Hopewell Valley advances past Ocean Twp. on double steal
HOPEWELL TWP. » After a week off from baseball because the weather would not cooperate, the Hopewell Valley and Ocean Township High baseball teams probably should have figured on a pitchers’ duel their first game back on the field.
What they also probably should have counted on was a play unique to baseball deciding the outcome.
Such was the case as the fourth-seeded Bulldogs hosted the 13th-seeded Spartans Monday in an NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III opening round game.
Hopewell senior righthander Andy Blake and Ocean Township freshman righty Nick Callano kept hits to a minimum before the game was decided on a delayed double steal attempt, which gave head coach Ken Harrison’s Bulldogs a 1-0 victory.
With the win, Hopewell Valley (23-2) will get a preview of the Mercer County Tournament final when it hosts fifthseeded Nottingham (20-4) at 4 p.m. Thursday in the CJ III second round. The teams are slated to meet again at 7 p.m. Saturday in the MCT final at Bob DeMeo Field in Hamilton’s Veterans Park.
“I had a feeling that was how the game was going to be,” Spartans’ head coach Cip Apicelli said. “Our pitcher’s a freshman, but he’s going to be good. Their pitcher was also good. That’s a really good team, and we were right there with them.”
Callano had a lot to do with that by holding the Bulldogs to four hits. Blake did him even better, only allowing two hits and still having a no-hitter with two outs in the fifth.
“We go out there thinking the team is going to be really good, no matter what their record is,” said the 6-foot-4 Blake. “In the state tournament, it’s do or die, so we have to play our best. (Callano) was good. He hit the outside corner a lot and kept us off balance.”
Callano also had a solid defense behind him which turned three double plays to hold Hopewell at bay for much of the game.
After the third double play, Bulldogs senior catcher Mike Savas delivered the only extrabase hit when he doubled to right-center field with two outs in the bottom of the fourth.
Savas was replaced on the base path by junior courtesy runner Charlie Potter, who advanced to third when Marc Porpora reached safely on an error.
Then, with a 2-2 count on Jason Greenzang, Harrison had Porpora start for second base as Callano was about to pitch. Callano ran right at Porpora, who had stopped in the middle of the bases. But before Callano attempted to tag Porpora, he wheeled toward the
OCEAN TWP. HOPEWELL
abrhbi JD’Auria cf 2000 KD’Auria rf 3 0 0 0 Winters c 3000 Toomey ss 2 0 1 0 Kelly dh 2 0 0 0 NCallano p 3 0 0 0 Butler 2b 3 0 0 0 WCallno lf 2 0 0 0 Redbord 1b 2 0 1 0 Hageman 3b0 0 0 0 Totals 22 0 2 0
Ocean Twp. (12-13) HopewellVal.(23-2)
abrhbi Cleary 3b 2000 Blake p 3000 Hare lf 3010 Brodine 1b 3 0 0 0 Savas c 3010 Potter cr 0100 Porpora ss 2 0 1 0 Grnzng rf 2000 Taglrni 2b 2000 Haynes cf 2010 Totals 22 1 4 0 E — Toomey, Butler 2; DP — Ocean Twp. 3, Hopewell Valley 1; LOB — Ocean Twp. 5, Hopewell Valley 4; 2B — Savas; SB — Potter.
IP
HR
OCEAN TOWNSHIP
NCallano L,1-3 6.0 HOPEWELL VALLEY
Blake W,6-1 7.0 2 0 034 HbP- by Blake (Toomey); PB — Savas. plate as Potter took off and scored the only run.
“We go over that all the time in practice,” Potter said. “It was a really good job by Mark. I watched the play happen for a little bit, but then I had to go.”
Just as impressive as Potter scoring, Porpora made it back to first base without getting tagged out.
“The guys ran it to perfection,” Blake said. “I was a little upset when I gave up a hit the following inning, but I had to shake it off and continue with the same mental approach.”
Ocean No. 9 batter, Matt Redbord, spoiled Blake’s nohit bid when he singled to right field. Beyond that, the only other safety Blake surrendered was an infield hit by Ryan Toomey with two outs in the sixth. 4
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