By BRIAN TORTELLA
Correspondent
On X @tortreports
MULLICA HILL — Tyler Dell isn’t a big talker.
Instead, he lets his play on the field speak for him.
If that’s any indication of what’s to come for the Clearview Regional High baseball team, the Pioneers will be in good hands for the rest of the season.
Dell did just about everything he could on Monday, going 2-for-3 at the plate — including a home run — all while pitching a no-hitter as Clearview cruised to a 14-1, season-opening victory in five innings over Williamstown in a Tri-County Conference Royal Division matchup.
“It was a really good time,” Dell said. “Our team connection is awesome. Everyone looks forward to coming to practice and everyone has a great time there. That definitely helps. Energy; the fans definitely brought it today. It was huge. It helped me play better and helped everyone else play better.”
Said coach Nick Core, “he’s a senior and a great kid. The leader of our baseball team, four-year starter, three-year captain. He deserves it.
“He had a rough end to the season last year with the stick (batting). We wanted to keep at it, and he kept at it. He worked hard this off season with the stick. He had a great pitching year last year, too, but he’s a polished pitcher this year. No-hitter, home run, crushed it. He’s a big, strong kid and a good athlete. I expect the world of him this season.”
Dell started out the day with two strikeouts as Williamstown (0-1, 0-1 Tri-County Royal) failed to get anyone on base in the first inning. As soon as Clearview got on offense, the flood gates immediately opened. The Pioneers (1-0, 1-0 Tri-County Royal) jumped out to a commanding 7-0 lead after the opening inning behind hits from Pat Yurgin and Ryan Battista.
“We knew who we were going to face for a couple weeks now, Jimmy Gallagher,” Battista, who batted a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with three RBIs, said. “I just came out (with the mindset), ‘see ball, hit ball.’ One-through-nine we can hit. I feel amazing. When you win the first game of the season by 13 runs, how can you not feel amazing?”
Gallagher, a transfer from Gloucester Catholic who drew the start on the mound for Williamstown, just couldn’t seem to find his grove, as he allowed three hits and three walks during the Pioneers’ hot start.
“We’re a world of difference from last year to this year,” Core, in his second year at Clearview, said. “It’s a totally different culture. After the Highland playoff game last year (a 13-3 Pioneers win), I really harped on that.”
Those are some wise words from Core, considering last year’s team won two playoff games, including a stunning upset over Mainland in the South Jersey Group 3 quarterfinal round.
“It was a great preseason and it rolled right over to opening day,” he said. “The kids had a blast on the Myrtle Beach trip we took two weeks ago. It was a good bonding experience, we played a lot of good baseball, and it’s carried over since we came home.
“I think it’s a tighter group. The standard has been set, we talked about that. Last year, we had a rough start to the year. (As) new coaches, we didn’t know them, and they didn’t know us. We know the standard, the kids practice hard every day and it shows.”
WHAT’S NEXT: Clearview travels to GCIT on Wednesday at 3:45 p.m. Williamstown hosts Washington Township on Wednesday at 4 p.m.
