South Jersey Baseball Review
Five teams from the seven-county South Jersey area won sectional baseball championships, four in South Jersey and one in Central Jersey.
Four different conferences produced the five champions, with the Tri-County leading the way with two. The Tri-County champs were Schalick in South Jersey Group 1 and Gloucester Catholic in South Jersey Non-Public B.
Haddonfield of the Colonial Conference won the South Jersey Group 2 title. Northern Burlington of the Burlington County Scholastic League, captured the Central Jersey Group 3 title.
Cherokee of the Olympic Conference was the South Jersey Group 4 champ.
Here is a look at each team’s run:
Schalick
The second seeded Cougars defeated top seeded Audubon, 4-3 in the South Jersey Group 1 championship. Lefthander Luke Pokrovsky, among the top pitchers in South Jersey, earned the win. In six innings, he allowed three runs on five hits, while striking out 12 and walking three.Article continues below
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It was the only game in the tournament that Schalick was seriously tested. The Cougars won their previous three tournament games by 7.6 runs.
The second seeded Cougars defeated top seeded Audubon, 4-3 in the South Jersey Group 1 championship. Lefthander Luke Pokrovsky, among the top pitchers in South Jersey, earned the win. In six innings, he allowed three runs on five hits, while striking out 12 and walking three.
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It was the only game in the tournament that Schalick was seriously tested. The Cougars won their previous three tournament games by 7.6 runs.
Haddonfield
The Bulldogs were the top seed and they played that way. Haddonfield clinched its first sectional title since 2018 when it defeated fellow Colonial Conference Liberty Division foe Collingswood, 10-1, in the South Jersey Group 2 championship. Haddonfield won its four South Jersey playoff games by an average of 7.2 runs.
Martin Foust earned the title game win, allowing one run in five innings, while third baseman Will Solak drove in three runs.
It was the eighth consecutive win for Haddonfield, which prepared for the tournament by advancing to the final of the 32-team Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic before losing to Mainland, 4-0 in the final.
The Bulldogs were the top seed and they played that way. Haddonfield clinched its first sectional title since 2018 when it defeated fellow Colonial Conference Liberty Division foe Collingswood, 10-1, in the South Jersey Group 2 championship. Haddonfield won its four South Jersey playoff games by an average of 7.2 runs.
Martin Foust earned the title game win, allowing one run in five innings, while third baseman Will Solak drove in three runs.
It was the eighth consecutive win for Haddonfield, which prepared for the tournament by advancing to the final of the 32-team Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic before losing to Mainland, 4-0 in the final.
Northern Burlington
The top seeded Greyhounds defeated Brick Memorial, 8-4, in the Central Jersey Group 3 championship. Jimmy Musser and Nick Filipponi each had one home run and three RBIs to lead NBC’s championship game effort. Northern Burlington had two close games to open the playoffs, beating Red Bank Regional, 5-3 in the first round and Brick Township, 9-8, in the second round.
The title win improved NBC’s record to 25-2, with the only losses to eventual champion Mainland in the Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic and to South Jersey Non-Public B champ Gloucester Catholic.
The top seeded Greyhounds defeated Brick Memorial, 8-4, in the Central Jersey Group 3 championship. Jimmy Musser and Nick Filipponi each had one home run and three RBIs to lead NBC’s championship game effort. Northern Burlington had two close games to open the playoffs, beating Red Bank Regional, 5-3 in the first round and Brick Township, 9-8, in the second round.
The title win improved NBC’s record to 25-2, with the only losses to eventual champion Mainland in the Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic and to South Jersey Non-Public B champ Gloucester Catholic.
Cherokee
The top seeded Chiefs beat second seeded Eastern, 5-4, to win the South Jersey Group 4 championship. It was the third meeting between the two teams who split two regular season games with
Cherokee winning 11-1 and Eastern then taking a 2-1 decision in 10 innings.
In the championship game, Brett Gable was the winning pitcher, allowing four runs, while striking out 10 in six innings.
Gable and Henry Radbill comprise arguably the top pitching duo in South Jersey.
The top seeded Chiefs beat second seeded Eastern, 5-4, to win the South Jersey Group 4 championship. It was the third meeting between the two teams who split two regular season games with
Cherokee winning 11-1 and Eastern then taking a 2-1 decision in 10 innings.
In the championship game, Brett Gable was the winning pitcher, allowing four runs, while striking out 10 in six innings.
Gable and Henry Radbill comprise arguably the top pitching duo in South Jersey.
Gloucester Catholic
In a rematch of last year’s sectional final, top seeded Gloucester Catholic beat second seeded Bishop Eustace, 5-1 in the SJ Non-Public B championship game. Last year Gloucester Catholic was a 2-1 winner of Eustace in the sectional title game. In this year’s final, Gloucester Catholic junior righthander Jude Morgan pitched six shutout innings to earn the win. Braeden Lipoff and Jack Mustaro each had two-run singles.
In a rematch of last year’s sectional final, top seeded Gloucester Catholic beat second seeded Bishop Eustace, 5-1 in the SJ Non-Public B championship game. Last year Gloucester Catholic was a 2-1 winner of Eustace in the sectional title game. In this year’s final, Gloucester Catholic junior righthander Jude Morgan pitched six shutout innings to earn the win. Braeden Lipoff and Jack Mustaro each had two-run singles.
Photo: Martin Foust of Haddonfield / Marc Narducci
Author: Marc Narducci
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