Baseball – VOTE: Adrenaline Player and Pitcher of the Week
After a two-year absence, it is once again time to rekindle the Shore Sports Network Player and Pitcher of the Week feature for the 2021 season, sponsored by Adrenaline Sports Academy.
Each week during the 2021, Shore Sports Network will recognize eight players and eight pitchers who stood out during the past week from Monday to Sunday - a division player and pitcher of the week from each of the six Shore Conference divisions and two wild cards in each category.
Vote in the two polls at the bottom of the post once per hour until they close on Wednesday at 10 p.m. The single player with the most votes between the two polls will receive a $25 gift card to Burger 25 in Toms River.
Shore Sports Network Week 1 Player of the Week
Class A North Player of the Week
Greg Trezza, Middletown South
You could pull a Middletown South name out of a hat and that player would be a worthy nominee for the Class A North Player of the Week. The Eagles have gotten contributions from up and down the roster but Trezza gets the nod for not only swinging a hot bat (3-for-3 on opening day and a huge three-run home run in a win over Red Bank Catholic) but has done superb work behind the plate as a first-year senior starter at catcher.
Class A North Honorable Mention: Danny Frontera, Middletown North; Vin Impresa, Howell; Zach Gorman, Freehold Twp.; Chris Ellison, Howell; Thomas Strauch, Howell; Ryan Frontera, Middletown North; Jack Frankovic, CBA; Tom Guidice, Manalapan; Joe Lomangino, Marlboro; Matt Villapiano, Freehold Twp.
Class A Central Player of the Week
Christian Zito, Monmouth
Zito was a sophomore to watch heading into 2020 and in 2021, he is a junior standout right out of the gate. In his first week at the varsity level, Zito was 6-for-8 with a grand slam in his first at-bat, four doubles and 10 RBI at the plate. Just for good measure, Zito also struck out eight in three no-hit innings in a win over Henry Hudson.
Class A Central Honorable Mention: Brett Hilscheimer, Holmdel; Thomas Elgrim, Rumson-Fair Haven; Reece Moroney, Rumson-Fair Haven; Joe Esposito, Monmouth; Sean Griggs, Red Bank Catholic; Trevor Crochet, Shore
Class A South Player of the Week
Shane Sajewicz, Central
The headline player on Central heading into the year was Cam Leiter and after one week, it’s a long list for a team that scored 26 runs in the first two games. Sajewicz was the Golden Eagles’ hit machine during Week 1, going 7-for-13 with two doubles and eight RBI to lead the team in average (.538) and RBI. The junior left-hander also gave Central three innings of work on the mound in Thursday’s 13-10 win over Southern, allowing two runs and striking out five.
Class A South Honorable Mention: Cristian Soto, Central; Evan Agrapides, Central; Aiden Patella, Brick Memorial; Brian Yacovchuk, Brick; Ryan Duffy, Brick; Charlie Meglio, Jackson Memorial; Zach Rogacki, Brick Memorial; Ryan Mackle, Toms River South; Sean Mindas, Toms River North; Ty Beck, Jackson Memorial
Class B North Player of the Week
Max Kaplan, Wall
Wall’s offense looks like a force to be reckoned with and Kaplan was the most productive member of the attack. The senior went 5-for-13 with two doubles and a big home run at St. Rose on opening day, as well as a team-best nine RBI. In the three Wall wins, Kaplan was even better, going 5-for-9.
Class B North Honorable Mention: Nick Callano, Ocean; Nick Lovarco, Wall; Andrew Fischer, Wall; Jerry Winchester, Wall; Eli Gries-Smith, Matawan; Cameron Knipp, Colts Neck; Dave Cohen, Colts Neck; Gabe Cavozzoni, Wall; Quincy Esannason, Neptune; Ryan Cole, Neptune; Andrew Glauber, Red Bank
Class B Central Player of the Week
Dev Bhatnagar, Ranney
How is this for an opening day: 4-for-4, three home runs and six RBI? That is what Bhatnagar did in Ranney’s statement, 14-8 win over Brick Memorial to open its season. That game alone was enough to put him in the running and he added a two-run single in a loss to Donovan Catholic.
Class B Central Honorable Mention: Jack Tallent, Ranney; Waylon Manoes, Keansburg
Class B South Player of the Week
Logan Duffy, Manchester
Duffy does not yet have a season-long cycle as a hitter, but that is because he hasn’t hit a single yet. The Manchester junior has gone big early, clocking a double, triple and homer as part of a 3-for-9 start. The double came in an opening-day loss to Middletown South, the triple in the next game at Pinelands and the homer in Saturday’s home-opener vs. Pinelands. Oh yeah, and Duffy – and Old Dominion commit as a pitcher – also dominated on the mound Friday vs. Pinelands with 10 strikeouts in five three-hit, shutout innings.
