PHILADELPHIA - T.J. Scuderi and his Toms River South teammates would have liked their season to carry on longer than it did, but the two weeks away from game action appear to be agreeing with the junior two-way star for the Indians.

For the second straight day, Scuderi clocked a home run in a showcase game, this time connecting Thursday for a tie-breaking two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning in a 4-2 win for the Jersey Shore over Lehigh Valley in the Carpenter Cup opener for both teams at FDR Park.

Lehigh Valley is eliminated from the event, while the Jersey Shore squad advances to play in the tournament quarterfinals on Monday at 12:30 p.m. The Shore will play the winner of Friday's game between Philadelphia Catholic and Suburban One American-Continental.

Scuderi also launched a home run in the Garden State Underclass Games Wednesday night at Diamond Nation in Flemington. The Indians outfielder-slash-pitcher from the Class of 2018 entered the game in the fifth inning and unloaded on a 1-2 pitch, hitting it over the left-field fence to plate two and put the Shore ahead, 4-2.

The last live game action Scuderi played prior to Wednesday was in the Shore Conference Tournament semifinal against Red Bank Catholic on June 1. In that game, Scuderi pitched a complete-game, five-hitter but lost when the winning run scored because of a miscommunication on a pop-up in shallow center field in the top of the seventh inning. Scuderi also went 2-for-4 against RBC No. 1 Austin Nappi and was standing on second base as the potential tying run when the game ended.

The Shore scored a run each in the first and second innings, starting with an RBI single to right field by Holmdel junior Sal Monticciolo that scored Monmouth Regional junior Justin Scotto, who drew a walk, from second.

Toms River South senior Matt Shiffer started the second inning with a single and was erased on a fielder's choice by Red Bank Catholic sophomore David Glancy. Three of the next four batters were hit by a pitch to force in the second Shore run, with Middletown North junior Garrett French picking up the RBI when he was hit for the second time in two innings.

Toms River North senior Mike Nyisztor got the sixth inning started by reaching on an error and later trotted home on Scuderi's home run. Monmouth senior Josh Jackson followed Scuderi's home run with a double in the next at-bat, which was the only other extra-base hit in the game.

Toms River South senior Justin Fall and Freehold Borough senior Dan Chiusano each surrendered an unearned run - one in the third with Fall on the mound and another in the fourth against Chiusano to tie the game. Both left-handers struck out six, Fall in three complete innings and Chiusano in 2 2/3.

Austin Nappi - who led the Shore Conference with 10 wins during this past season - recorded the final out of the top of the sixth and picked up the win by virtue of Scuderi's home run. Nappi also worked a scoreless seventh inning and struck out one while not allowing a baserunner.

Toms River East junior Nick DeGennaro and Manasquan senior Connor Muly each tossed a scoreless frame to finish off the win.

 

Box Score

Jersey Shore 4, Lehigh Valley 2

123456789RHE
Lehigh Valley001100000233
Jersey Shore11000200x463

 

Pitching

Jersey ShoreIPHRERBBSOPC
Justin Fall31102652
Dan Chiusano2.22101653
Austin Nappi1.10000113
Nick DeGennaro10001117
Connor Muly10001115

 

Top Hitters

Jersey ShoreGame Stats
T.J. Scuderi1-2, HR, R, 2 RBI
Josh Jackson1-2, 2B
Sal Monticciolo1-3, RBI
Jorden Jurkiewicz1-1, SB
Matt Shiffer1-2
Jared Bellissimo1-2
Justin ScottoBB, SB, R

 

*This post was updated to based on information provided in the official Carpenter Cup box score.

 

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