Buena Athletics Director Dave Albertson defended his high school baseball program after the reigning state champions posted a 52-3 victory over Pleasantville on Thursday.

The Chiefs used 26 players in the contest, pounded out 26 hits in the game and scored 20 runs in the third inning.

Albertson said he has not fielded any phone calls of complaint from Pleasantville coaches, parents or administrators but that he understands his program is getting lambasted on social media and on message boards.

“It’s a no-win situation for everybody,” Albertson told MyCentralJersey.com, adding that perhaps Buena head coach Harry Grose should not have reported the actual score of the game to media outlets, including our sister paper, The Daily Journal of Vineland.

“My coach learned maybe next time not to report 52 (runs),” he said. “It’s not the reason why we want to be spotlighted for our program.”

Albertson called the outcome “unfortunate” but said Buena “did everything possible” to limit the score without disrespecting the game including running one base at a time.

Asked why Buena reserves, including junior varsity call-ups, did not strike out on purpose once the game got out of hand, Albertson said they wanted an opportunity to “showcase (they) can hit and play” even though “maybe it’s against weaker competition.”

Albertson said players “spend a lot of time, money on lessons and hours to compete” and that most “wouldn’t want to strike-out on purpose.”

Asked how productive an at-bat would be against a team of Pleasantville’s caliber after he said, “We don’t get better by playing Pleasantville,” Albertson did not alter his disposition regarding the idea of Buena players striking out on purpose.

“Our kids train all winter and in the summer to play the game the right way,” he said.

Albertson said he believes Pleasantville should re-evaluate its baseball program and consider playing a junior varsity schedule until it can be more competitive at the varsity level.

Unlike baseball, whose 10-run mercy rule does not take effect until the fifth inning, Albertson noted that softball invokes the mercy rule with a 15-run deficit after three innings. Albertson said he believes the NJSIAA should consider such a rule change for baseball.

“It’s an unfortunate outcome,” he said, noting he understands why some are criticizing Buena today. “I knew that comes with the territory with that kind of score.

“I know the public doesn’t see (his disposition) because they don’t see it from the other side. Nobody wants to embarrass anybody.”

Phil Anastasia, a highly respected sports columnist from the Philadelphia Inquirer writes: “I won’t defend Grose on this one. Wish he would have found a way to hold down the score.”

According to the box score posted at the The Daily Journal of Vineland’s website, Buena scored 16 runs in the first inning and 20 runs in the third inning.

NJ.com reports that Buena recorded 26 hits in the game.