By Calvin Lymper, ‘25
Pictured above: The Lions celebrate the 2024 Diamond Classic victory (picture from Andrew Mills of NJ.com)
The Cherry Hill West Lions’ baseball team engraved their name into history on May 16, 2024, at Alcyon Lake Park in Pitman, in a 3-1 victory in the Diamond Classic final over number 1 seed Delsea. It would be the first Diamond Classic trophy returning to West since 1989, and it was a long time coming for Coach McMaster’s incredible squad.
The Lions came off last year’s semifinal loss to a familiar Delsea team, so revenge was surely in the mind of the boys on the field. The game wasn’t anything explosive on the offensive side for West, the first hit coming off a bunt by Andrew Bechtel in the third inning. The bunt placed runners in position for Jon Young Jr.’s RBI single and a sac fly from Leo Orefice to gain an early lead of 2-0 going into the 4th. The third run for the Lions came in the sixth inning with a Grant Fournier single to bring in Orefice through home plate.
Pictured above: Ryder Garino mid-pitch (picture from Courier Post)
An otherwise quieter offensive performance by the Lions was no worry for McMaster. He had his ace, the South Carolina commit “Slim Reaper” Ryder Garino on the mound. According to the Courier Post, the Lions primarily won the battle by putting the baseball into “Garino’s right hand.” Garino showed out with 10 strikeouts in 6.1 innings, only allowing a stray run in the seventh inning. The future Gamecock was nearly mechanical, showing no signs of slowing down until sophomore Isayiah Pierce-Gonzalez was brought in for the final two outs of the game.
“When he runs out there,” Jon Young stated about Garino. “I know we’re going to beat the team we’re playing every time out. I think we can beat any team in the state, any team in the country, with him on the mound. He’s just different this year. He’s locked in, his mindset is just crazy.”
Garino knew this much was true himself. “I was spotting my breaking ball really well,” Garino explained. “When I can get that going, I don’t think anyone can hit me.”
Pictured above: Coach McMaster being doused in Gatorade in celebration (picture from Courier Post)
The Lions knew McMaster wanted this title especially, a tribute to his late father who passed away this last fall. The team has rallied around him the entire year, showing a sense of outstanding brotherhood all season. The trophy is rightfully McMaster’s, his dedication to the sport and the spirit of the school being shown within its shine.
“My son and I and my parents came to watch the Diamond final last year, watched it from the right-field hill out there,” McMaster said, as reported by the Courier Post. “After my father passed, our family and friends took up a collection and donated a bench up there. It has his name on it, some of his sayings and kind of what he was all about… I feel like he was watching down on us either from up there (looking skyward) or from the right-field stands. I’ll remember this the rest of my life.”