Baseball – Circle Players of the Week, April 25 to May 1

Player of the Week

Johnny Zega, Sr., SS/P, Middletown South

The best hitter on the Shore’s hottest team had a big overall week for the Eagles, who are currently on a 10-game winning streak. Zega played a big role during a 4-0 week for Middletown South by belting three home runs to increase his season total to five. The Monmouth University recruit homered a drove in three runs in a win over Marlboro to start the week and capped his week with a career day against Mater Dei. In addition to pitching a five-inning, complete-game two-hitter with seven strikeouts, Zega went 3-for-4 with two home runs and six RBI in a 12-0 win over the Seraphs.

Pitcher of the Week

Kenny Campbell, Sr., CBA

With its top pitcher, Luca Dalatri, unavailable due to injury, Campbell played the role of ace for CBA on Saturday and did so as well as a pitcher can. The senior right-hander fired the eighth no-hitter in CBA history and eighth official no-hitter in the Shore Conference this season (nine including Jason Groome’s vacated no-hitter on April 11) on Saturday against Middletown North to pitch the Colts to a 3-0 win over the Lions in the Monmouth County Tournament.

Campbell was nearly perfect Saturday, retiring all but one batter he faced while striking out nine. The lone Middletown North baserunner was hit by a pitch in the second inning and Campbell turned in a flawless game the rest of the way. With the no-hitter, Campbell joins Mater Dei’s Joe Ruth, Toms River South’s Trevor Wagner, Jackson Liberty’s Matt Pickus, Freehold Boro’s Tom Holdorf, Long Branch’s Carlos Pacheco and Neptune’s Zach Krause in throwing individual Shore Conference no-hitter’s this season. Mater Dei’s Mat Carrigy and Anthony Grimaldi also combined for a no-hitter.

Class A North

Player of the Week

Johnny Zega, Sr., SS/P, Middletown South

Pitcher of the Week

Kenny Campbell, Sr., CBA

Class A Central

Player of the Week

Sal Monticciolo, So., 1B, Holmdel

The Hornets were the comeback kids last week and Monticciolo was in the middle of both rallies. He went 2-for-4 with a two-run double in the bottom of the seventh as the Hornets scored four in the final inning to walk off with a 6-5 win over crosstown rival St. John Vianney. Three days later, the sophomore slugger again went 2-for-4 with another big two-run double, this time in a four-run sixth inning in a 6-4 comeback win against Marlboro.

Pitcher of the Week

Tom Sheehan, Jr., Manasquan

Sheehan has been lights-out this season and while it’s not easy to pin down his best performance of the season thus far, his outing against St. John Vianney last week is a good candidate. He struck out 13 Lancers in a four-hit complete game to help guide the Warriors to a key 2-1 win. On the season, Sheehan has struck out 39 and walked only three while pitching to a 0.56 ERA over 25 innings.

Class A South

Player of the Week

Mike Nyisztor, Jr., SS, Toms River North

There was plenty of offense throughout Class A South last week and while it might be difficult to narrow down who had the best week, it’s hard to top the season Nyisztor has had along with his standout performance over the last week. The junior shortstop was 6-for-11 with eight runs scored and six stolen bases in four Toms River North wins this week. For the season, Nyisztor is hitting a robust .529 with five doubles, a homer, 26 runs scored and 10 stolen bases.

Pitcher of the Week

Alec Merritt, Sr., Brick Memorial

After giving up only two runs on three hits in a 2-0 loss to Lacey in the middle of the week, Merritt responded by not giving up any runs in an Ocean County Tournament victory over Southern on Saturday in a three-hit shutout. For the week, Merritt allowed two runs on six hits with 12 strikeouts in 13 innings for the Mustangs. His shutout of Southern was the second time he has blanked the Rams this season.

Class B North

Player of the Week

Doug Facendo, Sr., C, Red Bank Catholic

The Caseys backstop went 3-for-4 with a double and a clutch, tie-breaking two-run single to lift RBC over Neptune, then went 2-for-2 with an RBI in a 4-0 win over Monmouth Regional in the Monmouth County Tournament round of 16 on Friday.

Pitchers of the Week

Mike D’Ottavio and Mario Ferraioli, Colts Neck

The two Colts Neck hurlers pitched in tandem last week and the right-left combo of D’Ottavio and Ferraioli pitched nearly identical lines over two appearances. D’Ottavio started games against Ocean and Freehold Township and allowed a run on four hits in 9 2/3 innings with 14 strikeouts and four walks, earning the win against the Spartans. Ferraioli tossed 9 1/3 innings of relief, allowing one run on four hits with 15 strikeouts and three walks. In the MCT game vs. Freehold Township, Ferraioli pitched 6 1/3 brilliant relief innings, during which he allowed just two hits and a walk with 11 strikeouts before departing and watching the Patriots knock off Colts Neck once the two Cougars aces were out of the game.

Class B Central

Player of the Week

Brody Maypother, So., St. Rose

Maypother was the unofficial runner-up for overall Player of the Week honors this week after a scorching performance at the plate in four games for the Purple Roses. In total, Maypother went 8-for-12 with two doubles, two home runs, six runs scored and 11 RBI as St. Rose went 3-1. Even in the loss to Howell in the MCT round of 16, Maypother belted a two-run homer to keep the Roses in the game.

Pitcher of the Week

John VanSchoick, Sr., Point Beach

Some other B Central pitchers put up better statistical lines, but VanSchoick takes the honor with his complete-game effort against Jackson Memorial in the Ocean County Tournament. The senior right-hander limited the Jaguars to two earned runs on five hits and three walks while striking out three. VanSchoick also went 1-for-2 and smacked a double in that road win over Jackson Memorial.

Class B South

Player of the Week

Josiah Gliddon, Jr., OF/P, Point Boro

Gliddon took a no-hitter into the seventh inning against Barnegat on April 25 – a game the Panthers eventually won in extra innings – then won Point Boro the Class B South division title with his walk-off, two-run home run to beat Lakewood, 7-6, on Friday.

Pitcher of the Week

Joe Felipe, Jr., Manchester

It was a good week for B South pitchers – Jackson Liberty sophomore Matt Pickus struck out 11 in a shutout effort in the OCT while Jason Groome fanned 13 in a two-hitter upon his return – but Felipe gets the nod this week. The junior left-hander pitched a two-hit shutout in a 1-0 Manchester win over Barnegat on April 27, which included 10 strikeouts and one walk.