Hagburg Propels Point Merchants to Doubleheader Sweep Over the Dodgers

In game two of a doubleheader at Point Pleasant Borough High School, backstop Elliot Hagburg stole the show for the Point Pleasant Merchants.

The Merchants’ catcher slugged a two-run homer and drove in three runs in an 8-2 victory over the Dodgers on Sunday evening.

With his team down one in the second, Hagburg drove a Shane Conners offering well over the left field fence for a two-run homer, which gave his squad the lead. From there, the Merchants' offense took off.

“With their guy, I just tried to sit back and drive the ball up the middle,” said Hagburg. “If you try to do too much, you’ll get yourself in trouble. I had two strikes, I tried to stay short, and I ran into one and it was nice to see it go out of the yard.”

The Merchants tacked on an additional run in the frame when pitcher Chris McKenna helped himself and smashed an RBI single to center field, which capped the three-run second inning.

It turned out that those three runs would be more than enough run support for the young hurler.

McKenna went the distance, allowing two runs over six hits and striking out nine batters.

For the veteran backstop Hagburg, who has seen his fair share of good pitchers over the years, he came away impressed with the stuff of the young McKenna.

McKenna will attend Monmouth University in the fall.

“I thought he threw the ball very well,” said Hagburg. “He worked down in the zone, he challenged the hitters, and that’s what you have to do in order to be successful.”

The backstop was continually in the ear of his young starter throughout the contest and tried to help his young pitcher any way he could.

“I feel it’s kind of the role of all the older guys here, to show the younger guys the way,” said Hagburg. “A lot of stuff you don’t learn in high school until you get to college. I like working with the young kids. They are very receptive and they’re only going to get better.”

The Merchants’ offense followed up its big second inning with two runs in the third inning and three runs in the fourth inning.

With one out in the third, Kyle Perry smashed a double and came around to score on a Hagburg sacrifice fly.

The sacrifice fly was Hagburg’s third RBI on the day.

In the fourth inning, with two on, Mitch Dressing smacked a triple down the right field line, which knocked both runs home and stretched the Merchants’ lead to 7-1.

After the Merchants tacked on an additional run, it was smooth sailing for McKenna the rest of the way.

“In both games, both of our pitchers did exactly what we needed them to do,” said Merchants’ skipper Art Rooney. “Pat in the first game was outstanding and so was McKenna in the nightcap.”

With the doubleheader sweep, the Merchants improved to 14-3 on the season and have solidified their position atop the American division.

“We like our chances, but I believe we can even get better,” said Rooney.  “We’re going to iron out a few more things, we’ll be getting some guys back from vacation and we’ll be right where we need to be.”