Baseball Wednesday SCT Semifinal Scoreboard, 5/28/14

Tweets by @Matt_Manley

Shore Conference Tournament - Bracket
Semifinals
At Count Basie Park, Red Bank

(7) Barnegat 2, (6) Wall 0

Junior John Corbett threw a five-hit shutout after his offense jumped on Wall for two unearned runs in the top of the first and the Bengals held off the Crimson Knights to advance to their first ever SCT final on Sunday at FirstEnergy Park while also securing their first ever 20-win season (20-8).

Barnegat scored twice in the first inning thanks to four Wall errors that followed back-to-back singles by center fielder Ryan Ulrich and catcher Nik Fraim to start the game. Sophomore Jared Kacso chopped a misplayed grounder to the left side to score Ulrich with the game's first run. Wall got an out on the play when catcher Dan Wondrack threw out courtesy runner Max Rittner attempting to advance to third, but Barnegat added another run when Wondrack's throw to third on a double-steal went into left field, allowing Kacso to score.

Corbett kept his defense busy by walking only one and not recording a strikeout. The Bengals made two errors, but also picked up Corbett a number of times, most notably on a play by freshman shortstop Aaron McLaughlin in the bottom of the sixth. Wall third baseman and No. 3 hitter Ryan Orender drilled an eye-level line drive back toward Corbett to lead off the Wall sixth. Corbett deflected the line drive just enough to slow it down and redirect it toward the shortstop side of second base, where McLaughlin flagged it down and threw out Orender on the run for the first out of the sixth.

Wall seniors Tim Willey and Matt Tancredi both singled in the bottom of the seventh, but Corbett induced a game-ending fly out from leadoff hitter and shortstop Chris Barcas to end the game with the tying run on first. Wall did not advance a runner farther than second base against Corbett.

Wall senior right-hander Tyler Swiggart allowed only one infield hit and a hit batter after the two singles by Ulrich and Fraim. After an infield single by Fraim to lead off the third, Swiggart retired the final 15 batters he faced, finishing with no earned runs on three hits, no walks and two strikeouts.

(4) CBA 2, (9) Red Bank Catholic 1 (8 Innings)

Courtesy runner Brendan Shaw slid home with the game-winning run on a wide throw to the plate in the bottom of the eighth inning and the Colts beat the Caseys in a classic pitching showdown between CBA sophomore Luca Dalatri and Red Bank Catholic senior Al Molina.

Molina struck out his 13th batter of the game to begin the bottom of the eighth but loaded the bases with one out on two walks that book-ended a hit batter. CBA designated hitter and No. 9 hitter Trey Nelson worked the count to 3-and-1 and punched a ground ball to first base, but Doug Facendo's throw to the plate was low and to the outside of the foul line, too much so for catcher Mike Alescio to handle the it.

Dalatri went the distance on 113 pitches, allowing five hits and three walks while striking out 10 to improve to 10-0 on the season. Molina allowed only two hits, but also hit four batters and walked five in 7 1/3 innings.

CBA scored first on an RBI fielder's choice by junior left fielder Griffin Arnott in the second inning. RBC tied it in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by designated hitter Tom Merlo that scored Molina. Alescio went 2-for-2 with a walk against Dalatri and singled to right field on a hit-and-run to push Molina to third base during the fourth-inning rally.

Dalatri had one of the two CBA hits and the other was a bunt single by first baseman John Moschella, who also walked and flied out to the edge of the warning track in right field. Molina struck out Moschella swinging on a 3-2 slider with runners on second and third to end the seventh inning.

CBA will play Barnegat in the SCT final on Sunday, 8 p.m. at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood. Both CBA and Barnegat will host NJSIAA Tournament games on Friday, with CBA playing St. John Vianney in the South Jersey, Non-Public A semifinals and Barnegat taking on Buena in the South Jersey Group II championship.