BORDENTOWN: Potts unhittable in opener

By: Kyle Moylan Sports Editor
    Behind the pitching of Tommy Potts and a lot of offense, the Bordentown High School baseball team defeated Willingboro, 11-1, on Thursday in a game stopped after five innings by the 10-run blowout rule.
    Potts pitched four no-hit and scoreless innings. Potts also had a RBI double.
    “He worked really hard in the off-season,” Bordentown Coach Joe Sprague said. “I’m not surprised Tommy did what he did.”
    Justin Ely pitched the fifth. Ely also had a two-run double. Peter Pulhac doubled in a run and scored three times for Bordentown.
    Potts is just one of three pitchers Bordentown is counting on this season. The other two are Pete Pulhac (senior) and Joey Gutowski (sophomore).
    “Pete is a leader,” Sprague said. “The other two are young, but Tommy has pitched since he was a freshman and Joey pitched last year. They know what it takes to be good.”
    Ernie Covington, Bordentown’s pitching coach, has also worked with the three a great deal in the off-
season.
    Unfortunately, weather prevented Pulhac and Gutowski from showing what they could do last week. Bordentown’s game against Maple Shade on Friday was canceled. The Collingswood Tournament, scheduled for Saturday, was also called off.
    Chris Papp, a senior, is the starter at catcher. Derek Chorba (second base) and Spike Pascual (center field) are other seniors that are returning starters.
    Bill Berrios is a senior that started last year at short. Scott Gorish (sophomore) started there in the opener.
    “It will work itself out,” Sprague said. “That’s what I always tell the guys.”
    Justin Ely, a junior, returns to start at first base.
    When he’s not pitching, Gutowski will play at third. When they are not pitching, either Potts or Pulhac will start in left.
    D.J. Kafer, a senior, will play right field. He played as a freshman and is now making a return.
    Backups on the team are Ryan Lawrence (senior that plays the outfield), Jared Umstead (senior that plays the outfield), Taylor Zachmann (a freshman outfielder) and Tim Loving (catcher).
    “We had a good start,” Sprague said. “I’m really excited about this team. The kids believe in what we’re doing and are willing to pick each other up.”
    Last year Bordentown was 9-10 and made the state playoffs. If the opener is any indication, this team should be heading back to the playoffs, probably with a much better seed and chance to last longer in the event.
    Bordentown was scheduled to play BCIT Medford on Tuesday. It will host Cinnaminson today (Thursday) at 3:45 p.m. Bordentown will play at Florence at 10 a.m. on Saturday and at Delran at 11 a.m. on Tuesday.