MILLBURN –– The Millers have consistently been one of the top public schools teams in the state year in and year out, and it makes sense – a coach in Brian Chapman who gets the most out of his guys and within a district and area that is flooded with quality high school baseball talent, the big wins seem to just find Millburn.

On this day was no different. Every year, the matchups between Millburn and Seton Hall Prep are certainly games to circle. Another high quality program under a Hall of Fame head coach – Coach Sheppard and the Pirates are routinely in the top 10 in the state as well.

Coach Chapman and the Millers looked to ace Kyle Mazer on this day, and Mazer did everything he could to keep the Pirate bats at bay. However, on the other side, with Seton Hall Prep's Tulane recruit 2018 John Ariza. Ariza would end up out dueling Mazer for 6.2 innings – but it was that last out that he could not record.

Millburn jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when leadoff hitter Ben Pampush reached on a catcher's interference and ended up scoring on 2018 Rutgers recruit Peter Serruto's RBI single. The Millers would only score in the bookends of the game as a result.

Both Mazer and Ariza cruised through the middle part of the game, both pinning up zeros through the second and third innings. In the top of the fourth, Seton Hall took the lead with two runs. With two down, 2018 OF Brian Kelly walked and Tyler Kaufman singled to make it first and second. Holy Cross recruit 2018 Frank Spano came to the plate and with two strikes, drove a hard hit line drive that split the left center field gap and kept rolling. Kelly scored easily and Kaufman scored all the way from first base.

Spano 2-Run Double

Spano comes through – big 2-run double to LCF. Seton Hall Prep takes a 2-1 lead here in the top of the 4th. pic.twitter.com/toLgKGZQav

— PBR New Jersey (@PBRNewJersey) April 23, 2018

Mazer and Ariza would trade zeros again through the fifth and sixth innings, with Mazer posting a big shutout inning in the top of the 7th that stranded a runner at third base.

In the bottom of the 7th, Ariza ran into trouble. Until this point, Ariza had let up just two hits and struck out seven batters. But 2020 3B Ben Chrzanowski led off the 7th with a clean single through the left side and SS Peter Gula reached on an error by Ariza on a combacker that he threw high to 2B trying to turn a double play. No. 7 hitter Oren Abbott then would single with two strikes to load the bases with nobody out. After a mound visit, Ariza would fan the next two Millburn hitters on high fastballs to record two quick outs.

Then Pampush stepped in the box and this happened:

Millburn walks it off. Ben Pampush hard hit to 3B, misplay scores 2. Great diving stop.

FINAL: @MillburnBasebal 3, Seton Hall Prep 2. pic.twitter.com/ncj9LUE8Te

— PBR New Jersey (@PBRNewJersey) April 23, 2018

Pampush's hard hit one hopper was fielded at 3B with an incredible diving stop, but the play couldn't be finished as a high throw to turn a double play ended up scoring Gula on the back end.

However, even without the misplay, it seemed like the homeplate umpire with motioning as soon as the ball was hit that there was a catcher's interference on the play. With this said, according to Rule 5-1-2b of the National Federation of State High School Associations 2018 Baseball Rule Book, "a play is called a delayed dead ball when a catcher or any fielder obstructs a batter or runner; or obstructs the ball through the use of detached player equipment." In other words, the umpire motions that an obstruction call will be called as soon as time is given, and a ball in play on a catcher's interference will play out until then. Since Millburn would walk off and score two runs on the play, the rule need not apply – but would imply that the game would have continued on if an out was made anyway.

An incredible finish to a near flawless game played by both sides. It will be exciting to see what happens with these two teams as tournament time gets closer.

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