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NJSIAA Tournament

Sectional Championship

South Jersey Non-Public A

At Count Basie Park, Red Bank

(1) Red Bank Catholic 4, (2) St. Joseph Metuchen 1

Senior Sean Griggs scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball in the bottom of the sixth inning and senior right-hander Alex Stanyek tossed 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball as the Caseys rallied to top the Falcons and win their first sectional title since 1997.

Trailing 1-0 since the top of the first inning, RBC tied the score in the bottom of the fifth inning when junior Matt Brunner was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Brendan Kopec, and scored from second on an error.

In the top of the sixth, Brunner made an incredible defensive play when he made a full-extension diving catch in center field to prevent at least a double off the bat of Josiah Brown.

St. Joe's sidearmer Jimmy Mulvaney had the Caseys off balance through the first five innings but they got to him in the sixth when Griggs singled to lead off, Frank Scrivanic reached on an error, and Dylan Passo singled to load the bases with one out. Griggs scored on the wild pitch to give RBC the lead and Brunner followed with a sacrifice fly to plate Scrivanic and made it 3-1. That chased Mulvaney from the game and St. Joe's turned to Bryan Rios out of the bullpen. Kopec then delivered an RBI single to bring home Passo and stretch the lead to 4-1.

Stanyek, who threw 32 pitches in the first inning when St. Joe's took a 1-0 lead on a booming double by Robbie Carvelli and an RBI single by Matthew Kosuda, settled down and pitched into the seventh inning before yielding to Ethan Marzo. Stanyek threw 111 pitches, struck out nine, and allowed just three hits. He retired eight straight batters before reaching his pitch limit and giving way to Ethan Marzo, who retired the final two hitters to secure the title for RBC.

RBC will play Non-Public North A champion Don Bosco Prep in the Non-Public A final on Thursday at Veterans Park in Hamilton, with first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m..

Check back for a complete game story, videos, and a photo gallery.

1234567RHE
St. Joe Met (21-10)1000000132
RBC (24-5)000013X440

Pitching

St. Joseph MetuchenIPHRERBBSOPC
Jimmy Mulvaney (L, 8-4)6.23401476
Bryan Rios0.1100003
Red Bank CatholicIPHRERBBSOPC
Alex Stanyek (W, 3-0)6.131129111
Ethan Marzo (SV, 3)0.2000006

Top Hitters

St. Joseph MetuchenGame Stats
Matt Kosuda1-3, RBI
Robbie Carvelli1-3, 2B, R
Red Bank CatholicGame Stats
Brendan Kopec1-2, RBI
Dylan Passo1-3, R, RBI
Sean Griggs1-3, R
Shane Andrus1-3
Max Dantoni1-2

 

 

South Jersey Non-Public B

At Joe Barth Field, Brooklawn

(1) Gloucester Catholic 4, (2) Ranney 1

Senior left-hander Tanner Nolan and the Rams got their revenge, with Nolan pitching six dominant innings and Gloucester Catholic outdueling the Panthers to win the South Jersey Non-Public B championship team after coming up short each of the past two seasons.

Nolan was the starter in last year's 8-7 loss at Ranney in the sectional final -- a win that propelled the Panthers to their first ever overall Non-Public B championship. On Saturday, the Rams southpaw allowed two hits and three walks over six innings, with eight of his nine strikeouts coming in the first four innings.

Gloucester Catholic broke through against Ranney starter Marcello Mastroianni in the bottom of the fourth on a two-run double by designated hitter Tyler Bunting into the gap in left-centerfield to plate Sal Serici from second and Tate DeRias from first.

Second baseman Jason Bogart then delivered a two-out RBI single to centerfield, scoring Bunting for a 3-0 Gloucester Catholic lead.

Ranney got a run back in the top of the fifth inning when senior centerfielder A.J. Gracia crushed a ball that rolled to the right-centerfield fence on the adjoining softball field some 450 feet away from home plate. Gracia raced around the bases and cruised into home with an inside-the-park home run, cutting the Ranney deficit to 3-1.

The home run was also the 29th of Gracia's high school career, which ties him for second place all-time in Shore Conference history, behind only 2007 Ocean Township graduate Keith Weinkofsy.

After Gracia lit a fire under Ranney, Gloucester Catholic responded with some cold water in the bottom of the fifth. Centerfielder R.J. Mustardo dropped in a blooper down the rightfield line and hustled into second base with a one-out double.

Ranney then replaced Mastroianni on the mound with fifth-year senior right-hander Nick Coniglio and Rams catcher Damon Suriani greeted him with an RBI single to left that just barely eluded the diving reach of Ranney third baseman Diego Tavarez.

Coniglio bounced back to strike out the next two batters and after Gloucester Catholic started the sixth with a single and a walk, Gracia came on to pitch and maneuvered out of the inning without giving up another run.

With Nolan throwing 113 pitches in six innings, sophomore right-hander Joe Vacarella took over for the seventh and closed out the victory with a 10-pitch, 1-2-3 inning.

Gloucester Catholic will play St. Mary's of Rutherford in Thursday's Non-Public B championship game at Veterans Park in Hamilton, with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m.

1234567RHE
Ranney (27-3)0000100121
Gloucester Cath (23-7)000310X4102

Pitching

RanneyIPHRERBBSOPC
Marcello Mastroianni (L, 9-1)4.18441176
Nick Coniglio0.22001224
A.J. Gracia10001111
Gloucester CatholicIPHRERBBSOPC
Tanner Nolan (W, 8-0)621139113
Joe Vaccarella (SV)10000010

Top Hitters

RanneyGame Stats
A.J. Gracia1-4, HR, R, RBI
Diego Tavarez1-3
Gloucester CatholicGame Stats
Tyler Bunting2-2, 2B, BB, R, 2 RBI
Damon Suriani3-3, RBI
Jason Bogart2-3, RBI
R.J. Mustardo1-3, 2B, R
Jake Terranova1-2, 2B, BB
Tate DeRias1-3, R

 

 

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