High School Baseball:
Diamond Classic Continues Over Holiday Weekend

Saturday, May 27, 2000

By Art Redd
SJSports Staff Writer

Everyone has heard that old saying about April showers bringing us lots of flowers in the month of May. Well, it seems as if there would be a lot of flowers this season with the rain continuing over the three day weekend. The 27th Annual Joe Hartmann South Jersey Diamond Classic has had a very difficult time finding a weekend to complete the tournament. Again, with unfavorable weather predictions over the Memorial Day holiday, Washington Township hosted Millville in a quarterfinal game at Deptford High School.

Both of these teams scored double-digit runs in the first round of the Diamond Classic. Millville shout out St. James High 10-0, while Washington Twp. recorded a 15-6 victory over Ocean City. Washington Twp. wasted little time getting on the scoreboard in the first inning, when Mike Getty cleared the bases with a two run triple capping a four run inning. The Minutemen took advantage of mistakes by Millville to jump out to a 4-0 lead. In the top of the second, Millville got their first run with a solo homerun by Mike Eller.

The game continued into the fourth inning, and then the rain started. The familiar scene didn't stop the game as the fans pulled out their rain gear. Starting pitcher Chris Harrington had good control of his game as he kept Millville from scoring the rest of the way. Washington Twp. scored five runs in the sixth inning to advance in the tournament with a 9-1 victory.

Later in the day, four time champion of this tournament Gloucester Catholic defeated one time champs Shawnee High 7-4. Washington Twp. and Gloucester Catholic will meet in the semi-finals tomorrow at Deptford High School. The winner will travel to Union Field at West Deptford later that afternoon against the winner of Cherokee vs. Bishop Eustace or Gateway vs. Sacred Heart.

Photos by Jason Brown