Haddonfield freshman baseball wins their cheesesteaks
By MIKE SCANNELL
Special to the Haddonfield Sun
The HMHS freshman baseball team traveled to Philadelphia to play Saint Joseph’s Prep for their annual “cheesesteak game.” Heavy traffic forced minimal pre-game warm-ups and lethargic early inning play was the result. Mark Walker got the start and the Prep jumped to an early four run first inning lead, all runs were unearned. After the slow start, the Haddons settled down and Owen McGovern injected some energy with a second inning bomb far over the left field fence and his home run trot cut the lead in half. Walker also settled down and battled on the mound with five strikeouts in three innings of work. Sean Noone pitched the next three innings, surrendered only one run while collecting three strikeouts but the game went to the final inning with St. Joe’s in command holding an 8–3 lead.
The seventh inning started quietly when the Haddons lead-off hitter was retired but then the Dawgs offense got started with a Wes Dengler double, Blake Barr followed with a tough at-bat and infield hit and Chad Evans had a great at-bat by fouling off a tough two strike pitch before he worked a base on balls to load the bases. With a lot of work still to be done, Alex D’Ascenzo smoked a ball right up the middle, Tom Gosse worked another walk and Jack Spinelli did what he has done all year long by adding a huge base hit before Drew Dark crushed a double that cleared the bases and plated both the tying and go-ahead run.
Entering the bottom of the seventh inning, the Dawgs held a 9–8 advantage but St. Joseph’s wasn’t done with the heart of their order due up; the number three, four, and five hitters. Charlie Clarke got the nod to pitch the bottom of the seventh inning to try to close the game and secure the win. The Prep’s number three hitter jumped on the first pitch offered and got a base hit before quickly stealing second base on a very close play, a strike thrown by Troy Crompton. Clarke enticed an infield pop-up from the number four hitter on a great off speed pitch, keeping the tying run at second base, a huge first out. The number five hitter then nailed what appeared to be a sure base hit up the middle to tie the game but Dark ranged far to his left, gloved the ball and calmly threw a strike to Alex Caruso at first base for the second out while the runner advanced to third base.
With the tying run now at third base, the next Prep hitter was locked in a great battle with Clarke as he fouled off several terrific pitches and with the count even at two balls and two strikes, Clarke snapped off a nasty curve ball that left the batter frozen at the plate for a called third strike that secured the exciting win for the resilient Dawgs team. The Dawgs boarded the team bus, in route to their well-deserved cheesesteak and returned to Haddonfield while Dengler led the team bus in a chorus of what can only be described as a serenade of joyous comradeship.
After the first inning slow start, defense ruled the game for the Haddons that allowed the exciting last inning comeback. Nick Rollo, who handled the early inning catchers duties impeccably, cut down a runner trying to steal third base, Christian Jordan made nearly all three outs in the fourth inning, gliding under two major league fly balls while tending to center field, Nick Binder, Joe Glennon, Freddie Shindle and Matt Smart all played strong early inning outfield defense and added quality at-bats and Matt Gilbert, who is swinging a hot bat, added strong second base defense along with two good at-bats. All 21 players participated and contributed in the exciting win and several consumed multiple cheesesteaks.
The challenging non-conference schedule continued for the Haddons as they hosted another Regional high school, Kingsway Regional. Mark Walker got the start and threw a very impressive, six inning, eight strikeout, three hit, complete game shutout against a very good Group III school. Walker had total command of all his pitches from the very start. His fastball was precise, his curve at times unhittable, his change-up kept him out of trouble when behind in the count and his knuckle curve frustrated the Kingsway hitters all day. A shutout can only be achieved by a total team effort and the Dawgs defense executed impeccably. Troy Crompton was again a rock behind the plate, blocked every pitch, did not allow a single past ball and gunned down a runner trying to steal third base by throwing a strike to Drew Dark who applied a snap tag, ending an early inning threat.
Late in the game, the only miscue by the Dawgs defense was a pick-off attempt to first base by the catcher that was overthrown but Sean Noone was in perfect position backing up the throw in right field and when the runner from second base attempted to score, Noone threw a laser, no bounces, to Crompton who blocked the plate and preserved the shutout. The game was much closer than the final score indicated, the Haddons held a 1–0 lead after three innings and 2–0 after four innings but the offense kept battling against a very good pitcher and the third time through the lineup, the Dawgs broke the game open in the fifth and sixth inning.
Noone had a big day, going three for three, with a stolen base and a sacrifice fly RBI, Jack Spinelli continued to hit the cover off the baseball with two hits, Wes Dengler also had a two hit day, Charlie Clarke just crushed the baseball to deep right center field for a stand-up triple, and Alex Caruso and Crompton each had a base hit. It was a very efficient win from all aspects; pitching, defense and offense.
