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Sports

Seniors on Brink of District Title

West Deptford pounded Glassboro 13-1 in the first game of a best-of-three series that continues today at 7 p.m.

By rule, the District 15 Senior League Baseball tournament is not determined until one of the teams wins two of three in the championship series.

Yet, after just one game, it seems all but certain that the home town team will be champion.

West Deptford dominated a sloppy Glassboro side, 13-1, in five innings to claim the first game of the series and put themselves in great positioning to advance to the Eastern Regional tournament, hosted at beginning Aug. 5.

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West Deptford also defeated Glassboro by mercy rule in the pool play round, and has a chance to make it a hat trick Saturday back at Union Field at 7 p.m.

“We are just looking to go 110 percent tomorrow,” said Joe Pinto, who was 2-for-2 with two runs and an RBI. “It doesn’t matter what the score was, we still have to give it all.”

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West Deptford hit the ball well, pounding out nine hits, but was also aided by some uninspired play from its opponent.

Glassboro committed four errors, had over a half dozen wild pitches or passed balls, and even allowed a run to score on a balk.

West Deptford, on the other hand, was crisp in all three phases of the game, particularly their pitching. Danny Riley cruised on the mound, surrendering just four hits. The only blip came in the second when an unearned run was scored–the first run West Deptford's pitching staff had allowed the whole tournament.

“I’ve been blown away (with the pitching),” said Pinto. “One run in what, five games? It’s crazy.”

Riley faced the minimum in three innings and struck out five.

“I was able to control my pitches better (Friday),” Riley said. “I was playing for the West Deptford Junior Legion team a couple of weeks ago, and was having trouble in that league, but I fixed up my pitches. My fastball has been dominant and my curveball is coming back, and my change-up was working really well tonight, I thought.”

The game was tied 1-1 after two innings, but West Deptford broke things open in the third, thanks to some help from Glassboro. West Deptford sent 11 batters to the plate, scoring seven runs on just three hits, but also three errors.

Tom Jakubowski, Harry Sturgis, Tyler Strano and Pinto each had an RBI in the frame.

After Glassboro went down quietly in the bottom of the third, the game was delayed for a half hour due to lightning and rain. Once it resumed, West Deptford put the finishing touches on a win that has them on the brink of a title and a chance to represent the area in the regional tournament.

“It gives us a lot of confidence knowing we will have a lot of fans behind us because we are home,” Riley said. “It feels good to have that.”

With all of the success West Deptford has had against Glassboro and today’s game not being an elimination contest for them, the scenario for a letdown presents itself.

However West Deptford manager Marty Roselli has no such worries.

“I don’t think that’s going to happen because these kids are hungry,” said Roselli. “They want to play in this regional tournament. It is something a lot of them have though about and have wanted to do for a long time. They are one game away and it is a one year opportunity, because next year a lot of these kids won’t be eligible to play. They are pretty hungry to win this next game.”

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