Raiders Erase Early Deficit to Defeat Old Bridge

The Hillsborough High School Baseball Team came back from an early 2-0 deficit with a big four-run second inning to defeat the visiting Old Bridge Knights 5-3 and advance to the second round of the Central Jersey Group 4 bracket of the NJSIAA Tournament.  

1^st

2^nd

3^rd

4^th

5^th

6^th

7^th

Total

Hits

Old Bridge (15-9)

2

0

0

0

0

1

0

3

4

Hillsborough (14-7)

0

4

1

0

0

0

x

5

10

IN SHORT          

The game began with starting pitcher Matt Calamoneri easily striking out the first two Knights. But the Knights number 3 hitter scorched a double to deep left center and cleanup hitter Alejandro Diaz followed with a home run to deep right center and the Raiders were quickly down 2-0.

After giving up a single for three straight hits, Calamoneri settled down and retired 14 of the next 16 batters, only giving up a two-out walk in the third and a two-out single in the fifth.

With Calamoneri cruising, the Raider bats went to work. In the Raiders half of the second, Gary Lavoie led off with a single and Brandon Young followed with a double to put runners on second and third. Dylan Zebro singled to bring them both home to tie the score and Matt Hornich singled for the Raiders fourth straight hit. After a sacrifice by Evan Edelman, Mackey Price and Tyler Ferretti both singled and the Raiders had a 4-2 lead.

The Raiders would tack on one more in the third on singles by Pat Roberts and Brandon Young and a sac bunt by Dylan Zebro, his third RBI of the game.

Calamoneri tired in the sixth. He got the first out on a comebacker but would then walk the next three batters to load the bases.

Coach Hewitt called on lefthander Seth Fenster to get the Raiders out of the jam. With the infield playing back trading and out for a run Fenster got a grounder to first for the second out and a harmless fly to right to end the inning.  He followed that up with a 1-2-3 seventh for the five-out save, his first for the Raiders.

RAIDER OF THE GAME

Seth Fenster – Came in with the bases loaded and only one out in the sixth to protect the 5-2 lead. With the tying runs on base and the go ahead run in the batters box he retired all five batters he faced to save it for the Raiders.

“My fastball was alive right from the start. I wasn’t really nervous, I just came out to pitch and throw strikes” – Seth Fenster talking about coming in with the bases loaded.

OTHER KEY PERFORMANCES

• Matt Calamoneri –Pitched 6-1/3 innings for the win. His pitching line: 4 hits, 4 walks, 3 strikeouts, and 3 earned runs.
• Mackey Price – went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored
• Dylan Zebro – went 1-for-3 with 3 RBIs and a run scored
• Brandon Young – went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored

THEY SAID IT

“Matt has pitched great for us in the last three games, all pressure situations. When I went out in the sixth I told him he had one more batter, if he got him out he would stay. After the third walk he didn’t want to come out but as the coach you have to manage with your head not your heart and do what’s best for the team. Coach Eden made the call on who to bring in. Seth did a great job for us.” - Head Coach Norm Hewitt talking about the pitching change in the sixth inning.

Up Next – Senior day versus Montgomery Tuesday 5/24 at 3:45 p.m.  Steinert Friday 5/27 in the second round of the NJSIAA Tournament at Steinert. Game time 4:00 p.m.