.
"(Keselica is) pretty good (on the mound) and he mashes the ball, too," said veteran Sparta coach Sam Slobodzian, whose team carried a seven-game winning streak into the contest. "(Reliever Gaveric Bach) threw a curveball outside and he creamed it. He hurts you two ways."
Losing pitcher Tommy Roche was very effective for five innings. The hard-throwing righty struck out seven and yielded only three of his six hits prior to the sixth. Voorhees tied the game at 2 in the second after Sparta struck for a pair in the top half. Konsig reached on an error for the first run and Casey Conroy's fielder's choice plated the second.
"Tommy threw a great game," said Slobodzian, whose pitchers allowed a total of 13 runs over the team's seven-game win streak coming in.
Sparta (12-4) had two runners on in the first and got its only runs in the second on back-to-back RBI singles by Brendan Monahan and Pete Forman -- all with two out. An error started the inning and Keselica retired the next two hitters before issuing a walk.
However, after hitting Brucker to load the bases, Keselica induced a groundout by the cleanup hitter Bach to end the threat. The Spartans would lament not striking for more.
"A couple more runs could change the game early on," said Slobodzian, whose 2010 team reached the title game. "We were aggressive (at the plate) in the beginning and that was key to the game. We held the bat too many times and you don't get chances against a (pitcher) like this unless you swing the bats."
Sparta threatened in the seventh against reliever Casey Conroy, who walked one and hit another to put runners on first and second with one out. But Brucker grounded into a fielder's choice and Bach flew out to center to end the game.
Keselica will oppose another unbeaten ace in next weekend's semifinals as Voorhees travels to Pope John in a rematch of last year's first-round game. Keselica held the Lions to only two hits in a 6-1 victory. Pope John ace Brendan Mayers, who will attend Rutgers in the fall, is 5-0 this season.
Sparta (12-4) 020 000 0 -- 2 3 2
Voorhees (11-1) 020 006 x -- 8 9 1
SPARTA (ab-r-h-rbi) -- Monahan, cf, 1-0-1-1, Forman, dh, 3-0-1-1/Magid lf-rf 0-0-0-0, Brucker, ss, 3-0-1-0, Bach, rf-p, 4-0-0-0, Glew, 1b, 2-0-0-0, Postorino, 3b, 3-1-0-0, DeAcquino, 2b, 3-0-0-0, Appaluccio, c, 3-0-0-0, Roche, p-lf, 2-0-0-0/Zaleski, cr, 0-1-0-0. Totals: 24-2-3-2.
VOORHEES (ab-r-h-rbi) -- Keselica, p-1b, 4-1-2-2, Duplaga, 3b, 4-0-2-1, Hawke, ss, 3-0-0-0, Hausler, c, 2-0-1-0/Marini, cr, 0-2-0-0, T. Conroy, 2b, 4-2-2-0, Palmer, lf, 3-1-1-0, Konsig, dh, 1-1-0-2/Barone, rf, 0-0-0-0, Bonavita, cf, 2-0-0-0. Totals: 26-8-9-8.
E -- Postorino, DeAcquino; T. Conroy. DP -- Sparta (Bach-Glew). LOB -- Sparta 7, Voorhees 6. 2B -- Duplaga. SAC -- Hawke. SB -- Monahan 2, Brucker, Postorino; Konsig. CS -- Monahan.
Roche, Bach (6) and Appaluccio. Keselica, C. Conroy (7) and Hausler. W -- Keselica (7-0). L -- Roche (2-2). SO-BB -- Keselica 14-3, C. Conroy 0-1; Roche 7-5, Bach 0-0. WP -- Roche 1, Bach 1. HBP -- Brucker (by Keselica), Forman (by C. Conroy).
Elsewhere on Saturday:
Pope John 5, North Hunterdon 2 -- Connor McGlynn hit a two-run double and Ryan McNally belted an RBI triple to carry Pope John (13-2). Winning pitcher Brendan Mayers improved to 6-0 and had a season-high 14 strikeouts. Derek Jenkins and Nick Plinio belted homers for North Hunterdon (6-8).
Hackettstown 10, North Warren 0 (5 innings) -- Catcher Mark Feci belted a homer and had three RBIs and Kirby Neuner added three hits as the Tigers (13-0) reached the semifinals for the second straight year. Winning pitcher Justin Knight (4-0) allowed zero hits and struck out two. Travis Eldrige took the loss for the Patriots (10-4), who saw their eight-game winning streak end.
