Class A North

Middletown North 4, Freehold 2

Freshman Tyler Ras went 2-for-3 with three RBI and pitched two scoreless frames for the save to help lead the Lions (1-0, 1-0) to a win over the Colonials (1-1, 0-1) in their opener. Ras put Middletown North ahead 4-0 with a three-run double in the bottom of the third.

Senior T.J. Vivian earned the win on the mound by allowing two runs on just one hit and three walks over five-plus innings. Junior Cole Fluta also finished 2-for-4 with a run scored, while junior Kyle Capo was 1-for-3 with an RBI and junior Seth Ziegler went 1-for-2 with two runs scored.

Junior Nick Lamorte and senior Marco Meleo each went 1-for-3 with an RBI for Freehold, while sophomore Tom Holdorf was 2-for-2 in the loss.

Freehold Twp. 2, No. 10 Middletown South 0

Senior Rob Erikson delivered a go-ahead, two-out single in the bottom of the sixth to break a scoreless tie and give the Patriots (2-0, 1-0) a win over the Eagles (0-2, 0-1). The two runs in the sixth made a winner of junior Pete Nielsen, who fired a complete-game, three-hit shutout.

Junior John Carroll went 2-for-3 with a double and scored on a bases-loaded walk by Jake Russo to make it 2-0.

Junior Austin Markmann pitched four scoreless innings for Middletown South, allowing three hits and a walk while striking out seven.

 

Class A Central

Rumson-Fair Haven 8, Holmdel 2

Senior right-hander Morgan Maguire allowed two unearned runs on four hits and no walks while striking out seven to help pitch the Bulldogs (1-0, 1-0) past the Hornets (0-1, 0-1) in the opener for both teams. Maguire also went 1-for-2 at the plate with two walks.

Senior Kenny Ferrare led Rumson at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a single, double and a triple, as well as three RBI. Junior Jackson Rissucci added a 2-for-3 effort with three RBI for Rumson.

Shore 5, No. 8 Manasquan 4

Senior right-hander James Kelly pitched a complete game with nine strikeouts and helped his cause with a game-tying solo home run in the fourth to lead the Blue Devils (1-0, 1-0) to an opening day win over sophomore left-hander Tommy Sheehan and the Warriors (0-1, 0-1).

Shore scored all five of its runs in the bottom of the fourth off Sheehan, a University of Notre Dame recruit. Kelly - a Monmouth University signee - started the rally with a solo blast down the right-field line on a 1-2 changeup from Sheehan, tying the game at one.

Sheehan then issued two walks around a double by senior first baseman Matt McCarthy, and junior Chas Breithoff delivered an RBI single to right to give the Blue Devils a 2-1 lead and keep the bases loaded with still nobody out. Sheehan then struck out the next two batters before senior Sam Parrino lined a 2-2 fastball into the right-center gap for a bases-clearing triple that gave Shore a 5-1 lead.

Manasquan answered the five-run Blue Devils inning with a three-run fifth against Kelly. Senior Matt Edwards smacked an RBI single to center to score Adam Schreck from third and senior Max Hawkins - also a Monmouth recruit - plated two more runs with a double down the right-field line that drove in Edwards from second and allowed junior Jack Sheehan to score from third when the ball got past the right fielder.

Hawkins walked and took second on a wild pitch in the seventh while representing the tying run, but Kelly struck out senior Ty Hawkins to finish off a seven-hit complete game in which Kelly did not allow an earned run.

McCarthy and Breithoff each went 2-for-3 with a run scored for Shore, while Hawkins and senior catcher Tyler Bradley each went 2-for-3 for Manasquan as well. Sheehan allowed six hits and walked three while striking out eight in the loss.

Monmouth 9, Raritan 3

Sophomore Josh Jackson went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI to lead the Monmouth attack as the Falcons (1-0, 1-0) beat the Rockets (1-1, 0-1) to open their season with a win.

