Playoff Bound!

Going into this weekend both baseball and softball had yet to clinch postseason berths for this years NJCAA Region XIX Tournaments. Baseball had four games scheduled and needed four wins to clinch and softball had four games scheduled and two to clinch.

On Saturday, Baseball hosted Brookdale Community College and Softball hosted Northampton Community College. In a classic GSAC Baseball matchup with the Jersey Blues the Cougars pulled off the sweep on Saturday winning in 9 innings in game 1 by a final score of 5-4 thanks to a sac fly by Sophomore CF and Averett University committ Hunter Brelsford. In Game 2 however the Cougars trailed the Jersey Blues going into the bottom of the 6th by a score of 3-1, when perfectly executed bunts happened and clutch hitting by Sophomore OF Matt Jefferson allowed the Cougars to tack on 4 runs and take a 5-3 lead into the top of the 7th. The Cougars pitching staff closed the door in the top of the 7th giving the Cougars the Saturday DH sweep of the Jersey Blues and clinching the head-to-head in the season series winning 2 out of 3 games.

On the other field at Camden County College, the Softball Team took on the Spartans of Northampton needing 2 wins to clinch a playoff berth for the second consecutive year. Head Coach Chip Reitano and Assistant Coach Chelsea Dwyer had the Lady Cougars focused and ready to go as they swept the Spartans in both games by the Mercy Rule. Both games only needed 5 innings as the Lady Cougars won GM1 by a score of 11-0 and GM2 by a score of 10-0. The Lady Cougars received stellar pitching in both games from the Duo of Sophomore Pitcher Angel Benjamin and Freshman Pitcher Bri Kazprazck to help secure a playoff berth.

On Sunday, the Baseball Team hit the road for a Region XIX DH against Luzerne CCC and the Lady Cougars hosted Lehigh Carbon CC in a battle of the Cougars at Camden County College. The home game for the Lady Cougars on Sunday was more than just a Region XIX matchup with the Nationally ranked Cougars of Lehigh Carbon but marked that last home Region XIX game for our sophomores. Before the game on Sunday we honored the following Sophomores: INF Danielle Cutrera, C/OF Savannah Bittner, OF Taylor Harper and P/OF Angel Benjamin. In the Battle of the Cougars it was definetly a pitchers dual as Camden CC took game 1 by a score of 2-1 and Lehigh Carbon took game 2 by a score of 3-1. Angel Benjamin being the workhorse that she is threw complete games in both.

Three hours away in the mountains of PA the Cougars Baseball Team was trying to lock up their playoff berth. The gentleman made a statement in both games winning game 1 by a score of 14-2 and game 2 by a score of 18-9 to secure that they will be playing come the Region XIX Tournament. Head Coach John Merkh in his second year at the helm as clinched back to back NJCAA Region XIX Tournament berths.

The action doesn't stop now as we have a busy week for baseball and softball.

Softball:

4/24 Home vs Cecil CC, 4/26 @ Montgomery CCC, PA, 4/28 @ Brookdale CC

Baseball:

4/24 @ CC of Morris, 4/25 Home vs Anne Arundel CC, 4/27 @ Ocean CC, 4/28 Home vs Ocean CC (DH), 4/29 Home vs Lehigh Carbon (DH and Sophomore Day)