Hunterdon Central 6, Phillipsburg 0 -- Winning pitcher Greg Scassera struck out eight as the Red Devils (12-4) defeated the Stateliners (9-8) for the second time in three days. Central, the 2010 champion, gets a rematch with Hackettstown, which lost 11-3 in their semifinal meeting last season.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Friday, May 6, 2011
Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex preview for Saturday
The second annual Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex baseball tournament resumes on Saturday with quarterfinal round action.
The winners advance to the semifinals on Saturday, May 14. The championship game is slated for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 21 at Diamond Nation in Flemington.
An interesting stat: over the two tournaments, Sussex County teams are 9-16 overall vs. Hunterdon-Warren teams, including 4-6 this season.
Here’s a closer look at all four games:
North Hunterdon (6-7) at Pope John (12-1)
This should be a great matchup between the Nos. 1 and 8 ranked teams in West Jersey, according to Open Mike.
North Hunterdon, a semifinalist last year, beat Lenape Valley, 3-2, in the opening round last Saturday behind a solid effort from ace Steve Bloodworth (4-0).Outfielder Andrew Westlin had a monster April, batting .556 with five homers and 14 RBIs.
Pope John, which beat Kittatinny 15-1 for its first-ever county tournament win last Saturday, Coach Vin Bello has one of the deepest rotations around and he is likely to go with ace Brendan Mayers (5-0), though the Lions have a big game against Don Bosco on Friday. Mike Liegel (2-0) and Connor McGlynn (2-0) would be in the mix if Mayers goes on Friday. Center fielder Matt Ackerman has been red-hot at the plate.
The pick: Pope John, 6-2.
Sparta (11-3) at Voorhees (10-1)
This should be the best game of the day.
Sparta, which reached the title game last year, is on a major roll now -- winning six straight and 10 of 11 since a 1-2 start. Pitching has been the key for the Spartans, who feature a nice 1-2 punch with ace Tommy Roche (2-1) and Brendan Monahan (4-1). Monahan also leads the offense, along with Maryland-bound shortstop John Brucker.
Voorhees is probably the most dangerous team because of lefty ace Sean Keselica. Just ask Pope John, which was overmatched against Keselica a year ago in a 6-1 first-round loss. The Virginia-Tech bound Keselica has been brilliant this season, going 5-0 with 56 strikeouts in those starts. Shortstop Ryan Hawke and third baseman Tyler Duplaga have carried the offense of late. Duplaga is 7-for-9 with three doubles and six RBIs in his last three games.
The pick: Voorhees, 3-1.
North Warren (9-3) at Hackettstown (11-0)
Intriguing matchup between longtime Warren County rivals.
North Warren has played really well since a 2-3 start, winning seven straight, including a 13-2 win over High Point in last Saturday’s first round. Coach Jim Haupt’s Patriots have outscored their opponents 83-8 in their last five wins. Lefty Nick Macaione (3-0) is capable of shutting down opposing hitters, while senior shortstop Pat Dolan recorded 10 RBIs in his last three games.
Hackettstown is off to one of its best starts ever under coach Gary Poyer and the Tigers are getting it done on both sides of the plate. Ace pitcher and Monmouth recruit Matt Reynolds (4-0) is a big reason why this team is one of the tourney favorites. The right-hander also can hit with 10 RBIs. Battery-mate Mark Feci went 5-for-9 with three homers and six RBIs in his last two games.
The pick: Hackettstown 7-2.
Phillipsburg (9-7) at Hunterdon Central (11-4)
This is the only matchup between teams that have played one another this season. In fact, these clubs have split a pair of meetings this season. Phillipsburg won 6-2 on April 7, while Central returned the favor with a 17-3 victory on Thursday.
Phillipsburg, which posted an 8-1 win over Vernon in the first round, is reeling having lost three straight following a four-game win streak. Coach Dave Hinkle’s team may be a bit weary having played seven games in 11 days five in the last six. Ace Anthony Ciavarella (1-1) should get the call on the mound. Third baseman Mike Murray (.412 avg., 14 RBIs) and shortstop Ryan Luke (.385, 16 RBIs) pace the offense.
