Ocean County Tournament - Bracket
Preliminary Round

(16) Southern 4, (17) Point Beach 0

Sophomore Jared Lubanski pitched a three-hit shutout and the Rams (5-10) scored three runs in the bottom of the third to get by the Garnet Gulls (7-7) in the preliminary round of the Ocean County Tournament. Southern will travel to top-seeded Jackson Memorial on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Nick Sinopoli and Nick Liantonio each ripped an RBI double in the three-run third to lead the Southern offense.

 

Class A North

No. 6 Colts Neck 7, Manalapan 4

The Cougars scored six runs in the top of the first inning and junior left-hander Chris Murphy retired the final five batters for his fifth save of the season to give the Cougars (11-2, 9-2) a win over the Braves (9-9, 5-7).

Paul Marinello went 3-for-3 with a double and a run scored to lead the Colts Neck offense. Matt Schaeffer allowed one run in 2 1/3 innings in relief of starter Robbie Warendorf, who worked the first three.

Sophomore Stephen Hansen went 2-for-3 with two RBI and Jon Strouse also had two hits for Manalapan. The Braves and Colts will meet again Saturday at Colts Neck in the Monmouth County Tournament quarterfinals.

No. 2 Freehold Twp. 10, No. 6 Middletown South 1

Senior Joe Ellerman allowed a run on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts and helped his cause by going 2-for-4 at the plate to lead the Patriots (10-4, 6-4) to a win over the Eagles (6-7, 4-7).

Chris Talbott headlined the offense by going 2-for-3 with a three-run home run and two runs scored, while Steve Derby and Nick Cardace each went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Cardace also doubled and drove in two runs, while Kenny Carrier also went 2-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI. Julius Saporito rounded out the Patriots' offensive standouts, going 1-for-2 with two RBI and a run scored.

Zach deRocco went 2-for-2 with an RBI for Middletown South.

 

Class A Central

No. 10 St. John Vianney 9, Holmdel 1

Joe Rotelli hit his third home run of the season in support of winning pitcher Steve McPeek and the Lancers (10-5, 9-2) topped the crosstown-rival Hornets (3-12, 2-9) in Class A Central.

Rumson-Fair Haven 5, Monmouth 4

Thomas Culligan capped a five-run fifth inning with a two-run double and the Bulldogs (9-5, 7-5) woke up their bats in time to rally for a win over the Falcons (9-6, 7-5). Chase Caruso added a double for Rumson and Brian Smith earned the win with four innings of relief.

Monmouth senior Jon Bonczyk took a no-hitter into the fifth inning before Rumson broke out and also homered as part of a two-hit game at the plate. Matt Vincenti, Marc Marcinak and Joe Berner each had two hits for Monmouth.

 

Class A South

Brick 3, No. 1 Jackson Memorial 2

Junior Stephen Cole limited Jackson Memorial to two unearned runs on two hits over five innings and Evan Lobato pitched two scoreless innings to give the Green Dragons (7-7-1, 5-6-1) a win over the top-ranked Jaguars (10-4-1, 8-3-1).

Dan Berg singled home a run in the fourth and scored on a wild pitch in the sixth for Brick. The Green Dragons took the lead on a bases-loaded walk by Matt Greenberg later in the sixth.

No. 3 Toms River East 12, Brick Memorial 2 (5 Innings)

Jerry Caporale doubled twice and drove in two runs and Anthony DeBlasio pitched a five-inning complete game to improve to 5-0 as the Raiders (10-3-1, 8-3-1) hammered the Mustangs (7-8, 7-5) to move into a first-place tie with Jackson Memorial in Class A South. DeBlasio allowed five hits and a walk while striking out five.

C.J. Hirschy doubled and drove in three runs, Jon Meola and Josh Sommerer each doubled and drove in two, and Noah Clark doubled in a run as well for Toms River East, which racked up six doubles in the win.

Kyle Cala doubled and drove in a run for Brick Memorial and Pat Franzoni added a triple in the loss.

 

Class B North

Freehold 6, Long Branch 0

Sophomore Dante Cuzzolino allowed one hit over five shutout innings and the Colonials (8-8, 5-5) halted a four-game skid by blanking the Green Wave (3-11, 2-7). Cuzzolino walked only one and struck out two in the win.

Alex Mulhern doubled twice and Zach Mulhern drove in three runs and executed two suicide squeeze bunts for Freehold.

No. 4 Wall 5, Matawan 3

Senior Bobby Patterson pitched 6 1/3 innings and senior Steve Coltrain stranded the tying runs in the bottom of the seventh for the save in his first appearance of the season, securing the Crimson Knights (13-1, 10-0) a win over the Huskies (9-6, 5-4) to clinch the outright Class B North championship.

The Crimson Knights scored three insurance runs in the top of the seventh to extend their lead to 5-0 and held off a Matawan rally in the bottom of the final inning. Ryan Orender went 1-for-2 with a triple, an RBI and two runs scored, Matt Tancredi was 2-for-3 with an RBI and Jack Gifford added a triple for Wall.

Joe Piscopo went 2-for-3 for Matawan out of the leadoff spot.

Ocean 1, Red Bank 0

Junior Blake Demeter pitched a five-hit shutout with six strikeouts and Frank Henry scored on a Red Bank error to help the Spartans (9-5, 7-3) top the Bucs (4-10, 2-7). A.J. Forgione took the loss for Red Bank with a six-inning complete game in which he allowed just one run and struck out five.

 

Class B Central

Mater Dei Prep 10, Asbury Park 0 (6 Innings)

Liam Olausen and Vinny Stanziale combined on a one-hitter and the Seraphs (10-5, 10-2) cruised to a win over the Bishops (1-10, 1-10), their fourth straight win. Olausen allowed one hit and a walk over four innings while striking out six, and Stanziale struck out four in two hitless innings to close out the win.

Sam Miles, Joe Ruth and Patric Donohue each had a two-run double for Mater Dei Prep.

 

Class B South

Manchester 6, Lakewood 5

The Hawks (7-6, 7-4) rallied from a 5-0 deficit, capped by a sacrifice fly by Mitch Stage in the bottom of the seventh inning to propel Manchester to a come-from-behind win over the Piners (7-9, 3-8).

Central at Point Boro - PPD, TBD

 

Non-Division
At First Energy Park, Lakewood

Monsignor Donovan 15, Neptune 1

Sophomore Andrew Jarvis and freshman Zach Mann combined on four no-hit innings of relief and Frank Vicari led the offense with a 3-for-4, four-RBI game as the Griffins (6-11) coasted past the Scarlet Fliers (2-8) at First Energy Park.

Vicari doubled and tripled at the plate as well, and Bryan Mulligan also finished 3-for-4 with a double. Chris Calderone went 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and three runs scored for Monsignor Donovan.

Jarvis pitched three innings to earn the win and Mann nailed down the win with a hitless fifth inning.

Howell 5, Shore 1

Jake Marsh went 3-for-3 with a solo home run and two runs scored and the Rebels (6-7) topped the Blue Devils (8-7) at First Energy Park. Ryan Wares also went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI, while Justin Steele finished 2-for-3 with a triple and an RBI in the win.

Left-hander Zach Loroesh allowed one unearned run on six hits and two walks in seven innings while also striking out six. He outdueled Shore junior James Kelly, who also went the distance while allowing five runs on nine hits and no walks while fanning five.

Clayton Coffey went 2-for-4 with a stolen base for Shore, while Matt Cosentino finished 1-for-2 with a run scored and three stolen bases.

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