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Sports

Mistakes Doom Madison Baseball Against Hanover Park

Higgins pitches well, but Dodgers drop to 0-4 in NJAC-Independence.

Despite its miscues, the Madison High School baseball team put the tying run in scoring position with one out in the bottom of the seventh against Hanover Park.

The Dodgers couldn't push that tying run across, losing 3-1 Wednesday afternoon at Madison High School to drop their fourth straight game in the tough NJAC-Independence Division.

For now, at least, the fact that the inexperienced Dodgers were in a position to beat the perennial Group II power–despite three fielding errors and two costly baserunning miscues–is encouraging for head coach Mickey Ennis.

"We're close, and we're getting closer," Ennis said. "We can't make mistakes like we did today and expect to win against a team as good as Hanover Park. It's encouraging, but I just wish our kids believed they could beat a team of this caliber. It's just part of the learning process with a team this young."

Hanover Park's Giovanni Martino hit the decisive two-run home run with two outs in the top of the sixth. Tim Byron, who pitched 2 2/3 innings of shutout relief, picked up the win for the Hornets (4-2, 2-1).

Jake Meister was the hitting star of the day for Madison (3-4, 0-4), picking up three hits.

It was Meister's one-out double in the seventh that advanced Alex Brownlee to third base. Trailing by two runs, the Dodgers had two chances for the single that would have sent the game to extra innings.

But first baseman Tom Tracy struck out on a 2-2 pitch from Byron, who allowed just two hits in relief of starter Sean Bozzi, who went 4 1/3 innings and allowed just one run on seven hits.

With two outs in the seventh, Connor Allen worked a full count after falling behind 1-2, but hit a harmless pop-up to first base to end the game.

It was a disappointing end to a game in which Madison outhit Hanover Park, 9-6 . The Dodgers ran themselves out of two potential big innings, and they couldn't give starting pitcher Connor Higgins (6 1/3 IP, 2 ER) any offensive support after scoring a run in the first frame.

Second baseman Alex Brownlee led off the bottom of the first with an eight-pitch walk. He advanced to second on a ground out, and to third on a passed ball before Tracy drove him in with a single.

But it would be the last dent Madison would make on the scoreboard, thanks to two key baserunning errors.

"Some of our kids didn't really run the bases at all last year on the varsity level," Ennis said. "When you play at this level, it's just a faster game. You can get away with some things at the JV level, or against lesser competition, but not in a game like this."

Catcher Alex Ruiz led off the bottom of the third with a single. Pinch-runner Jimmy Finelli advanced to second on a Brownlee sacrifice bunt, but went too far rounding the bag and was tagged out on a throw behind him.

Jake Meister hit what could have been an RBI single on the next pitch, but Bozzi escaped without further harm.

A more bizarre play in the bottom of the fourth, when Allen–who led off the inning with a single–was apparently unaware of the count. After Jamie Hunter struck out, Allen stood off first base, and was easily tagged out by Hanover Park first baseman Max Litvak.

Madison would go on to load the bases despite the unorthodox double play, but Bozzi struck out Mike Zuzuro to end the inning.

"It's just the little things, the lack of concentration," Ennis said. "It's our lack of experience. We're a work in progress, and we keep getting better, but at some point, we're going to have to put it together to beat a good team. Our next opportunity is [Thursday] at 7 [against Millburn]."

Nonetheless, the Dodgers still had a chance to tie the game in the seventh thanks to an outstanding effort from Higgins, the sophomore hurler.

Higgins allowed just two earned runs in 6 1/3 innings, striking out six and walking none. But he picked up the hard-luck loss after Martino crushed an 0-1 changeup over the fence in left field, breaking a 1-1 tie with two outs in the top of the sixth.

"He's pitched extremely well for us so far," Ennis said. "I'd put him up against anybody right now. His fastball and curveball were excellent today. He left one changeup up in the zone, and that was the homer."

Higgins cruised through the first four innings, throwing 47 pitches and allowing just one hit. For his second straight regular-season start, Higgins located his fastball and breaking pitches with exceptional accuracy.

A series of early first-pitch strikes led to Hanover Park changing their approach at the plate, swinging much earlier in the count and allowing Higgins  to pick up easy outs.

Higgins had to work a bit harder in the fifth. Leadoff hitter Martino reached on an error, and an infield single by Sam Paladino put runners at the corners with one out.

After Higgins struck out Nick Giordano on a beautiful 0-2 backdoor slider, Vin Satriano lined a single to right field, tying the game at 1-1.

Madison threatened in the bottom of the frame, but with two outs and the bases loaded, Byron induced a Jamie Hunter ground ball.

NEXT UP
This could arguably be Madison's toughest week of the season. After dropping games to Morris Catholic and Hanover Park, the Dodgers will have two more chances to beat a quality team before the week is out.

Thursday night, Madison will host a special night game at Dodge Field across from the Central Avenue School. There, the Dodgers will take on longtime rival Millburn (4-4). First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Connor Allen (1-0) is slated to make his third start of the season for Madison. Last time out, the righty matched Pequannock's Jordan Tabakman in a battle of aces, allowing three earned runs over six innings and leaving with the game tied, 4-4. Pequannock won that game, 5-4, on an error with one out in the seventh.

After that, Madison will return to Berkeley Heights to play host Governor Livingston in the Highlander Tournament championship game Saturday at 2 p.m. Jake Meister (1-1) should start that game on six days' rest.

Find out what's happening in Madisonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


BOX SCORE
Hanover Park   0  0  0  0  1  2  0  -  3  6  0
Madison              1  0  0  0  0  0  0  -  1  9  3
W: Tim Byron
L: Connor Higgins (1-1)

HANOVER PARK (4-2, 2-1)
-Satriano, 3B           1-3, RBI, BB SB
-LoPinto, 2B            0-4
-Tassielli, CF           0-4
-Litvak, 1B               0-3
-Byron, RF/P          1-3, R, 3B
-Martino, DH          1-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR
-DiMeo, C                 0-2, SAC
-Paladino, LF           3-3
-Giordano, SS          0-3, SB

-Bozzi, SP                  4 2/3 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 7 H, 4 K, 3 BB, 92 pitches (56 strikes)
---Byron, RP            2 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 2 K, 1 BB, 45 pitches (24 strikes)

MADISON (3-4, 0-4)
-Brownlee, 2B         2-2, R, BB, SAC
-Meister, SS             3-4, 2B
-Tracy, 1B                2-4, RBI
-Allen, 3B                 1-3, BB
-Hunter, DH            0-3
-Kluge, CF                0-2, BB
-Haughey, RF         0-2, BB
-Flanagan, LF          0-2
----Zuzaro, LF          0-1
-Ruiz, C                       1-3

-Higgins, SP             6 1/3 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 6 H, 6 K, 0 BB, 94 pitches (65 strikes)
---Hunter, RP         2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 K, 1 BB, 10 pitches (3 strikes)

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