Aden Vai homer lifts Buena past Millville, 3-2

Aden Vai delivered the finish that decided a pitcher’s duel, drilling a late solo home run that turned a 2-0 hole into a 3-2 Buena Regional victory at Millville High School on April 6, 2026. A small but competitive crowd watched the senior catcher/utility player supply the margin that capped a three-inning comeback for Buena.

Millville jumped out 2-0 after the first inning, but Buena answered with single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to complete the rally. Vai’s long ball provided the go-ahead run during that sequence, and the Chiefs held on to claim the win in the tight game that hinged on situational hitting and late-inning defense.

The mound battle underscored how narrow the game was: Buena sophomore two-way player Elwood Taylor threw seven innings, allowing two hits and two runs, one earned and one unearned, in a line reported across game recaps. NJ.com’s box-summary credited Taylor with three strikeouts and five walks in the complete outing. Millville starter Logan Burlew worked five innings, giving up four hits and two earned runs while striking out multiple batters, leaving the decision in the hands of late-inning relievers and defenders.

Coach Dan Caregnato’s Buena squad took more than a single win from the trip to Millville. The victory improved Buena’s early-season ledger to 4-1 in wire recaps and offered a morale boost as the Chiefs prepare for Cape-Atlantic League play. Millville, which lists Valdre Forbes as the baseball contact/head coach on school pages, will turn its attention to situational hitting and late-inning strategy after a result that echoed a prior meeting: MaxPreps game notes reference a May 2024 matchup in which Millville beat Buena 7-2, adding rivalry context to Monday’s comeback.

Families, alumni and regulars at Millville High School ballpark felt the stakes in the stands: local recaps and a postgame video posted by a neighborhood channel featuring Buena players including Elwood Taylor and Donato Vai captured immediate reaction and will likely shape how both programs are talked about in the county this week. For Buena fans, Aden Vai’s clutch swing functions as an early-season shareable moment; for Millville supporters, the late loss highlights areas — bullpen depth and converting early scoring chances — that coaches will address before Vineland comes to town.

Practical implications are immediate for both rosters: Buena plans to travel to Paulsboro later in the week, while Millville’s next noted opponent is Vineland, giving each staff more live reps to adjust rotations and situational practice. For neighbors across Cumberland County who follow Cape-Atlantic League baseball, Vai’s homer was more than a single swing; it was a late-game statement about which teams can close tight contests when league play tightens.