MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The Columbia High School baseball team defeated West Essex, 12-11, in eight innings on Saturday, May 24, at Underhill Field in Maplewood in a Super Essex Conference–American Division game.
West Essex scored two runs in the sixth inning to tie the score, 9-9, and scored two runs in the eighth inning, before Columbia answered with three runs in the bottom half to win the game.
Junior Isaac Buchalter and senior Miles House each had two RBI; senior Zac Calveric had three singles and an RBI; senior Nolan Secor had two singles and an RBI; junior Benji Josefsberg had a single, a double and an RBI; and seniors Sam Matlin, Ben Leepson and Owen Belisle each had a single and an RBI.
The Cougars snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 12-11-1 on the season.
In the previous game, the Cougars lost to Seton Hall Prep, 4-1, on Tuesday, May 20, at Underhill Field.
The Cougars, seeded seventh, were scheduled to host No. 10 seed Bayonne in the first round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 state tournament on Tuesday, May 27, after press time. If they won, they will face either No. 2 seed Woodbridge or No. 15 seed Piscataway in the quarterfinals on Thursday, May 29, at the higher-seeded school. The semifinals are Tuesday, June 3, and the final is Thursday, June 5.
About the Author
