Baseball – Week 4 Jersey Mike’s Team of the Week: Raritan

Two weeks ago, the Raritan baseball team learned the hard way that one bad week can put a season-long goal in jeopardy. Last week, the Rockets took that lesson and played a week of games that has them in position to have their best season in more than a decade.

After dropping back-to-back division games against St. John Vianney and Matawan to open up the race for the Class A Central title, Raritan bounced back last week by reclaiming first place in the division standings, then beating Class A North teams Freehold Township and Colts Neck over the weekend to advance to the Monmouth County Tournament semifinals for the first time in more than a decade.

Raritan's 4-0 week and its run through the early rounds of the Monmouth County Tournament earned the Rockets the Week Four Jersey Mike's Team of the Week Award.

Senior right-hander and current Shore Conference strikeout leader Zack Johnston turned in two strong starts for the Rockets last week, first beating Rumson-Fair Haven and previously-unbeaten ace Alex Burnett in a key divisional game and then working another seven innings in a win over a potent Colts Neck lineup on Saturday in the MCT quarterfinals. Johnson, who struck out 11 vs. Rumson and has 50 strikeouts during his 4-2 start on the mound, also drove in a run against Rumson, went 3-for-4 with a double vs. Freehold Township, and knocked in three against Colts Neck.

Jake Tennant also had a big weekend, going 4-for-9 with three doubles and seven RBI in the wins over Freehold Township and Colts Neck.

Raritan enters another big stretch as the Rockets look to gain separation in the Class A Central race while also setting their sights on a trip to the Monmouth County final. On Friday, Raritan gets a rematch with division foe St. John Vianney and one day later, the Rockets will host St. Rose in the MCT semifinals.

2018 Team of the Week Winners

Week 1: Central

Week 2: Marlboro

Week 3: Matawan