Spotswood’s Carter Cumiskey struck out ten – and also homered – in a 7-3 road win over Somerville on April 15, 2024. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)
Seton Hall commit Carter Cumiskey pitched a complete game, striking out ten, for his third win in as many starts this season, while hitting a solo home run to help his cause, in a 7-3 non-conference win for No. 5 Spotswood over Somerville.
In a game heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio at Torpey Athletic Conference in Bridgewater, the Chargers continued their torrid start, now 7-0 on the year, after last year’s team began the 2023 campaign with nine straight wins.
Spotswood got on the board first, scoring a run in the top of the second. Brandon Rivera led off with a double, a groundout to first got him to third, and a groundout by Colin Pfeiffer to short scored him.
The Chargers added another run in the third when Cumiskey hit a solo homer to right center.
Somerville cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning. Jacob Nash singled with one out, and nine-hitter Chase Insabella scored him with a triple, but he and Chase Koplitz – who followed with a single – when Cumiskey struck out the next two hitters.
Spotswood added three in a fourth inning where they sent nine men to the plate. Four-hitter Mason Bitalla led off with a single. After Rivera grounded out, Ryan Orth knocked him in with a single to make it 3-1. After Pfeiffer struck out, nine-hitter Seb Saracino singled to make it 4-1, and Breckyn DeAngelis followed with an RBI single of his own to make it 5-1. But Somerville limited the damage when starter Ryan Chiesla got Will Buchan to ground out to end the inning after intentionally walking Cumiskey.
From there, Cumiskey seemed to get stronger, at one point recording seven Ks out of eight outs spanning the third, fourth and fifth innings.
Spotswood added two more in the top of the sixth. Lubin and Saracino began the inning with back-to-back walks. Lubin advanced to third on a wild pitch, and later scored on another. Mason Bitalla singled home the seventh run.
Somerville got back two in the bottom of the inning, but that was as close as they would get. Ethan Flynn reached on a ball to short bobbled by Buchan, then Robbie Wright reached on a single. After Dylan Hornick lined out to first, Nash reached on a fielder’s choice that erased Wright at second, but Chase Insabella doubled to right driving in two.
At that point, Cumiskey bore down yet again and struck out Koplitz to end the threat, and he got Somerville (2-3) 1-2-3 in the seventh to close out the game.
The win was No. 299 for Spotswood head coach Glenny Fredricks, who has been the Chargers’ mentor since 2005. He’ll go for 300 Thursday when the Chargers host Marlboro.
Click below for postgame reaction from Spotswood junior Carter Cumiskey and head coach Glenny Fredricks, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen: