'I am so Blessed and Honored'
The Phillies not only do a great job of hosting the high school Carpenter Cup baseball and softball tournaments, but they also create excitement for those involved by saluting the champions.
This year’s two champions, both from South Jersey, were honored before last Monday’s 13-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles at Citizens Bank Park.
The Tri-Cape team, consisting of players from the Tri-County Conference and Cape Atlantic Leagues, won its second Carpenter Cup softball title in the past three years.
Burlington County earned the baseball championship.
Members of each team were introduced before the game.
In addition, the MVP of both squads was announced.
Ocean City rising senior third baseman Brooke Douglas won the softball MVP. Douglas hit .450 with three doubles as the Tri-Cape went 6-0, winning three games on two different days.
Ocean City rising senior third baseman Brooke Douglas won the softball MVP. Douglas hit .450 with three doubles as the Tri-Cape went 6-0, winning three games on two different days.
“It is incredible, I am so blessed and honored,” said Douglas, a Rhode Island commit.
Cherokee’s Brett Jackson won the baseball MVP, going 6-for-9 (.667) with two doubles, two triples, five RBI and six runs scored.
“Already being in this experience was enough, and then being named MVP it’s really great, made me happy,” Jackson said.
On the final day of the softball competition, the Tri-Cape had to win three games in the most difficult of circumstances. The temperature at FDR Park, located down the street from Citizens Bank Park, was hovering around 100 degrees.
“It was crazy heat and what is most remarkable to me is that the girls just played ball, there was never any complaining,” said former longtime Buena coach Pam Pickett, who been the head coach for each of the 20 seasons the Tri-Cape has competed in the Carpenter Cup. “To take kids out, they didn’t even want to come out of the game, they were totally into it and doing the things they needed to do to be successful, and it was so fun.”
In the baseball tournament, the first two rounds are played at FDR Park and then the semifinals and finals were staged at Citizens Bank Park.
Burlington County went 4-0, capped by a 4-0 win over Chester County in the championship.
“It’s awesome,” said Burlington County head coach Brian Anderson, who is also the head coach of Shawnee. “I think the Carpenter Cup is such a cool experience, you not only get rewarded but you get to see kids who have played against each other come together.”
The players and coaches were not only excited to be part of the tournament, but also to be honored by the Phillies pre-game.
The Carpenter Cup tournaments was also an affirmation for the talent produced in both sports in South Jersey.
This was the 39th season of the Carpenter Cup baseball tournament and teams from the seven-county South Jersey area have won 13 of them, a third of the total.
In softball, four of the 20 champions have been from the seven-county South Jersey area.
Even when not winning, the South Jersey teams are usually highly competitive, and they have been a big part of what is one of the great high school events each year in any sport.
Photo: Brooke Douglas of Ocean City and Brett Jackson of Cherokee / Marc Narducci
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Author: Marc Narducci
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