Wednesday,
May 27, 2015
By Cory K. Doviak
NJS.com Editorial Director
|
Ramsey's Ashton Bardzell about to connect on his 18th home run of the season, which tied Mike Trout for the state's single season record. Ramsey still had work to do, however, before defeating Pequannock, 5-3, in the semifinals of the North 1, Group 2 tournament. |
RAMSEY – It is not often that a local kid gets a chance to chase history, so Ashton Bardzell’s pursuit of the state’s home run record, which until Tuesday was held solely by reigning American League MVP Mike Trout, has drawn attention increasing attention. It’s been fun, something to root for as Bardzell has closed to within one heading into the North 1, Group 2 state sectional semifinals against Pequannock. But on the field, there have been ramifications.
Opposing coaches have gone so far as to intentionally walk Bardzell with the bases loaded, giving away a run to potentially save three others. Any time there is an open base, Bardzell is given it. The number of viable pitches to hit in any given game has dwindled to maybe one or two spread out between three or four at bats.
“I just like to hear the crowd boo. That is the best part [of being intentionally walked],” said Bardzell. “It’s true that I am not seeing a lot [of pitches to hit], I just have to make the most of it when I do.”
Bardzell did see two pitches near the strike zone in his second at bat on Tuesday in the semifinals of the North 1, Group 2 state sectional tournament. The first one he fouled off, the second one he crushed into the trees well beyond the left centerfield fence at John Ponchak Field for his 18th home run of the season, which tied Trout for the all-time season record.
|
Tyler Aug singling in Pequannock's first run in the top of the second. |
Bardzell’s blast was historic but it was not the decisive blow of the game. It was not until the bottom of the fifth inning that Ramsey was able to force Pequannock into some mistakes that led to a three-run inning. The two unearned runs that the Rams pushed across in that frame made up the winning margin in a 5-3 victory that puts Ramsey into Friday’s state sectional final against top-seeded Lakeland.
Bardzell, whose pursuit of the home run record has brought out crowds not often seen at high school baseball games, was the headliner, but sophomore right-hander Ryan Vatcher played more than just a bit part. Vatcher went the distance on a four-hitter and retired the final eight hitters he faced to close the door.
“We finally broke out [in the fifth], but until then I was just focusing on trying to hit the strike zone, just trying to keep us in there without giving up too much. Luckily, we picked it up [on offense] and won the game,” said Vatcher, who pitched to contact with three strikeouts against just two walks. “This was a pretty cool experience, especially for me. It’s a whole different environment playing with all of these older guys. I’ve learned so much from them. They are loud and they just love to play their hearts out every time.”
Ramsey (23-5) struck first as Matt Butler crushed a two-out, solo home run over the leftfield fence, but Pequannock answered right back with Brian Werr’s leadoff double cashed in by Tyler Aug, the Panthers’ junior catcher who singled to tie the game at 1. Tom Crooks then game Pequannock the lead in the top of the second with a two-run homer to right center that made it 3-1.
|
Ramsey sophomore Ryan Vatcher went the distance on a four-hitter. He struck out three and walked two. |
Bardzell came up with one and the bases empty in the bottom of the third. With a one-run lead, it was one of the few situations where an opposing coach might choose to pitch to Bardzell and Pequannock skipper Bill Arata rolled the dice. Tom Ackershoek (6 IP, 5 R, 3 ER, 7 H, 3 K, 3 BB) got ahead in the count 1-2, but a fastball that was supposed to be up and out of the zone sat instead at its top boundary and Bardzell did not miss his chance. The trajectory never changed as the ball careened into the trees well about the outfield fence to make it 3-2.
“We wanted to take it one at bat at a time [against Bardzell]. Obviously we were playing to win the game and the home run that he hit was one a fastball that was supposed to be out of the zone. We just missed location,” said Arata. “I thought [Ackershoek] attacked their hitters very well overall against a very good hitting team, but when you are facing a young man of that caliber, when you make a mistake he is going to make you pay.”
Ramsey made Pequannock pay for a couple of mistakes in the decisive fifth inning. Catcher Jake Gursaly (1-for-2, 2B) led off with a well-struck shot to leftfield that turned into a two-base error and Bardzell was intentionally walked to fill the empty base behind courtesy runner Jack Jordan. Still down a run, Ramsey head coach Bill Chesney called for a sacrifice bunt that turned out better than planned with Brian McHale getting it down and no Panther covering first base. The infield single loaded the bases with no outs.
|
Tom Crooks' two-run homer in the third gave Pequannock a 3-1 lead in the top of the third. |
Another infield single off the bat of Butler (2-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, R) pushed Jordan across with the tying run. A called strike three on a 3-2 pitch left Ackershoek just a groundball from getting out of the inning and he got two of them, but neither with the desired result of an inning ending double play. The first one led to a throw home that went bad when a foot came off of home plate as Bardzell (1-for-2, HR, RBI, 2 R, SB) charged home with the go ahead run and the second was a 5-4 fielder’s choice that allowed McHale (1-for-4, R) to score to make it 5-3.
From there it was Vatcher’s game. He allowed a one-out single to Mike Desenzo in the fifth and an outfield error moved him up a base, but Vatcher set down the next eight hitters in order to put second-seeded Ramsey, the defending champion, back into the state sectional final, which will be played on Friday in Wanaque.
“It’s exciting. You never know when you are going to get here. One bad pitch in this kind of game and it is over,” said Chesney. “You don’t take it for granted and it is nice to be here.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS FROM THIS GAME. TO BUY A COLLECTOR'S PRINT
OF THIS STORY, PLEASE VISIT 4FeetGrafix.com. |