Red Devils' Late Inning Surge Knocks Off Rutgers Prep

After a string of tough losses, the Ridge Red Devils had their turn to play spoiler, knocking off previously undefeated Rutgers Prep, 6–5, with a come-from-behind four-run rally in the sixth.

Ridge got one run early off Rutgers Prep's Ian Glassman, who was removed in the first with a tired arm. Tom Connell, who came into the game with a 1.75 ERA, was able to fill in adequately, preventing Ridge from scoring again until the fifth inning.

Harrison Fonteix pitched all seven innings in his second start for Ridge, giving up three earned runs on five hits in the winning effort.

"He threw great," Ridge head coach Tom Blackwell said. "He kept the ball low and threw a lot of strikes. If we play good defense behind him he's going to win a lot of games."

After tying the game 1-1 in the third, Rutgers Prep was able to slowly build up a lead as the game progressed.

Rutgers Prep's Brandon Hameier and Joe Piccirillo got on base with no outs to lead off the fourth. After a batter moved the runners over with a bunt, freshman Malcolm Kelsey drove in one run to give the Argonauts the lead. Fonteix got another out before Connell helped his own case, driving in a run off a double over the left fielder's head to give the Argonauts a 3–1 lead. A ground ball to the pitcher ended the inning before any more damage could be done.

Both teams traded runs in the fifth, and a Ridge throwing error on an attempted pick-off to third base allowed another run to score in the sixth, giving Rutgers Prep a 5­–2 lead.

With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Red Devil Ben Edsall got things started with a pinch-hit triple, and then scored on a passed ball to close the lead to two. Dan Curcio and Fonteix got on base, and Jake Hotz grounded out on a hard-hit ball to the first base side, advancing the runners.

With two outs, Ridge first baseman Rob McCarthy came through with a single, scoring both runners to tie the game 5–5. Greg Fazio then crushed a pitch to bring McCarthy home, before being thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a triple.

Fonteix took the mound to close out the game. J.B. Kole tracked down a dangerous fly ball in swirling wind to get the first out. A fly ball to left, and a ground out to Fonteix cemented the victory.

Ridge improved to 2-4 on the season, and Rutgers Prep, who was ranked by Maxpreps.com as the No. 14 team in the state prior to the game, fell to 5-1.

"[Ridge] played really tough and got a couple of hits when it mattered," Rutgers Prep head coach Larry Santowasso said. "They're a good team, much better than their record indicates."

"We made some of the mistakes we had in the losses, but we overcame them by swinging the bat," Blackwell added. "The intensity of the team has been much better. … It was a nice win, and it's certainly one that we needed badly."

Ridge will try for their first winning streak of the season away at Voorhees, Saturday at 2 p.m.

Rutgers Prep (5-1)       0  0  1  2  1  1  0

Ridge (2-4)                    1  0  0  0  1  4  x