Schools
Eagles' Baseball Remains 'Offensive' with Runners in Scoring Position
West Deptford left eight men on base in a 3-1 loss to Haddonfield, which dropped the team to 0-4.
Through four games, the problem with the baseball team is clear: getting clutch hits with runners in scoring position.
Unfortunately, the solution is not so obvious.
The Eagles left eight runners on base, including leaving the bases loaded twice, in a 3-1 loss to Haddonfield at Thursday, which dropped the Eagles to 0-4.
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One year removed from getting big hit after big hit on its way to a Group 2 championship, West Deptford suddenly can’t buy a seeing-eye single in the game’s brightest moments.
“At this point, all it is, is not hitting with runners in scoring position,” said senior Tim Krott, who was 3-for-4, but never crossed home plate. “We have gotten guys on every game, but we have only scored (eight) runs between four games. We have been leaving like nine or 10 on a game, and that can’t happen. The pitchers are out there working hard and we haven’t given up many runs.”
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The Eagles have been in every game they have played but have lost by scores of 5-2, 2-1, 5-4 and 3-1.
Head coach Mike Rucci, who set for his team this season, said nothing needs to change about the approach his hitters take with runners on base, but better outcomes are needed.
“It’s just a matter of results, and that’s the bottom line,” said Rucci. “We talked about approach from even before the Pitman game. We probably have left on base a total of 20-some guys in four games. That’s why you are 0-4. We’ve lost four games by a combined seven runs, and that’s not going to get it done.
“It’s just been the same thing for four games now,” Rucci added. “We’ve tried mixing up the lineup, we’ve tried putting new guys in there, it’s just the same results keep happening and it’s extremely frustrating.”
Thursday’s contest was a rematch of last year’s South Jersey final, though the game had more of a desperate feel than that of a playoff rematch. The Bulldawgs have also struggled this season, entering the game 1-4.
Haddonfield took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Chris Dengler singled off Ty Castellano to plate Dan Ciemniecki. West Deptford got the run right back in the bottom of the first when freshman Jim Sousa and Krott led off with consecutive singles. Sousa came around to score on an RBI single by Castellano.
West Deptford had a golden chance to take the lead in the second when it loaded the bases with one out, but a slow-roller off the bat of Krott hit Sousa while running from first to second. Not only did the play result in Sousa being ruled out, but the other base runners were forced back to their original base, leaving runners at second and third with two outs. Tom Jakubowski—who had a rare 0-for-4 day—struck out to end the threat
Haddonfield took the lead for good when it scored two runs in fourth inning. thanks to a pair of wild pitches that were preceded by a trio of singles.
The game ended on a bit of a controversial play. After grounding into a fielder’s choise, Jakubowski was on first base with Castellano at the plate and one out in the bottom of the seventh.
Castellano hit a looping fly ball that centerfielder Vince DelDuca dove for and made the catch. Jakubowski thought the ball was down and continued running on the play, only to be thrown out at first base, much to the chagrin of the West Deptford players and coaching staff, who believed the ball the outfielder never had possession of the ball.
Rucci argued the call, but it couldn’t keep the Eagles from falling to 0-4.
“I thought that he trapped it,” said Rucci. “I don’t think that he ever caught it. … But you can’t dwell on that. That didn’t lose the game for us.”
West Deptford is off until Monday, when it will look to finally get its first victory of the spring. Krott is confident the wins will come, but knows players will have to earn it.
“We worked so hard in the offseason and the preseason, but it doesn’t matter until someone comes out on the field and makes a big play,” said Krott.