Posted: Apr 09, 2024
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
CARNEYS POINT, N.J. – Middlesex College rallied for four runs in the seventh inning, then turned back a threat in the eighth and held on in the ninth to defeat Salem Community College 6-5 Tuesday and complete a sweep of their conference series.
Salem scored four runs in the fourth inning to take a 5-2 lead. Nick Ciesielka's bases-loaded sacrifice fly tied the game and Matt Murphy's bases-loaded two-run double gave the Mighty Oaks the lead. Mike Ochmanski's sacrifice fly made it 5-2.
Middlesex put its rally together against reliever Ben Foote after Salem starter J.D. Wilson gave the Oaks six solid innings. Conor Drury's two-out RBI single to left field gave the Colts the lead after Joshua Rodriguez' two-run double tied it. Brett Lukachyk's RBI double the game.
The Oaks threatened in the eighth. Dane Thomas hit a leadoff double, but between Murphy and Ochmanski being hit by pitches, Thomas was picked off second and it drained the Oaks' momentum. Colts reliever Sal Della Fave retired the next two hitters, then set the Oaks down in order in the ninth.
Wilson, hard-throwing reliever by trade, requested to start the game and delivered six solid innings after a rocky first inning. He walked six of the first nine batters he faced, but once he settled down, allowed only one hit – a single in the fifth inning – and struck out 10. He retired 14 of the last 15 batters he faced.
Three Salem pitchers combine to strike out 13.
"J.D. pitched great, J.D. pitched his tail off," Salem coach John Holt said. "He deserved a better result."
Both teams scored a run in the first inning. Middlesex scored on a bases-loaded walk to Conor Drury before Wilson found his rhythm in his first college start. The Oaks matched it in the bottom of the inning when Yen Rodriguez raced home from third when the Colts had to play a dropped third strike to first.
The loss was the Oaks' seventh in a row. They return to action Wednesday at Montgomery County (Pa.) CC and return to the Carneys Point Recreation Complex Friday to open a weekend home-and-home series with Bergen CC.
CARNEYS POINT, N.J. – Middlesex College rallied for four runs in the seventh inning, then turned back a threat in the eighth and held on in the ninth to defeat Salem Community College 6-5 Tuesday and complete a sweep of their conference series.
Salem scored four runs in the fourth inning to take a 5-2 lead. Nick Ciesielka's bases-loaded sacrifice fly tied the game and Matt Murphy's bases-loaded two-run double gave the Mighty Oaks the lead. Mike Ochmanski's sacrifice fly made it 5-2.
Middlesex put its rally together against reliever Ben Foote after Salem starter J.D. Wilson gave the Oaks six solid innings. Conor Drury's two-out RBI single to left field gave the Colts the lead after Joshua Rodriguez' two-run double tied it. Brett Lukachyk's RBI double the game.
The Oaks threatened in the eighth. Dane Thomas hit a leadoff double, but between Murphy and Ochmanski being hit by pitches, Thomas was picked off second and it drained the Oaks' momentum. Colts reliever Sal Della Fave retired the next two hitters, then set the Oaks down in order in the ninth.
Wilson, hard-throwing reliever by trade, requested to start the game and delivered six solid innings after a rocky first inning. He walked six of the first nine batters he faced, but once he settled down, allowed only one hit – a single in the fifth inning – and struck out 10. He retired 14 of the last 15 batters he faced.
Three Salem pitchers combine to strike out 13.
"J.D. pitched great, J.D. pitched his tail off," Salem coach John Holt said. "He deserved a better result."
Both teams scored a run in the first inning. Middlesex scored on a bases-loaded walk to Conor Drury before Wilson found his rhythm in his first college start. The Oaks matched it in the bottom of the inning when Yen Rodriguez raced home from third when the Colts had to play a dropped third strike to first.
The loss was the Oaks' seventh in a row. They return to action Wednesday at Montgomery County (Pa.) CC and return to the Carneys Point Recreation Complex Friday to open a weekend home-and-home series with Bergen CC.
