Tri-County Men’s Baseball League Begins Quarterfinal Action
The Tri-County men’s baseball league is in crunch time as teams began this week in quarterfinal action.
This 13-team league consists of many top or former college baseball players from the area. Occasionally a former professional player will play as well as some current high school players.
In short, this is not just an old-timers league. Those who compete are still very serious about playing baseball and many use it as a vehicle to stay sharp for the college season, especially with fall programs beginning in the not-too-distant future.
The defending champion is a team named the Roughriders. For years they have been out of Haddonfield, but this season have played their home games at Bellmawr Recreation Field.
Here are the eight teams in the quarterfinals, which will be a best-of-three series that began today (July 22):
CHBR/Third Base vs Sewell Wolves
Cherry Hill/Pitman vs Garton’s of Vineland
Cinnaminson Reds vs Roughriders
Washington Township Senators vs South Jersey Grizzlies
(For more up to date info: Tricountybaseball.net)
Entering the week, the league’s leading hitter was Sean Szestowicki of CHBR/Third Base, which plays its home games at Foulke Field in Cherry Hill. Szestowicki was hitting .556 (40-for-72) with 13 doubles, one home run and 19 RBI. He was first in hits and second with 26 runs scored.
Szestowicki is a graduate of Kingsway, who played his first two college seasons at Rowan College of South Jersey–Gloucester.
A middle infielder, Szestowicki was a first-team All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference choice for West Chester, where he batted .354 (57-for-161 with a team-high 23 extra base hits, 15 doubles, three triples and five home runs. He had 50 runs scored and 43 RBI.
Shea McKenna of the Roughriders entered the week leading the league with 27 runs and was second to Szestowicki in batting (.475). McKenna is a 2023 graduate of West Deptford, who plays for Division III McDaniel in the Centennial Conference. This past season as a freshman, McKenna batted .364 (51-for-140) with eight doubles, four home runs and 40 RBI.
One of the leading pitchers is a veteran of the league Chris Rollins. The 37-year-old Rollins is a graduate of Winslow Township. As a senior he was drafted in the 41st round by the Chicago Cubs but opted to compete for Rowan College of South Jersey–Gloucester.
He spent five years playing professional baseball for the Cubs, San Diego Padres and several independent teams and is currently the pitching coach at Rowan. During the regular season, Rollins was dominant in Tri-County League competition with a 7-1 record and 0.38 ERA. The lefthander had struck out 91 and walked 18 in 56 innings.
This is the caliber of player in the Tri-County League.
The league semifinals will begin the week of July 29. The semifinals will be a best of three and played at either Camden Athletic Complex or Alcyon Park in Pitman.
The finals will start Aug 5 and also be a best of three, with all the games at Alcyon Park.
Photo: Haddonfield High School rising senior Martin Foust pitching for the Roughriders / Marc Narducci
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Author: Marc Narducci
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