Senior Marc Marcinak also finished 3-for-4 with a run scored, while senior Jim Green and junior Garrhet Reedy each added a double for Monmouth, which scored four runs in the first and put the game away with five in the top of the seventh.

Senior Christian DeFazio worked five innings to earn the win for the Falcons.

 

Class A South

Lacey 3, Brick Memorial 1

Sophomore Don Zellman tossed 6 1/3 strong innings, allowing a run on four hits while striking out eight to win his first varsity start and help the Lions (1-1, 1-1) top the Mustangs (0-2, 0-2) after losing in the bottom of the seventh inning against Brick on Wednesday.

Ray Hughes relieved Zellman and struck out the final two batters of the game to nail down the save. Sophomore Anthony Elefante drove in two runs for Lacey with a single to spark the offense.

Brick 16, Southern 3 (5 Innings)

Seniors Nick Moglia and Dan Berg combined to go 7-for-7 with 11 RBI and the Green Dragons (2-0, 2-0) hammered out 17 hits on the way to a win over the Rams (0-2, 0-2). Moglia finished 4-for-4 with six RBI, while Berg went 3-for-3 with a double and five driven in.

Junior Trevor Rowe and senior Carmen Sclafani each went 2-for-3, with Rowe scoring three runs and driving in three and Sclafani scoring four times and stealing three bases.

Sophomore Nick Chirichello allowed an earned run on four hits and three walks while fanning three to earn the win for Brick. Senior Joe Lashine doubled in a run for Southern.

 

Class B North

Ocean 14, Long Branch 1 (5 Innings)

Junior third baseman Tyler Rossback went 2-for-2 with four RBI and the Spartans (1-0, 1-0) hammered the Green Wave (0-2, 0-1) in support of senior starter Blake Demeter. Sophomore Kenny Pickett added two hits, senior Frank Henry scored three runs and Anthony Bartolomei and Brian Olsen each knocked in two runs.

Demeter worked four shutout innings with four strikeouts to pick up the win.

Red Bank Catholic 4, Matawan 3 (8 Innings)

Senior Mike Ianelli hit a two-run double to cap a two-out rally in the eighth and give the Caseys (1-0, 1-0) an opening-day win over the Huskies (0-1, 0-1) on the road. Junior Doug Facendo started the rally in the top of the eighth with an infield single with two out and scored on Ianelli's double.

Senior Tom Merlo was 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI and junior MIke Spinelli also went 2-for-4 for Red Bank Catholic. Junior John Poccia pitched the final three innings to earn the win for the Caseys. Red Bank Catholic junior starter Jack Ipsen and Matawan junior Adam Elliott both pitched into the seventh inning.

Senior Alex Cella led Matawan with two hits and a stolen base.

No. 6 Wall 1, Red Bank 0

Senior Ryan Orender pitched a five-hit shutout with two walks and eight strikeouts and also drove in the game's lone run with an RBI single in the first as the Crimson Knights (1-0, 1-0) edged the Bucs (0-2, 0-1) to win their opener.

Senior Nick Martinez - who missed the second half of his junior season with a compound fracture in his wrist - doubled and scored on Orender's first-inning hit.

Red Bank junior Nick Massa pitched a six-inning complete game with a walk and nine strikeouts in taking the hard-luck loss.

No. 4 Colts Neck 13, Neptune 3 (5 Innings)

Senior Tyler Kapuscinski went 2-for-2 with a double, an RBI and three runs scored to key Colts Neck's offense as the Cougars (2-0, 1-0) rolled to a win over the Scarlet Fliers (0-1, 0-1).

Senior Tyler Kay also went 2-for-4 with a double, a run and an RBI, while junior Jake McTigue went 1-for-1 with three runs scored and an RBI. Junior Andrew Conforti also added  two-run single for Colts Neck.

Senior left-hander Chris Murphy allowed two hits and a walk over four scoreless innings while striking out six to earn the win.

