Andrew Schorr and Boomer Wickersham rapped first-inning RBI singles for Audubon (22-6), which advanced to face Central Jersey champion Florence in the state semifinals Tuesday at the College of New Jersey.
Haddon Township (17-7) managed just one hit but walked 11 times and received some strong work on the mound from senior righthander Kevin Griese.
"I couldn't ask for anything more from Kevin," Haddon Township coach Doug Richardson said. "He battled like crazy. I'm so proud of the whole team. Nothing was going our way, but we stayed in the game and had our chances."
Schorr, the East Carolina-bound lefthander who entered the game with a 9-1 record and two no-hitters, didn't allow a hit and struck out four in four-plus innings. But Schorr also walked nine and was replaced by Schroth with a runner on first and no outs in the fifth.
"We knew Andrew had pitched [two-plus innings] on Tuesday," Richardson said. "That was our plan, to try to make him work and see if we could get to their bullpen. But that kid [Schroth] came in and settled the game down for them."
It was an odd game, with four errors, 12 walks, a balk, two picked-off runners, a catcher's obstruction call, and an 8-5 fielder's choice that plated the tying run for Haddon Township in the fourth inning.
"The strangest thing was that Andrew didn't pitch the way he usually does," Schroth said.
Schroth said he thought he might get some action on the mound, since Schorr had pitched on Tuesday. Schroth allowed one hit with two walks, retiring eight of the last nine batters.
"This is one of the strangest games I've ever been around," Horan said. "But it's high school baseball. Strange things are going to happen."
The strangest thing might have been Schroth's winning hit.
Schroth said he entered the game with seven at-bats. He said he had two hits, both home runs, but the last one was against Paulsboro on April 24 - more than five weeks ago.
"We hit every day [in practice], and I took 100 swings before the game," Schroth said. "But it's not like facing live pitching."
With the score 2-2, Audubon senior third baseman Keith Michalski led off the bottom of the sixth with a double into the right-center gap. Doug Young's sacrifice moved pinch-runner Mike Tegan to third.
After Trevor Tassi was hit with a pitch, Schroth drove a 3-2 pitch into center field for an RBI single.
"I was just trying to make contact," Schroth said. "I knew we had a man on third and I was just trying to get him in."
Tyler Easterday led off the seventh with Haddon Township's one and only hit. After a sacrifice moved the tying run into scoring position, Schroth retired the Hawks' Nos. 3 and 4 hitters on fly balls to center field, with a little help from a strong wind that was blowing from right to left.
"It's baseball," Horan said. "Sometimes, it's just insane."
Haddon Township 0011000 - 213
Audubon 200001x - 371
WP: James Schroth. LP: Kevin Griese. 2B: A-Keith Michalski.
Contact Phil Anastasia at 856-779-3223, panastasia@phillynews.com or @PhilAnastasia on Twitter. Read his blog, "Jersey Side Sports," at www.philly.com/jerseysidesports