Central has won six straight and the Red Devils are really swinging the bats. Chris Suseck (.500, 12 RBIs) and Kenny Wilson (.432, 14 RBIs) have led an offense that produced 50 runs over the current streak. Greg Scassera earned the win in a 10-0 shutout of Newton in the first round.
The pick: Hunterdon Central 4-2.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
West Jersey baseball: Central rolls past Phillipsburg
Hunterdon Central's baseball team certainly isn't going to sneak up on any well-versed opponent. Nonetheless, the Red Devils aren't opposed to an occasional ambush.
Such was the case on Thursday, as the Red Devils banged out 17 hits in a 17-3 pasting of Phillipsburg in a Skyland Conference Delaware Division clash at the Phillipsburg Athletic Complex.
Central (11-4 overall, 6-3 division), ranked No. 4 in West Jersey by Open Mike, has now won six straight and swept the regular-season series with No. 5 Phillipsburg (9-7, 4-5).
The Stateliners are heading in the opposite direction having lost three straight following a four-game win streak. Coach Dave Hinkle's team will head back to Flemington on Saturday for a third installment against Central in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament quarterfinals.
On Thursday, Jeremy Aike went 3-for-3 with two doubles and three RBIs and Chris Suseck was 2-for-3 with three RBIs to pace the Red Devils, who have totaled 50 runs during their current win streak. Winning pitcher Joe DiGiovanni was the beneficiary of the offensive uprising. He struck out five to earn his third win.
Robert Howell belted a solo homer for Phillipsburg, which managed just four hits. Sean Corman was dealt his first loss in five decisions.
In other action:
Warren Hills 10, Delaware Valley 6 -- Joe Matarazzo went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs and Kyle Allen continued his hot hitting by going 2-for-4 as the No. 7 Blue Streaks (7-6) won their third straight. Alex Haines also went 2-for-4 with two RBIs in the win. Brent Croasdale was 3-for-3 for the Terriers (1-11).
North Hunterdon 11, Immaculata 7 -- The No. 8 Lions (6-7) have beaten the Spartans twice this season, also winning 7-5 on April 7.
South Hunterdon 12, Belvidere 4 -- Winning pitcher Ray Brown helped his own cause at the plate, going 2-for-4 as the Eagles (4-9) snapped their four-game skid in a Valley Division clash. The County Seaters (3-9) have lost five straight and were shut out in their previous four games.
Voorhees 8, Somerville 5 -- Tyler Duplaga was 2-for-4 and Casey Conroy went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs as the No. 3 Vikings (10-1) won their third straight.
High Point 14, Wallkill Valley 4 -- Joe Drossel was 4-for-4 with a double, triple and four RBIs and Ryan Conklin drove in four runs for the Wildcats (8-6) in a Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference non-divisional clash. Brandon Moore had a pair of doubles for the Rangers (5-13).
Hackettstown 12, Whippany Park 5 -- Mark Feci was 2-for-5 with a homer and winning pitcher Mike DeLorenzo was 2-for-4 as the No. 2 Tigers (11-0) kept rolling.
Sparta 7, Mount Olive 0 -- Brendan Monahan went 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs and improved to 4-1 on the mound as the red-hot Spartans (11-3) won their sixth in a row. Connor Glew had three hits and Devon Livingston was 2-for-4 with three RBIs.
Lenape Valley 9, Parsippany 8 -- Bill Sabo picked up his third win in relief as the No. 9 Patriots (10-3) scored six in the sixth and three in the seventh for the win.
Madison 10, Newton 0 -- Sam Hontz took the loss for the Braves (3-8).
Such was the case on Thursday, as the Red Devils banged out 17 hits in a 17-3 pasting of Phillipsburg in a Skyland Conference Delaware Division clash at the Phillipsburg Athletic Complex.
Central (11-4 overall, 6-3 division), ranked No. 4 in West Jersey by Open Mike, has now won six straight and swept the regular-season series with No. 5 Phillipsburg (9-7, 4-5).
The Stateliners are heading in the opposite direction having lost three straight following a four-game win streak. Coach Dave Hinkle's team will head back to Flemington on Saturday for a third installment against Central in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament quarterfinals.
On Thursday, Jeremy Aike went 3-for-3 with two doubles and three RBIs and Chris Suseck was 2-for-3 with three RBIs to pace the Red Devils, who have totaled 50 runs during their current win streak. Winning pitcher Joe DiGiovanni was the beneficiary of the offensive uprising. He struck out five to earn his third win.
Robert Howell belted a solo homer for Phillipsburg, which managed just four hits. Sean Corman was dealt his first loss in five decisions.
In other action:
Warren Hills 10, Delaware Valley 6 -- Joe Matarazzo went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs and Kyle Allen continued his hot hitting by going 2-for-4 as the No. 7 Blue Streaks (7-6) won their third straight. Alex Haines also went 2-for-4 with two RBIs in the win. Brent Croasdale was 3-for-3 for the Terriers (1-11).
North Hunterdon 11, Immaculata 7 -- The No. 8 Lions (6-7) have beaten the Spartans twice this season, also winning 7-5 on April 7.
South Hunterdon 12, Belvidere 4 -- Winning pitcher Ray Brown helped his own cause at the plate, going 2-for-4 as the Eagles (4-9) snapped their four-game skid in a Valley Division clash. The County Seaters (3-9) have lost five straight and were shut out in their previous four games.
Voorhees 8, Somerville 5 -- Tyler Duplaga was 2-for-4 and Casey Conroy went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs as the No. 3 Vikings (10-1) won their third straight.
High Point 14, Wallkill Valley 4 -- Joe Drossel was 4-for-4 with a double, triple and four RBIs and Ryan Conklin drove in four runs for the Wildcats (8-6) in a Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference non-divisional clash. Brandon Moore had a pair of doubles for the Rangers (5-13).
Hackettstown 12, Whippany Park 5 -- Mark Feci was 2-for-5 with a homer and winning pitcher Mike DeLorenzo was 2-for-4 as the No. 2 Tigers (11-0) kept rolling.
Sparta 7, Mount Olive 0 -- Brendan Monahan went 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs and improved to 4-1 on the mound as the red-hot Spartans (11-3) won their sixth in a row. Connor Glew had three hits and Devon Livingston was 2-for-4 with three RBIs.
Lenape Valley 9, Parsippany 8 -- Bill Sabo picked up his third win in relief as the No. 9 Patriots (10-3) scored six in the sixth and three in the seventh for the win.
Madison 10, Newton 0 -- Sam Hontz took the loss for the Braves (3-8).
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
West Jersey baseball: High Point tops Kittatinny
High Point's baseball team was in dire need of a victory on Tuesday and Kittatinny proved to be the perfect tonic for the ailing Wildcats.
Justin Bellis went 3-for-3 and Mike Ragnetti was 2-for-4 as High Point posted a 9-2 win over its Sussex County rival in a Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference matchup. The Wildcats (7-6) snapped a three-game skid with the win. Winning pitcher Ryan Conklin improved to 3-2.
Dustin Sallitt belted a two-run homer for the Cougars (2-12).
After a 4-2 start, coach Mickey Thomas' team dropped to .500 with a 14-13 loss to Morris Hills on Monday. High Point will get another stiff test on Wednesday when it hosts Pope John (12-1), ranked No. 1 in West Jersey by Open Mike, at 3:45 p.m.
The Lions beat the Wildcats, 9-3, in Sparta on April 11.
Elsewhere on Tuesday:
North Warren 24, Belvidere 0 -- Pat Dolan was 4-for-4 with three RBIs and Nick Macaione went 3-for-3 with a homer and three RBIs to lead the No. 10 Patriots (9-3), who have won seven straight, in a Skyland Conference Valley Division clash.
Hopatcong 17, Delaware Valley 16 -- D.J. Ross was 3-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs and Rob Nadrowski smacked a three-run homer to help the Chiefs (9-3) win a wild one. Pete Mayer went 2-for-3 with a homer and four RBIs for the Terriers (1-10).
Hunterdon Central 3, Immaculata 2 (8 innings) -- Chris Suseck tied the game with a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth and Geggi Russomagno's sac fly scored Kenny Wilson with the winning run in the eighth as the No. 4 Red Devils (10-4) won their fifth straight.
Lenape Valley 14, Newton 5 -- Joe Kohl homered and drove in three runs and Chris Hosler had four RBIs to lead the No. 9 Patriots (9-3) to their fourth win in five games. Winning pitcher Nick Williams fanned 10. Anthony Morro had three hits for the Braves (3-7).
