By the very nature of the event, teams can be eliminated quickly -- if not unexpectedly -- from the state tournament.
After six very effective innings, the South Brunswick High School baseball team's 11-6 loss to Pennsauken in the Central Jersey Group IV playoffs on May 24 ended up being both quick and unexpected.
South Brunswick built a 6-1 lead after six innings. Pennsauken tied the game with five runs in the seventh. It then built its margin of victory with five more runs in the top of the eighth.
Find out what's happening in South Brunswickwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"Winning by five runs in the seventh, you just don't expect for that to happen," South Brunswick Coach Tim Sweeney said. "For whatever reason, we just didn't close out that game."
Jack Young had three hits and a RBI as South Brunswick built its early advantage. Jon Yurecko (run and two RBI) and Craig Cleffi (two runs) added two hits each for South Brunswick.
Find out what's happening in South Brunswickwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
South Brunswick was involved in two tournaments this past week. It opened tournament play with a 10-4 win over Edison in the Greater Middlesex Conference event on May 21.
Unlike the state game in which South Brunswick's pitching was unable to stop Pennsauken when it got scoring chances late, the Vikings hurlers certainly kept Edison from making the most of its opportunities. Edison had the bases loaded in four straight innings and only scored in one of the frames. Zach Gildenberg, Danny Strickland, Ariel Torres and Sean Kennan combined to allow six hits and 11 walks, but they pitched around most of that.
Craig Cleffi had three hits, two runs scored and two RBI. Yurecko had a hit, run scored and two RBI. Matt Amato had a hit and two runs scored.
"Our pitchers didn't have their best stuff, but it was nice to see the offense and the defense pick them up," Sweeney said. "There are three phases of a game and they all aren't going to be working all the time. It was nice to see the guys pick each other up."
South Brunswick was defeated in the second round of the GMC, 4-2, by Old Bridge on May 25.
Keenan (two hits) and Young scored for South Brunswick.
This loss came a day after the shocking finish in the states.
"We talked about that, and I don't think there was an carry over from the game before," Sweeney said. "If the other team outplays you, you can deal with that. I think they were just better than us in that game."
With a 15-8 record, South Brunswick was better than most of its opponents.
"It was a disappointing finish, but I'm not disappointed in the way the guys played this year," Sweeney said. "I think they played well. Coming into the season if someone said we'd win fifteen games and the Red Division, I think most of us would have signed up for that."
