Baseball – VOTE: Adrenaline Week 4 Player and Pitcher of the Week
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 Thursday 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.
Adrenaline Week 4 Players of the Week
Class A North Player of the Week
Mark Capell, Marlboro
After winning the Pitcher of the Week award in A North last week, Capell was on another level this week. He made two starts on the mound and allowed two earned runs in 12 innings with 21 strikeouts and two walks and this week, he had the offense to match. The Yale commit went 6-for-13 (.462) with a home run, two doubles, five runs and five RBI in four games.
Class A North Honorable Mention: Nick Wright, Marlboro; Thomas Strauch, Howell; Danny Frontera, Middletown North; Chris Corchado, Freehold Twp.; Joe Stanzione, Middletown South; Chris Ellison, Howell; Antonio Gatti, Howell; Vin Impresa, Howell; Griffin Murphy, Freehold Twp.; Colin Dowlen, Middletown North; Tyler Abbot, Long Branch; Anthony Matteis, Manalapan
Class A Central Player of the Week
Ben Hutchins, Raritan
Last week, Hutchins pitched a three-hit shutout against one of the Shore’s hottest lineups in Rumson-Fair Haven, then brought his bat to the yard in two more games during the remainder of the week. The junior was 2-for-3 with a double and two stolen bases in a 4-3 loss to Monmouth, then went 2-for-4 with an RBI in a 7-4 win over the Falcons to close out the week.
Class A Central Honorable Mention: Louie Curcio, Holmdel; Andrew Woodward, Holmdel; Anthony Borriello, Red Bank Catholic; Shane Panzini, Red Bank Catholic; Dillon Downs, Ocean; George Krenkel, Ocean; Thomas Elgrim, Rumson-Fair Haven; Tom Turnbach, St. Rose; Alex Stanyek, Red Bank Catholic; Andrew Schmid, Rumson-Fair Haven; Shane Garrett, Ocean
Class A South Player of the Week
Cam Leiter, Central
Leiter has been in spot before for hitting a clutch home run and this time, his inclusion in this week’s feature has as much to do with his pitching. Leiter had his best two starts of the year last week, striking out 11 in a five-hit shutout of Barnegat, then punching out 13 in a five-inning three-hitter against Monmouth in the SCT. He wasn’t too bad at the plate either, going 7-for-17 (.412) with two doubles and four RBI in six games.
Class A South Honorable Mention: Zach Rogacki, Jackson Memorial; Ty Beck, Jackson Memorial; Reese Hackett, Brick Memorial; Shane Sajewicz, Central; Zach Crotchfelt, Jackson Memorial; Dom Masino, Central; R.J. Reinhold, Brick; Austin Beard, Toms River South; Ryan Mackle, Toms River South; Ryan Ushock, Toms River East; Ryan Duffy, Brick; Tom Kendrick, Jackson Memorial; Ty Gibson, Toms River South; Gavin Migliori, Toms River South
Class B North Player of the Week
John Furch, St. John Vianney
Furch had two huge games for St. John Vianney last week – one in a win and one in a loss. The senior first baseman went 2-for-4 with a double and four RBI in a win over Freehold Boro, then went 2-for-4 with a double and a home run in a 10-4 loss to Ocean in the Shore Conference Tournament. For the week, Furch was 5-for-11 three extra-base hits and five RBI.
Class B North Honorable Mention: Tyler Persico, Neptune; Dan Moran, Neptune; Brad Salamone, Colts Neck; Collin Kratzer, Colts Neck; Liam Wiley, Freehold Boro; Joe Cilea, Colts Neck; Jay Bant, Wall; Andrew Fischer, Wall; Nick Lovarco, Wall; Christian Cosenza, Wall; Max Harrell, Wall
Class B Central Player of the Week
A.J. Gracia, Ranney
The sophomore Duke commit is beginning to settle in for the Panthers and this past week, he had his loudest stretch of games to date. Gracia hit a go-ahead three-run home run in comeback win over Lacey, then homered again the next game against Keyport. He also doubled and drove in four in a win over Keansburg and went 3-for-4 with three RBI in an 11-0 win over Jackson Liberty in the SCT opening round.
Class B Central Honorable Mention: Waylon Manoes, Keansburg; Diego Tavarez, Ranney; Alec Glen, Point Beach; Colin Matuschat, Point Beach; Anthony Longo, Keyport
Class B South Player of the Week
Logan Duffy, Manchester
Manchester had a huge week with two Shore Conference Tournament wins and the word huge probably sells Duffy’s week short. The junior outfielder was 8-for-14 with three doubles, a home run, six runs and seven RBI – including a six-RBI game in a win over Point Boro and a home run in a statement win over Donovan Catholic in the SCT opening round.
Class B South Honorable Mention: Bryson Kirby, Point Boro; Sean McAllister, Manchester; Jason Bennett, Point Boro; Sam Gates, Donovan Catholic; Hunter Johnson, Donovan Catholic; Jared Schworn, Barnegat; Matt Kaliske, Lacey
Wild Cards
Thomas Elgrim, Rumson-Fair Haven
Elgrim homered in back-to-back games at the end of last week, going deep in a 9-8 win over Ocean and then again the next day in an SCT win over Brick. His memorable moment, though, was a game-winning, walk-off single to win that Ocean game and cap a 4-for-5 day at the plate with three RBI.
