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NJSIAA Tournament

Sectional Semifinals

Central Jersey Group IV

(3) Middletown South 12, (2) Hunterdon Central 7

Ben Schild struck out six and walked none in four scoreless innings and drilled a solo home run as part of an offensive outburst by the Eagles (19-8) that propelled them past the Red Devils (23-3) and into the sectional finals for the first time since winning Central Jersey Group III in 2011.

Schild threw 21 pitches on Tuesday before the game was suspended in the top of the second inning, threw 59 more on Wednesday when play resumed and did not return to the mound after another weather delay stopped the resumed game for another hour and 15 minutes.

Schild departed with a 5-0 lead, highlighted by a two-out, two-run double by senior Patrick Eagone in the top of the fourth inning that made the scored 4-0. Shortstop Will Doyle made it 2-0 earlier in the inning when he dropped down a successful squeeze bunt and the Eagles scored a fourth run in the inning on a dropped fly ball with two out to make it 5-0.

Schild struck out the side in the bottom of the fourth and the game went into delay due to lightning in the area.

Evan Wood took over and finished the game throwing 48 pitches, which is significant because by staying under 51 pitches, he is eligible to pitch again on Friday - the scheduled day for the Central Jersey Group IV final against No. 9 Marlboro.

Middletown South gave Wood plenty of breathing room, with Eagone drawing an 11-pitch walk with two out in the sixth to spark a two-run rally. Catcher Greg Trezza hit a sun-aided RBI double and Matt Pontari followed with an RBI bloop single to stretch the lead to 7-2.

The Eagles put the game out of reach with five runs in the seventh to make the score 12-3, starting with the solo home run by Schild that proved to be the winning run despite only looking like insurance at the time.

Eagone reached base in all five of his trips to the plate, finishing 1-for-1 with three walks, a hit-by-pitch, three runs scored and two RBI. Pontari was 1-for-2 with two hit-by-pitches, a walk and two RBI and Schild finished 2-for-4.

 

Central Jersey Group II

(11) Raritan 1, (2) Governor Livingston 0 (9 Innings)

Senior Chris Gonzalez pitched a nine-inning shutout and drove in the winning run with an RBI single in the top of the ninth as the Rockets (13-9) pulled off another road upset to reach the sectional final for the second time in the last four years.

Raritan will go for its second sectional title in four years as well when it once again hits the road, this time to play No. 4 Voorhees on Friday.

Gonzalez allowed only four hits, one walk and one hit batter while also striking out five. He finished nine innings with pitches to spare, with his 101st pitch the clincher that sent the Rockets to the championship game.

Justin Rivera finished 2-for-4 and Alex Dekis was 1-for-3 with a double to highlight Raritan's seven-hit effort.

(4) Voorhees 10, (1) Rumson-Fair Haven 7 (10 Innings)

The Bulldogs (17-6-1) rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to send the game to extra innings, but the Vikings (22-4) struck for three runs in the top of the 10th and held in the bottom of the inning to knock out the top seed in the section.

Rumson had its best chance to win the game in the bottom of the eight, when the Bulldogs loaded the bases with one out but could not push home the winning run from third.

Reece Moroney finished 3-for-5 with an RBI and Liam Murphy went 2-for-5 with a solo home run that cut the Voorhees lead to 7-3 in the bottom of the sixth and a sacrifice fly that cut the lead to 7-5 in the seventh.

Rumson tied the game on an RBI infield single by Charlie Tallman with two out and when the throw got away, Rumson coach Owen Stewart waved Reece Moroney around third, but he was caught in a rundown and tagged out. Moroney hit an RBI single to cut the deficit to 7-6.

Jackson Hinchcliffe took the loss and was the third of four pitchers in the game for Rumson, which started the game with John Goodes and also used Brad Sakele and Cal Champeau.

