COLLINGSWOOD (N.J.) - The Haddon Heights High School baseball team extended its winning streak to six games with an 8-3 victory over Collingswood in a Colonial Conference matchup on Tuesday. The victory ended a five-game win streak for the Panthers.
Haddon Heights' Mason Dobbs allowed no hits or runs while earning five strikeouts in three innings of relief work in an 8-3 win over Collingswood at Knight Park in Collingswood, New Jersey on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Chris Baker/D2 Sports Network
Haddon Heights scored the first run of the contest in the top of the first inning after a pair of infield errors.
The Panthers answered back in the bottom half of the inning with Noah Waldron scoring on a passed ball. Collingswood proceeded to establish a 3-2 lead after three innings.
Austin Bowker gave Haddon Heights a 4-3 lead on a one-run single and Jake Griess provided a two-run double to help break the game open in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Garnets scored added two additional runs in the frame to take an 8-3 lead.
Rowan College of South Jersey (Gloucester) commit Mason Dobbs hurled three innings of relief work and allowed no hits and no runs while walking five batters and fanning five to pick up the win on the mound.
Haddon Heights' offense has thrived in late innings in its recent outings. The Garnets also plated 11 runs in the bottom of the sixth inning in a 12-2 win over Gloucester.
"We know we're a good hitting team," Haddon Heights coach Eric Newell said. "Some games it takes us a little bit to get going, but we're going to work on staying more consistent with the bats."
Griess, Heights' leadoff hitter, reached base in three of his four at-bats and finished 1-for-2 with two runs batted in and three runs scored.
"I just try to get on base and let my guys do the rest of the work behind me," Griess said. "We've got guys who can hit all throughout the order so I like to set the tone for them and give them chances to bring in runs."
Dobbs was actually unaware of the score as he took the mound for his relief outing, but that didn't change his mindset.
"I thought we were ahead to be honest," Dobbs said. "Even if we were ahead it wouldn't have changed anything. I just go out there and try to give my team a chance to win regardless of the score."
The prestigious Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic is rapidly approaching, and the tournament is uncharted territory for Haddon Heights in recent memory. The Garnets are looking to change that.
"When we found out we got the auto bid, that was just another goal we added to our list," Griess said. "I'm not sure the last time we made the tournament but we're going to add it to our list of hardware we want to bring home."
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