Voorhees 10, Franklin 0 -- Sean Keselica had a pair of hits and recorded his fifth win on the mound to pace No. 3 Voorhees (9-1). The lefty ace struck out 11 and has 56 K's in his five victories. Tyler Duplaga was 3-for-3 and shortstop Ryan Hawke went 2-for-3 in the win.
Warren Hills 5, Pingry 3 -- Winning pitcher Kyle Allen helped his own cause with two RBIs as the Blue Streaks (6-6) won for the second time in as many days. Allen went the distance for his second win.
Bridgewater 16, North Hunterdon 6 -- Derek Jenkins went 2-for-2 with a double, triple and an RBI, but it wasn't enough for the No. 8 Lions (5-7), who have dropped five of seven. North has been outscored 41-20 in its last three losses.
Montgomery 4, Phillipsburg 3 -- Mike Murray continued his hot hitting by going 2-for-3 with a solo homer, but the Stateliners (9-6) dropped their second straight. Montgomery also prevailed, 21-9, when the teams met on April 18.
Montville 12, Vernon 0 -- Vikings (4-8) have lost seven straight and have allowed 68 runs during that span.
Justin Bellis went 3-for-3 and Mike Ragnetti was 2-for-4 as High Point posted a 9-2 win over its Sussex County rival in a Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference matchup. The Wildcats (7-6) snapped a three-game skid with the win. Winning pitcher Ryan Conklin improved to 3-2.
Dustin Sallitt belted a two-run homer for the Cougars (2-12).
After a 4-2 start, coach Mickey Thomas' team dropped to .500 with a 14-13 loss to Morris Hills on Monday. High Point will get another stiff test on Wednesday when it hosts Pope John (12-1), ranked No. 1 in West Jersey by Open Mike, at 3:45 p.m.
The Lions beat the Wildcats, 9-3, in Sparta on April 11.
Elsewhere on Tuesday:
North Warren 24, Belvidere 0 -- Pat Dolan was 4-for-4 with three RBIs and Nick Macaione went 3-for-3 with a homer and three RBIs to lead the No. 10 Patriots (9-3), who have won seven straight, in a Skyland Conference Valley Division clash.
Hopatcong 17, Delaware Valley 16 -- D.J. Ross was 3-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs and Rob Nadrowski smacked a three-run homer to help the Chiefs (9-3) win a wild one. Pete Mayer went 2-for-3 with a homer and four RBIs for the Terriers (1-10).
Hunterdon Central 3, Immaculata 2 (8 innings) -- Chris Suseck tied the game with a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth and Geggi Russomagno's sac fly scored Kenny Wilson with the winning run in the eighth as the No. 4 Red Devils (10-4) won their fifth straight.
Lenape Valley 14, Newton 5 -- Joe Kohl homered and drove in three runs and Chris Hosler had four RBIs to lead the No. 9 Patriots (9-3) to their fourth win in five games. Winning pitcher Nick Williams fanned 10. Anthony Morro had three hits for the Braves (3-7).
Voorhees 10, Franklin 0 -- Sean Keselica had a pair of hits and recorded his fifth win on the mound to pace No. 3 Voorhees (9-1). The lefty ace struck out 11 and has 56 K's in his five victories. Tyler Duplaga was 3-for-3 and shortstop Ryan Hawke went 2-for-3 in the win.
Warren Hills 5, Pingry 3 -- Winning pitcher Kyle Allen helped his own cause with two RBIs as the Blue Streaks (6-6) won for the second time in as many days. Allen went the distance for his second win.
Bridgewater 16, North Hunterdon 6 -- Derek Jenkins went 2-for-2 with a double, triple and an RBI, but it wasn't enough for the No. 8 Lions (5-7), who have dropped five of seven. North has been outscored 41-20 in its last three losses.
Montgomery 4, Phillipsburg 3 -- Mike Murray continued his hot hitting by going 2-for-3 with a solo homer, but the Stateliners (9-6) dropped their second straight. Montgomery also prevailed, 21-9, when the teams met on April 18.
Montville 12, Vernon 0 -- Vikings (4-8) have lost seven straight and have allowed 68 runs during that span.