 

South Jersey Group IV

(1) Williamstown 4, (5) Jackson Memorial 2

Chris Montone hit a go-ahead two-run double in a three-run third for Williamstown and Matt McIntire added some insurance in the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run as the Braves (21-3) beat the Jaguars (18-7) and handed ace Zach Crotchfelt his first loss of the season.

Jackson Memorial took a 1-0 lead when the game began on Tuesday afternoon, with Charlie Meglio singling home Zach Rogacki in the top of the first. Rogacki also drove in a run with an RBI single in the top of the fifth that cut Williamstown's lead to 3-2.

 

South Jersey Group II

(12) Manchester 8, (1) West Deptford 3

Junior Logan Duffy belted two home runs - a solo shot on Tuesday and a three-run bomb on Wednesday when the game resumed - and the Hawks (12-10) toppled the top-seeded Eagles (16-7-1) to reach the sectional final for the first time since winning South Jersey Group II in 2003.

Duffy hit a solo home run in the top of the fourth inning on Tuesday to extend Manchester's lead to 4-1 before thunderstorms and rain stopped the game and forced the two teams to return Wednesday to complete the final three innings. In the top of the seventh inning the next day, Duffy unloaded for a three-run home run to put Manchester up 8-2.

Mike Damato pitched the first four innings to earn the win for Manchester and when the Hawks returned to West Deptford on Wednesday, junior Joe Pati took the ball to finish the game. He allowed a pair of runs over his three innings and also struck out the side in the bottom of the sixth with the score 4-2.

 

Monmouth County Tournament

Quarterfinals

(14) CBA 19, (11) Howell 4 (5 Innings)

Joe Figliolino, Jack Greenspan, Gavin Kus and Harrison Campi combined for three home runs, five extra-base hits and 15 RBI and the Colts (11-11) routed the Rebels (15-11) to extend their 2019 title defense into the semifinal round.

Figliolino led the way, going 2-for-4 with a home run and five RBI, while Campi was 3-for-4 with a triple, three runs and four RBI and Greenspan finished 2-for-4 with a double, homer and four RBI. Gus also homered and finished 2-for-5 with two RBI.

Colin Reilly worked four innings and allowed two runs on four hits and a pair of walks while striking out five to earn the win.

Howell senior Chris Ellison went 2-for-3 with two RBI and his Shore-Conference-leading 10th home run, while classmate Vin Impresa was also 2-for-3 with an RBI.

 

Ocean County Tournament

First Round

(4) Brick Memorial 5, (13) Toms River East 3

Ryan Turner went 3-for-3 with a home run and four RBI to back ace Cole Manfro and the Mustangs (14-10) held off the Raiders (6-12) to advance to the OCT quarterfinals against No. 12 Point Beach.

Turner's three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning put Brick Memorial ahead, 5-3, and proved to be the difference in the game.

Manfro took a shutout into the seventh inning and finished allowing one earned run on three hits with five strikeouts and no walks while throwing an economical 68 pitches.

Brady Leach went 1-for-2 with a double and two RBI, Jack Flood was 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI and Reese Hackett went 1-for-2 with an RBI for the Mustangs.

 

Suspended Games

NJSIAA Tournament

Sectional Semifinals

Central Jersey Group III

(5) Allentown at (1) Colts Neck - PPD, Thursday, 2:30 p.m.

Suspended in the top of the fifth; Colts Neck leads, 3-1.

 

Monmouth County Tournament

Round of 16

(16) Matawan at (1) Manalapan - PPD, Thursday, 3:45 p.m. (Suspended, Top 5th)

Suspended in the top of the fifth; Matawan leads, 3-0.

 

Ocean County Tournament

Quarterfinals

(11) Toms River North at (3) Donovan Catholic - PPD, Friday, 4 p.m.

Suspended in the bottom of the fourth; tied, 2-2.

 

Ocean County Tournament

Quarterfinals

(7) Brick at (2) Central - PPD, Friday, 3:45 p.m.

 

 

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