High Point softball advances to H/W/S championship game

The High Point softball team will play for the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament championship.

Victoria Meyers went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, Karly Lockburner was 2-for-3 with a double, three RBI and a run and Joelle Lucatorto was 2-for-2 with an RBI to lead the sixth-seeded Lady wildcats to a 6-4 victory over second-seeded North Hunterdon in the semifinal round of the H/W/S tournament on Saturday afternoon in Annandale.

The Wildcats will now meet fourth-seeded Phillipsburg for the tri-county championship on Wednesday, May 13, at the Phillipsburg Athletic Complex at 4 p.m. Phillipsburg defeated top-seeded Delaware Valley, 5-4, in the other semifinal on Friday.

High Point last reached the H/W/S championship game two years ago when it lost to Hunterdon Central, 6-1. The Wildcats last won the title in 2014 when they defeated Warren Hills, 4-2.

Against North Hunterdon, High Point trailed, 3-0, after the first inning but scored once in the second and five more times in the third to take a 6-1 lead.

Grace Meyers scattered six hits and one walk while striking out eight to gain the win in the circle.

High Point (11-4) had defeated third-seeded Pope John, 7-5, in the quarterfinal round on Thursday, May 7, in Sparta.

In that win, Lockburner went 2-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs, Daphne Mathews was 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and two runs, Karli Matthews singled, doubled and drive in a run.

Meyers, who struck out five, aided her own effort by singling twice and scoring once with Abby Macfie doubled in a run and Abi Amick singled in a run and scored.

High Point has won two tri-county crowns with the other occurring in 2012.

High Point Baseball

Ethan Rasmussen and Trevor Hopp had the only hits against Hunter Brown as third-seeded High Point fell to second-seeded North Hunterdon in the semifinal round of the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament on Saturday afternoon in Annandale.

North Hunterdon was seeking to earn its third straight H/W/S title against top-seeded Hunterdon Central on Wednesday, May 13, in Phillipsburg.

High Point, which had its five-game winning streak snapped, advanced to the semis with a 9-3 victory over sixth-seeded Wallkill Valley on May 7 at home.

Brad Sabato earned the win, allowing just three hits, one walk and one earned run while striking out 10 over the first six innings before yielding to Rowan Buresh, who struck out one in the seventh.

Zach Leto went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run, Joey Elko was 3-for-4 with three stolen bases and three runs, Aiden Carlson was 2-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base , two RBI and a run and Hopp singled twice, walked and two RBI.

Leo Falce-Smith tripled, walked and drove in two runs, Brad Sabato walked twice, stole two bases and scored a run, Rasmussen singled, walked, was hit by a pitch, stole two bases and scored twice and Brady Conklin singled in a run and scored to pace the Wildcats’ 12-hit attack.

High Point (13-5-1) was scheduled to host to Sparta on Friday, May 15, at 4 p.m.

Vernon Baseball

The fourth-seeded Vikings rallied with three runs in the top of the seventh but were edged by top-seeded Hunterdon Central, 8-7, in 10 innings in the H/W/S semifinal round on Saturday in Flemington.

Vernon (11-6) had defeated 17th-seeded North Warren, 10-0, in six innings in the quarterfinal round on May 5 at home.

Dustin Wagner (four strikeouts, no walks, no hits in 2.1 innings), Joe Mancini (three strikeouts, one walk, no hits in 2.2 innings) and Gavin Bruno (three strikeouts, no walks, one hit) combined on a one-hitter.

Charlie Paladino went 3-for-3 with two doubles, three stolen bases, two RBI and two runs, James Curry was 3-for-4 with a double, two stolen bases, an RBI and two runs and Tyler Dobrzynski and Chris Perrotta each drove in two runs.

Vernon will play at New Providence on Thursday, May 14, at 4 p.m.