We Are The Champions

by Marc Narducci | Aug 14, 2024
We Are The Champions
For the second year in a row and the third time in four years the Roughriders are the champion of the TriCounty men’s baseball league.
The Roughriders, who played their games at Bellmawr Rec Field, won the best of three series 2-1 over Cherry Hill/Pitman.
With a strong contingent of former Colonial conference players, the Roughriders won the opening game of the championship, 3-1.
Former Haddon Heights and current College of New Jersey lefthander John DiConstano earned the win by pitching six shutout innings.
Player-manger Jake Swerdloff, a Cherry Hill East grad who played for UMass, went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
“Winning the championship feels awesome, Swerdloff said. Winning is everything in every sport and it feels great to be on top.”
Cherry Hill/Pitman tied the series with a 3-2 win in Game 2. St Augustine grad and Eastern College righthander Sean Cottrell pitched a complete game 7-hitter.
The Roughriders clinched the title with a 13-4 win. Haddonfield grad and rising sophomore Indiana University of PA right hander Dane Samartino earned the win, allowing two runs in four innings.
Samartino also won the decisive semifinal series with a 4-1 complete game win over CHBR/Third Base. He allowed just three hits.

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“I felt really locked in to that one,” Samartino said.
In the championship game, Roughriders shortstop Sean Perkins had four RBI, including three on a bases clearing double. 
Perkins is an Eastern grad, who just completed his second season at Lock Haven.
The spirit of the TriCounty League was shown by Cherry Hill/ Pitman veteran pitcher Chris Rollins.
He pitched a complete in the Game 1 loss and on one day’s rest came in relief in the third inning and completed the game.
The 37-year-old Rollins is a Winslow Township grad. 
He is a former minor league pitcher for the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres along with some Independent ball teams.
“I treated it just as I would when I was playing professionally,” said Rollins, who is the pitching coach at Rowan. “I want to win, so this is tough.”
This ended another successful year for the 13-team wooden bat Tri-County League, known for its great tradition and talent.

 

Photo of Roughriders / Marc Narducci


Author: Marc Narducci

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