N. Burlington gets redemption
The Northern Burlington baseball team received new uniforms this season, but Zach Gakeler still had use for his old jersey.
The Northern Burlington baseball team received new uniforms this season, but Zach Gakeler still had use for his old jersey.
He shoved it in his equipment bag as a reminder.
"So I can remember what happened at the end of last season," Gakeler said.
The senior lefthander and his teammates arrived for Friday's clash with rival Burlington Township with a little extra motivation and left their home field with a little extra satisfaction.
"This was payback," Gakeler said after Northern Burlington's 5-3 victory over Burlington Township in a Burlington County League Liberty Division game.
This was more than a battle of division rivals. It also was a rematch of last year's Group 3 state semifinal, won by Burlington Township, 4-3.
"That always sticks in the back of your mind," Gakeler said.
Gakeler led the way on the mound and at the plate. The Pittsburgh recruit pitched a complete game with 11 strikeouts and also drove in three runs.
"He's a rock," Northern Burlington coach Rich Doppler said.
Junior leadoff hitter Tyler O'Dell reached base three times and scored two runs and junior centerfielder Ryan Shinn walked four times for Northern Burlington (5-0 overall, 3-0 league), the No. 3 team in The Inquirer's South Jersey rankings.
Senior catcher Dave Viselli cracked a solo home run and junior shortstop Robert Stevens and senior centerfielder Jacob Guzdek delivered RBI hits in a seventh-inning rally for Burlington Township (1-3, 0-3).
"To have as many moving parts as we have and to play that kind of game against a team like Northern, I can't be anything but proud," said Burlington Township coach Jason Stec, whose team has been battling injuries.
Northern Burlington jumped to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Gakeler and junior catcher Adam Rapp delivered RBI singles.
Viselli, a St. Joseph's recruit, made it 3-1 with a blast over the left-field fence in the fourth.
"He's really starting to swing the bat," Stec said.
Northern Burlington made it 5-1 with a two-out, two-run rally in the bottom of the fourth. Gakeler delivered the big hit, a two-run single after Shinn walked to load the bases.
"It kind of ticked me off," Gakeler said of the two intentional walks issued to Shinn.
Burlington Township rallied in the seventh as Robbie Cox and Eddie Kotch rapped singles, Stevens delivered an RBI double, and Guzdek drove in another run with a bunt single.
Doppler went to the mound but said he never seriously considered removing his ace from the game.
"I would had gotten voted off the island," Doppler said.
Gakeler retired the last two batters, with a big assist from sophomore second baseman Pat Welsh, who made a running catch of a fly ball on the right-field line.
"That's the play there," Stec said.
Doppler said he was pleased with his team's play in a game that his athletes regarded with such importance.
"It was a redemption game for our team," Doppler said.
Burlington Township 000 100 2 - 3 8 4
Northern Burlington 300 200 x - 5 6 2
WP: Zack Gakeler. LP: Robbie Cox. 2B: BT-Isaiah Hall, Rob Stevens. HR: BT-Dave Viselli.
ONLINE EXTRA
Northern Burlington's Zach Gakeler talks about the victory.
inquirer.com/rallynj
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