Montville, NJ —

David vs Goliath. Public vs Private. Cinderella vs the Favorite. The 2024 Morris County Baseball Tournament’s final round has it all with the 12-seeded Chatham Cougars squaring off against the four-time defending champion Delbarton Green Wave. The Cougars will not only be trying to complete a wild run as a double-digit seed but are vying for their first Morris County title in baseball during the 56 years of the tournament. On the other side, the Green Wave have been here before, and are trying to win their fifth straight county finals and their 10th overall. First pitch is set to be thrown at 7 pm under the lights at Montville High School, with coverage beginning at 6:55 pm on the Big State Sports YouTube Channel.

What to Expect

It’s easy to look at the tournament history and the seeding of the teams and think that Delbarton should win this contest handily. They are, after all, one of the finest baseball programs in the state and currently boast a roster featuring eight college-committed players. However, the same could be said about Morris Knolls, who have seven players committed to play college baseball, and we all saw how that turned out on Saturday.

Baseball at higher levels has its postseason rounds determined by series, and it is fair to say that the Green Wave would very likely be a lock to win if this were a best of five or even three. However, that’s not the case here, and as we’ve learned from best-of-ones from the old MLB Wild Card Round to past county tournaments, anything is possible on any given night with America’s Pastime. There’s something about Chatham coach Todd Leathers that gives him the ability to motivate and get the most out of his teams come playoff time, and that intangible is something that cannot be ignored on Thursday.

Part of what makes this final so interesting is the wide array of reasonable outcomes. Could we see a pitcher’s duel with a late score deciding a one-run game? Sure. Is there a chance that Delbarton hits the lights out of the Cougars’ pitching staff and the game feels over before the fourth? Absolutely. But if I know anything about baseball, it’s that the improbable likes to find a way to become reality and that’s why my best prediction for this contest is the old cliche of: expect the unexpected.

What Chatham Needs To Win

You wouldn’t think it with a 7-9 team going up against a 21-win squad that’s won four straight against them in the past two seasons, but Chatham actually has a pretty simple path to victory. Get another lights-out pitching performance from junior Wes Maksimow and score at least three runs.

Why three? In seven pitching appearances this season, Maksimow has allowed fewer than three runs six times. Chatham is 5-1 in those games, 7-5 when scoring at least three times, and 0-4 otherwise. Now this certainly won’t be easy (simple and easy may share a positive connotation but are not synonymous), especially against a team averaging 8.3 runs per game and with a staff ERA of 1.94 (just 0.14 higher than Maksimow’s or a 2023 Aiden Dill).

Still, to draw another comparison to the Golden Eagles, they had a staff ERA of 2.30 before the semifinals, so again, there is a blueprint.

What Delbarton Needs To Win

To continue keeping things simple, all the Green Wave has to do to win their fifth title in a row and tenth overall is to not beat themselves. Head Coach Bruce Shatel has over 900 career wins in baseball and hockey combined for a reason: his teams do all the little things right. You will rarely see a game of theirs where errors snowball and or walks get out of control. It just doesn’t happen to this team, and not by accident either.

Likely starter, senior Aiden Dill (Seton Hall), is the epitome of mastering what he can control on the mound, earning tournament MVP honors the last two seasons, and not allowing a single run on his watch in each of the last two semifinal rounds.

The defense and lineup operate the same way, making clean plays in the field and putting together competitive plate appearances each time out there. As long as Delbarton can stick to their game plan, they have an excellent chance to win.

Players to Watch

Outside of the probable starting pitchers, both teams will trot out a number of key players that will almost assuredly have a major impact on the game.

Starting with Chatham, all eyes will be on senior catcher Trent Jenks (Hofstra). Jenks has been the heart and soul of the offense all season long, leading the team in runs scored (12), RBI (15), home runs (4), and slugging percentage (.771). He led by example on Saturday, going two for three against Morris Knolls including a solo homer and a walk. He’ll be joined in the middle of the order by first basemen Justin Regno, who is not only hitting a team-high .412 this season but is a clear energy guy on the team, getting fired up after each out in the semifinals.

On the Delbarton side of things, our first name is someone who we may not even see on the mound, Christian Zebrowski (Middlebury). The stud reliever is pitching to a 0.50 ERA and hasn’t let up an earned run since April 30th, a game in which he tossed a season-high five innings. He’s got a lively fastball to headline his effective mix of pitches, and will likely be called at the first sign of trouble, much like Saturday when he recorded a five-out save against Randolph.

When filling out your lineup card, be sure to highlight the names of the Green Wave’s two ACC commits, senior Jack Harley (Virginia Tech), and sophomore Sal Garcia (Duke). Harley is in the midst of his third straight season of at least 25 hits, 28 RBI, 10 walks, and a .431 average. This kid can hit and can do so against any pitcher the Garden State can throw at him. The same goes for Garcia, who has 10 multi-hit games this season, and already has 60 hits, 53 RBI, and 22 stolen bases in his young career.

We hope you enjoy our coverage of the Morris County Tournament Baseball Finals at 7 pm on Thursday, May 16th Featuring myself and David Hashagen on the call. Big State Sports will also broadcast the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex and Somerset County baseball finals on the 17th and 23rd respectively.

-Stay Frosty