By BRIAN TORTELLA

Correspondent

On X @tortreports

Two games in one day? No problem for the Pitman High baseball team. 

Two non-tournament games in a day doesn’t come around that often in high school baseball. Despite already being set to take on Clayton at 10 a.m. on Saturday, coach John Hopely didn’t hesitate to reschedule the Panthers’ Senior Night game vs Overbrook to 6 p.m. that same evening after inclement weather washed out the game Friday night.

“We had to take care of business earlier in the day,” Hopely said. “We came out here ready to take on a competitive Overbrook team, they were coming in hot (having won seven in a row). We got on them early, and everything just took care of itself. We’re coming up on prom weekend, which is four days in Pitman. We needed to get the game in before the (state playoff) cut. Talking to the kids, they were down for it, and we were ready for it.”

Certainly ready and prepared as Pitman (15-5, 5-1 in Tri-County Classic) defeated Clayton (at Clayton) in the morning, and Overbrook, (9-8, 4-3 in Tri-County Diamond) 5-1 during the rescheduled Senior Night game.

Perfect at the plate in the night game, senior Stephen Devanney fueled the Panthers’ offense with three hits at three at-bats. He doubled in the first inning, sending the Sharkey twins (Brayden and Connor) home. Devanney stole a base shortly after, while Hudson Rue singled, sending him home to take the 3-0 lead at the end of the first inning. 

“I’m pretty tired, but it was pretty fun,” said Devanney. “(Overbrook) was talking a little bit at the beginning of the game, which really woke up everybody. We started the game off hot, something we haven’t really been doing.”

Devanney also went the distance on the mound, allowing just three hits while fanning five in the win. Needing one out in the top of the seventh, Hopely appeared to go on the field ready to relieve Devanney of his duties so that the crowd could give him a standing ovation for his performance. 

“He (Hopely) said ‘we’re going to give you a round of applause, let’s get you out of here,’” the new Immaculata University commit said. “I told him, ‘no I’m not coming out.’”

Said Hopely of Devanney: “He’s a solid kid, for real. He’s a bulldog, he wants the ball. He hits the ball all over the place. He’s a great team leader and leads by example. He’s a true baseball player.”

Pitman collected 10 hits in the nightcap. Brayden Sharkey made it home twice, adding three hits in four at-bats. Twin brother Connor collected two hits. 

As of Sunday morning, Pitman is tied for third place in the South Jersey Group 1 playoff standings race with Pennsville. Each program has 397 power points. Audubon (No. 1; 471 power points) and Gloucester (No. 2; 435) sit atop the sectional seeding with one week of regular-season action remaining.

“We have four big games coming up, including Pennsville, which is going to be for the division,” Hopely said. “The playoffs are going to come quickly.” 

WHAT’S NEXT: Pitman hosts Wildwood at 3:30 p.m. on Monday. Overbrook hosts Camden Tech on Monday at 3:45 p.m.