'It was a crazy game': Bridgewater-Raritan baseball wins after a Woodbridge rally
BRIDGEWATER – Bridgewater-Raritan High School’s baseball team is heading to its first section final since 2010. The Panthers earned the trip Tuesday with a marathon 10-9 dogfight win over Woodbridge that wasn’t pretty, but definitely memorable in a North 2 Group 4 semifinal.
The second-seed Panthers won it on junior Joey Letko’s sharp 2-out RBI single to center in the bottom of the eighth that scored Michael Fattore. Letko also had an RBI infield hit to give the Panthers a 9-8 lead in the sixth.Bridgewater-Raritan coach Max Newill said the game wasn’t “pretty,” but just ‘a great high school baseball game.
“Both teams refused to give in and I’m proud of how our guys battled, especially when they (Woodbridge) came back and had the momentum, but you have to tip your caps to them too, they were down five,” said Newill.
The third-seeded Barrons (20-6) were down to their last strike twice too, but managed to stay close.
Ty Kobylakiewicz’s three-run homer with two down in the sixth tied the game 8-8 after the Panthers led 7-2. But the Panthers responded.
“It was a crazy game,” said Letko.
What does it meansBridgewater-Raritan (23-6) will play host to fifth-seed Bayonne (24-6) Friday at 4 p.m. for the section championship. The Panthers haven’t won since 2010 when they beat Edison with Newill the helm.
Up and downThe Panthers fell behind 2-0 in the first inning, took a 7-2 lead with a six-run third. But two three-run Woodbridge innings pushed it into another extra inning sectional game. The Barrons beat Ridge in 11 innings last year to advance into the sectional final against Hunterdon Central.
Game ballsFrank Verrano’s three-run homer gave B-R a 6-2 lead in the third. He also walked three times and played very well in right field.Woodbridge’s Ty Kobylakiewicz was a triple away from the cycle with three RBI and two runs scored.
They said itB-R coach Newill on the up and down tempo of the game, “We really got our guts kicked in (by Kobylakiewicz), but we held tight and responded.”
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Baseball: Bridgewater-Raritan advances to North 2 Group 4 final
