Crunch Time
The Tri-County men’s baseball league is now into the postseason, with quarterfinal play beginning this week. All playoffs are a best-of-three series.
The league estimates that 90% of all players are either currently in college or former college players. A small percentage of those had professional experience.
According to league records, play in the Tri-County League goes back to 1953 and since 1989, the league champion has been awarded the Carter Cup.
The league labels itself as ‘South Jersey’s No. 1 Semi Pro League’ and it’s hard to argue with that.
This year there are 11 teams, situated in two divisions.
The two-time defending champion is the Roughriders, a group that used to play at Haddonfield but in recent time has home games at the Bellmawr Rec Center.
Last year the Roughriders beat Cherry Hill/Pitman two games to one in the championship series, capped by a 13-4 win in the title game behind the pitching of former Haddonfield High standout Dane Samartino.
While the Roughriders are again contenders, a team everybody is pointing to this year is the Washington Township Senators, who play their games at Washington Township High School.
The Senators won the Tri-County South Division with a 15-1-2 record, edging Cherry Hill/Pitman, which was 14-3. Cherry Hill/Pitman plays its games at Pitman’s Alcyon Park. The winner of the North Division was the South Jersey Grizzlies (9-7-2), The Grizzlies’ home games are at the Runnemede Babe Ruth.
Five teams had first round byes.
After a first-round bye, Washington Township looks capable of being a serious contender.
“We really do feel we can make a run,” said pitcher-manager Mark Scarpa. “We are more confident this year than ever about making a run at it.”
One of the reasons that the Senators have such optimism is a deep pitching staff consisting of three former Washington Township standouts—Nick Evangelista, Joe Ruffino and Eric Cartafalsa.
Ruffino threw two no-hitters in the regular season. Evangelista was at his best in a late-season 0-0 tie with the Roughriders.
The top offensive player is shortstop Phil Sedalis, a Deptford graduate, who had enjoyed a tremendous career at Rowan, where this past season he batted. 370 with 16 home runs and 75 RBI for the Profs.
There will be other Tri-County challengers, including the Roughriders, who have won the title in three of the past four years.
“Depth-wise we’re up there with any team in the league, especially position player depth,” Roughriders manager Noah Clement said.
Leading the pitching staff is the aforementioned Samartino, who has pitched the past two years for Division II Indiana of Pennsylvania.
“Dane is our guy,” Clement said. “In the playoffs he will be a huge driving force,” Clement said.
Another team to watch is the North Division champion Grizzlies.
Maybe an under-the-radar team will always surface.
The quarterfinals are going on this week.
Here are the matchups
(8) Garton’s vs (1) Senators
(7) Camden vs. SJ Grizzlies
(6) Cinnaminson Crew vs. (3) Cherry Hill/Pitman
(5) Roughriders vs (4) CHBR/Third Base
The semifinals will be the week of Aug. 4, and the season will conclude with the championship series that will be a best-of-three matchup Aug. 11-13 at Alcyon Park.
Photo: Phil Sedalis of the Washington Township Senators / Marc Narducci
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Author: Marc Narducci
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