Shore Conference Week 4 Player and Pitcher of the Week Winners
The fans of the Shore have made their choices, which means it is time to reveal the Week 4 selections for Player and Pitcher of the Week. We will start with Shore Sports Network's picks, followed by the winners of the fan vote.
Shore Sports Network Shore Conference Week 4 Player of the Week
Zach Hampton, Jr., RHP/1B, Middletown North
It’s hard to have a better week than Hampton had for Middletown North, which went 3-1 during the Week 4 stretch. The junior right-hander went 2-0 on the mound with one run allowed in 12 innings, including a four-hit shutout against rival Middletown South.
At the plate, Hampton was even better. In the four games, he was 7-for-12 with four doubles, a triple, a home run and nine RBI. In a 12-1 rout of the Manalapan, Hampton homered, doubled and drove in six. Two days later, he pitched a five-inning four-hitter in an 11-1 win over Monmouth in the Monmouth County Tournament preliminary round while also going 2-for-2 with a double, triple and two RBI in the box.
Shore Sports Network Shore Conference Week 4 Pitcher of the Week
Brady Lesiak, Sr., RHP, Southern
Coming off an All-Shore season as a junior, Lesiak did not start the season at the top of his game, but he has raised his game over the last two weeks. In his start against fellow Class A South contender Jackson Memorial, Lesiak started the game by allowing an unearned run in the top of the first inning against the high-powered Jaguars.
From there, Lesiak shut down Jackson Memorial and completed a no-hitter in a 6-1 Southern win that has the Rams positioned to win the Class A South division championship with a strong finish to the division schedule over the next five days. Lesiak walked three, struck out eight and finished the job on an economical 89 pitches.
Fan Vote Player Shore Conference Week 4 Player of the Week
Colton Sitarik, Jr., Catcher, Manchester
Manchester started the season 0-5 and has since rattled off a 6-1 record in its last seven games, with the only loss coming to Jackson Memorial. Last week, the Hawks went 2-0 with wins over Pinelands and Ocean, with Sitarik leading the way at the plate. The junior catcher went 4-for-6 with a double and six RBI in the two Manchester wins.
The week started off with a perfect 2-for-2 game at the plate ina 10-0 win over Pinelands, which included a double, walk and three RBI. Last Friday, Manchester picked up a big non-divisional road win at Ocean, 7-6, and Sitarik once again drove in three runs in a 2-for-4 day at the plate. His two-run single during Manchester's four-run seventh inning put the Hawks ahead, 7-3, and proved to be the difference in the game after Ocean pulled within one run in the bottom of the seventh.
Sitarik was unrivaled in this week's Player of the Week voting, collecting 60 percent of the vote -- well beyond runner-up Nick Izzo of Jackson Memorial (12 percent).
Fan Vote Shore Conference Week 4 Pitcher of the Week
Luke Buda, Sr., LHP, Holmdel
Buda emerged as Holmdel's most reliable pitcher over his first two varsity seasons and this year, he is having his best season as a high-school hurler.
The Hornets senior left-hander took the ball last week against a Monmouth Regional team that entered on a five-game winning streak and proceeded to shut out the Falcons. In that 3-0 win, Buda pitched a three-hitter with three walks and eight strikeouts while going the distance on 93 pitches.
After turning in another strong outing in an extra-inning loss to Red Bank Catholic during the current week, Buda remains 2-0 this season with a sparking 0.83 ERA, 22 strikeouts and eight walks in 25 1/3 innings.
Buda captured the Week 4 award with 40 percent of the vote, winning a two-man race against Manchester junior Justin Uriarte (35 percent).
2024 Player of the Week Winners
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