Haddonfield rallies, remains unbeaten

Haddonfield has maintained its status as South Jersey's last unbeaten baseball team, but the Bulldawgs needed a final-inning comeback to preserve their perfect season.

Drew Dark's one-out, bases-loaded RBI single capped a three-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning during a 5-4 win over Sterling in a Colonial Conference nail-biter Friday.

Ranked No. 6 in South Jersey by The Inquirer, the Bulldogs are now 16-0. Sterling fell to 6-9.

"I was determined to get on by hit or walk," Dark said. "Being able to come back and win a game like this is a big confidence booster for us."

Both teams were hurt by defensive miscues. Haddonfield starter Matt Jones allowed four runs in six innings, but only two were earned.

Trailing 4-1, Haddonfield got one run back in the sixth when Charlie Clarke doubled and eventually scored on a wild pitch.

Sterling lefthander Andrew Miller was pulled after Haddonfield loaded the bases with one out in the seventh. A Maryland recruit, Miller threw 129 pitches, allowed three hits, and struck out nine.

"In the seventh inning I started to feel it a little," Miller said. "Throughout the game I felt fine and was just trying to throw strikes and had to work myself out of a few jams."

After Miller departed, Haddonfield drew a bases-loaded walk and then scored the equalizer on an error before Dark came up with his winning hit.

"I give a lot of credit to Sterling, they played well and Miller was throwing really well," Haddonfield coach Bob Bickel said. "It shows the character of our kids that we can win a game like this."

Sterling 000 013 0 - 4 8 2

Haddonfield 010 001 3 - 5 4 4

WP: Sean Noone. LP: Andrew Miller. 2B: S-Miller; H-Charlie Clarke.

@sjnard