State tournament set to feature three district brackets
WEST WINDSOR » When New Jersey American Legion District Tournament baseball action gets underway Saturday, there will be a few changes.
First, there are only three districts feeding into the New Jersey State Final Eight, which will be held from July 22-27 at Ewing’s Fred Walters Field in Frank Moody Park. Because of that, the normal two teams (first and second place) will advance from each district using a double elimination format. Then, two more teams that finished third will move on by virtue of a tie-breaker formula the state baseball committee has devised.
Also, these district games will only be seven innings in length to try to avoid problems with weather and pitch counts.
There are teams from the Mercer County American Legion League (eight in all) in each district.
The MCALL’s top two teams decided to stay home and play Saturday on Mercer County Park Field 1 in District 2. League champ Hamilton Post 31 will play Point Pleasant Boro at noon, while Post 313 will wait until around 2:30 p.m. to get going with North Warren.
Up in District 1 at the New Milford Municipal Complex Saturday, two more Mercer teams will play. Lawrence Post 414 meets the Ridgewood Rebels at approximately 11:30 a.m. Bordentown Post 26 follows that game at 3 p.m. when it takes on Rochelle Park Post 170.
In District 3 at West Deptford’s Union Field, four MCALL teams will try to advance against four Camden teams. South Brunswick Post 401 kicks the day off with a 10 a.m. game versus Washington Township Post 521. At approximately 12:30 p.m. Hightstown Post 148 will meet Cherry Hill Post 372. Hopewell Post 339 will play Deptford Post 133 at 4 p.m., and Allentown will take on the host West Deptford Post 100 at approximately 6:30 p.m.
Because of scheduling conflicts, Sunday’s games in District 2 will move to Ewing’s Fred Walters Field in Frank Moody Park before returning to Mercer County Park Monday-Wednesday.
In District 1, Monday’s games will be played at Christopher Columbus Park in Passaic before returning to the New Milford Municipal Complex for Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s games.