Baseball: Connor Byrne tosses gem, Ridge bats erupt in extras for win
HILLSBOROUGH – Ridge High School’s baseball team got what it has expected for two seasons Tuesday afternoon from senior ace Connor Byrne. Then it got something it really needed – a very big inning.
The Red Devils got a seven-inning, one-hit outing from Byrne, who left a scoreless game after 99 pitches. Ridge then had an offensive awakening in a 13-batter eighth inning, scoring eight runs that led to its 8-0 win over Hillsborough (3-6, 2-3) in a Skyland Delaware Division game.
Though the defending Somerset County Tournament champs are 6-2 and 3-2 in division, they haven’t been hitting.
Ridge’s losses have been shutouts to Hunterdon Central 1-0 in eight innings and 3-0 to Bridgewater-Raritan. The Red Devils beat Pingry 1-0 and Immaculata 2-0 – so the outburst was celebrated.
“We have been struggling all year long to score runs and today was no different,” said Ridge coach Tom Blackwell. “We have kind of been on that line between relaxing and working hard, grinding. Hopefully we had that kind of breakout moment that we’ve been waiting for today and hopefully it’ll continue.”
He added, “That was certainly a glimpse of what I think we’re capable of doing.”
Ridge had six straight hits in the eighth, the big one being senior Luke Somelofske’s bases-clearing, one-out double that opened the scoring.
“Hitting is contagious and it’s really what we needed,” said the Siena-bound Byrne, who struck out 16 and walked one. “I look forward to see what we can do the next few weeks especially with counties coming up.”
He didn’t allow a hit until Matt Wescott’s line-drive single to right that led off the Raiders seventh. But Hillsborough couldn’t move him over. A sacrifice bunt attempt turned into a force at second and that was followed by two strikeouts. Byrne said he hasn’t thrown a no-hitter since he was 12.
Key plays
Somelofske followed a one-out single by Nick Rossi and walks to Brendan Callanan and Justin Kielb with a double off a 2-0 pitch to give Ridge a 3-0 lead.
Steven Dresner started a stretch of six straight hits with an RBI double and Matt Shawah followed with his own before Ben Carroll’s RBI single.
Game ball
Rossi had four hits with a run scored and double.
Hillsborough pitcher Max Romanak was outstanding. He went six innings and 90 pitches, allowing no runs, two hits and four walks.
They said it
Somelofske said, “I know the pitcher was struggling to find the zone, when it got to 2-0 coach told me that I could swing if it was there. I was looking for a fastball right down the middle and that’s where he threw it. I went at it, attacked it, swung and it worked out well. I think it’s the spark we needed.”
What's next
Ridge is the No. 2 seed in the Somerset County Tournament and could see No. 7 Hillsborough again in the county quarterfinals Tuesday if the Raiders beat No. 10 Bernards Saturday. Ridge hosts Immaculata Thursday while Hillsborough greets Hunterdon Central. Saturday, it hosts Bernards at 11 a.m.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ baseball: Connor Byrne tosses gem as Ridge beats Hillsborough
