Kieran Callanan comes in with the first run of the game for Ridge in the state Group 4 semifinals at Ridgewood on June 8, 2026. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)
They say all good things must come to an end, and in this case, it applies not just to the game, but to the Ridge baseball team’s season.
The only team from the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area to win a sectional title this season saw its 2026 campaign come to an end in dramatic fashion Monday afternoon in Bergen County, as Ridgewood senior Hudson Feeney led off the bottom of the eighth with a solo home run to give the Maroons an 8-7 win over Ridge in the state Group 4 semifinals at Veterans’ park in Ridgewood.
In a game heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio, each team had plenty of chances, but didn’t always capitalize. Ridge left 13 runners on base, Ridgewood left a dozen. And the Red Devils had the bases loaded in the top of the eighth with two outs, but failed to score.
They almost didn’t get there. Ridgewood led 7-6 going into the top of the seventh, when DH Matt Pypcznske led off with a groundball to third that was booted. Then Toby Nicholson singled to left, but the left fielder Brody Perrapato saw it go off his glove, allowing Pypcznske to score the tying run. Then, on a line drive out to second baseman Justin Loffredo, he nearly got doubled off, but an errant throw – the third miscue of the inning – allowed him to go third. But he was stranded after Kieran Callanan struck out and Lucas Grob flied out to right.
Ridgewood took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second, but Ridge jumped ahead 3-1 in the top of the third. Callanan hit a fly ball to left that was dropped, turning it into a two-base error, and Lucas Grob reached on a throwing error to tie the game at one. Jake Dolan doubled, Casey Kucerka drove in the second run with a groundout to short, and Sawyer Paul reached on a 1-2 fielder’s choice that saw Dolan slide in safely to make it 3-1.
The Maroons added a run in the third, then got four in the top of the fourth – an inning that saw starter Lucas Liston hit three straight batters – but Ridge hung tough and got back in it. They wiped out a 6-3 deficit with three more in the top of the fifth. Kucerka was plunked to lead off the inning, and Sawyer Paul singled. Dimitri Romer doubled to cut it to 6-5, and after two strikeouts, Colin Newcomb singled to tie the game at 6-6.
Ridgewood would take the lead again in the bottom half, getting an RBI single from Alex DeAngelo.
Ridge saw its season end at 17-11, while Ridgewood improved to 24-7, and will face South Jersey Group 4 champion Kingsway in the state Group 4 title game at Rutgers, Sunday at 1 pm. Kingsway was a 9-1 home winner over Hunterdon Central in the other Group 4 semifinal Monday.
The win went to the Maroons’ Brady Ross (4-1) in relief. He threw four innings and allowed four hits, one unearned run, striking out three. Dolan (2-1) took the loss in a three-inning relief effort, his longest of the year in nine appearances.
Click below for postgame reaction from Ridge head coach Tom Blackwell with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko
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