DePaul Baseball Advances to Sectional Final with Victory Over Bergen Catholic

WAYNE – On a day filled with celebrations, Jason Amalbert and his fellow seniors donned their graduation gowns in the morning and baseball uniforms in the afternoon, culminating in a triumphant 8-5 victory against division rival Bergen Catholic in the North Non-Public A semifinals on June 2. This victory secures DePaul a spot in the sectional final for the second consecutive year. "Graduating, and going out and beating a team, a rival, just like this, it's cool," Amalbert remarked.

The game concluded in a dramatic fashion characteristic of North Jersey, with DePaul executing an unconventional out to seal their win. With the bases loaded and two outs, Bergen Catholic's Thomas Harmke hit a ground ball that would have normally produced a run. However, due to the short right field, sophomore Eric Marano was able to field the ball on the run and make a quick throw to senior Jaydyn Dowd at first base for the final out. "We practice it, and it’s a testament to their preparation," said DePaul's first-year coach Joe Gambardella, praising Marano's poise under pressure.

Amalbert played a pivotal role in the game, going 2 for 2 with a two-run home run and contributing two RBIs, three runs scored, and three stolen bases. His homer in the second inning put DePaul ahead, while freshman Jackson Toland's solo shot also in the second tied the game at 2-2. Bergen Catholic's Aquiles Hache stood out with three hits, a walk, two runs, and an RBI, while Michael Alberto's two-run homer in the fifth brought the score to 8-4.

Bergen Catholic's coach Bob Muggeo expressed pride in his team's effort despite the loss. "Obviously the end of the season is always disappointing. I’m proud of my guys... today they were a better team," he said.

As the second seed, DePaul (22-5) is set to face the top-seeded Delbarton (26-4) in the North Non-Public A final on June 4 at 4:30 p.m. Delbarton secured their place by defeating Seton Hall Prep, 2-0. DePaul aims to capture their first sectional title since 2018, after falling short in last year's final to Don Bosco. Coach Gambardella emphasized the team’s focus on achieving their goals, stating, "We came here to win the conference first, we did that, then to win the county, and we did that, and the last goal is right in front of us." Amalbert added, "Going there back-to-back years, it means something special. This time we’re going to try and bring it home."

In terms of pitching, DePaul's trio accounted for 15 strikeouts, with junior Chase Colaianni earning the win after striking out 12 batters over 5 2/3 innings. Junior Jackson Schessler closed the sixth with a strikeout, while senior Christopher Marano faced challenges in the seventh but ultimately secured the win with two strikeouts and the final putout.