Monday, May 2, 2011
West Jersey baseball: Streaks blank Stateliners
Have to admit, I didn't see this one coming. A struggling Warren Hills team erupted for nine runs on nine hits to knock off a red-hot Phillipsburg team, 9-0, on Monday to highlight baseball action in West Jersey.
Warren Hills (5-6), ranked No. 7 in West Jersey by Open Mike, snapped a four-game skid in which it was outscored 22-11 during that stretch. Coach Mike Quinto's team also avenged an 8-5 loss at Phillipsburg on April 25.
Kyle Allen and Joe Matarazzo had a big day with the bats -- both going 2-for-4 on the day. Allen had a pair of doubles and four RBIs, while Matarazzo drove in two runs. Winning pitcher Kevin Kunzmann (3-2) tossed five scoreless frames and allowed only three hits.
No. 5 Phillipsburg (9-5), which entered the game riding a four-game winning streak, got singles from Ryan Luke, Mike Murray and Sean Corman.
Elsewhere on Monday:
Pope John 4, Jefferson 1 -- Mike Liegel was 3-for-3 with a pair of homers and four RBIs and winning pitcher Brendan Mayers fanned eight as the right-hander ran his record to 5-0 for the No. 1 Lions (12-1). Mayers also had a pair of hits to help his own cause.
Hackettstown 9, Kittatinny 2 -- Mark Feci went 3-for-4 with two homers and five RBIs and both Adam Young and Matt Reynolds each had a pair of hits for the No. 2 Tigers (10-0). Rory McArdle took the loss for the Cougars (2-11).
Sparta 5, Vernon 0 -- Gaveric Bach had three hits and got the win on the mound with nine strikeouts as the No. 6 Spartans won their fifth straight. Shortstop John Brucker added two RBIs for Sparta, which has outscored its opponents 29-8 during its current streak.
Lenape Valley 15, Wallkill Valley 11 -- In a game devoid of pitching, Bob Pregno and Anthony D'Aiuto combined for seven RBIs to propel the No. 9 Patriots (8-3). Pregno and Joe Kohl both homered and winning pitcher Drew Burke had six strikeouts. Mike Penque belted a three-run homer for the Rangers (5-12).
Morris Hills 14, High Point 13 -- Wildcats have lost three straight and allowed a combined 31 runs in those losses. High Point, which defeated Morris Hills, 11-4, on April 8, dropped to 6-6 after a 4-2 start.
Hopatcong 8, Neptune 0 -- Hunter Guard and Scootie Fisher each had three hits and winning pitcher Josh Bishop fanned seven to lead the Chiefs (7-3). Fisher also had two doubles and four RBIs.
Hunterdon Central 10, East Brunswick 6 -- Sean Thomas went 3-for-4 with a double, two homers and seven RBIs to pace the No. 4 Red Devils (9-4). Winning pitcher Bryan Noonan struck out four.
Metuchen 8, Delaware Valley 5 -- Terriers (1-9) have dropped five straight.
Warren Hills (5-6), ranked No. 7 in West Jersey by Open Mike, snapped a four-game skid in which it was outscored 22-11 during that stretch. Coach Mike Quinto's team also avenged an 8-5 loss at Phillipsburg on April 25.
Kyle Allen and Joe Matarazzo had a big day with the bats -- both going 2-for-4 on the day. Allen had a pair of doubles and four RBIs, while Matarazzo drove in two runs. Winning pitcher Kevin Kunzmann (3-2) tossed five scoreless frames and allowed only three hits.
No. 5 Phillipsburg (9-5), which entered the game riding a four-game winning streak, got singles from Ryan Luke, Mike Murray and Sean Corman.
Elsewhere on Monday:
Pope John 4, Jefferson 1 -- Mike Liegel was 3-for-3 with a pair of homers and four RBIs and winning pitcher Brendan Mayers fanned eight as the right-hander ran his record to 5-0 for the No. 1 Lions (12-1). Mayers also had a pair of hits to help his own cause.
Hackettstown 9, Kittatinny 2 -- Mark Feci went 3-for-4 with two homers and five RBIs and both Adam Young and Matt Reynolds each had a pair of hits for the No. 2 Tigers (10-0). Rory McArdle took the loss for the Cougars (2-11).
