When the North Jersey Eagles entered their July 22nd doubleheader with the Jersey Pilots, their magic number was two. Any combination of Eagle wins and Ocean Gull loses would clinch their first playoff berth since they captured the ACBL championship in 2013. They could not sweep the twin bill to control their own destiny, falling 3-2 in an eight inning affair to open the day. However, once it was all set and done at FDU, the Eagles had a 4-0 game two victory and a guaranteed playoff spot.

            After taking one of two from the ACBL’s seventh place team, North Jersey moved to 17-12-1, while Jersey sits at 11-20.

            After falling behind 1-0 in the top of 3rd inning of game one, the Eagles came back to score two in the bottom half. Christian Sepulveda and Anthony DeFrancesco led off with a pair of base knocks, with Sepulveda moving all the way to third base on DeFrancesco’s single. Shane Woelfel then juiced the bases, drawing a walk from Jersey starter Brett Lubreski.

            Tyler McAvoy struck out for the first out. Then, Jimmy Huber drew yet another base on balls with three Eagles on the pond, to tie the game 1-1. Brian Kelly followed up with an RBI, when the Pilots could not turn two on a grounder to second, allowing DeFrancesco to score.

            Jersey’s Adam Tricarico tied the game back up with a one out solo homer in the fourth. Eagle starter Alex Mack and reliever Jose Sierra did the work from there, allowing just one hit over the next three frames.

            With one out in inning eight of an originally scheduled 7 frame affair, Colby Smith walked and took second on a wild pitch. He reached 90 feet from home on a passed ball, while Max Felsenstein walked at the plate. After Tom Schumacher recorded the second out, Felsenstein was going on a 1-2 pitch to Jack Chernow. The catcher Cris Ruiz’s throw sailed over second baseman, allowing Smith to score the eventual winning run.

            Woelfel, Sepulveda, and DeFrancessco all had two hit days for North Jersey.

            They may have lost, but the good news for the Eagles was the Gulls had lost to Quakertown in game one of their twin bill 16-3. That meant that if the Eagles win game two, or the Gulls lose their second game, the North Jersey Eagles will play August baseball.

            The scoring opened with a bang in the first inning of game two when Luis Amaro sent one over the right field fence to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead. This gives Luis eight home runs for the season, and that marks the most ever hit by an Eagle in a single season.

            North Jersey added two more in the home half of the third with a lot of activity on the base paths. Sepulveda led off frame with a single and advanced to second on a fielder’s choice. He then got caught in a rundown off of second base, but was able to dodge all the tags and finagle his way to third. With one out, the shortstop sped home on a wild pitch to McAvoy, putting North Jersey up 2-0.

            After Sepulveda scored, Tyler McAvoy then walked.  Tyler stole second, and then advanced to third on a wild pitch.  The batter, Bobby Shannon, then plated him with a base knock. The Ramapo College Road Runner made it 4-0 with an RBI double scoring Tommy Genuario in the seventh inning.

            Along with his 2 hits, 2RBI day, Amaro had another base hit in the 5th.  Armando Ovalles, Christian Sepulveda and Tom Genuario all contributed to the offense with singles.

            The 4-0 lead was all needed by the Eagle starter Ryan Aquino. The right hander from Pace University tossed 7.2 shutout innings, scattering six hits and striking out five, for the win. Eagle closer Corey Sawyer completed the shutout, recording the final four outs, good for his ACBL league leading fifth save.

            Even if the Eagles had lost the game, they would have been a playoff team. The Gulls lost to the Blazers 7-4, in a game cut short by rain. However, with the victory, they get a win on a day when they are guaranteed a playoff spot.

            The “Pennsylvania Circuit" is on the docket for North Jersey before August baseball. Two games with Allentown on Thursday at ECTB stadium, a pair with Quakertown at FDU on Saturday and yet another doubleheader against Quakertown on Sunday.

• Thomas Terzulli Jr.