Matt Kaliske, Lacey
Kaliske was on fire all week, clubbing three home runs and going 7-for-15 with nine RBI to lead the Lacey offense. He was part of a first-inning home-run barrage in a loss at Ranney, went 3-for-5 with a double in a marathon loss to Donovan Catholic, cracked a grand slam in a 7-5 win over Central and was 2-for-3 with a homer and a double in an SCT loss to Howell.
Adrenaline Week 4 Pitcher of the Week
Class A North Pitcher of the Week
Matt Pontari, Middletown South
It is one thing to throw a five-or-six-inning no-hitter, it is another to throw one in seven innings and it is something next-level to throw a no-hitter in a closely-contested tournament game. Pontari did just that, pitching a no-no in the Shore Conference Tournament round of 16 Sunday against No. 12 seed Colts Neck, which managed to score an unearned run against him in a 2-1 Middletown South win. Pontari struck out seven and walked three in his Sunday-morning gem.
Class A North Honorable Mention: Tyler Kane, Manalapan; Danny Frontera, Middletown North; Matt Villapiano, Freehold Twp.; Ben Schild, Middletown South; Colin Dowlen, Middletown North; Colin Reilly, CBA; Joe Mazza, Manalapan; Tyler Sharkey, Middletown North
Class A Central Pitcher of the Week
Shane Garrett, Ocean
The Spartans sophomore came through again and again for his team during another big week. He picked up two wins during Ocean’s 3-2 week, allowing one unearned run in six strong innings in a win over Shore to open the week, then firing four innings of relief to earn a win Saturday against St. John Vianney in the Shore Conference Tournament. Garrett also hit a big home run in Wednesday’s 10-7 win over Rumson that extended Ocean’s winning streak to eight.
Class A Central Honorable Mention: Jake Umans, Holmdel; Ben Hutchins, Raritan; Jake Glassberg, Red Bank; Jack Tiernan, St. Rose; Rylan Fegan, Shore; Charlie Jones, Rumson-Fair Haven; Shane Panzini, Red Bank Catholic
Class A South Pitcher of the Week
Matt Potok, Jackson Memorial
It was a two-win week for Jackson Memorial’s workhorse, with Potok nailing down wins over Brick Memorial and Ocean. The senior right-hander struck out eight in five innings with no walks and two earned runs allowed to open the week, then cooled off a hot Ocean lineup by pitching a two-hitter on 78 pitches with nine strikeouts and one walk.
Class A South Honorable Mention: Cam Leiter, Central; Joe Schifilitti, Toms River South; Cole Manfro, Brick Memorial; Aiden Folsom, Toms River South; Branden Lavallee, Toms River North
Class B North Pitcher of the Week
Brian Young, Neptune
Never one to shy away from a challenge, Young took the ball last week against two of the more dangerous offensive teams in the Shore over the last two weeks. The senior took his first loss of the season at Wall, but held the Crimson Knights well below their usual run production (three earned runs in 6 1/3 innings). Young then pitched a three-hit shutout in a 1-0 win over Marlboro in the SCT opening round and also went 2-for-3 with a double at the plate in the win.
Class B North Honorable Mention: Andrew Glauber, Red Bank; Matt Johnson, Wall; Ryan Sekman, St. John Vianney; Chris Casale, Freehold Boro; Anthony Gubitosi, Colts Neck; Bobby Leete, Wall
Class B Central Pitcher of the Week
Waylon Manoes, Keansburg
Manoes pitched Keansburg to a much-needed win by striking out nine while allowing one unearned run in a 12-1 win over Mater Dei Prep. Manoes also homered and drove in three in the win and also went 1-for-2 in a loss to Ranney.
Class B Central Honorable Mention: Diego Tavarez, Ranney; Jackson Killian, Point Beach; Anthony Longo, Keyport; Nick Coniglio, Ranney
Class B South Pitcher of the Week
Joe Pati, Manchester
Pati and teammate Joe Sclama both came up big for Manchester at the end of last week as the Hawks took out both Donovan Catholic and Freehold Township in the Shore Conference Tournament. Before Sclama beat Freehold Township on Sunday, Pati took care of the Griffins on Saturday, holding the No. 10 seed to one unearned run on three hits and one walk while striking out eight within the cozy confines of Donovan Catholic’s Whitty Road Field in Toms River.
Class B South Honorable Mention: Jason Basilicata, Donovan Catholic; Jacob Bowles, Lacey; Joe Sclama, Manchester
Wild Cards
Tyler Kane, Manalapan
If not for another Class A North hurler pitching a no-hitter, Kane would have been a slam dunk for this week’s award. The junior right-hander picked a great day to have his best day as a Brave, firing a three-hit shutout with 16 strikeouts and no walks in a 1-0 win over Middletown North – a win that clinched Manalapan a huge sweep of the Lions.
Colin Reilly, CBA
Like Kane, Reilly had his best game as a high-school pitcher, with the junior tossing a one-hitter with 12 strikeouts and three walks in a 2-1 CBA win over Middletown South.
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