2001 Baseball Team

The 2001 Peddie baseball team had what is arguably the greatest year in Peddie baseball history, finishing with a 22-2 record and winning both the state and MAPL championships. The only two losses of the year were a 5-4 loss to Gloucester Catholic (the No. 1 team in the state) and a 3-2 loss to Steinert in the Mercer County Championship game. After the early season loss to Gloucester, Peddie stormed through the rest of the regular season, winning 16 straight games before heading into the Mercer County tournament. Despite failing to win their second Mercer County championship in three years, Peddie’s showdown against Steinert was a matchup of two of the best teams of that decade. That Mercer County championship game continues to rank as one of the best matchups in recent county history. (All told, there were probably six future professional baseball players on the field!) Peddie rebounded from that loss by dispatching its opponents in the Prep state tournament with ruthless efficiency. In the state finals, Peddie finished the season with an exclamation point by beating Blair 17-1. Blair, who finished the season at 21-6, lost five times to Peddie.

All season, Falcons were dominant in every facet of the game. Offensively, Peddie hit .378 as a team, including four players who hit over .400, eight players with at least 20 hits, two players with at least 30 runs scored, and two players with at least 30 RBIs. For the season, Peddie outscored their opponents 230 to 69. On the mound, Peddie’s pitching staff not only limited opponents to 69 runs, but in 156 innings held opponents to 122 hits while striking out 151. While the individual achievements on this team are too numerous to list, this team was comprised of players who went on to play high-level college and professional baseball. While baseball statistics are valuable, they can never tell the true story about a team. The greatness of this team was not simply its talent or its statistical domination of its opponents, but was their drive, focus, and “attention to detail.” This team had a tremendous respect for the game that created a culture and expectation of excellence. They had high expectations for themselves and for each other. They were friends on and off the field who wanted to compete for their teammates, their coaches, and their school. Ten years removed, there is no doubt that the 2001 Peddie baseball team established itself as one of the best teams in Mercer County over the past 15 years and perhaps as the best Peddie baseball team ever.