Sparta 5, Vernon 0 -- Gaveric Bach had three hits and got the win on the mound with nine strikeouts as the No. 6 Spartans won their fifth straight. Shortstop John Brucker added two RBIs for Sparta, which has outscored its opponents 29-8 during its current streak.
Lenape Valley 15, Wallkill Valley 11 -- In a game devoid of pitching, Bob Pregno and Anthony D'Aiuto combined for seven RBIs to propel the No. 9 Patriots (8-3). Pregno and Joe Kohl both homered and winning pitcher Drew Burke had six strikeouts. Mike Penque belted a three-run homer for the Rangers (5-12).
Morris Hills 14, High Point 13 -- Wildcats have lost three straight and allowed a combined 31 runs in those losses. High Point, which defeated Morris Hills, 11-4, on April 8, dropped to 6-6 after a 4-2 start.
Hopatcong 8, Neptune 0 -- Hunter Guard and Scootie Fisher each had three hits and winning pitcher Josh Bishop fanned seven to lead the Chiefs (7-3). Fisher also had two doubles and four RBIs.
Hunterdon Central 10, East Brunswick 6 -- Sean Thomas went 3-for-4 with a double, two homers and seven RBIs to pace the No. 4 Red Devils (9-4). Winning pitcher Bryan Noonan struck out four.
Metuchen 8, Delaware Valley 5 -- Terriers (1-9) have dropped five straight.
West Jersey Baseball rankings
1. Pope John (11-1) -- Lions have reeled off six straight wins, outscoring their opponents 72-11 during that stretch, and earned their first-ever Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex victory, 15-1 over Kittatinny on Saturday. Shortstop Matt Tietz is heating up with a pair of homers and seven RBIs in his last two games. Big week on tap.
Up next: Monday at Jefferson, Wednesday at High Point, Friday at home against Don Bosco Prep, Saturday at home against North Hunterdon in Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament.
2. Hackettstown (9-0) -- Tigers beat Hopatcong for the second time this season and fifth over the last two seasons, 4-2, on Saturday in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament. Ace right-hander Matt Reynolds, improved to 4-0 this season and 17-1 for his career in a 5-3 win over Perth Amboy. Justin Knight drove in a pair and picked up the win against Hopatcong.
Up next: Monday at home against Kittatinny, Friday at Lenape Valley, Saturday at home against North Warren in Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament.
3. Voorhees (8-1) -- Vikings suffered their first loss, 4-3, at North Plainfield on Friday before bouncing back with a 15-0 pounding of Wallkill Valley in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament on Saturday. Lefty ace Sean Keselica is 4-0 with 45 strikeouts.
Up next: Tuesday at home against Franklin, Thursday at home against Somerville, Saturday at home against Sparta in Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament.
4. Hunterdon Central (8-4) -- Red Devils have gotten on a mini roll with three straight wins, including a 10-0 pasting of Newton in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament on Saturday. Evan Klimchak, who is 5-for-7 with two RBIs in last two games, is batting .381 and Kenny Wilson leads the team with 14 RBIs. Greg Scassera is 5-3 with a 3.20 ERA on the mound.
Up next: Tuesday at home against Immaculata, Thursday at Phillipsburg, Saturday at home against Phillipsburg in Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament.
5. Phillipsburg (9-4) -- Stateliners have benefited from a tough early schedule and are one of the hottest teams going right now with four straight wins entering the week, including a 15-6 victory over North Hunterdon on Tuesday and a 13-1 win over archrival Easton (Pa.) on Sunday. Justin Scuorzo is on fire, going 7-for-12 with two doubles, two triples, a homer and seven RBIs in his last three games.
Up next: Monday at Warren Hills, Tuesday at Montgomery, Thursday at home against Hunterdon Central, Saturday at Hunterdon Central in Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament.
6. Sparta (9-3) -- Spartans are coming off a great week that included wins over Roxbury (10-0 on Wednesday), High Point (4-3 on Friday) and Warren Hills (6-2 on Saturday in Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament). Pitcher Tommy Roche had eight strikeouts against Warren Hills. Brendan Monahan went 2-for-3 with three RBIs against Roxbury and was the winning pitcher against High Point.
Up next: Monday at Vernon, Wednesday at Mount Olive, Friday at West Morris, Saturday at Voorhees in Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament.
