CHERRY HILL (N.J.) - Shawnee High School senior Reid Uccello earned himself the cowboy hat. It's the reward given to the player of the game as selected by the Renegades' coaching staff for each win.
The senior blasted a three-run home run in the top of the seventh inning to erase a 3-0 deficit to Olympic Conference Patriot Division rival Cherry Hill West and force extra innings. Penn commit Nick O'Brien provided a one-run double in the top of the eighth as the Renegades held on for a 4-3 victory.
"I was just going up there looking for a fastball to hit," Uccello said. "I knew what pitch I wanted to drive, and it somehow ended up over the fence."
The Lehigh commit went 2-for-4 with a home run, three runs batted in and a run scored.
Shawnee's Reid Uccello blasted a three-run home run to force a 3-3 tie in the top of the seventh inning against Cherry Hill West. The Renegades etched out a 4-3 win over the Lions in eight innings at Cherry Hill High School West in Cherry Hill, New Jersey on Monday, May 1, 2023. Chris Baker/D2 Sports Network
The Renegades improved their record to 13-1 with their 13th consecutive win.
Cherry Hill West plated three runs over the first three innings but was held scoreless over the final five innings.
Ryder Garino stifled the Renegades over the first six innings on the mound as he allowed no runs until the seventh inning for Cherry Hill West. Garino allowed three runs, one walk, four hits, and fanned 13 batters in seven innings pitched.
James Madison commit Jackson Logar pitched six innings and allowed three runs (one earned), two hits, three walks, and struck out eight opponents for Shawnee.
The Renegades active streak of 13 consecutive wins hasn't been a walk in the park.
"Overall, we got outplayed today," Shawnee coach Brian Anderson said. "West outplayed us today to be honest so hats off to them. We just made some timely hits at the end to pull this win out. ... This situation isn't new to us this season, so we know how to react in these kinds of games."
The Renegades will play Olympic Conference foes Moorestown, Winslow and Eastern before their drawing in the 49th annual Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic. Shawnee earned the top seed in the yearly tournament and will host the winner of Cherry Hill West and Lenape in Medford on Saturday.