Baseball: Hopatcong Falls in State Playoffs

Hopatcong made a habit this spring of using the Homer Dome's hitter-friendly dimensions—short porches, tall fences—to pummel pitching. But when the Chiefs could least afford the tables to turn, they did an about-face.

"We thought we'd use [the Homer Dome] to our advantage," senior catcher D.J. Ross said. "But they used it against us."

Behind six home runs and Joe Diffin's fastball, No. 14 Pequannock upset No. 3 Hopatcong, 17-3, in five innings on Wednesday, ejecting the Chiefs from the first round of the North 1, Group 2 playoffs.

Hopatcong would have faced No. 6 Kinnelon with a win. Instead, the Panthers will continue chasing a title and the Chiefs will try to make up postponed regular-season games as four players—Ross, Josh Bishop, Joe LoBue and Rob Nadrowski—each chase 100 career hits.

Head coach Chris Buglovsky said the loss didn't reflect on his team's journey. Hopatcong (12-4-1) won 12 of its last 14 regular-season games.

"I don't think today constitutes who we are as program," the fifth-year head caoch said. "I think today just basically showed you that Pequannock was abetter team. But as a season, I couldn't be any more proud about how they've grown as young men."

The Chiefs, who hadn't played a game in two weeks due to rain, started sluggish, falling behind 3-0 after the first frame and 8-3 after the third before unraveling. Starting pitcher Bishop, a senior, lasted just two frames, giving up six earned runs–eight total—on seven hits, two strikeouts and a hit-by-pitch.

Ross said Bishop couldn't be blamed for the loss.

"He threw strikes like usual," said the catcher, who will play at Kean University next spring. "But they were hitting everything. You couldn't get anything by them."

Pequannock didn't waste time Wednesday.

Chris Werr's no-out, three-run homer got things started in the first. Mike Vitcavich singled to start the inning. And after a Nick LaPorta base hit and an infield fly, Werr blasted one out of the park.

Hopatcong rebounded in the second. Junior first baseman Ray Annett's liner double to left brought home designated hitter Rob Nadrowski, who had a leadoff walk. Then shortstop Scootie Fisher's single drove in Annett. Bishop clubbed a single next, plating Annett and tying things at 3-each.

It was all Pequannock after that. The Panthers batted around for seven runs in the third, making it 10-3. The lead was too much for the Chiefs, though Ross said his teammates didn't get too discouraged.

"This field's unpredictable," he said. "Anything can happen. We've come back from 10-run leads. We just couldn't come back this time."

LoBue finished 2-for-2 with an RBI. Ross drew three walks.

LoBue said he'll remember the season's positives.

"It was a good season," he said. "I think we have a lineup that can stay with any other lineup."