MUSTANG ROUNDUP
by Rudy Brandl, Sports Editor
Manville High’s diamond teams waited around for almost a week in between their games and the rust showed.
Both the MHS baseball and softball teams weren’t in action all week after their opening round losses in the Somerset County Tournament the previous weekend. The Mustangs were hoping to get back in a groove against a beatable South Hunterdon foe Tuesday but heavy rain caused the games to be postponed.
The baseball team, which couldn’t play until Thursday because of rain and wet fields, got back into action against a very good Bernards club at home in Manville. After a scoreless opening frame, the Mountaineers piled on the runs in the next two innings en route to a 15-1 mercy rule victory.
Shortstop Brendan Nurnberger singled and senior Nick DeSantis took the loss on the mound for the Mustangs.
The Mustangs, who had won the previous Friday in a 14-4 mercy rule decision over St. Mary’s, had high hopes of breaking through for their third victory against Somerset Tech on the road last Friday. The last time MHS hit the road to face a Tech school, they posted their first win of the season in Perth Amboy on April 9.
Somerset Tech (8-3) proved to be a stronger team than in most recent years. Tech bolted to a 6-0 lead after three innings and played errorless ball in a 7-2 victory. Nick Pankowski led the Mustangs with a 2-for-3 afternoon at the plate.
The Mustangs (2-8) were set to host Gill St. Bernards Monday and play consecutive road games at Delaware Valley and Highland Park Thursday and Friday, respectively.
Bad weather
stops softball
momentum
The last thing a coach wants to see after her team plays well is a rainout.
Although the MHS softball team did not beat Ridge in the first round of the Somerset County Tournament on April 18, first-year head coach Carrie Smith liked what she saw from her improving squad. She felt the team was coming together and ready to make a move, especially with a few winnable games on tap.
The weather did not cooperate. Manville was washed out against South Hunterdon and Mount St. Mary’s and had already postponed Thursday’s contest at Bernards, so the team didn’t play until Friday. Manville hosted Rutgers Prep, one of the best teams in the county, and lost by a deceiving 12-2 score.
It was the same old story for the Mustangs. They hung tough for most of the game but one big inning turned the final score into a lopsided margin. Prep scored three in the top of the first but did not post another run until the fifth. Manville had chipped away for two runs and trailed just 3-2 after four innings. Prep got those runs back and turned the game into a rout with a six-run seventh inning.
Manville (1-6) will host Delaware Valley and Highland Park Thursday and Friday, respectively. The team still has makeups against Bound Brook, Mount St. Mary’s and Bernards in addition to a busy May slate.