7. Warren Hills (4-6) -- Blue Streaks have lost four straight since beating North Hunterdon on April 20 and have been outscored 22-11 during that stretch. Coach Mike Quinto's team has played teams tough, including a 4-3 loss to North Plainfield, which just handed Voorhees its first loss.
Up next: Monday at home against Phillipsburg, Tuesday at home against Pingry, Thursday at Delaware Valley.
8. North Hunterdon (5-6) -- Lions have struggled of late, losing four of six since a win over Hunterdon Central. Outfielder Derek Jenkins was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI and winning pitcher Steve Bloodworth fanned five in a nice 3-2 win over Lenape Valley on Saturday. Andrew Westlin also continued his hot hitting by going 3-for-3 in Friday's loss to Watchung Hills.
Up next: Tuesday at home against Bridgewater, Thursday at home against Immaculata, Saturday at Pope John in Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament.
9. Lenape Valley (7-3) -- Patriots are swinging the bats at a rapid clip, averaging 8.6 runs per game. But the bats were shut down in a 3-2 loss to North Hunterdon on Saturday in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament. Prior to that, coach Bob Klinck's club scored 29 runs in wins over Mountain Lakes (19-18) and Belvidere (10-0).
Up next: Monday at home against Wallkill Valley, Wednesday at home against Kinnelon, Friday at home against Hackettstown, Saturday at Morris Hills.
10. North Warren (8-3) -- Patriots pulled off the shocker of the week with Saturday's 13-2 drubbing of previously-ranked High Point on Saturday in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament. Coach Jim Haupt's team has won six straight since an 11-5 loss to Voorhees. Pat Dolan (seven hits, two doubles, a homer and seven RBIs in his last two) is red-hot at the plate and lefty ace Nick Macaione got the win over High Point.
Up next: Tuesday at Belvidere, Thursday at Gill St. Bernard's, Saturday at Hackettstown in Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament.
On the bubble: High Point (6-5); Hopatcong (6-3).
West Jersey Baseball standings
| As of May 1 Skyland Conference | |||
| Delaware Division | |||
| Overall | Division | ||
| Immaculata | (6-3) | (5-1) | |
| Watchung Hills | (7-3) | (5-2) | |
| North Hunterdon | (5-6) | (4-2) | |
| Phillipsburg | (9-4) | (4-3) | |
| Hunterdon Central | (8-4) | (4-3) | |
| Montgomery | (5-5) | (3-3) | |
| Hillsborough | (5-4) | (2-3) | |
| Bridgewater | (4-8) | (1-5) | |
| Ridge | (3-8) | (0-6) | |
| Raritan Division | |||
| Overall | Division | ||
| Voorhees | (8-1) | (3-1) | |
| Somerville | (7-5) | (2-1) | |
| North Plainfield | (6-3) | (3-2) | |
| Warren Hills | (4-6) | (2-2) | |
| Pingry | (2-4) | (1-1) | |
| Franklin | (4-5) | (2-3) | |
| Delaware Valley | (1-8) | (1-4) | |
| Valley Division | |||
| Overall | Division | ||
| North Warren | (8-3) | (5-0) | |
| Gill St. Bernard's | (8-4) | (7-1) | |
| Bound Brook | (3-4) | (3-1) | |
| Bernards | (2-6) | (2-3) | |
| Belvidere | (3-7) | (2-3) | |
| South Hunterdon | (3-7) | (1-5) | |
| Manville | (0-9) | (0-6) | |
| Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference | |||
| Freedom Division | |||
| Overall | Division | ||
| Hackettstown | (9-0) | (6-0) | |
| Lenape Valley | (7-3) | (4-1) | |
| Hopatcong | (6-3) | (3-2) | |
| Newton | (3-6) | (2-4) | |
| Wallkill Valley | (5-11) | (2-5) | |
| Kittatinny | (2-10) | (1-6) | |
| American Division | |||
| Overall | Division | ||
| Montville | (10-0) | (5-0) | |
| Pope John | (11-1) | (6-1) | |
| Sparta | (9-3) | (4-3) | |
| High Point | (6-5) | (3-3) | |
| Vernon | (4-6) | (3-4) | |
| Mount Olive | (4-9) | (3-4) | |
| Jefferson | (5-6) | (3-4) | |
| Morris Hills | (2-10) | (0-8) | |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)