Junior Legion baseball team finishes impressive summer
By Joe Ragozzino
Sports editor
Despite a quick exit in the state district tournament, the South Orange Junior American Legion baseball team made tremendous strides this season, which bodes well for the Columbia High School program.
South Orange lost both its games in the District 1 tournament at Gardner Field in Denville this past weekend, losing to Denville, 11-5, in the first game on July 24 and dropping a heartbreaking 6-5 decision to Sparta on July 25 in the double-elimination tournament to end the season with an impressive 14-10 mark.
Although his team lost to Sparta, South Orange head coach Chris Henry said it was one of the most exciting games he has ever been a part of.
In the second inning, South Orange took a 2-0 lead. Rising junior first baseman Nick Rego walked and scored on rising junior infielder Jake Pomper’s double. Pomper then scored on a balk.
With the score tied at 2, Sparta threatened in the bottom of the fourth inning. With a man on third base and no outs, incoming freshman second baseman Brendan Clark made a diving stop on a grounder and recorded the out at first, with the runner holding at third. The next batter flew out to rising sophomore right fielder Sean Tamayo. Rego took the relay and fired to the plate to get the runner trying to score on the sacrifice to end the inning.
“That was a statement of how far along they came,” said Henry of his team’s ability to get out of the jam.
It certainly fired up South Orange, which broke the deadlock in the top of the fifth when rising sophomore center fielder Brandon Spears and rising sophomore third baseman Dan Heffley hit consecutive RBI doubles to make it 4-2.
After Sparta scored to draw within one, South Orange got the run back in the top of the seventh when Clark led off with a single, moved to second on rising sophomore left fielder Chris Auriemma’s sacrifice and scored on Heffley’s single for a 5-3 lead.
But Sparta rallied in the bottom of the seventh and came away with the victory.
Rising sophomore pitcher Garrett Garneau gave a valiant performance for South Orange, pitching into the seventh.
“He pitched an amazing game,” said Henry. “He just tired out.”
Garneau and rising junior Russell Levine developed nicely on the mound, which was a key to the team’s turnaround. They each threw five complete games during the season.
Other players for South Orange this summer included rising sophomore outfielder/infielder Mark Donatelli, rising sophomore catcher Ben Szydlowski, rising junior outfielder James Gall and rising sophomore pitcher/third baseman Chris Hornstein.
Henry, indeed, was proud of his team’s season.
“They really turned it around,” he said. “I have been telling them all season, they proved everybody wrong. There were not a lot of expectations going into the summer. It was a tough year for the freshman class and the JV team didn’t do so great. They really worked hard. The nicest thing about it is, as upset and as tough a loss it was (against Sparta), it was one of the most fun baseball games I have ever been a part of. They really jelled together, where guys were fighting who was going to do the scorebook and who was going to coach first. It was just fun. It was disappointing to lose, because they played so well. But I look at it as a bright spot going into next year’s spring team. These guys have a bitter taste in their mouths and they see what they can accomplish.”
Sports editor
Despite a quick exit in the state district tournament, the South Orange Junior American Legion baseball team made tremendous strides this season, which bodes well for the Columbia High School program.
South Orange lost both its games in the District 1 tournament at Gardner Field in Denville this past weekend, losing to Denville, 11-5, in the first game on July 24 and dropping a heartbreaking 6-5 decision to Sparta on July 25 in the double-elimination tournament to end the season with an impressive 14-10 mark.
Although his team lost to Sparta, South Orange head coach Chris Henry said it was one of the most exciting games he has ever been a part of.
In the second inning, South Orange took a 2-0 lead. Rising junior first baseman Nick Rego walked and scored on rising junior infielder Jake Pomper’s double. Pomper then scored on a balk.
With the score tied at 2, Sparta threatened in the bottom of the fourth inning. With a man on third base and no outs, incoming freshman second baseman Brendan Clark made a diving stop on a grounder and recorded the out at first, with the runner holding at third. The next batter flew out to rising sophomore right fielder Sean Tamayo. Rego took the relay and fired to the plate to get the runner trying to score on the sacrifice to end the inning.
“That was a statement of how far along they came,” said Henry of his team’s ability to get out of the jam.
It certainly fired up South Orange, which broke the deadlock in the top of the fifth when rising sophomore center fielder Brandon Spears and rising sophomore third baseman Dan Heffley hit consecutive RBI doubles to make it 4-2.
After Sparta scored to draw within one, South Orange got the run back in the top of the seventh when Clark led off with a single, moved to second on rising sophomore left fielder Chris Auriemma’s sacrifice and scored on Heffley’s single for a 5-3 lead.
But Sparta rallied in the bottom of the seventh and came away with the victory.
Rising sophomore pitcher Garrett Garneau gave a valiant performance for South Orange, pitching into the seventh.
“He pitched an amazing game,” said Henry. “He just tired out.”
Garneau and rising junior Russell Levine developed nicely on the mound, which was a key to the team’s turnaround. They each threw five complete games during the season.
Other players for South Orange this summer included rising sophomore outfielder/infielder Mark Donatelli, rising sophomore catcher Ben Szydlowski, rising junior outfielder James Gall and rising sophomore pitcher/third baseman Chris Hornstein.
Henry, indeed, was proud of his team’s season.
“They really turned it around,” he said. “I have been telling them all season, they proved everybody wrong. There were not a lot of expectations going into the summer. It was a tough year for the freshman class and the JV team didn’t do so great. They really worked hard. The nicest thing about it is, as upset and as tough a loss it was (against Sparta), it was one of the most fun baseball games I have ever been a part of. They really jelled together, where guys were fighting who was going to do the scorebook and who was going to coach first. It was just fun. It was disappointing to lose, because they played so well. But I look at it as a bright spot going into next year’s spring team. These guys have a bitter taste in their mouths and they see what they can accomplish.”
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