Salem hosted the Bergen County Community College Bulldogs for a doubleheader to close out their 2021 season. The Mighty Oaks split with the Bulldogs, winning game one by a score of 4-3 and losing game two, 6-1.
In Game One, Bergen took an early 1-0 lead in the second inning, but Drew Tongue (Glassboro, NJ / Glassboro HS) was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the third, driving in Nick Toms (Pennsville, NJ / Pennsville HS) with the bases loaded to tie the game at one. In the bottom of the fourth, Ahmad Edwards (Metter, GA / Tattnall HS) tripled to center field to score Tucker Dorrity (Ocala, Fl / Fayette County HS) and Nick Toms to give the Mighty Oaks a 3-1 lead. Toms doubled in the fifth inning, scoring Dakota Rowen (Venice, FL / McIntosh HS), giving the Mighty Oaks what proved to be the eventual game winning run. Bergen scored one in the sixth and one in the seventh to close to 4-3, but their rally was thwarted with two outs, when a Bergen runner on third tried to score the tying run on a wild pitch. Oaks catcher Dakota Rowen retrieved the ball from the backstop and made a diving tag to end the game, preserving Salem's fourteenth win of the season, and sixth in a row. The Mighty Oaks record stood at 8-14 following a loss to Brookdale on April 28, but Coach John Holt's crew rallied to win six in a row over the next ten days to even their record at 14-14.
The Salem victory eliminated Bergen from Region 19 playoff contention, as the Bulldogs needed a sweep of the doubleheader to enter the postseason.
Trey Matthews (Newark, DE / Newark Charter School) started on the mound for the Mighty Oaks and struck out eight in six and two-third innings to earn his fourth win of the season. Ryan Dipper (Woodbury Heights, NJ / Gateway HS) came on in relief of Matthews with two outs in the top of the seventh and threw one pitch that Rowen turned into the game winning out of the game, earning Dipper a save.
Game two was tame offensively with each team scoring only one run during the regulation seven innings. In the eighth inning, Bergen County scored five runs to beat the Mighty Oaks, 6-1. Salem's lone run scored on a bases-loaded hit by pitch by Drew Tongue, scoring Phil Sedalis (Wenonah, NJ / Deptford Township HS).
Patrick Montagna (Pennsville, NJ / Pennsville Memorial High School) started on the mound for the Mighty Oaks in game two and allowed only three hits and a run while striking out six in five innings. Raymond Knappenberger (Pennsville, NJ / Pennsville Memorial High School) came in with one out in the sixth to relieve Montagna, allowing three runs and was charged with the loss.
Salem concludes the 2021 season with a 14-15 record overall, an 11-9 record in Region 19 play and a 6-7 Garden State Athletic Conference record. Of the Oaks nine losses in the region, six came at the hands of teams ranked #1 (RCSJ Gloucester) and #5 (RCSJ Cumberland). The other losses were to Brookdale (receiving votes in the national poll), Atlantic Cape (nationally ranked at the time of the losses) and the season-ending defeat at the hands of Bergen.
The Mighty Oaks signature victory came against Gloucester (30-3), and finished with a 7-2 record at home. The combined record of the five teams that defeated Salem in Region 19 play is currently 85-39-2. The 2021 season, the Mighty Oaks first full season since 2014, served to put Region 19 foes on notice that they are a force to be reckoned with, and look to be in the thick of things in Region play going forward. Congratulations to the players and coaches on an outstanding performance this season. The group is also to be commended for its compliance with all of the challenging Covid 19 safety protocols during the season, and successfully avoiding any disruptions of practice or play due to health issues.
Fans can keep up with the Mighty Oaks at sccmightyoaks.com. Be sure to follow Salem Athletics on Twitter @sccmightyoaks for updates and news on all Salem athletics.
