Cherry Hill West Baseball Team Captures Sectional Crown

CHERRY HILL, NJ — One Cherry Hill High School baseball team will pursue a state championship, while the other is heading home after advancing all the way to a sectional final.

Second-seeded Cherry Hill West defeated No. 1 seed Triton Regional, 6-3, in the NJSIAA South Jersey Group 3 championship game on Friday, according to nj.com.

The Lions put up two runs in the first inning, but Triton seized a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth. Cherry Hill West posted four runs in the top of the seventh and held on in the bottom of the frame to claim the crown.

Eli Atiya picked up the win on the mound, striking out two batters, walking two and allowing five hits in 3.1 innings of work. Brian Robertson struck out three in three innings, and Ryan Widmeier fanned one in ⅔ of an inning.

Scott Shaw hit a two-run homer in the win. Nick Sylvester was 1-for-3 with three RBI, and Ryan West was 2-for-4 with a triple.

Cherry Hill West brings a 25-3 record into the state tournament. It will host Wall in the state semifinals on Monday, June 3, 4 p.m. The winner faces the winner of the game between Roxbury and West Morris in the state final on Saturday, June 8, in Hamilton.

The Lions opened the tournament with a 9-1 win over No. 15 Camden Tech, according to nj.com. In the quarterfinals, Cherry Hill West defeated No. 10 Absegami, 4-0. In the semifinals, they defeated No. 6 Hammonton, 11-2.

No. 5 Cherry Hill East fell to No. 3 Eastern Regional, 7-2, in the NJSIAA South Jersey Group 4 championship game on Friday, according to nj.com.

With the game tied at 2-2 in the fourth, Eastern’s first two batters got on base after being hit by pitches. Isaac Fendrick broke the tie when he scored just before a double-play ended the inning, and the Vikings went on to capture their first South Jersey title since 2014.

Cherry Hill East finished the season with a record of 18-4. The Cougars opened the tournament with a 7-2 win over No. 12 Lenape, according to nj.com. In the quarterfinals, Cherry Hill East defeated No. 13 Howell, 5-2. In the semifinals, Cherry Hill East defeated No. 16 Egg Harbor Township, 5-0.