Chris Mariani powers Haddonfield into South Jersey Group 2 final
The junior catcher drove in three runs and made two strong defensive plays in a victory over rival Haddon Heights in the sectional semifinals.
Chris Mariani rapped two hits and drove in three runs Tuesday in Haddonfield’s 11-4 victory over Haddon Heights in a South Jersey Group 2 semifinal.
But the junior catcher’s biggest contributions were behind the plate, not at it.
Mariani threw out a pair of runners, short-circuiting rallies to clear the Bulldogs’ path to Friday’s sectional final.
“Huge,” Haddonfield senior Chris Brown said of Mariani’s defensive work on a humid afternoon at Russ Spicer Diamond. “Chris is such a smart player. He knows what he’s doing out there.”
Brown earned the pitching victory with five strong innings and also was 3-for-4 with an RBI and three runs.
Dylan Heine hit a triple and double, and Alex Kadar and Matt Stamm both were 3-for-4 as top-seeded Haddonfield (22-3) advanced to face the West Deptford-Cedar Creek winner in Friday’s sectional final.
“The bats came alive,” Brown said. “If there’s any time to get hot, now’s the time.”
Senior Andrew Gibson had two hits, including a double, and two runs in his final game for fifth-seeded Haddon Heights (12-11). Junior Joe Monteleone added two hits and two RBIs.
“I’m proud of these guys,” said Haddon Heights’ coach Eric Newell, whose team featured just one senior in the lineup in Gibson. “I told them there’s no reason we’re not playing Friday [in the sectional final] next year.”
Haddonfield generated 16 hits, five for extra-bases. Stamm, the team’s No. 7 batter, was a line out away from a 4-for-4 day. Heine and Steve DiTomaso had triples. Luke Gallagher, the No. 8 hitter, delivered a two-run single.
“We’re getting production 1 through 9,” Haddonfield coach Bob Bickel said. “The bats are going and it’s not just one or two guys.”
Mariani got Haddonfield on the board with a two-run single in the first. He drove in another run with a sacrifice fly to deep center in the sixth.
“It was big to get the lead, that builds confidence,” Mariani said.
Mariani picked a runner off first in the fourth and made the defensive play of the game in the sixth, coming out from behind the plate to take a throw from center field that was drifting up the third-base line.
Mariani made the catch on the move, then one-footed a strike to third base to nail a runner and finish a double play.
“I knew I had time and I wanted to make a good throw,” Mariani said. “It was big because it helps our pitchers. It gets them another out.”
Haddon Heights 001 003 0 – 4 10 2
Haddonfield 300 323 x – 11 16 2
WP: Chris Brown. LP: Joe Monteleone.
2B: HH-Andrew Gibson, Shane Daly. H-Chris Brown, Dylan Heine, Alex Kadar.
3B: H-Steve DiTomaso, Dylan Heine.