Jenkins helps New Egypt hold off Florence
NEW EGYPT » Playing a high school rival a third time in a season is hard enough. Beating that team all three times is even tougher.
So the third-seeded New Egypt High baseball team was expecting a battle with 11th-seeded Florence High Saturday in the second round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletics Association Central Jersey Group I Tournament.
The Warriors had won their two games against the Flashes during the Burlington County Scholastic League Freedom Division regular season, but with one team’s season ending with a loss, the stakes were higher.
So when the visitors jumped in front in the top of the first inning yesterday, Zach Jenkins wanted to do something fast to turn things around for his team.
As New Egypt’s leadoff hitter, this junior catcher has become a catalyst for head coach Vince Caiazza’s team.
Jenkins promptly tripled. Two batters later, he scored on a bloop single by senior Jacob Kramer and the Warriors were in business.
However, Florence and freshman pitcher Josh Pagano would not wilt.
Jenkins would help out again by singling off reliever Ryan Olaff in the bottom of the sixth inning to plate Shaun Dessel and help New Egypt secure a 4-1 win.
With the victory, the Warriors (15-6) move on to play at secondseeded Point Pleasant Beach Tuesday after the 18-9 Garnet Gulls defeated seventh-seeded Bound Brook, 4-0, Saturday.
“When they went up, 1-0, we believed it was still our game,” Jenkins said. “We knew it was going to be a hard game because the other two times we played them, we got off to a hot start, then slowed down.”
That familiarity played into both club’s game plans, especially after each had chances to score more in the first. Instead, they came away knotted at 1.
The good news for the home team was that the bottom of its order started another rally in the second inning, capped by a two-out, tworun single by Kramer which scored Dessel and Connor Healy. Those were crucial runs since Pagano settled into a nice groove, retiring 11 of the next 13 batters he faced to take the game into the sixth.
He should have had 12 of 14, but the Flashes’ lone error allowed Dessel to reach ahead of Jenkins’ insurance RBI. Pagano then walked Healy, and the young right-hander was lifted as his pitch count reached triple digits.
“I came in a lot more confident this time around,” said the 6-foot-2 Pagano, who had surrendered eight runs in three-plus innings when he first faced the Warriors at the same field back on April 28. “I prepared a lot more for this game, and I came in ready to play. Even after (Jenkins’) triple, I was confident. I just tried to throw strikes and stay consistent. Even when (head coach Kyle Ballay) took me out, I wanted to keep going.”
Despite Pagano’s gutsy effort, Florence could not get closer after New Egypt senior right-hander Rick Trapanese locked in. After a walk to Jimmy Carnival, a double by Artie Piotrowski and a fielder’s choice RBI by Olaff on which everyone was safe started the game, Trapanese proceeded to retire 15 of the next 16 batters he faced, including 12 in a row.
Relievers Jacob Kramer and Gavin Kincs only allowed one base runner (on a walk) over the final two innings to finish a combined one-hitter.
“Our pitching and our defense were outstanding,” Jenkins said. “I’m used to batting No. 1 or No. 2, so I try to set the tone for the guys. I like how our older players have trust in me to get the job done. Likewise, I have trust in them.”
The Warriors’ faith in each other helped them advance to the sectional semifinals despite having to clash with a familiarly, tough foe like the Flashes along the way. Florence (10-7) 100 000 0 — 1 1 1
New Egypt (15-6) 120 001 x — 4 8 0
2B: Piotrowski (F); 3B: Jenkins (NE); RBIs: Olaff (F), Jenkins, Kramer 3 (NE).
WP — Trapanese (2-0); LP — Pagano (3-2); S — Kincs (1).