Highlights from the Morris County Semifinals, 5/15

May 16, 2016

game 1: morristown-beard vs. pequannock

There was great high school baseball action yesterday for the Morris County Semi Finals at Delbarton’s Fluery Field. The first game featured Morristown-Beard upending Pequannock, 6-3. Pequannock jumped out to a 1-0 lead on Mo-Beard starter Pat Davis. After lead off batter Tyler Aug flied to center, Sean Klimek singled and Brian Werr reached on an error. Pequannock’s starting pitcher, Tom Crooks, then drove Klimek in on a sac fly to right for the game’s first run.

Mo-Beard did not answer until the 3rd, when Ian Buenmee and John Schaff started the inning with walks, and advanced on wild pitches. With runners on second and third and nobody out, lead off batter Dillon Sinegra’s sac fly brought home Buemee, and Ryan Green’s double scored Schaff. Green ended up scoring on a wild pitch as well.

It would stay 3-1 until the top of the sixth - when 2016 SS Max Matilsky (Dickinson commit) led off the inning for Mo-Beard with a double and Drew Jansen reached when he got hit by a pitch. Tyler Faccendra reached on an error. All three runners ended up scoring. Pequannock answered again in the bottom half of the sixth with two of their own, but it was too little too late for the Panthers, as Mo-Beard starter RHP Pat Davis went a complete game, scattering five hits allowing three runs and striking out three. Sean Klimek had two hits for the Panthers, but it seemed like Panther offense could not string together the one big inning they needed against Davis and the Crimson.

game 2: randolph vs. roxbury

In the second game, Randolph beat Roxbury 6-5, in a sea-saw battle. Randolph jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Roxbury in the top of the first, highlighted by a lead off single by Ryan Mulligan, and a double by NJ Games participant Jake Barbiere. In the bottom half, Roxbury answered with two of their own off of Randolph starter Brian Toscano, who was replaced after three batters by Thomas Ippolito. Michael Roumes and Greg Falzarano scored in the inning - after Roumes walked, Falzarano doubled and Tucker Voelbel singled.

In the second, Randolph got a leadoff triple from Steve Schollmeyer who would then score, making it 3-2. After nobody scored in the third for Randolph, Roxbury cashed in two runs on another Roumes walk and another Falzarano hit. The runners advanced on a wild pitch, and ended up scoring on an Ippolito balk, the first of two for Ippolito that would score runs. With the score 4-3 Roxbury, the Gaels would only score one more in the following inning. Randolph would then score three times to go ahead 6-5, highlighted by another Barbiere double and a pinch hit single by Nick Wekilsky. Ippolito was able to hold the lead at 6-5 after the Gael scratched one across. Ippolito and Barbiere were the stars of the game; Ippolito coming into the game in a tough spot and being able to manage the damage, while Barbiere reached base all four times, including two doubles.

The finals will be held in Roxbury on Friday night between Morristown-Beard and Randolph.