On April 19th, the 6-1 Dodgers faced off against the 6-1 Pequannock Panthers in a senior night showdown at Dodge field. Madison came out swinging with 7 runs in the first inning to Pequannock’s one. However, the Panthers quickly answered by stuffing the Dodgers and scoring 5 runs. Past the first two innings it became a defensive struggle with both teams, but especially Madison, struggling at bat.

The final score of this back and forth duel was 12-10 with the Panthers pulling out the victory. Much of Pequannock’s success can be attributed to star pitcher and shortstop, Joe Sabbath. Last year Sabbath’s batting average was a strong .425, and has improved this season to .474. Sabbath had 2 hits and 2 runs including a home run, and 2 runs batted in. He is also committed to pitch at the University of Rhode Island next year. John Vanaria also had a stellar performance with 3 runs, 3 hits, and 3 runs batted in.

The Dodgers also showed up in a big way with many standout performances. Robert Ferris led the team with 1 run, 2 doubles, 4 runs batted in and displayed his speed with 2 stolen bases. Carmine Toto and Sam Berk also each had a stolen base. Carmine led the team with 2 runs. The rest of the team each had at least 1 run with the exception of Sean Mariani, who had Dante Izzo fill in as his pinch runner. Both teams played well and displayed their talent, however, Pequannock’s 15 hits, nearly doubled Madison’s 8 and helped the Panthers secure the victory.

After the tough senior night loss, Madison lost their next two games to Hanover Park and Mountain Lakes, who also bested the Dodgers in their season opener 3-2. However, the Dodgers have proved that this 3 game losing streak is only a bump in the road, as they have quickly recovered and won their next two games. The Dodgers defeated Par Hills 11-3 on April 24th with great performances from Kyle Piechnik, with 4 runs and 5 runs batted in, and Jack Eckhardt with 3 strikeouts. The Dodgers continued rolling with a victory over Kinnelon 13-1 two days later. Carmine Toto and Colin Melvin led the team with 3 runs and 3 runs batted in respectively. These two beatdowns have proven that this team refuses to quit. The Dodgers still have 10 games remaining, not including any possible playoff appearances. However, they have made it through the toughest part of their schedule and seem to be gaining momentum at the perfect time.