Chase Kroberger, an Alabama commit, drives a single for the BCP Oilers.
By Rich Bevensee
They’re known as the 17U Baseball Performance Center Oilers when they make an appearance at Diamond Nation in Flemington.
But savvy New Jersey baseball people know they’re much more than just another baseball club. When the players convene at the Nation they become a South Jersey all-star team loaded with Division 1 commits who are worth the price of admission.
Joey Erace, a Rutgers commit and senior middle infielder at St. Augustine Prep in Richland, led the parade of stars by going 4-for-4 with a double and an RBI and propelled the Oilers to a 10-0 victory over Beast 2026 National in the Super 17 Fall Invitational, Powered By Victus, Sunday at The Nation.
“I wanted my last year to be a fun year so I picked a bunch of my friends and we all hopped on this team and now it’s a great team. I love it,” Erace said. “The atmosphere is awesome. Unmatched. Our coaches are cool, the players are cool. It’s just a great time.”
The Oilers completed a 2-1 weekend but failed to qualify for the Columbus Day Showdown. The top five teams qualified with a 3-0 record.
On Saturday the Oilers defeated the Taconic Rangers North, 9-1, and bowed to Diamond Jacks Super 17U 2026, 3-2.
After starting at their natural positions, many of the Oilers moved around the diamond to play positions they normally would not play.
“These guys are just having fun this weekend,” Oilers coach Ed Charlton said. “It takes the wind out of their sails with nothing to play for – no playoffs or anything. It’s tough to get ‘em up so I like to let them have fun. That’s a really good team, and it’s nice when they’re into the game because they play hard as hell when they are.”
Another Oilers Division 1 commit is Patrick Clemmey, a 6-5, 210-pound lefty who pitched three scoreless, no-hit innings while relying on his low-90s fastball. Clemmey, a Vanderbilt commit from Bishop Hendricken in Warwick, Rhode Island, mixed in his slider, changeup and curveball just to keep the Beast batters honest.
Clemmey is making a comeback from Tommy John surgery which he underwent in April 2022. It caused him to miss his entire sophomore and junior seasons of high school baseball.
“When I’m blowing fastballs by them I want to stay with the fastball, but one kid fouled a couple off so I threw a slider in and I struck him out,” said Clemmey, who walked two and struck out five. “I’m definitely more comfortable but I have to keep working hard and getting better each day and perform every day on the field.”
Beast’s Dario Baerga charges down the first base line.
Lefty Chase Brandt, a Wagner commit and senior at Bishop Eustace in Pennsauken, pitched the final four innings and retired nine straight until he allowed Beast’s only hit – to Jake Madsen leading off the seventh. Brandt struck out seven.
Alabama commit Chase Kroberger, a senior at Moorestown, singled to lead off the game and scored the Oilers’ first run.
A number of uncommitted South Jersey stars were banging the ball all over the yard. Gabe Gillespie, a St. Augustine senior, went 3-for-4 with a triple and two RBI. Chase Camac, a senior at Mainland in Linwood, went 2-for-5 with a double and three RBI. Gavin Cohen, a senior at Holy Spirit in Absecon, went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Another Holy Spirit senior, Bernie Hargadon, went 2-for-3 with a walk. Cole McKenna, a West Deptford senior, singled in a run, and Griffin Clarke, a Haddonfield Memorial senior, drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.
The Oilers took control of the game with two runs in the first inning, as McKenna had an RBI groundout and Cohen singled home a run. Gillespie made it 4-0 in the third with his two-run single to center
In the fourth, Camac and McKenna laced back-to-back RBI singles up the middle and Erace singled home another run for a 7-0 Oilers lead.
In the seventh, Clarke lofted a sacrifice fly and Camac drove a two-run double into the right-center gap.