 

Class B Central

Point Beach 2, Keyport 1 (8 Innings)

Junior Joe Delgrippo plated the game-winning run with an infield single in the bottom of the eighth inning to make a winner out of junior John VanSchoick as the Garnet Gulls (2-0, 2-0) walked off with a win over the Red Raiders (0-2, 0-2) in extra innings.

VanSchoick pitched all eight innings, allowing an earned run on four hits and a walk while striking out 13. Point Beach tied the game in the bottom of the seventh when courtesy runner Zach Schaller - who came on for Ryan Franzoni after the junior catcher walked - went to third on a single by senior Trevor Thomas and scored on an RBI fielder's choice by senior Mike Frauenheim.

Sophomore Christian Smith allowed one earned run on six hits and a walk over 6 1/3 innings, while striking out five and taking the no-decision. Senior Steven Chandler went 3-for-3 with a run scored to lead Keyport at the plate.

 

Class B South

Manchester 9, Jackson Liberty 5

Sophomore Steve Rodriguez doubled in two runs and junior catcher Darrius Garcia drove in three to lead the Hawks (2-0, 2-0) to a win over the Lions (1-1, 1-1), their second in as many days to open the season.

Colton Gesser also knocked in two runs for Manchester, while seniors Dan Mills and Patrick Williams each went 1-for-2 with an RBI. Junior Dillon Barry earned the win in relief after Gavin Pabst worked the first 4 1/3 for the Hawks.

Senior Howard Taylor went 3-for-4 with a double, triple and two RBI for Jackson Liberty, while senior Dylan Millemann finished 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI in the loss.

No. 5 Barnegat 6, Point Boro 1

Senior John Corbett threw six solid frames and hit a go-ahead RBI single in the top of the sixth inning to lead the Bengals (1-1, 1-1) to a win over the Panthers (0-2, 0-2). Corbett allowed a run on six hits and one walk while striking out four in the win.

Sophomore shortstop Aaron McLaughlin followed Corbett's tie-breaking hit with a two-run single to put Barnegat up 4-1. The Bengals tacked on two more runs in the inning thanks to a couple of Point Boro errors.

Junior Sam Monaco went 2-for-4 with a run scored on an RBI double by junior Bill Feehan in the bottom of the first inning for Point Boro.

Pinelands 11, Lakewood 0 (6 Innings)

Senior Mitch Merrill doubled twice and drove in three runs to lead the Pinelands offensive attack, which led the Wildcats (2-0, 2-0) to a win over the Piners (0-2, 0-2). Senior David DeFeo struck out six over six shutout innings to earn the win after picking up the save against Barnegat on Wednesday.

 

Non-Division

Central 6, Mater Dei Prep 4

Senior Jake Dominguez pitched into the seventh inning, allowing two earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out six as the Golden Eagles (1-1) held off a seventh-inning rally by the Seraphs (1-1).

Junior Joe Bassett closed out the game, stranding the tying runs on base by recording the final out on a fly ball to the outfield.

Central broke the game open with a four-run fifth inning, highlighted by an RBI single by junior Chris Kowalski. Freshman Tom Ruscitti went 2-for-3 with a double and a go-ahead RBI single in the top of the fourth to break a 1-1 tie.

Vincenzo Mezzacappa finished 2-for-3 with an RBI double in the third to tie the game at 1-1 for the Seraphs. Junior Joe Ruth allowed six runs - three earned - on eight hits over five innings while striking out seven.

 

Non-Conference

At Vero Beach, Fla.

No. 1 CBA 3, New Rochelle (N.Y.) 2

Junior right-hander Luca Dalatri struck out a career-high 13 in his first start of the season and the Colts (2-0) dug out of an early 1-0 hole to beat New Rochelle in Florida. Dalatri scattered four hits and did not walk a batter in tossing the complete game and improving to 17-2 for his career.

Senior Andrew Buccellatto went 2-for-3 with an RBI double to tie the game at one in the second inning and junior Brandon Martorano tripled home the go-ahead run and scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-1 in the fifth. Junior Kenny Campbell also went 2-for-3 for CBA.

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