Baseball: Highlights from the Bergen County Tournament Round 16

Ramapo will be the lowest remaining seed when the 65th Bergen County baseball tournament quarterfinals take place this weekend.

But are the No. 10 Raiders a true double-digit seed?

In the three tournaments held from 2019-22, the quarterfinals featured one seed in the 20s each time. Last spring, the final eight teams were all seeded 10th or better, and the same is true again.

Ramapo (13-7) reached this stage thanks to Wednesday’s Round of 16 win at No. 7 Ramsey, 9-7. The Franklin Lakes squad had already defeated the Rams during opening week behind ace Charlie Wingfield.

Although the junior right-hander struck out fewer in the rematch (5, compared to 11 on April 6), he allowed just two solo homers through the first five innings while his team built a 6-2 lead.

Ramsey cut a seven-run deficit to 9-6 in the sixth, and it could have gotten closer if Aidan McNally’s long foul ball with the bases loaded hadn’t missed the right-field line by inches. Wingfield regrouped to get a groundout and strikeout to escape that inning.

“All that hitting they have – they came back, they never gave up,” Wingfield said of Ramsey. “But we all had complete trust in our guys. … I gave my all, and then Carson [DeMarco] came in [to get the save]. We had all faith in him, and it was just confidence and energy that we had that up push through.”

Up next in the bracket for the Raiders is a divisional rematch – one of two scheduled for Saturday’s quarterfinals. Here is a rundown of the qualifiers.

No. 1 Don Bosco vs. No. 9 Hackensack

At Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey), 11 a.m.

These teams have not been league rivals since the NNJIL broke up more than 10 years ago.

The Ironmen (17-2) used junior ace Jason Kuhn (6-0) in Wednesday’s 10-0 victory over No. 17 Dwight-Englewood but have one of the deepest pitching staffs in the state. Seniors Ryan Calvario and Eric Petrie are among those who could take the ball next round.

Hackensack (14-7) advanced with a 3-2 win at No. 8 Emerson, in which senior Alex Bulger (7 IP, 5 H, 2 R) outdueled the Cavos’ Derek MacKenzie (7 IP, 2 ER, 10 K). Keep an eye on junior right fielder Thomas Ingallinera, who scored the go-ahead run on a David Nuñez grounder in the fourth and made a diving catch in the seventh to rob an extra-base hit.

Senior Thomas Ghostlaw and sophomore Holden Cohen could be options to start Saturday for the Comets.

No. 2 Ridgewood vs. No. 10 Ramapo

At Wood-Ridge Athletic Complex, 11 a.m.

Here we have divisional rematch No. 1. The teams split their Big North Freedom series, with the Maroons scoring a 6-5 home win behind pitchers Vincent Luther and Luke Norman, and the Raiders prevailing on a Wingfield four-hitter, 2-1.

Ridgewood (18-2) scored five runs in the fifth to break a 5-all tie with No. 18 Midland Park in Wednesday’s 12-5 victory. Seven different Maroons drove in at least on run, including Owen Laffey (two), who earned the win in relief.

Wingfield batted 3-for-4 with three doubles and drove in five against Ramsey. Ramapo co-coach Garrison Ward tabbed Kenton Grosfelt as his probable quarterfinal starter – the senior threw an opening-round shutout against Fort Lee and has not faced Ridgewood this year. Luther (4-0), a senior lefty, should be available for the Maroons.

No. 4 St. Joseph vs. No. 5 Glen Rock

At Don Bosco Prep, 2 p.m.

After blanking No. 13 Pascack Valley, 6-0, on Jeffrey Germosen’s Round of 16 three-hitter, the Green Knights (15-5) have the longest active streak of Bergen quarterfinals appearances with 11. They also have reached the last 11 semifinal rounds contested.

Glen Rock (18-1-1), meanwhile, has made three of the last four quarterfinal rounds, including once as a 22-seed. The Panthers rallied past No. 12 Pascack Hills on Wednesday, 7-5, with senior Matt DeStaso scoring the decisive run in the sixth inning.

Senior lefty Ryan Wolfe, who saved the victory for Glen Rock starter Nick Atme (110 pitches), should be eligible to start Saturday. Junior Brendan Lewis and senior Gabe Alvarez are both viable options for St. Joseph.

No. 3 Westwood vs. No. 6 Indian Hills

At Wood-Ridge Athletic Complex, 2 p.m.

This will be divisional rematch No. 2, after the Big North Patriot rivals swapped shutouts. Indian Hills (15-5) missed a chance to forge a potential three-way tie for the division crown when it fell to Pascack Hills on Tuesday.

The Braves came back with a vengeance in the Round of 16, dispatching No. 11 Old Tappan in six innings, 13-3. Owen Fadini improved to 6-0 on the mound, while LJ Renshaw drove in four.

Westwood (16-4) advanced by handling No. 14 St. Mary, 10-3, behind starter Andrew Dillingham. The senior wound up on the short end of a 1-0 score against Fadini on April 29. Two days later, the Cardinals’ Jack Walsh bested the Braves’ Brody Diers, 2-0.

The latter two could meet again, though Westwood visits Ramsey to wrap up divisional play on Thursday, with a chance to tie Pascack Hills for first place. Joe Ceritelli (Westwood) and Nick Vitelli (Indian Hills) also should be available Saturday.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ baseball: Highlights from the Bergen County Tournament Round 16