Maroons Back in Jersey, Still Winning

After a 4-0 mark in Florida, the Ridgewood baseball team continued its winning ways with a 7-3 victory over West Milford at Benjamin Franklin Middle School Monday.

The win upped the Maroons' record to 6-1, starting off a busy week on a positive note for the locals. After a packed schedule, Ridgewood's week concludes Friday with the return of baseball at Veterans Field, according to first-year head coach Kurt Hommen. After major renovations, Vets Field will host Ridgewood baseball for the first time in several years. 

Yesterday, the pitching of lefty Mark Lowy and right-hander Will Herzog, plus some aggressive baserunning in the fifth inning, carried the Maroons past West Milford.

Lowy earned the win, striking out six while allowing four hits and two earned runs in 4 1/3 innings of work. Herzog finished the fifth with two strikeouts before posting two Ks in both the sixth and seventh to work his way out of mini jams.

"Mark did a nice job of keeping them off balance, and there were a couple of plays we could have helped him out with a bit more, but he got us to the fifth inning, which is what we hoped to get," said Hommen. "Then Will came in and did a nice job in a couple of clutch situations. He was able to close the door."

After the Highlanders took a 1-0 lead on an unearned run in the second inning, Maroon shortstop Tyler Welence tied the game with a two-out RBI triple in the third. Welence's shot to right-center plated rightfielder Rich Dudley, who had walked to lead off the inning before stealing second.

Ridgewood broke open the game with five runs in the fifth. Third baseman Doug LiCitra started the rally with a one-out double before scoring on second baseman Cooper Byrne's grounder to short, which was thrown over the head of the West Milford first baseman.

After Byrne stole third and catcher Chris Rota walked, Ridgewood went up, 3-1, when DH Matt Bennet's grounder to short was again thrown wild to first. A double steal put Rota's pinch runner at third and Bennet at second before Dudley loaded the bases with a walk.

Centerfielder Frank Paleno's groundout plated two runs after he beat out an attempted double play and the West Milford first baseman hesitated on throwing the ball home.

"They threw the ball around a little bit, but we ran the bases aggressively and we took advantage of what they gave us," Hommen said. "To score five runs on one hit in the inning, it means we had a good approach on the basepaths."

Paleno scored the final run of the inning on a passed ball after advancing to third on a catcher's overthrow. 

Byrne tacked on an insurance run with an RBI single in the sixth inning.

"It was nice to return from Florida, where we played well, and continue it back at home," Hommen said. "We haven't hit the ball well all of the time and we still are scratching for runs, so that's going to be one of the things we have to focus and improve on during the course of the year."

Hommen, while not looking past his team's next two games, said he is excited for the opening of Vets Field on Friday.

"There's been a lot of money raised, and we are really going to have a first-class facility," he said. "There is a full fence around the field and a 30-foot backstop, so Chris and the opposing catchers will really have to be on their toes back there.

"We can't wait to get over there and start playing."

A village resident, Hommen is in his first year with the club after coaching at Tenafly High School.

Ridgewood hosts Passaic today at 4:15 p.m. before traveling to Passaic Tech in Wayne tomorrow, also at 4:15. Friday afternoon, it hosts Clifton at the Vets Field opening. First pitch will be at 4:15 p.m.