Brookdale Stays Hot, Beats Del Tech Owens Behind Hilcher Complete Game

Photos above courtesy of the Brookdale athletic department: Hilcher on the mound, Sadler takes a home run swing and Santaromita crosses plate after homer in fourth inning.

LINCROFT – Sophomore J.R. Hilcher picked up his second win of the season without a loss going the distance in Brookdale’s 10-1 victory over DII Del Tech Owens Friday afternoon in the first of two games at Brookdale’s McLaughlin Field.

Hilcher had complete command of his pitches throughout, taking a three-hit shutout into the top of the seventh before a bloop hit and a controversial call at second on the back-end of a sure double play ball that should’ve ended the game led to Del Tech Owens only run of the game.

“I was upset about that call,” Hilcher said. “That shook me up a little; I might’ve lost my concentration a little after that but I knew I had my defense behind me.”

The Lanky-lefty allowed only two batters to reach as far second base and never had more than one runner on the base paths at any given time. He consistently threw first-pitch strikes walking only one batter while holding Del Tech to five hits and striking out four in seven innings for his second complete game of the season.

“Hilcher’s been very impressive; he had a great win for us down in Florida and he’s doing the same thing here,” head coach Jonny Johnson said. “He gets ahead in the count and doesn’t throw real hard but he keeps the ball in play. I tell you what, that’s the kind of kid that doesn’t walk anybody.”

After scoring an unearned run in the bottom of the first, the Jersey Blues took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the third on the strength of sophomore first baseman Joe Sadler’s three-run homer that easily cleared the wall in dead centerfield. Sophomore shortstop Al Molina and freshman right fielder Michael Russell both had line-drive singles putting men on first and second before Sadler laced his second dinger of the year to clear the bases.

“Sadler’s a gamer,” Johnson said. “He took the pressure off the kids down in Florida and he’s doing it here with home runs like that.”

Brookdale continued to tattoo the ball in the bottom of the fourth scoring six runs on seven hits to take a 10-0 lead.

Freshman centerfielder Mike Santaromita got things rolling unloading on Del Tech Owens starting pitcher Jack Cheney’s offering sending it far over the right field fence for his first home run in a Brookdale uniform. His two-run shot drove in freshman left fielder Nick Martinez who had reached base on an infield single.

Molina then singled and Russell drilled an RBI double up against the centerfield wall driving in Molina before Sadler singled up the middle driving in Russell picking up his 15th RBI of the season in the process. Designated hitter Jake Buser kept the onslaught going adding a RBI single driving in Sadler before freshman third baseman Ryan Orender sent Cheney to the showers with an RBI double into deep centerfield for a 10-0 lead.

In the meantime, Hilcher was breezing through the Del Tech Owens lineup until he gave up a long double with one out in the top of the sixth. Molina got the second out on a 6-3 grounder then made a spectacular backhanded stop on a slow bouncer in the hole, pivoted and just nipped the runner at first with a cross-diamond bullet to Sadler for the final out.

“He’s a great shortstop,” Hilcher said. “He made that play look easy.”

The win pushes Brookdale’s record to 11-3 including six in a row and 10 out of 11 wins. Sadler finished going 3-for-4 with a HR, four RBI’s and two runs scored while Santaromita went 2-for-4 with a HR, two RBI’s and a run scored. Molina added two hits and two runs scored and Buser was 2-for-3 with an RBI.

“One through nine can hit in this lineup,” Johnson said. “If one guy has an off day the other guys will pick him up. These are great kids, they work hard in practice and it’s showing on the field.”

Brookdale swept Del Tec Owens winning the second game of the twinbill 10-4 for their 12th win of the season. The Blues didn’t pick up their 12th win last season until April 12 when the team finished the season with a 27-22 overall record.

The Jersey Blues continued to blister the ball at the plate in the second game banging out 12 hits with Molina and Sadler again in the forefront. Molina went 3-for-4 driving in four runs including a three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth to put the game out of reach along with a triple, RBI single and two runs scored. The home run was Molina’s first of the season and it was his fifth triple. Sadler had three hits in four at bats with two doubles and three RBI’s.

Mike Imperato picked up his second win of the season going four innings in impressive fashion allowing one run (0 earned) on one hit, a walk while striking out seven.

Brooldale’s back in action today, Saturday, for another doubleheader with Globe Institute of Technology (NY) coming to McLaughlin Field to take on the Blues. First pitch set for 12:00 p.m.

Follow @getmready