By Rich Chrampanis
RUMSON – When Matt Bruno recorded the strikeout to secure the Bulldogs’ second straight section championship, the celebration was much more subdued than a year earlier.
There’s no question Rumson-Fair Haven was thrilled to repeat as Central Jersey Group 2 champions, but the focus immediately turned to doing something the program has never accomplished before.
RFH is playing for a baseball state championship for the first time in school history thanks to a 9-0 win over Seneca at home Monday. The formula for both wins had a similar pattern. Rumson put up big runs in the first inning and leaned on excellent pitching depth to make history.
The Bulldogs scored three runs in the first against Spotswood and
added single runs in five straight frames. John Goodes battled through
some control issues before turning things over to Jackson Hinchliffe who
got five key outs before turning things over to Owen O’Toole and Bruno to get the job done.
In the state semifinal, RFH quickly put three runs on the board in the first inning to chase Seneca starter Alex Argabright. With the bases loaded, No. 9 hitter Griffin Shenman picked the perfect time to launch his first homer of the season. The senior smashed a ball to left that went off a car parked behind the fence. Shenman’s grand slam gave RFH a 7-0 lead. Hinchliffe took care of the rest, pitching five shutout innings with Cal Champeau closing the door on a complete game shutout.
Scouting The Broncos
Pascack Hills won back-to-back state titles in 2018 and 2019 when they were the Cowboys. They have a new name but the program is still a consistent winner from North Jersey. Sean Busanic threw a three-hitter in a 4-1 win over Hanover Park throwing 97 pitches. Look for Busanic and Hinchliffe to duel on the mound. RFH’s pitching depth will serve them well as John Goodes, Owen O’Toole, Cal Champeau and Matt Bruno are waiting and ready to go in case Hinchliffe hits a wall, but the RFH ace has given up just two earned runs in his last 27.2 innings pitched with 33 strikeouts and just five walks. Dominic Musco is the Broncos’ top hitter with a .451 batting average with three homers and 22 RBIs.
Following a 20-2 loss to Don Bosco Prep in the Bergen County tournament, the Broncos have rolled off eight straight with the most impressive being a 3-1 victory over Ramsey. RFH hopes to replicate its last two games with early runs and leaning on its arms.
The article originally appeared in the June 8 – 14, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
