HAMMONTON—Taking on two of the top teams in the Cape Atlantic League, Hammonton High School’s baseball team split four games, winning once against both Egg Harbor Twp. (EHT) and Mainland.
The week began at EHT on May 1, where Gavin West and Eric Barts each had two hits as the Blue Devils upset the host Eagles 6-2.
More than a dozen Major League Baseball scouts were on hand to watch EHT pitcher Cam Flukey, but Hammonton touches the Eagles ace for a pair of runs in four-and-two-thirds innings.
West’s RBI single drove in Kam Bagnell in the top of the first gave Hammonton an early 1-0 lead. The run was the first allowed by Flukey in five starts this season.
EHT tied the game with a run in the fourth, but in the top of the fifth, Hammonton tacked on a run West again drove in Bagnell with an RBI single.
The Devils added three runs in the top of the sixth, all on passed balls. EHT added a run in the bottom of the inning, but Hammonton sealed the win with a run in the top of the seventh on Jaxon Miller’s solo home run, his first of the season.
Jamison McNally earned the win, allowing just three hits and a run in five innings, walking one and striking out two. Braden Markart closed out the win with a strikeout in two innings of work.
West finished the game 2-for-4 with two RBIs, Barts had two hits and scored a run and Bagnell singled, walked twice and scored two runs.
A rematch at Hammonton on May 2 saw EHT avenge the loss with a 4-3 victory.
Drew Haines was 3-for-3 with a double and two runs batted in for Hammonton, while Matt McAleer walked three times and scored twice.
Later in the week, Hammonton split a pair of games against Mainland. The first, played on May 3, was a 7-6 loss at home to the Mustangs.
Hammonton overcame a 5-3 deficit to take a 6-5 lead with three runs in the fourth, but Mainland scored twice in the top of the seventh to pull out the win.
Haines had two hits, including a double, and drove in three runs in the loss. Bagnell doubled, scored a run and had an RBI, and Drew Fields also drove in one for Hammonton.
On May 4, Hammonton won at Mainland 13-5. The Blue Devils collected 18 hits in the game, including three from Barts, who doubled and had four RBIs in the win.
Haines was 3-for-5 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored, McAleer added three hits, including a double and scored twice and Bagnell had two hits and two runs while Austin Schoell added two hits and a run.
All the offense backed a solid performance from Markart, who struck out four in six innings.
Hammonton began this week with a game against Oakcrest on May 8 and one at St. Joseph on May 9, but both ended too late for this edition. On May 11, the Blue Devils play at Cumberland at 4 p.m.