Joshua Fields, shown delivering a pitch in the Unity Cup win over East Orange Campus, had a solid all-around season for the Tornadoes.
ORANGE, NJ – The 2018 Orange High School baseball team clinched the co-championship of the Super Essex Conference (SEC)-Independence Division. With a 10-2 division record (11-8 overall), this is the school’s first SEC division championship in baseball. Orange and East Orange Campus shared the division championship.
“Our goal at the beginning of the year was to finish with a winning record,” said OHS head coach Wally Boyett. “And we accomplished that. But to finish with a co-division championship when we started six or seven sophomores each game, that speaks directly to the senior leadership of Joshua (Fields) and Adam (Tizio).”
Fields had a sensational season, batting .464 (.597 division) with 26 hits, 21 runs, 26 RBI, 14 walks and 24 stolen bases. On the mound, in the division, he was a perfect 4-0 with a 2.07 ERA. Overall, Fields finished 4-3 with a 3.00 ERA, 58 strikeouts, 8 walks and 24 hits in 42 innings pitched.
Tizio also had an excellent season, batting .373 (.472 division) with 19 hits, 18 runs, 15 RBI, 19 walks and 11 stolen bases, while playing a strong catcher’s position.
Sophomore Dave Johnson-Guzman finished with a .317 average (.374 division) with 19 hits, 25 runs and 16 RBI. As a pitcher, he was 3-0 with a 2.72 ERA in the division. Johnson-Guzman was voted one of the top sophomores in the state by NJ.com. He tallied 10,950 votes (fourth place) in an NJ.com poll.
Sophomores Anthony Ozoria (.297, 19 hits, 31 runs), Devon McKay (.281, 16 hits, 22 runs) and Ryan Delgado (3-1 with 34 strikeouts) also had breakout seasons.
The Tornadoes also won their fifth consecutive Unity Cup game over neighboring East Orange Campus HS.
Looking ahead, the Tornadoes lose two significant seniors, but have a talented core returning next year. “The goal is to continue to work hard, get better and gain confidence,” said Boyett.
SEC Independence Division Awards:
- First Team Infielder – Joshua Fields, senior
- First Team Pitcher – David Johnson-Guzman, sophomore
- First Team Open – Adam Tizio, senior
- Second Team Infielder – Anthony Ozoria, sophomore
- Second Team Outfielder – Devon McKay, sophomore
- Honorable Mention – Ryan Delgado, sophomore
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