H.S. Baseball: Pompton Lakes picks up key win on rainy day

by | May 25, 2013

Pompton Lakes pitcher Sean Lindberg tossed a five-inning three-hitter and helped his own cause with a homer.

DON SMITH/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Pompton Lakes pitcher Sean Lindberg tossed a five-inning three-hitter and helped his own cause with a homer.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
The Pompton Lakes–Waldwick state tournament baseball game began during a downpour Friday afternoon at Passaic Tech. That’s how much Pompton Lakes players and coaches wanted to avoid having to play the two most important games of their season in what would’ve been an extremely rare doubleheader today. By beating Waldwick, 11-1, in a North 1, Group 1 quarterfinal Friday, Pompton Lakes gained an advantage over Wayne Valley, the Cardinals’ opponent in a Passaic County tournament semifinal today at Passaic Tech.

Wayne Valley’s North 1, Group 4 quarterfinal against Ridgewood was postponed Friday.

The Indians will play Ridgewood at 10 a.m. today at DePaul, which forced their Passaic County semifinal against Pompton Lakes to be shifted from 10:30 a.m. today to 3:30 p.m. The first Passaic County semifinal, which will pit fifth-seeded Wayne Hills against top-seeded Lakeland, still will be played at 1 p.m. today at Passaic Tech.

Wayne Valley players should have a couple of hours to rest in between tournament games today and the ride from DePaul to Passaic Tech is only about four miles. Nevertheless, this rain-induced scenario favors Pompton Lakes.

“I think it’s definitely an advantage,” said Pompton Lakes‘ Sean Lindberg, a senior right-hander who threw a three-hitter in the Cardinals’ five-inning win against Waldwick. “We only have one game [today], so we just have to get ready for that one. Whatever they do in the first game, they’re going to be tired coming here [for the Passaic County semifinal], so we probably have the edge.”

Lindberg gave second-seeded Pompton Lakes (20-4) quite an edge Friday. In addition to pitching well, he hit a three-run homer to right that gave the Cardinals an 11-1 advantage in the fourth inning and helped prevent playing two more innings in the rain due to the NJSIAA’s 10-run rule.

More than anything, the Cardinals were thrilled that they finished the game, the only one played Friday among baseball teams from Bergen and Passaic counties.

“That was a big part of it because if we delayed the game, who knows if you’re going to get postponed or canceled or whatever?,” said Pompton Lakes‘ Connor Lavin, a senior shortstop who hit a three-run homer in the second. “We didn’t want to use Sean and then find out that this game didn’t count. So it was big to score as many runs as possible.”

Lindberg still couldstart Pompton Lakes‘ North 1, Group 1 semifinal Tuesday against the winner of Cedar Grove–Emerson if the Cardinals can reach the Passaic County final, scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Monday at Passaic Tech. Junior lefty Kevin Magee will start today for Pompton Lakes and junior lefty Mike Coss would start Monday if the Cardinals win today. If Pompton Lakes loses today, Coss would start the state semifinal Tuesday.