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BRIDGEWATER – Immaculata High School’s baseball team couldn’t have asked for a better confidence builder to start the season. The Spartans have beaten defending state Group 4 and Somerset County Tournament champion Bridgewater-Raritan twice in three days.
Immaculata junior righty Jackson Trego – a transfer from Voorhees – was superb Thursday in the Skyland Conference Delaware Division game. He allowed one hit, a lead off bunt single in the sixth by junior Matt Lehberger, in the Spartans’ 5-0 win. Trego walked one, struck out three and hit a batter in his 5 2/3 innings and 75 pitches for the win.
Senior lefty Rob Sikorski, slowed last season by mononucleosis, finished up the final 1 1/3 innings. He has returned to full strength, said Spartan coach Kevin Cust. He will be a starter, but the Tuesday 13-inning marathon 2-1 win over B-R at Diamond Nation taxed the staff and Cust figured Sikorski was a good fit to relieve in the high-level opening series of the season.
More: Baseball April roundup: Results, analysis, links for GMC, Skyland and area Union County
More: Baseball: Vote for your pick for reader’s choice Player to Watch in Central Jersey
Bridgewater-Raritan was No. 1 in the Courier News preseason Top 10 and Immaculata entered as No. 6.
Trego’s performance was what a tired staff needed. Cust said he would have allowed Trego to finish if not for the rocky sixth. Lehberger led off with the bunt single and after getting a couple outs Trego walked two and B-R had the bases loaded. Sikorski got a pop up to second to end the threat.
“I just went out there and threw strikes and just competed in the zone and got outs,” said Trego, adding that he wasn’t aware of the late no-hitter. “I just ran out of gas at the end.
Trego, junior lefty Ryan Auten – a transfer from Delaware Valley – and Sikorski give the Spartans three standout arms. Seven Immaculata pitchers have now allowed the Panthers one run in 20 innings.
“You just want to put your best out there and worry about the next game when the next game happens – that’s something we want to focus on this year with the staff we have that’s deeper than we are used to,” said Cust.
Immaculata scored three runs in the third and two in the sixth. Senior left fielder Jayden Capindica had two hits, two RBIs and a run scored. Shortstop Justin Labrador had two hits and Owen Schilling and Justin Labrador had RBIs.
A hit with runners in scoring position is what Bridgewater-Raritan needs. Coach Max Newill thinks one big hit will make a big difference. The Panthers left 21 on base Tuesday.
After a spectacular 30-3 season last season and 10-0 Delaware Division mark, the Panthers look to rebound.
“I think our guys are trying to do a little bit too much right now,” said Newill. “We just couldn't come up with the big hit. We have some new guys, and you know they're just pressing a little bit. Sometimes more is less and less is more in baseball. Hopefully once we get that big hit it’ll be contagious.”
Bridgewater-Raritan plays at Rancocas Valley on Monday, then returns Tuesday to play host to Hillsborough in a division game. Immaculata plays a non-conference game at West Essex Saturday before a division home-and-home with Ridge on Tuesday (away) and Thursday (home). The Spartans, 17-9 last season, won the Skyland Raritan in 2024, but were bumped up to the Delaware.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ Baseball: Immaculata completes sweep over Bridgewater-Raritan
Continue reading...
Immaculata junior righty Jackson Trego – a transfer from Voorhees – was superb Thursday in the Skyland Conference Delaware Division game. He allowed one hit, a lead off bunt single in the sixth by junior Matt Lehberger, in the Spartans’ 5-0 win. Trego walked one, struck out three and hit a batter in his 5 2/3 innings and 75 pitches for the win.
Senior lefty Rob Sikorski, slowed last season by mononucleosis, finished up the final 1 1/3 innings. He has returned to full strength, said Spartan coach Kevin Cust. He will be a starter, but the Tuesday 13-inning marathon 2-1 win over B-R at Diamond Nation taxed the staff and Cust figured Sikorski was a good fit to relieve in the high-level opening series of the season.
More: Baseball April roundup: Results, analysis, links for GMC, Skyland and area Union County
More: Baseball: Vote for your pick for reader’s choice Player to Watch in Central Jersey
Bridgewater-Raritan was No. 1 in the Courier News preseason Top 10 and Immaculata entered as No. 6.
Trego’s performance was what a tired staff needed. Cust said he would have allowed Trego to finish if not for the rocky sixth. Lehberger led off with the bunt single and after getting a couple outs Trego walked two and B-R had the bases loaded. Sikorski got a pop up to second to end the threat.
“I just went out there and threw strikes and just competed in the zone and got outs,” said Trego, adding that he wasn’t aware of the late no-hitter. “I just ran out of gas at the end.
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Trego, junior lefty Ryan Auten – a transfer from Delaware Valley – and Sikorski give the Spartans three standout arms. Seven Immaculata pitchers have now allowed the Panthers one run in 20 innings.
“You just want to put your best out there and worry about the next game when the next game happens – that’s something we want to focus on this year with the staff we have that’s deeper than we are used to,” said Cust.
Immaculata scored three runs in the third and two in the sixth. Senior left fielder Jayden Capindica had two hits, two RBIs and a run scored. Shortstop Justin Labrador had two hits and Owen Schilling and Justin Labrador had RBIs.
A hit with runners in scoring position is what Bridgewater-Raritan needs. Coach Max Newill thinks one big hit will make a big difference. The Panthers left 21 on base Tuesday.
After a spectacular 30-3 season last season and 10-0 Delaware Division mark, the Panthers look to rebound.
“I think our guys are trying to do a little bit too much right now,” said Newill. “We just couldn't come up with the big hit. We have some new guys, and you know they're just pressing a little bit. Sometimes more is less and less is more in baseball. Hopefully once we get that big hit it’ll be contagious.”
Bridgewater-Raritan plays at Rancocas Valley on Monday, then returns Tuesday to play host to Hillsborough in a division game. Immaculata plays a non-conference game at West Essex Saturday before a division home-and-home with Ridge on Tuesday (away) and Thursday (home). The Spartans, 17-9 last season, won the Skyland Raritan in 2024, but were bumped up to the Delaware.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ Baseball: Immaculata completes sweep over Bridgewater-Raritan
Continue reading...
