The Personal Injury Attorney in Midland Park, NJ, You Can Trust

Coming into the 2025 season, Midland Park’s Braiden Russell was not a starting pitcher.

A fiery closer on the mound who releases from a 12 o’clock angle, Russell competes with an unmistakable passion.

Top 5 | Midland Park 4, Indian Hills 3@Braidenruss2026 gets 2 Ks this inning, and has 4 overall pic.twitter.com/LXqMgw2qys

— PJ Potter (@PJ_Potter) June 3, 2025

The junior right-hander had jokingly told his coaches all season long that he wanted his turn in the rotation, never quite expecting he’d actually be the guy getting the start in the biggest game of the year.

But after a couple of injuries to the Panthers’ staff, that’s exactly what happened.

On Tuesday, June 3 in Midland Park, in a postseason game that took twists and turns for both second-seeded Midland Park and sixth-seeded Indian Hills - whether it was big-time defensive plays or scoring in bunches - Braiden Russell found himself in the middle of it all.

Russell thrived in the chaos that was the NJSIAA North 1 Group 1 sectional semifinal, forging six strong innings to keep Midland Park on track.

He also delivered the game-winning hit in the bottom of the sixth inning, slicing a line drive down the left-field line to score Jason Vivino for the team’s first run in four innings.

“There was no way I was going down in that at-bat. There was just no way,” Russell said.

Handing the ball over to senior Connor Detrick - normally a starter - in the seventh inning, Midland Park hung on for the win.

Detrick fired a three-pitch save, securing the 5-4 Midland Park victory. The Panthers advance to the N1G1 sectional championship on June 5, where they will go for the program’s first section crown in history.

Just three weeks ago, Russell was given his first opportunity as a starter. Against Waldwick, he spun 10 strikeouts in six scoreless innings, but also walked six batters.

According to Russell, that sort of outing did not live up to the Midland Park gold standard that his teammates, Connor Detrick, Ryan Natoli, and Anthony Carrea have displayed in 2025.

“It was harder than I thought,” Russell said. “I wasn’t ready to be a starting pitcher at first. I had to figure it out.”

In two postseason starts (six scoreless innings against Butler on May 27), Russell has combined for 12 1/3 innings, walking just four total batters, including only one on Tuesday. He produced four strikeouts, which brings him to 47 total this spring.

“Braiden’s tough. His mentality as a pitcher has grown so much,” Midland Park head coach Frank Clark said. “He’s a real pitcher now. He’s a big-game pitcher.”

Indian Hills (13-11) had an opportunity to take the lead in the sixth inning. The Braves’ starting pitcher, Jack Birrer helped himself out with a game-tying RBI triple down the line in right field with one out to score Nico Speciale.

With the potential go-ahead run just 90 feet away, Russell didn’t let the pressure crush him. He quickly induced a soft grounder towards third base for an out, but Midland Park third baseman Shane O’Shea took it one step further.

The freshman tagged the runner out at third base for the second out, and despite his momentum going the opposite way, fired a throw to the first baseman’s chest for the final out, causing a Panther eruption in the dugout and beyond.

“Shane didn’t bat today. The kid is a mentally-strong freshman who only had to focus on playing a strong third base,” Clark said.

“These guys took Shane under his wing and believed in him. For him to come up with that play made all the difference. We are so proud of him.”

Midland Park (19-8-1) was able to put up a four-spot in the home-half of the second inning.

They were the first to grab the momentum, which saw the first four batters reach base.

Connor Shortway walked, then Anthony Carrea (2-for-3) and Ryan Kuhnel (2-for-3) each singled to load the bases.

Natoli then poked an infield RBI single for the game’s first run. In all three playoff games this tournament, Midland Park has scored first.

The Panthers wheeled two more runs on an error, and then Chase Shortway capped the frame with an RBI knock up the middle.

The Braves immediately responded with three runs to cut their deficit to one.

Matt O’Shaughnessy smacked an RBI double, followed by Nico Speciale’s RBI base hit. O’Shaughnessy, while standing on third base, scampered home following a pickoff attempt at first base.

Neither team would score for the two full innings, but each squad displayed some elite defensive prowess.

For Indian Hills, Speciale - at second base - somersaulted backwards on a pop-up. He managed to hang on to the baseball for the first out of the third inning.

For Midland Park, Connor Shortway flashed some leather at second base, too. Diving up the middle in the top-half of the third, he corralled a hard-hit line drive for the third out.

In the fourth, Panther catcher Chase Shortway threw a runner out at second base for the final out of the fourth inning.

For the first out of the top of the seventh, Jason Vivino sprinted towards the foul line in right field, slid on his knees, and made the grab for the putout.

Shortstop Ryan Fleming owned the second inning. He made a savvy double play, all by himself, by gobbling up a grounder, running to second base, then throwing to first.

He closed out the second inning in funky fashion. With a runner trying to steal second base, Fleming ran towards the bag, but the ball was hit in play. It fluttered in the opposite direction of Fleming’s run, but he showed off some athleticism by stopping in his tracks, falling towards the ball, back-handing the ground ball, then throwing to first base for the third out.

“Our defense is so important. These guys trust each other to make these plays, but boy were some of those plays impressive,” Clark said.

Midland Park has never won a sectional championship. They were knocked out of the first round of the state tournament in each of the last two seasons, and prevailed in an up-and-down 2025 season.

Tallying separate winning streaks of six games, five games, and four games (twice), the Panthers are looking to make history.

They will go for their first-ever N1G1 title at home against fourth-seeded Wallkill Valley on Thursday.

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PJ Potter covers North and Central Jersey baseball. He can be reached at ppotter@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @PJ_Potter

Game Leaders

Runs

Matt O'Shaughnessy

Indian Hills

1

#47 Conor Shortway

Midland Park

1

Hits

Nicholas Speciale

Indian Hills

2

#12 Anthony Carrea

Midland Park

2

RBI

Matt O'Shaughnessy

Indian Hills

1

#21 Braiden Russell

Midland Park

1

Home Runs

LJ Renshaw

Indian Hills

0

#21 Braiden Russell

Midland Park

0

Strikeouts

LJ Renshaw

Indian Hills

0

#21 Braiden Russell

Midland Park

5

View Bracket

WP: Braiden Russell

LP: Jack Birrer

PJ Potter | Jun 3, 2025

Player Stats

Indian Hills Batting

Midland Park Batting

Indian Hills Pitching

Midland Park Pitching

Team Stats