Baseball – VOTE: Player and Pitcher of the Week, Week 3

Each week for the remainder of the baseball season, Shore Sports Network will select both players and pitchers of the week from each of the six Shore Conference divisions and open up the voting to the readers in order to pick an overall Player of the Week. In addition to the six pitchers and players from each division, there will be two wild cards in each category who will be placed on the ballot. Vote early, vote often, and vote until Wednesday at 10 p.m., when the voting will close and the winners will be posted.

Class A North

Player of the Week

Phil Marcantonio, Freehold Boro

The Colonials catcher finished the week strong, going 3-for-3 with a home run and four RBI in a 4-2 win over Marlboro on Thursday and went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI in an 8-1 win over St. Rose Sunday in the Monmouth County Tournament quarterfinals.

Pitcher of the Week

Mike Wynne, Howell

Howell desperately needed a pitcher to step up and Wynne was that man last week. He allowed one hit in five innings against Manasquan on Monday and gave up two hits in 3 2/3 shutout innings against Middletown South in the MCT round of 16 on Saturday. For the week, Wynne pitched 8 2/3 innings and allowed one run on three hits with eight strikeouts and seven walks.

Honorable Mention Player of the Week: Nick Ruszczyk, Howell; Anthony Naylor, Manalapan; Andrew Beam, Freehold Twp.; Nick Straub, Colts Neck; Will Trochiano, Marlboro; Mike Walsh, Howell; Blaise Venancio, CBA; Dan Chiusano, Freehold Boro; Joe Escandon, CBA

Class A Central

Player of the Week

Dan VanMeerbeke, Raritan

VanMeerbeke drove in two of the three Raritan runs in a 3-0 win over Red Bank on Thursday while going 2-for-4 with a double and the next day, he belted a home run in a win at Rumson-Fair Haven.

Pitcher of the Week

Zach Johnston, Raritan

Johnston shut down Rumson on the road, hurling a complete game to earn the win. The junior right-hander allowed just two hits and struck out six without walking a batter.

Honorable Mention Player of the Week: Matt Fahey, Rumson-Fair Haven; Antonio Martinez, Matawan; Mike Jelliff, Shore; Matt Fanelli, Holmdel; Matt Birdsall, Raritan

Class A South

Player of the Week

Tyler Aires, Central

Aires turned in a big game during Central’s 11-6 win in extra innings. In addition to coming in to pitch and earning the win, he also went 2-for-4 in the game with a solo home run.

Pitcher of the Week

Zach Fillmore, Southern

Southern got its big week started with a win over Brick Memorial thanks to a gem by Fillmore. The senior left-hander pitched a four-hit shutout  with 11 strikeouts and two walks and pumped in 111 pitches to get the job done.

Honorable Mention Player of the Week: Mike Soldo, Brick; Mike Nyisztor, Toms River North; Nick DeGennaro, Toms River East; Garret Lange, Southern; Matt D’Amore, Jackson Memorial

Class B North

Player of the Week

Paul Birzin, Monmouth

Birzin’s first win of the season on the mound was a memorable one. The senior left-hander pitched a five-inning perfect game in a 13-0 win over Holmdel on April 24, which included eight strikeouts on 50 pitches. Birzin also went 4-for-4 with two RBI in a loss to Red Bank Catholic on Thursday.

Pitcher of the Week

Phil DeMarco, Ocean

Ocean had a big weekend with two wins in the Monmouth County Tournament and DeMarco led the first one. The senior left-hander pitched a three-hit shutout against Raritan and struck out five on the mound and also doubled in the win.

Honorable Mention Player of the Week: John Martin, Middletown South; Jason Timmons, Middletown North; Adam Schreck, Manasquan; Aaron Ahn, Red Bank Catholic; JonMichael Rotondo, RBC; Connor Caizza, RBC; Tyler Ras, Middletown North; Tommy Sheehan, Manasquan; Ricky Voss, Monmouth; Ryan Rozinski, Middletown North; Austin Nappi, RBC

Class B Central

Player of the Week

Riley Maypother, St. Rose

Maypother continued to swing a hot bat this week, going 6-for-12 with two doubles, a triple, a home run, six runs and five RBI. The junior slugger homered and drove in two in an 11-1 win over Marlboro Saturday in the MCT round of 16 to highlight his week.

Pitcher of the Week

Colin Fernandez, Keyport

Fernandez was effective last week both as a starter and finishing the game for the Red Raiders. He pitched the first three innings of a no-hitter against Ranney and closed out a win over Point Beach with two scoreless innings. For the week, Fernandez allowed one hit in five shutout innings with five strikeouts and two walks.

Honorable Mention Player of the Week: Liam Meyer, Keansburg; Will Gannon, St. Rose; Brendan Carlstrom, Henry Hudson; Jackson Aumack, Keyport; Christian Smith, Keyport; Brandon Mology, St. Rose

Class B South

Player of the Week

Bart Goble, Donovan Catholic

Donovan Catholic won just one of its four games last week, but the win was in walk-off fashion thanks to Goble. The senior blasted a game-winning three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Griffins a 7-5 win over Barnegat on Thursday. Goble also went 2-for-3 with a solo homer in a 3-1 loss to Manchester on April 24, was 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI in a loss to Point Boro, and went 1-for-3 in a loss to St. Rose.

Pitcher of the Week

Tom Coraggio, Lacey

Lacey began its week with a walkoff win over Point Boro and the Lions were in position to pull out the win thanks to Coraggio. The senior right-hander pitched a two-hit shutout with six strikeouts and no walks to pick up his second win of the season.

Honorable Mention Player of the Week: Justin Thompson, Lacey; Josiah Gliddon, Point Boro; Don Zellman, Lacey; David Melfi, Jackson Liberty; James Johns, Manchester; Justin Diefenbach, Barnegat; Tyler Suydam, Barnegat

Wild Cards

Player of the Week

Matt Fahey, Rumson-Fair Haven

Fahey had a career game in a 10-8 win over St. John Vianney on Thursday, going 4-for-4 with a grand slam and a pair of runs scored.

Aaron Ahn, Red Bank Catholic

It took Ahn – who hit six home runs last year – 13 games to go yard this year and after hitting his first of the year in a win over Colts Neck on Saturday, hit did it again on Sunday against Wall in the Monmouth County Tournament quarterfinals.

Pitcher of the Week

Joe Escandon, CBA

In his first ever varsity game, Escandon pitched a four-hit shutout in the Monmouth County Tournament quarterfinals against a Howell team that scored 19 runs one day earlier. The sophomore left-hander struck out eight and didn’t walk a batter in his memorable debut.

Tommy Sheehan, Manasquan

Sheehan punched out a season-high 15 in a complete-game win over Long Branch on Thursday. The left-hander allowed three hits and did not walk a batter in the 3-1 Manasquan win.