<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3lIGx7_0t7MnBaA00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3lIGx7_0t7MnBaA00" width="1280" height="830" ><figcaption>Baseball: North Hunterdon vs. Phillipsburg, H/W/S Final, May 17, 2024</figcaption></figure>It was the moment of a lifetime.On Friday, North Hunterdon’s Nick Hernandez dug into the box in the bottom of the 11th inning in the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament championship.His team was tied at 5 with Phillipsburg in a contest that saw the offenses teeter-totter with scoring one run at a time.Hernandez had enough of that.With a 2-0 count, the Lions senior offered the biggest swing of his career and once the ball landed, Hernandez was in disbelief.Nick Hernandez towered a walk-off three-run home run in the 11th at Phillipsburg High School to give North Hunterdon their first HWS title since 2016 and was met by a mob of jubilant teammates at home plate in an 8-5 finish.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WALK. OFF. HOME. RUN. HWS Championship (11 innings) North Hunterdon 8 Phillipsburg 5 Nick Hernandez walk-off 3-run home run <a href="https://twitter.com/NHLionsBaseball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NHLionsBaseball</a><a href="https://twitter.com/NHHS_Lions?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NHHS_Lions</a><a href="https://t.co/iTHt1f3hTe">pic.twitter.com/iTHt1f3hTe</a>— PJ Potter (@PJ_Potter) <a href="https://twitter.com/PJ_Potter/status/1791608334874734786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote>“This was the biggest at-bat of my high school career,” Hernandez said. “I’m never going to forget this.”Hernandez had a flare for the dramatic, launching a lofty bat flip towards the North Hunterdon dugout.As he hopped up the first-base line, Hernandez’s hands were brought to the sides of his helmet due to the unbelievable moment he created.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2g42tw_0t7MnBaA00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2g42tw_0t7MnBaA00" width="1280" height="815" ><figcaption>Nick Hernandez (2) of North Hunterdon reacts after hitting a walk-off three-run home run to win the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex final on Friday. Scott Faytok | NJ Advance Media</figcaption></figure>Just one batter earlier, Tyler Anderson tied the game at 5 in the 11th with a two-run single, setting the table for Hernandez.Anderson barely had himself composed before Hernandez got 100 percent into his swing that sent fifth-seeded North Hunterdon home in a frenzy.“I see my teammates and friends going crazy and celebrating after I tied the game. I finally had a chance to catch my breath and then Nick just slammed one. ‘Oh my gosh’ I thought. I can’t believe that just happened,” Anderson said. “There was no feeling like that.”Anderson plated Nick Politi and Alex Famolari on the base knock. Famolari strung together a 5-for-6 performance from the three-spot in the order.Hernandez’s shot heard around the western part of New Jersey scored Zach Fronio, Anderson and himself. Fronio’s run was the game-winner.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=14SZMS_0t7MnBaA00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=14SZMS_0t7MnBaA00" width="1280" height="901" ><figcaption>Zach Fronio (28) of North Hunterdon scores the first run of the three-run home run by Nick Hernandez (not pictured) to win the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex final on Friday. Scott Faytok | NJ Advance Media</figcaption></figure>In the top-half of the 11th, the sixth-seeded Stateliners scored for the first time since the 5th inning.Jacob Kisselbach flicked the go-ahead two-RBI single up the middle to score Eddie Weindel and Mike Bracco from the nine-spot in the lineup.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">HWS Finals Top 11 | Pburg 5, NH 3<a href="https://twitter.com/Pburg_Baseball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Pburg_Baseball</a>’s Jacob Kisselbach 2-RBI single dribbles up the middle for the lead. Hit of a lifetime <a href="https://t.co/d0W7Yisi1E">pic.twitter.com/d0W7Yisi1E</a>— PJ Potter (@PJ_Potter) <a href="https://twitter.com/PJ_Potter/status/1791605699111215493?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote>North Hunterdon, who has now won 13 games in a row, never doubted themselves with everything on the line.“Our story the whole year was competing in close games. We are built for tough games,” Famolari said.Fronio, Chris Sand and Ben Linzer each threw for the Lions.Coming into the season, it was expected of North Hunterdon to showcase one of the best rotations in the state. During this stretch of wins, the Lions have thrown eight shutouts.They didn’t hold Phillipsburg scoreless, but they stepped up when it mattered most. The Lions arms stranded eight runners, including two in scoring position in the 11th.Linzer earned the win in four relief innings. Sand tossed three innings out of the bullpen and had four strikeouts.“Chris was phenomenal in relief. He entered in a tough spot and got the job done for us,” Linzer said.Fronio started, fanning four Stateliners in four innings. Fronio is a transfer from Rutgers Prep, and his team was thrilled to welcome him home and be part of a championship squad.“We always wanted Zach here. For him to impact this season the way he has, it’s been a blessing. He was big today, especially,” Anderson said.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2Sb1eb_0t7MnBaA00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2Sb1eb_0t7MnBaA00" width="1280" height="917" ><figcaption>Zach Fronio (28) and Chris Sand (14) of North Hunterdon kiss the trophy after winning the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex final on Friday. Scott Faytok | NJ Advance Media</figcaption></figure>Phillipsburg’s Eddie Weindel was everywhere. He spun five impressive relief innings with seven punch-outs and just one run allowed. He also delivered three hits at the dish and one RBI.Jared Diefenbach was the Stateliners’ starter and also threw five innings. Between Weindel and Diefenbach, they left 12 Lions runners stranded.“That was a battle between two teams that just would not quit,” North Hunterdon head coach Derek Yocum said.One of the biggest defensive plays came in the top of the 11th. Playing third base, Famolari fielded a hard-hit ball with a runner on third. He made the stop, then caught Phillipsburg on between the lines and recorded the out to limit the rally.North Hunterdon’s path to glory came with tournament wins over Newton, the reigning champs in Hunterdon Central and top-seeded Pope John.Whether it’s getting the big out, the jaw-dropping walk-off slam or making the heads-up play on defense, everything is coming together for North Hunterdon at the right time.“This is what we dreamed of. All I wanted to do was win with my best friends and I can’t describe how much this means to all of us, especially the seniors,” Linzer said.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4H7BlC_0t7MnBaA00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4H7BlC_0t7MnBaA00" width="1280" height="843" ><figcaption>North Hunterdon lifts up Nick Hernandez (2) after he hit the walk-off three-run home run to win the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex final over Phillipsburg on Friday. Scott Faytok | NJ Advance Media</figcaption></figure>Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.<a href="https://www.nj.com/staff/ppotter/posts.html">PJ Potter</a> may be reached at <a href="mailto:PPotter@njadvancemedia.com">PPotter@njadvancemedia.com</a>.</div></body>

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Unforgettable 11th-inning walk-off HR puts North Hunterdon past P’burg in H/W/S baseball final

It was the moment of a lifetime. On Friday, North Hunterdon’s Nick Hernandez dug into the box in the bottom of the 11th inning in the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament championship. His team was tied at 5 with Phillipsburg in a contest that saw the offenses teeter-totter with scoring one run...

Unforgettable 11th-inning walk-off HR puts North Hunterdon past P’burg in H/W/S baseball final

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