The New Jersey Jackals and the Sussex County Miners faced off in a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon at Skylands Stadium, with the opener going down to the wire.
Game 1
New Jersey struck first when Isaac Bellony hit a solo home run to center field, giving the Jackals a 1-0 lead.
Sussex County responded to falling behind early by erupting for four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Haiden Walters hit a double to right field and advanced to third as infielder Hunter D’Amato scored. Keenan Taylor followed with a sacrifice fly to left field, allowing Walters to score. Will Zimmerman lined a single to left field, bringing home Sean Roby Jr. and Evan Berkey and giving the Miners a 4-1 lead to end the first inning.
Sussex County kept its foot on the gas through the third inning. Miners’ catcher Sandro Gatson reached on an error by the Jackals’ second baseman, allowing Taylor to score and put Sussex County up 5-1. After doubling a fly ball to center field, Dean Ferrara tried to stretch to third base. Although unsuccessful, Gatson scored, extending their lead to 6-1 to close out the third inning.
Heading into the fourth inning, New Jersey appeared to be dead in the water, but they would not lie down. In that inning, the Jackals scored five runs against Sussex County pitcher Kellen Brothers.
Back-to-back singles from Felix Stevens and Daunte Stuart set the table. Aldalay Kolokie then delivered a two-run single, cutting the Miners’ lead to 6-3.
New Jersey had the bases loaded after Kolokie’s two-run single, and Connor Maryniak stepped up to bat with the Jackals having all the momentum. Maryniak’s line drive turned into a three-run single, tying it at six.
The first part of this doubleheader appeared to be slipping out of Sussex County’s grasp. However, they responded with a counterpunch of their own. In the fourth inning, Kiko Romero delivered an RBI double on a line drive to right field, allowing D’Amato to score.
After a pickoff attempt by Walters at first base, Roby Jr. would hit, and Ferrara was able to run back to home plate, giving the Miners an 8-6 lead in the sixth inning. County’s pitchers, Chad Gartland and Parker Primeaux, went on to close it out in the seventh inning. As the first part of this Sunday doubleheader went to Sussex County.
Game 2
In the second leg of the twin bill, the Jackals would bounce back, winning a close game. After a defensive grudge match between the two teams, the Jackals would be the first to get on the board.
In the fourth inning, Luis Encarnación hit a home run on a fly ball to left field, putting New Jersey up 1-0. But fans wouldn’t have to wait long for Sussex County to respond.
Just a few plays later, Roby Jr. delivered a solo home run on a fly ball to right field, tying the game. Roby Jr. would give the Miners a jolt in the arm, taking the lead in the sixth inning.
After missing on his first two swings, Taylor would hit the ball to right field for a double. On the very next play, Berkey hit a line drive to left field for a double, giving Taylor the runway to score and putting Sussex County up 2-1.
With both games of this doubleheader on the line, New Jersey flipped the game on its head in the seventh inning. On the second play of the inning, Martin Figueroa secured a double after hitting the ball to right field.
Maryniak delivered a double on a ground ball to left field; as a result, Figueroa scored, tying the game. Kolokie recorded a single, advancing himself to first base and Maryniak to third base.
Jackals pinch-hitter Christian Hall would then come in for Jedier Hernandez. Hall went on to hit a sacrifice fly to left field, creating the opportunity for Maryniak to score, putting the final nail in the coffin of a 3-2 victory in this in-division doubleheader.
