Baseball – NJSIAA Friday Scoreboard, 6/2/17

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NJSIAA Tournament

Sectional Finals

Central Jersey Group IV

(3) Hunterdon Central 2, (4) Freehold Boro 1

Pitching

Top Hitters

The Colonials pulled within a run in the top of the seventh inning had the bases loaded with two out, but Mark Costanzo's scorching line drive found the glove of third baseman Sal Lombardo to end the game and give the Red Devils their second straight Central Jersey Group IV title.

With his team trailing 2-0, Matt Granato led off the top of the seventh with his second double of the game and moved to third on a wild pitch. Mike Belka and pinch-hitter Roberto Reyes drew consecutive walks to bring up leadoff hitter and shortstop Chris Cassandra with one out.

Hunterdon Central right-hander Alex Degen retired Cassandra on a pop-up in four territory, then hit Tom Holdorf on a 1-2 pitch to force in Freehold's first run. Costanzo then smashed a shot that appeared ticketed for the left-field corner, but Lombardo got his glove up to make the back-handed snare.

The Red Devils scored both runs off Freehold Boro starter Dan Chiusano in the bottom of the third on a two-out RBI single by right fielder Collin Mason. The first run scored on the hit and second second came around when the throw to the plate in from left field skipped out of play.

Central Jersey Group III

(4) Allentown 4, (14) Neptune 3 (10 Innings)

Catcher Chris Reeder hit a game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning and the Redbirds (24-2) ended an improbable run by the No. 14 Scarlet Fliers (10-13) in a wild, extra-inning battle.

Allentown appeared to have the game won on a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth, but the umpires ruled that the runner who attempted to score never touched home plate after Neptune appealed the play.

Sebastian Jno-Baptiste tied the game with a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning after Justin Tucker singled home Neptune's first run one batter earlier.

Senior left-hander Dylan Taliaferro pitched into the eighth inning, allowing one earned run on six hits with no walks, one hit batter and seven strikeouts.

South Jersey Group IV

(11) Southern 6, (8) Lenape 2

Pitching

Top Hitters

Noah Brown hit a two-run single in a four-run second inning and Zach Fillmore pitched 2 2/3 shutout innings in relief of starter Nick Simone as the Rams (18-8) beat the Indians (20-7) to win the program's first sectional title since 1967.

Brown, Zach Oddo, Garret Lange and Nolan Watson each finished 1-for-3, with Oddo driving in a run and Lange scoring one. Joey Robertson and Vaugh Walker were each 1-for-2, with Walker scoring two runs and Robertson knocking in Southern's sixth run with an RBI single in the fourth. Senior Pat Barrett also went 2-for-3 with a run scored.

Marcos Matias opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the first and Oddo made it 2-0 with his RBI single in the second. Cole Markley followed with a fielder's choice RBI and Brown capped the inning with his two-run single.

Simone allowed two runs on two hits while walking three and striking out three in his 4 1/3 innings. Fillmore then came on and gave up three hits and no walks while striking out three during his scoreless outing.

Southern will take on defending Group IV champion Hunterdon Central in the Group IV semifinals on Tuesday.

South Jersey Group II

(4) Manasquan 1, (3) West Deptford 0

Pitching

Top Hitters

Freshman Alex Galvan delivered a two-out, RBI single in the top of the seventh inning to score Damaso Jaime with the game's only run and senior right-hander Connor Muly finished off a three-hit shutout to give Manasquan its first sectional championship since 1986.

Senior catcher Adam Schreck singled with two out in the seventh and after entering as the courtesy runner, Jaime stole second base. Galvan then lined a single into left field to bring home Jaime.

Muly struck out six and needed just 83 pitches to twirl his sectional final shutout. Manasquan will play Governor Livingston in Tuesday's Group II semifinal after Governor Livingston beat South Plainfield on a walk-off three-run double in the Central Jersey Group II final.

Sectional Semifinals

South Jersey Non-Public A

(1) Bishop Eustace 3, (4) CBA 2 (8 Innings)

Joe Oczkowski hit a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the eighth and the Crusaders (23-5) denied the Colts (18-10) a trip to Tuesday's sectional final.

Oczowski also singled in the game-tying run in the bottom of the sixth inning, effectively sending the game into extra innings.

CBA took a 2-1 lead with two runs in the top of the fourth inning, which included a Nick Hohenstein RBI single and an RBI double by Andrea Dalatri.

Junior Matt Barnes pitched the final two innings in taking the loss while sophomore starter Spencer Bauer held the Crusaders to one run over the first five innings.

(2) St. Augustine 7, (3) Red Bank Catholic 3

The Hermits (23-6) stormed out to a 7-0 lead by the fourth inning and held on to beat the Caseys (21-8) and advance to Tuesday's sectional final. St. Augustine will play Bishops Eustace, while Red Bank Catholic will take on Toms River North Sunday in the Shore Conference Tournament final.

South Jersey Non-Public B

(2) St. Rose 6, (6) Rutgers Prep 0

Riley Maypother and Will Gannon combined on a two-hit shutout and the Purple Roses (23-4) beat the Argonauts (16-14) to reach the South Jersey Non-Public B final Tuesday against top-seeded Gloucester Catholic.

Maypother allowed one hit and struck out seven over the first 4 2/3 innings and Gannon closed it out by allowing one in 2 1/3 scoreless innings. Maypother also hit an RBI single in the bottom of the third and Brody Maypother followed with a two-run double that capped the scoring.

John Crowley also contributed a two-run double during St. Rose's three-run first inning.