Class B South Honorable Mention: Jacob Bowles, Lacey; Matt Kaliske, Lacey; Nick Danbrowney, Barnegat; Jared Schworn, Barnegat; Rocco Scarpitti, Donovan Catholic; Sam Gates, Donovan Catholic
Wild Cards
Jared Schworn, Barnegat
Schworn came out of the gate scorching for the Bengals, going 4-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI in a 10-0 rout of Jackson Liberty. That monster game kicked off a six-RBI week for the junior outfielder, which included 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI in a 4-3 win over Raritan and an RBI double in Sunday’s loss to unbeaten Edison.
Reece Moroney, Rumson-Fair Haven
Moroney missed the chance to make a freshman contribution in 2020 and he has made up for it in the early going of his sophomore season. The second baseman drove in two runs in each of Rumson’s three wins this past week and went 3-for-4 with two RBI to lead a come-from-behind win at Central on Saturday – including a game-tying RBI single.
Shore Sports Network Week 1 Pitcher of the Week
Class A North Pitcher of the Week
Ben Schild, Middletown South
In his first varsity outing, Schild lived up the hype that surrounded him when he entered as a heralded freshman in 2020. Against a solid Ramapo team, Schild took a no-hitter into the fifth inning and settled for a two-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts and one walk.
Class A North Honorable Mention: Danny Frontera, Middletown North; Mike Keenan, Middletown South; Daniel Furlong, Howell; Tyler Kane, Manalapan; Joe Mazza, Manalapan; Ryan Bilello, Howell
Class A Central Pitcher of the Week
Shane Panzini, Red Bank Catholic
Speaking of living up to hype, Panzini has put on a clinic to open his anticipated senior season. After firing a two-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts at Toms River North, he one-upped himself with a one-hitter and 15 punchouts in a win over Delbarton. In two starts, Panzini is 2-0 with 29 strikeouts, four walks and three hits allowed in 14 shutout innings.
Class A Central Honorable Mention: Jackson Hinchcliffe, Rumson-Fair Haven; Jake Umans, Holmdel
Class A South Pitcher of the Week
Zach Crotchfelt, Jackson Memorial
Jackson Memorial turned its dominant junior left-hander loose on Saturday in North Brunswick and Crotchfelt was as good as he has been in his young career. The Auburn commit fired a one-hit shutout with two walks and 13 strikeouts in six innings, which was enough to complete the game thanks to Jackson Memorial’s offense.
Class A South Honorable Mention: Brady Leach, Brick Memorial; Brandon Valles, Toms River North; Zach McCabe, Howell; Mike Mucci, Southern
Class B North Pitcher of the Week
Anthony Gubitosi, Colts Neck
After spending his freshman season in the Freehold Boro program, Gubitosi made his way over to Colts Neck for last season and finally made his grand debut in Colts Neck’s opener last week. All the junior left-hander did was toss a five-inning, two-hit shutout with nine strikeouts and three walks against a perennial Group IV contender in Manalapan.
Class B North Honorable Mention: Nick Callano, Ocean; Mike Caldon, Matawan
Class B Central Pitcher of the Week
Jack DiPaolo, Keyport
Keyport got off to a feel-good start to 2021 and DiPaolo had a lot to do with that. After Anthony Longo opened the season with a clean inning vs. Lakewood, DiPaolo came on for six dominant innings with 11 strikeouts to finish off the 11-1 Red Raiders win.
Class B Central Honorable Mention: Nick Coniglio, Ranney; Waylon Manoes, Keansburg
Class B Central Pitcher of the Week
Jacob Bowles, Lacey
In his first start of the season, Bowles was nearly perfect and was, indeed, unhittable. The senior right-hander spun a six-inning no-hitter with one walk and six strikeouts in a 10-0 win over Point Boro and if the Lacey offense had taken it a little easier, Bowles would have had a chance to make it a seven-inning no-hitter. For good measure, Bowles had a big week at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a double, triple and an RBI in the no-hitter and 7-for-11, two doubles, a triple and five RBI for the week.
Class B South Honorable Mention: Logan Duffy, Manchester; Dan Keenan, Jackson Liberty; Nick Danbrowney, Barnegat; Nick Zarycki, Lacey
Wild Cards
Dan Keenan, Jackson Liberty
Only two pitchers in the Shore Conference are 2-0 after one week: MLB Draft hopeful Shane Panzini and Keenan. The Jackson Liberty senior fired two perfect innings with four strikeouts to earn an opening-day win in relief, then started Saturday’s 13-3 win over Barnegat and struck out 10 in five two-hit innings.
Nick Danbrowney, Barnegat
Danbrowney was as good as anyone on opening day, throwing a six-inning, three-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts and one walk while also going 2-for-3 with a double and a homer in the 10-0 win over Jackson Liberty.
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