It was another offensive explosion for the Middlesex Blue Jays, the top-seed which has won two of its three state playoff games in 2021 by the 10-run mercy rule.
They beat Florence yesterday at Mountainview Park in the sectional semifinals of the state playoffs 11-0 on a walkoff two-RBI single by Ryan Vollmer. Vollmer also had a three-run homer in the Blue Jays’ breakout fifth inning.
Mark Geist hit a two-run homer, while Vollmer delivered the knockout blow, a two-RBI single in the bottom of the fifth that put Middlesex over the Mercy rule threshhold.
Stephen Young added a first-pitch two-RBI double in the bottom of the second.
Middlesex has now outscored its state playoff opponents 33-1 in three games.
The win puts Middlesex (19-4) in the Central Jersey Group One Championship Game Friday at 1 pm at Mountainview Park against 6th-seed Point Pleasant Beach (15-7). It’s their third straight title game against the Garnet Gulls, with the Jays having won both previous meetings.
In fact, Middlesex has won its last five against Point Beach, going back to the Jays’ drop down from Group 2 following the 2012 season. And they have outscored them 39-5, including a shutout in the 2018 title game.
Click below to hear highlights of all 11 Middlesex runs scored in their CJ1 semifinal victory over Florence: