The Shore Daily, 4/9/15
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The blustery and frigid conditions could not stop a great day of Shore Conference baseball on Wednesday that had a combined no-hitter, two walk-off wins, a player belting three homers in one game and more.
Might as well get right to it with the Top 10 Performers from Wednesday's action.
1. Tommy Sheehan, So., LHP, Manasquan; Jack Sheehan, Jr., RHP, Manasquan
The Sheehan brothers, who are both committed to Notre Dame, combined for the season's first no-hitter in a game longer than five innings as they led the Warriors to their first win of the spring in style in an eight-inning 2-0 win over defending Non-Public A champion St. John Vianney. Tommy did the heavy lifting with six no-hit innings on 78 pitches in which he struck out nine, and then Jack struck out three and walked one in his two innings of work to polish off the no-hitter. Manasquan needed all of that because St. John Vianney ace Dan Schirmacher was also dealing, as he took the hard-luck loss with an eight-inning complete game in which he allowed seven hits. The Sheehan brothers also scored both runs in the top of the eighth by hitting back-to-back singles, moving over a base on a sacrifice bunt and then scoring on Matt Edwards' two-run double.
Manasquan badly needed that win to avoid an 0-3 hole, and Tommy Sheehan did what aces are supposed to do, keeping the Warriors right in the game to help end the skid. That is a good St. John Vianney lineup that had gotten off to a strong start, so it's the type of win that could send the Warriors in the right direction.
2. Joe Silvestrone, Sr., C, Freehold Township
While his performance came in a wild 14-11 loss to Manalapan, it was one of the best single games by any player in Freehold Township history. Silvestrone hit a single-game school-record three home runs and tied the single-game school record with eight RBI. He hit two three-run homers, a solo shot and an RBI single in a 4-for-4 day. If I'm not mistaken, the last Shore Conference player to hit three home runs in one game was former CBA star first baseman Joe Dudek, who is now hitting bombs for North Carolina, in Dudek's senior year in 2013. Dudek actually had two games of three home runs and 10 RBI that season on his way to setting multiple school records.
3. Jon Rodriguez, Jr., P, Raritan
Rodriguez was outstanding in outdueling Shore Regional ace James Kelly, a Monmouth University recruit, in a 2-0 win that improved the Rockets to 3-1. Rodriguez threw a two-hit shutout, striking out nine and walking six. He also hit the game-winning two-run single off Kelly in the top of the sixth inning to help his own cause. Raritan looked like it might be a year away because the core of its team is juniors and sophomores, but the Rockets are the surprise squad so far in Class A Central with wins over Manasquan and Shore.
4. Connor Fey, Jr., 2B, Howell
Fey capped a great day at the plate with the game-winning solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 5-4 thriller over Freehold Boro to push the Rebels to 3-1 for the season. Fey finished 3-for-5 and also had a double and three runs scored.
5. Tim Barile, Sr., A, Red Bank Catholic
Barile had four goals and an assist as the Caseys rolled past No. 8 Colts Neck 13-6 to improve to 2-1.
6. Phil Saglietto, Sr., RF, Marlboro
The Mustangs (4-0) continued one of their best starts in years by pulling out a 6-5 thriller over Middletown South in the bottom of the seventh inning thanks to a game-winning RBI single by Saglietto. Reliever Jeremy Dyzenhaus was also clutch in inducing a bases-loaded, 1-2-3 double play in the seventh inning to keep the game tied. Middletown South is rapidly becoming the Shore leader in excruciating losses as the Eagles have come out on the wrong side of some one- and two-run losses in an uncharacteristic 0-4 start.
7. Hunter Palmer, Sr., A, Brick
Palmer scored a game-high five goals to reach 100 career points in an 18-4 win over Donovan Catholic. Brick is now 4-0 for the first time in program history.
8. Shawn McManus, Sr., Midfielder, Southern
It has been milestone week for McManus, as he scored his 100th career goal in a win over Toms River East on Monday and then registered his 100th career assist in a 15-2 win over Jackson Liberty on Wednesday in finishing with three assists.
9. Stephen Carbonara, Jr., C, Manalapan
While his counterpart on Freehold Township, Joe Silvestrone, had a huge day, a big reason the Braves pulled out the 14-11 win was a productive day at the plate for Carbonara, who went 3-for-3 with four RBI, including an RBI single in the sixth inning that snapped an 8-8 tie.
10. Mike Antico, Jr., CF, Colts Neck
The St. John's recruit smacked his third triple of the season in four games for the Cougars as part of a 3-for-4 day in which he scored twice, drove in a pair of runs, and also stole four bases in a 10-1 win over Long Branch.
LACROSSE
Some great photo galleries of Red Bank Catholic-Colts Neck boys lacrosse and RBC-Ocean girls lacrosse by B51 Photography that you can check out here.
RECRUITING
For any parents/coaches/players out there, the eligibility requirements for NCAA Division I freshman are changing. Here is the info to get caught up.
ONLINE FUNDRAISER
Former Rumson-Fair Haven soccer and track standout Alec Burke is working to raise money for a good cause as part of his fraternity at Elon University. The Derby Days fund-raiser looks to raise money for Children's Miracle Network. You can learn more and donate here.
More on Thursday:
- Former CBA and Monmouth University star pitcher Pat Light, ranked as the No. 30 prospect in the Red Sox system, will start the year at Double-A Portland.
- Monmouth University wide receiver and Manasquan grad Neal Sterling is up at a pro day for the Giants on Thursday in a bid to get on their NFL draft radar.
- CBA grad Ryan Ramiz had a pair of hits and a run scored in a win for Seton Hall yesterday.
- Remarkable story: For 20 straight years, the San Diego Padres have signed a former prospect now in a wheelchair after a devastating heart attack to a minor-league contract to help with his care.
- Two weeks after winning a Division II national title, a college wrestler had harrowing, life-saving surgery for a rare condition that would've prevented him from wrestling in the tournament if it had been discovered beforehand.
- Sad to hear the news that long-time Hanover Park baseball coach Dave Minsavage, an NJSIAA Hall of Famer, passed away from cancer on Thursday morning.
- A soccer star whose family once fled the Taliban is playing in a women's professional league that also includes Point Boro and Monmouth University legend Christie Rampone, a member of the U.S. national team.
- A pitcher at national power Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego, the alma mater of Cole Hamels, struck out 20 of 21 batters in a game yesterday.
- Oklahoma is experiencing two earthquakes per day, which may have to do with the oil and gas industry.
On tap for today: A big chunk of the baseball schedule has been wiped out by the weather, so only a handful of games today, including No. 9 Marlboro at No. 1 CBA in A North.
Two big games today on the lacrosse front, as No. 3 CBA heads to No. 6 Manasquan, and No. 4 St. John Vianney travels to No. 2 Rumson-Fair Haven.
I'll end with former Lacey star Vinny Zarrillo talking about reaching his 200th career hit in a win for Rutgers yesterday as well as the throwback unis worn by the Virginia baseball team. They're like those old-school White Sox uniforms from the '80s.
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