Morris Knolls baseball wins sectional title on walk-off home run in extra innings
DENVILLE − Morris Knolls has officially reached territory it hasn’t been to in more than a decade.
After failing to win a state playoff game for the last 10 seasons, the Golden Eagles broke through in a big way Friday.
Luke Dickerson’s leadoff home run in the 10th inning lifted Morris Knolls to a dramatic 7-6 walk-off win over Montville in the NJSIAA North 1, Group 3 title game. It’s the Denville school’s first sectional title since 2011.
Morris Knolls (19-10-1) will host Millburn (27-3) on Monday in the NJSIAA Group 3 semifinals. Millburn defeated North Hunterdon, 7-0, in Friday's North 2, Group 3 championship.
"I wasn't trying to do too much. I wanted to see the ball as long as I can and get on base to give this team a chance to win a big game. It just happened to be a home run," Dickerson said. "I'm just so proud of these guys and I can't wait to roll it in next week. He threw me a fastball right down the middle. I'm always sitting fastball and as soon as I saw it I turned on it."
Dickerson's only hit of the game came on the first pitch of the at-bat in his sixth plate appearance of the game. The Golden Eagles leadoff hitter squared up pitcher Jacob Hammer's fastball and drove it over the center field fence, ending a marathon of a game that ran just over 3½ hours and featured five lead changes.
Down to its last three outs and trailing by a run in both the seventh and ninth innings, top-seeded Morris Knolls refused to give up and dug deep with its season on the line.
"We were down a few innings in a row and we eventually came back. It really just shows we have a ton of heart and grit," said Dickerson, a Virginia commit and the state's top-ranked player in the class of 2024. "These boys are out here and they want to win and give it their all. I can't thank them enough. They're my brothers for life."
What it means
Morris Knolls is a sectional champion for the first time since 2011, when it beat Union City, 8-0, in the NJSIAA North 1, Group 4 championship.
"This team was determined to change our history. We've played better and better since squeaking out a win against Dwight Morrow in the first round," Morris Knolls coach Eric Mindrebo said. "Today was a gritty baseball game and we fought hard. We all believe in each other and we never give up."
The Golden Eagles defeated Montville, 2-1 last month in the second round of the Morris County Tournament.
For Montville, Friday's loss marks the second straight year and third time in the last five years it has lost in a state sectional final. The Mustangs lost to Ramapo in last year's title game. Since 2011, Montville is winless in four sectional final appearances.
Two rallies
Trailing 5-4 heading into the bottom half of the seventh inning, sophomore Dylan Fitzsimmons hit a lead-off, line-drive double to right field and junior Brodie Freker singled on a hard ground ball to center field, scoring Fitzsimmons to knot the game, 5-5 and force extra innings.
Montville (19-10) retook the lead, 6-5 in the ninth inning when pinch-hitter Chase Tarnoff hit an RBI single to center field to score Hunter Force from second base.
Morris Knolls managed to tie the score again in the bottom half of the inning when Darin Cashman walked with bases loaded to score Michael Simone.
The Golden Eagles used five pitchers with Carter Seely throwing 4⅔ innings in relief. The sophomore entered for Fitzsimmons with one out in the fifth and Montville leading 5-3. He managed to keep Morris Knolls in the game before exiting in the ninth inning with the score tied, 6-6.
"We have three sophomores who've been our best relief pitchers all year and Carter is one of them. He had some quick innings and kept his pitch count low. He was outstanding, especially in a huge spot," Mindrebo said. "He was able to get it done on the mound and at the plate."
Ryan Iberer started for Morris Knolls, but was replaced by Daniel Calantropio in the first inning with two outs after surrendering five walks and two runs. Iberer redeemed himself in the bottom half of the first when he put the home team ahead, 3-2 on a two-out, three-run home run.
Montville turned to six pitchers with starter Matthew Colatrella going 4⅔ innings, striking out five while giving up four runs on six hits and two walks.
By the numbers
➤ Morris Knolls banged out 11 hits, including two home runs.
➤ Freker went 2 for 4 with two runs and a walk.
➤ Simone went 3 for 5 with two runs and two RBIs.
➤ Seely was 2 for 5 with a run.
➤ Montville had eight hits.
➤ Christian Zurawlow went 2 for 5 with a double.
➤ Hunter Force had two RBIs.
They said it
"We knew we had a lot of talent coming into the season and a lot of guys who wanted it. This team worked as hard in the offseason as any team I've ever coached. To make a deep run in the state tournament takes peaking at the right time. We knew everything was on the table in terms of what we could achieve this season. We're focused and we'll be ready for Millburn." - Mindrebo.
"We want to continue and roll with what we have. We have a lot of momentum going into next week. The boys are ready and I'm excited to see what we can bring to the table." - Dickerson.