Tuesday’s South Jersey roundup: Triton wins on ninth inning walk-off for second straight game to advance to South Group 3 final
Check out Tuesday's top performances and highlights from around South Jersey.
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. The junior catcher also threw out a pair of runners. The Bulldogs will face No. 2 West Deptford in Friday’s sectional final. Haddonfield’s Chris Brown earned the pitching victory and also was 3-for-4 with an RBI and three runs.
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In the other South Group 2 semifinal, West Deptford advanced with a bases-loaded, walk-off wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh to down Cedar Creek, 2-1. The Eagles play No. 1 Haddonfield, which they are 0-2 against this year. They’ve been outscored 10-4 in the season series but have 16 hits compared to the Bulldogs’ 13 in those games.
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Colin Taylor’s game-winning sacrifice fly brought in Mike Shannon in the bottom of the ninth, as Triton beat beat Toms River East, 6-5, in the South Group 3 semifinals. This marks the second straight game that the Mustangs have won on a game-winning hit in the ninth inning. Matt Woods’ RBI single to center field lifted the team over Pinelands, 1-0, in the quarterfinals on Friday. Top-seeded Triton plays Cherry Hill West in the final on Friday.
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In the other South Group 3 semifinal, Nick Sylvester went 3-for-3 with a home run, two doubles, and five RBIs to power Cherry Hill West past Hammonton, 11-2. The Lions have only given up three runs in the tournament and now face a Triton team that is 13-0 at home this year and have scored three or more runs in nine of those games.
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Eastern came back in the bottom of the seventh to beat Cherokee, 4-3, in the South Group 4 semifinals. After leading 2-0 in the top of the inning, the Vikings gave up three runs before Nick Zellner’s RBI single tied it up. Dylan Stezzi’s sacrifice fly then brought in the winning run moments later. No. 3 Eastern plays No. 5 Cherry Hill East in the final on Friday.
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In the other South Group 4 semifinal, Cherry Hill East shut out Egg Harbor Township, 5-0. Alec Rodriguez led the Cougars, going 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Sean McKenna had a double, while Joey Wright drove in two runs for Cherry Hill East. Cory Kessler had a double for the Eagles.
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Six players had two or more hits for Glassboro in its 8-3 win over Gloucester in the South Group 1 semifinals. Justin Tongue pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing just two hits and striking out eight. Colin Bridges went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run, while Coty McArthur and Drew Tongue both had two hits and combined for three runs and two RBIs. The top-seeded Bulldogs play the winner of No. 2 Maple Shade and No. 3 Schalick in the final on Friday.
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St. Augustine scored seven runs in the first inning to beat Notre Dame, 9-5, in the South Non-Public A semifinals. Kevin Foreman had two doubles for the Hermits, while Kenny Levari picked up a double and Cole Vanderslice had a triple. Anthony Sofran picked up the win on the mound for top-seeded St. Augustine, which will play the winner of No. 2 Christian Brothers Academy and No. 6 St. Joseph-Metuchen in the final.
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Gloucester Catholic scored 10 runs in the fifth inning to end the game and beat Holy Spirit, 10-0, in the South Non-Public B semifinals. Lillo Paxia had a double and three RBIs for the Rams. Tyler Shinn drove in two runs. Tyler Cannon and Greg Iannelli both went 2-for-3, combining for three runs and two RBIs.
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Michael Dolan went 2-for-3 with a double in New Egypt’s 3-0 win over Point pleasant Beach in the Central Group 1 semifinals. The No. 3 Warriors play the winner of No. 1 Middlesex and No. 4 South Hunterdon on Friday in the final.
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Bordentown fell to Robbinsville in the Central Group 2 semifinals, 2-1. Kyle Kato pitched a complete game, allowing two runs on six hits and four walks, striking out six for the Scotties. Kyle Wood went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Shane Martin and Nick Matt led Robbinsville, collecting two hits apiece.
Softball
Delran beat Audubon, 4-1, in the South Group 2 final to capture its first sectional title since 1995. Brooke Acker led the Bears with three RBIs, two of which came off of a two-run home run in the fourth to break a 1-1 tie.
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Diana Parker struck out 15 to lead Delsea over Moorestown in the South Group 3 final, 9-2. Parker also went 3-for-3 at the plate with a double and an RBI. Brooke Clark went 2-for-4 with a two doubles and scored three runs. Jenna Cetin had two hits, two RBIs and two runs. Delsea outscored opponents 26-4 in the tournament, keeping Absegami and Seneca scoreless in its first two games.
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Kingsway got out to a 7-0 lead after the first inning in its 13-3 win over Shawnee in the South Group 4 final. Delany Patella went 3-for-4 with three runs, while Theresa Reed had four hits including a double and three RBIs. Madison McGehrin had a two-run home run for the Renegades. No. 4 Kingsway advanced to the final thanks to a walk-off, solo home run from Patella in the semifinals against Brick Memorial on Thursday.
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Buena shut out Pennsville, 8-0, to win the South Group 1 final. The Chiefs scored four runs in the first and fifth innings. Olivia Dortu went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs. Gabby D’Ottavio had a home run and drove in two runs, while Kacey Jones had two hits and scored two runs for Buena. The No. 2 Chiefs didn’t allow a single run in the playoffs, outscoring opponents 45-0.
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Emma Chiemiego pitched a complete game, striking out 10 and allowing two runs in Holy Cross’ 10-2 win over Doane Academy in the South Non-Public B semifinals. Jill Stankiewicz went 4-for-4 with two RBIs for the Lancers, as teammate Gianna Maaddi went 3-for-3 with two RBIs. Holy Cross plays No. 1 St. Joseph-Hammonton in the final on Friday.
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In the other South Non-Public B semifinal, St. Joseph-Hammonton beat Rutgers Prep, 2-0, scoring runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Makayla Veneziale notched her 19th win of the season on the mound, tossing a complete-game one-hitter and striking out 13 for the Wildcats. Katie Dainton had two hits and two stolen bases.
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Paul VI lost to Donovan Catholic, 10-0, in the South Non-Public A semifinals. The Griffins were led by Jayda Kearney’s three doubles and four RBIs. Lindsay Nelson struck out 11 for top-seeded Donovan Catholic.