For openers, East Windsor Rams, Lawrence Road Irish roll to wins
TRENTON » Almost four months to the day after being shut down, high school baseball began again Tuesday in New Jersey.
Ironically on the same day that the Mercer County American Legion League would have been winding up its regular season play, the New Jersey Last Dance World Series presented by RWJBarnabas Health gave high school baseball players the opportunity to get back on the field in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, especially after the high school season and the American Legion season were canceled.
The N.J. Last Dance World Series was devised, with sanctioning from the United States Specialty Sports Association, as a way for those high school baseball players who missed out on their seasons to have some meaningful games with their classmates before many seniors head off to college next month.
Last Dance pool play, which guarantees teams three games, began locally Tuesday with the Lawrenceville Regional at Trenton’s Babe Ruth field.
As the first two of a fourgame slate of Last Dance World Series contests at the facility, the seeds held as the topseeded Lawrence Road Irish and the second-seeded East Windsor Rams rolled to abbreviated victories.
For the Rams, it was a nearly perfect outing, defeating thirdseeded Cardinals Baseball, 190, in five innings.
Junior pitchers Jared Stillwagon and Andrew Luczak combined to no-hit Cardinals Baseball. Meanwhile, East Windsor amassed 12 hits.
“It feels great to be back out there. Our bats started off alive,” said Stillwagon, who went three innings, striking out five and walking two.
The free passes to Kevin Dalle Pazze in the first inning and Tyler Van Hise in the third proved to be the only base runners of the day for the visitors. Though both players stole second base, neither advanced.
“Despite the outcome, this was a good experience,” Cardinals Baseball coach Andrew Septer said. “It’s good for them to play. First game back, I don’t want to overwhelm them.”
Luczak retired the last six hitters in order, while having a fine day at the plate himself. The junior went 2-for-3, scored twice and knocked in two runs. That paired him with teammate Ben Simon, who was also 2-for-3 with a run scored and two runs batted in.
“Everybody saw the ball well at the plate, and I felt pretty good on the mound,” said Luczak, who contributed his team’s quick start to its “non-stop practicing” leading up to this event.
The Rams are hoping they have plenty left for a key showdown with the Lawrence Road Irish at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Trenton Babe Ruth. CardinalsBaseball(0-1) 000 00 — 0 0 4 EWindsorRams (1-0) 317 8x — 19 12 0
2B: De Trolio, Kasoff (EWR); RBIs: Blatt, JDrews 2, De Trolio, Simon 2, Stillwagon, Luczak
2, Auker, Kasoff, Mazurek (EWR). WP — Stillwagon (1-0); LP — Pasquale (0-1).
LAWRENCE ROAD IRISH 10, PC TIGERS 0
TRENTON » The Irish started slow until a six-run third inning broke open the game.
Brayden “Boo” Meskill and Andrew Morrison delivered two-run doubles. Gavin Martin added two hits and an RBI, and Nate Innocenti contributed an RBI double in support of winning pitcher Ryan Mignogna.
Aiden Regan started the game with two strong innings on the mound for the Tigers. PC Tigers (0-1) 000 00 — 0 2 3 LwrnceRdIrish(1-0) 006 31 — 10 9 0
2B: Meskill, Morrison, Innocenti (LRI); RBIs: Martin, Meskill 2, Morrison 2, Innocente, Almanzor (LRI).
WP — Mignogna (1-0); LP — JaPetrone (0-1).