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WARREN – The first year Skyland Conference baseball scheduling format that has division rivals playing back-to-back games might be a big advantage for Watchung Hills.
The Warriors have starting pitching depth and, in the five-team Skyland Raritan that could be enough to win the division. Watchung Hills (3-1, 2-1) hammered Franklin 15-3 in a division game Wednesday afternoon. Franklin is 1-2 overall and in the division.
The two – who split two one-run games last season - play again Thursday in Franklin.
More: Strong pitching fuels Immaculata's baseball sweep over No. 1 Bridgewater-Raritan
More: Baseball April roundup: Results, analysis, links for GMC, Skyland and area Union County
Franklin coach Derek Castillo used four pitchers in the game that ended in a mercy rule triumph when Watchung Hills’ senior catcher Jake Keirstead launched a long fly for a grand slam over the left field fence with two outs in the sixth. Keirstead said he’d never hit a grand slam before.
“It was weird (a walk off to a mercy rule game), but It felt great to end it,” said Keirstead.
Franklin suffered from issuing nine walks that Watchung Hills used to break open a tight contest. Franklin had a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth, but Watchung Hills scored four runs in the fourth, four in the fifth and five in the sixth.
“We have to throw strikes; they took advantage of us walking guys and I think we walked nine and that’s not going to get it done,” said Castillo, whose team was 10-13, but 7-2 in the Raritan last season.
Franklin led 3-2 with two outs in the fourth when Watchung Hills sophomore and No. 9 hitter Brody Griffith – off to an 8-for-10 start – hit a three-run homer to give his team a 5-3 lead. Keirstead made it 6-3 with an RBI double.
Watchung Hills’ coach Joe Tremarco said Griffith mentioned that he liked hitting in the ninth spot. Tremarco told him it wasn’t about liking it, but what the ninth spot can give him.
“It was a total team that’s what we’re trying to get and (today) everyone contributed a little bit,” said Tremarco.
Junior righty Rob Centamore (2-0) went five innings for the win. Centamore, who went six in the season-opening 6-3 win at Phillipsburg last week, struck out six, allowed three hits, walked five and hit a batter.
Franklin’s best chance to get back in it came in the fifth with the bases loaded. But Centamore got a called strike three and Watchung Hills kept its 6-3 lead.
“We have to take advantage of whatever they are giving us, take the ball the other way, a base hit that’s all we needed there,” said Castillo. “It’s early so they are being super aggressive, and I get it, I appreciate it.”
Centamore, Ethan Byrd, Max Eder and Max Payne give the Warriors a very strong starting staff. Byrd and Keirstead were first team All-Division and Eder and Payne second-team last season. Watchung Hills was 13-14 overall and 5-5 in the division.
The pitchers could lift them to a much different place this season.
“He (Centamore) didn’t have his best stuff; he got behind in a lot of the counts, he’s usually our 0-2, 1-2 guy, but there were a lot of 3-1, 3-2s, but that’s where the experience comes in,” said Tremarco, in his 23rd season. “We have a lot of guys who have been in these situations the last few years and we are gonna have to hang our hats on it.”
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ Baseball: Watchung Hills tops Franklin
Continue reading...
The Warriors have starting pitching depth and, in the five-team Skyland Raritan that could be enough to win the division. Watchung Hills (3-1, 2-1) hammered Franklin 15-3 in a division game Wednesday afternoon. Franklin is 1-2 overall and in the division.
The two – who split two one-run games last season - play again Thursday in Franklin.
More: Strong pitching fuels Immaculata's baseball sweep over No. 1 Bridgewater-Raritan
More: Baseball April roundup: Results, analysis, links for GMC, Skyland and area Union County
Franklin coach Derek Castillo used four pitchers in the game that ended in a mercy rule triumph when Watchung Hills’ senior catcher Jake Keirstead launched a long fly for a grand slam over the left field fence with two outs in the sixth. Keirstead said he’d never hit a grand slam before.
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“It was weird (a walk off to a mercy rule game), but It felt great to end it,” said Keirstead.
Franklin suffered from issuing nine walks that Watchung Hills used to break open a tight contest. Franklin had a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth, but Watchung Hills scored four runs in the fourth, four in the fifth and five in the sixth.
“We have to throw strikes; they took advantage of us walking guys and I think we walked nine and that’s not going to get it done,” said Castillo, whose team was 10-13, but 7-2 in the Raritan last season.
Franklin led 3-2 with two outs in the fourth when Watchung Hills sophomore and No. 9 hitter Brody Griffith – off to an 8-for-10 start – hit a three-run homer to give his team a 5-3 lead. Keirstead made it 6-3 with an RBI double.
Watchung Hills’ coach Joe Tremarco said Griffith mentioned that he liked hitting in the ninth spot. Tremarco told him it wasn’t about liking it, but what the ninth spot can give him.
“It was a total team that’s what we’re trying to get and (today) everyone contributed a little bit,” said Tremarco.
Junior righty Rob Centamore (2-0) went five innings for the win. Centamore, who went six in the season-opening 6-3 win at Phillipsburg last week, struck out six, allowed three hits, walked five and hit a batter.
Franklin’s best chance to get back in it came in the fifth with the bases loaded. But Centamore got a called strike three and Watchung Hills kept its 6-3 lead.
“We have to take advantage of whatever they are giving us, take the ball the other way, a base hit that’s all we needed there,” said Castillo. “It’s early so they are being super aggressive, and I get it, I appreciate it.”
Centamore, Ethan Byrd, Max Eder and Max Payne give the Warriors a very strong starting staff. Byrd and Keirstead were first team All-Division and Eder and Payne second-team last season. Watchung Hills was 13-14 overall and 5-5 in the division.
The pitchers could lift them to a much different place this season.
“He (Centamore) didn’t have his best stuff; he got behind in a lot of the counts, he’s usually our 0-2, 1-2 guy, but there were a lot of 3-1, 3-2s, but that’s where the experience comes in,” said Tremarco, in his 23rd season. “We have a lot of guys who have been in these situations the last few years and we are gonna have to hang our hats on it.”
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ Baseball: Watchung Hills tops Franklin
Continue reading...
