Sports
Hunt's Big Day Not Enough, as 7th Inning Comeback Dooms Warriors
Watchung Hills falls by one run against North Hunterdon.
The baseball team lost in the last inning 11-10 to North Hunterdon at Watchung Hills Regional High School on Friday afternoon. The loss came one day before the Warriors' Somerset County semifinal matchup with Ridge on Saturday afternoon.
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Final
North Hunterdon (8-10)
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2
0
1
1
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5
11
Watchung Hills (12-5)
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1
4
1
0
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0
10
IN SHORT
The Warriors held a 6-4 advantage before North Hunterdon tied it up in the top of the sixth. The Warriors answered back with a four run sixth inning, all starting with a Richard Hunt two-run home run. JC Rizzi then drove in two runs with his two-out triple and Watchung had a 10-6 advantage going into the final frame.
However, North Hunterdon took advantage of some defensive miscues and scored five runs in the top of the seventh. The Warriors went down quietly in the bottom of the inning to end the game.
Despite the loss, Hunt had a big day at the plate, going 3-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Kevin Sauma added a two-run single in the third inning that capped off the Warriors' first four-run inning of the day.
WARRIOR OF THE GAME
Richard Hunt-His two-run home run in the sixth put the Warriors ahead 8-6 and looked good enough to give Watchung Hills the win. He also added two singles in the third and fourth innings and also made the final out on a well hit ball to right field.
OTHER KEY PERFORMANCES
Cody Hinds-2-for-4 with an RBI single in the third and a run scored.
Kevin Sauma-1-for-3 with a two-run single in the third inning.
JC Rizzi-2-for-5 with a two-run triple in the sixth that gave the Warriors a 10-6 lead going into the top of the seventh.
COACH’S TAKE
“It’s just one of those games. We have been in a lot of tight games all year but it came down to our pitching in the end. After Tommy (Giamo) we just couldn’t hold them but that’s baseball.”-Head Coach Mario Diez
THEY SAID IT
“It’s not that big of an issue. Our players have been schooled for quite a while to know that if you win a game you let it go, and if you lose a game you let it go. We are confident in our team and we know that it won’t affect us for tomorrow’s game.”-Diez on whether the loss will affect the team’s performance in the Somerset County semifinals
UP NEXT-Ridge in the Somerset County semifinals at 4 p.m. on Saturday at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater.
