High‑school walk‑off drama

Caldwell scored three runs with two outs in the seventh inning on April 11, then won 4-3 when a wild pitch brought home Frank Anemone in West Caldwell. (nj.com) Rumson-Fair Haven led 3-1 entering the bottom of the seventh. Connor Sweeney reached on an error, Rich Musser was hit by a pitch, and Anemone’s single started the comeback before another error tied the game. (tapinto.net) On the first pitch to Vin Brown, the ball got past the catcher and Anemone scored from third with two outs. Anemone finished with both Caldwell hits, and Isaac Stern threw a complete game with five strikeouts, three walks and five hits allowed. (tapinto.net) The result moved Caldwell to 6-0 and handed Rumson-Fair Haven its first loss after a 5-0 start. NJ.com’s April 11 scoreboard listed the game as a meeting of two unbeaten teams. (nj.com) Rumson-Fair Haven had opened the season with wins over Barnegat, Toms River East and Freehold Township twice before beating Middletown North on April 10 for a 5-0 record. Caldwell had entered April 11 at 4-0 in its team page listings and then improved to 6-0 with the win over Rumson-Fair Haven. (nj.com, nj.com, nj.com) The game also fit the early profiles of both teams. Rumson-Fair Haven was picked first in Shore Conference Class B North in Shore Sports Insider’s preseason preview, while Caldwell opened 2026 under head coach Ryan Smith with a veteran roster that includes seniors Anemone, Brown, Musser and Sweeney. (shoresportsinsider.com, nj.com) Caldwell and Rumson-Fair Haven had met in the regular season last year, too, with Caldwell winning 6-2 in Rumson on April 26, 2025. This time, the margin was smaller and the finish turned on one pitch that skipped away in the seventh. (nj.com, tapinto.net) By the end, Caldwell had only two hits and still left with a 4-3 win, because its last inning turned one error, one hit batter, one single, another error and one wild pitch into three runs. (tapinto.net)