SAFE AND SOUND: Hun School baseball Chris Pontrella slides home to score a run in recent action. Last Sunday, senior outfielder Pontrella chipped in three RBIs to help top-seeded Hun edge second-seeded Blair 5-4 in the state Prep A championship game. It was the third straight Prep A crown for the Raiders, who ended the spring with a 15-6 record. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Chris Pontrella didn’t have a hit as the Hun School baseball team played the Blair Academy in the state Prep A championship game last Sunday.

But senior right fielder Pontrella turned out to be Hun’s key batter in the contest, knocking in three runs with two sacrifice flies and a squeeze play as the top-seeded Raiders pulled out a 5-4 win over second-seeded Blair, earning its third straight Prep A title in the process and ending the spring at 15-6.

Coming into the game, which was played at Rowland Field in Cranbury, Pontrella and his teammates were expecting a tense contest with the Buccaneers.

“The first game of the season, we came out and we actually crushed them, 17-0,” said Pontrella. “They showed up next time at our field a whole different team ready to play. After that, we knew that we would meet them here and it would be a great battle.”

Pontrella helped get Hun into the lead with a sacrifice fly in the first inning to drive in McGwire Tuffy as the Raiders went up 1-0.

“I was just trying to put it in play, Mac did all of the work,” said Pontrella.

“Adam Wijaya got him over to third that so the fly got us ahead and that is what we were trying to do.”

Hun built the lead to 3-0 but then Blair rallied with three runs in the top of the fourth and another in the top of the fifth to forge ahead 4-3.

“We were definitely down for a little bit, but we came in and we thought about it,” said Pontrella.

“We want to win this game more and it was going to come down to who wants to win it more, and we ended up on top.”

In the bottom of the fifth, Pontrella helped put Hun back on the winning track, lofting a fly to center field that scored Tuffy from third to make it 4-4.

“I just try to do whatever I can to get him in, whether it be a base hit or just a fly ball,” said Pontrella. “He gave me the pitch I wanted.”

Hun regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth on a sac fly by Blaney Soper and then senior pitcher Chris Murdock closed the door on Blair as Hun prevailed 5-4 to earn its Prep A three-peat.

“It is definitely really special; in my freshman year, I came up and we lost to Blair in the second game of the final,” said Pontrella. “It is great to finish the next three.”

In Pontrella’s view, there is a special feeling around the program that has helped explain its success.

“We really came together this year and that all started in the offseason doing stuff together, like pasta parties,” said Pontrella. “I think we have a really good future.”

Hun head coach Tom Monfiletto was proud to see his team come through in the title game.

“It is tough to win a championship especially when you know that it is single elimination and it is win or your season is over,” said Monfiletto.

“Being the home team gives you a little more comfort, knowing that you will get last try to hit.”

In the view of Monfiletto, Pontrella’s mental toughness was a key to the Hun triumph.

“Chris doesn’t jump off the page at you, he is our three hitter and he just competes at the plate and just gets the job done,” said Monfiletto.

“Having him in that position today was huge for us because he always came up with opportunities to get runs for us and he came through. It is not a surprise at all.”

The stellar relief job from Murdock, who had four strikeouts and gave up two hits and no runs in two and one-third innings of work, wasn’t surprising either. 

“I think putting Murdock on the mound in those last innings was big,” said Monfiletto

“That was the role he had for his last year. He has been amazing for us this year and I think that gave us a little more confidence.”

Although Hun was disappointed to lose in the Mercer County Tournament semis earlier in the week, ending with another Prep A title is an amazing achievement.

“This is always awesome because you want to compete against your peers,” said Monfiletto. “Knowing that we came out on top three years in a row is a difficult thing to do for sure. It is a great way to end the season.”

Monfiletto was happy to see his senior group of Justin Dirk, Adam Zucatti, Alex Cukier, Mark Massad, Frank Del Guercio, Thomas Ramsay, Wijaya, Murdock, and Pontrella enjoy a happy ending.

“They made a big impact on this program, even the guys that didn’t get on the field as much,” said Monfiletto. “Nobody has shown more of a work ethic or a sense of care for one another. That is going to last for a really long time, on top of the stuff they did on the field.”

Pontrella, for his part, is leaving with lasting memories of his time with his Hun teammates.

“It is amazing to go out like this, to win the championship,” said Pontrella, who is headed to Boston College.

“I am sad to be leaving, but at the same time, I am really happy. I will definitely  remember the big games we won like the state championships but just it was more being with the guys. I loved playing with them.”