Sports

Red Devils Clinch State Playoff Berth

Ridge defeated Philipsburg 4-3 to guarantee a playoff spot.

Needing three wins in their final three games this week to clinch an automatic berth into the state playoffs, Ridge pulled off the feat with a 4-3 win over Phillipsburgh on Friday.

Rob McCarthy was the hero of the game, pitching a complete seven-inning game and hitting the go-ahead home run in the sixth inning. McCarthy has provided a spark all season long to the Ridge offense, and has become the team's go-to pitcher in big games after two strong performances in the Somerset County Tournament.

Ridge was able to get off to the start the needed, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning against the Stateliners, but Phillipsburg struck back with three runs in the bottom of the seventh.

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Ridge tied the game the following inning, and it remained tied until McCarthy provided the winning run off a leadoff shot in the sixth.

Ridge will continue to play regular season games as they await the release of the NJ state playoff tournament brackets, but sitting at 11-11 on the year, the team in now guaranteed a spot in the tournament by reaching .500 at the cutoff date.

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The Red Devils take on Voorhees at home on Tuesday, April 11.


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