Baseball – VOTE: Ocean County Sports Medicine Week 4 Pitcher of the Week
Each week during the 2022 high school baseball season, Shore Sports Network will recognize the top pitchers in each Shore Conference division and give fans a chance to pick the overall winner of the Shore Sports Network Baseball Pitcher of the Week. The nominees include a Pitcher of the Week from each of the six Shore Conference divisions, plus two wild cards who are worthy of consideration as well.
Check out this week's group of nominees and vote for the one you think stands out in the poll at the bottom of the post. Voting ends Thursday at 10 p.m., with the winner receiving a Player of the Week shirt courtesy of Ocean County Sports Medicine.
Class A North Pitcher of the Week
Brevin Bezick, Middletown South
The sophomore left-hander had a breakout performance for Middletown South on Saturday in the Monmouth County Tournament round of 16 and the Eagles needed it after all the pitching they had to go through throughout last week. Bezick struck out 14 in a complete-game, two-hitter to lead Middletown South to a 6-2 win over Manalapan – the first of two weekend wins that put the Eagles back in the MCT semifinals.
Class A North Honorable Mention: Colin Reilly, CBA; Brennan O’Keefe, CBA; Dylan Shaffer, Manalapan; Tyler Villa, Marlboro; Nick Gomes, Howell; C.J. Svoboda, Freehold Twp.; Ben Schild, Middletown South
Class A Central Pitcher of the Week
Steve Svenson, Red Bank Catholic
Svenson on the mound was a good sign for Red Bank Catholic this week, which went 3-0 in games in which the sophomore right-hander appeared and 1-1 without him. Svenson was credited with two of those wins for himself, pitching 4 1/3 innings in a win over Ocean to start the week and pitching two innings of relief to earn the win over CBA in the Monmouth County Tournament on Saturday. Svenson then pitched the final 2 1/3 innings of a 9-2 win over Freehold Township to close out the MCT quarterfinal win on Sunday.
Class A Central Honorable Mention: J.V. Lobifaro, Holmdel; Shane Garrett, Ocean; Matt King, Ocean; Rob Stock, Shore; Aiden Denton, Monmouth; Matt Bruno, Rumson-Fair Haven; John Molnar, Raritan; Alex Stanyek, Red Bank Catholic
Class A South Pitcher of the Week
Zach Crotchfelt, Jackson Memorial
Jackson Memorial got to give the ball to its senior ace twice last week against two significant opponents. First, Crotchfelt battled through six innings to earn a win over Central and counterpart Cam Leiter, even helping his cause with a home run and a double at the plate. After that 13-strikeout performance in a 4-3 Jackson Memorial win, Crotchfelt allowed just one runs and three hits with two walks and 14 strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings in a win over Williamstown – the team that beat Crotchfelt and Jackson Memorial in last year’s NJSIAA South Jersey Group IV Tournament.
Class A South Honorable Mention: Brady Leach, Brick Memorial; Nick Garbooshian, Brick Memorial; Anthony Mehmet, Jackson Memorial; Cam Leiter, Central; Mike Nascimento, Southern; Chris Hastings, Toms River South; Brenden Lavallee, Toms River North
Class B North Pitcher of the Week
Zach Szatkowski, Wall
Facing a ranked Monmouth team that sent a talented two-way talent to the mound in Christian Zito for Saturday’s MCT round of 16 game, Szatkowski never let the Falcons build up much hope. Wall’s junior right-hander pitched a four-hit shutout with three walks and five strikeouts, leading the Crimson Knight to a 3-0 win.
Class B North Honorable Mention: Nate Ruth, Red Bank; Ryan Cole, Neptune; Nick Ferraioli, St. John Vianney; Jack Dawson, Manasquan; Cullen Condon, Manasquan; Anthony Gubitosi, Colts Neck; Tyler Spencer, Colts Neck
Class B Central Pitcher of the Week
A.J. Gracia, Ranney
Gracia’s lone appearance this past week was in relief, lasted 5 1/3 innings and began in the third inning with his team trailing St. John Vianney, 4-1. The outing ended with the score tied, 5-5, in the top of the eighth inning thanks to a dominant performance on the mound, as well as a significant offensive contribution from the Duke commit as well. Gracia allowed one earned run on three hits with two walks and 10 strikeouts in his 5 1/3 innings, hit a game-tying home run in the fifth and scored the tying run in the bottom of the seventh after stealing two bases and scoring on a throwing error.
Class B South Pitcher of the Week
Noah Quinn, Lacey
Lacey kept its hopes of winning a division title alive last week by taking down Jackson Liberty behind a stellar mound performance by Quinn. The junior right-hander struck out 14 and walked one over 5 2/3 innings of Lacey’s 4-2 win over the Lions.
Class B South Honorable Mention: Jake Marciano, Donovan Catholic; Mike Todaro, Lacey; Ethan Bloomfield, Jackson Liberty; Chris Sasso, Jackson Liberty; Stephen DeMilio, Pinelands
Wild Cards
Dylan Shaffer, Manalapan
Shaffer turned in the best performance of his young career last week, firing a one-hit shutout with one walk and seven strikeouts to lead Manalapan to a 2-0 win over Freehold Township. The sophomore right-hander got the new week off to a good start for the Braves with five scoreless innings Tuesday in a win over Marlboro, which entered the game on a seven-game winning streak.
Ethan Bloomfield, Jackson Liberty
Jackson Liberty has two impressive left-handers in the rotation and for most of the season, Chris Sasso has been the power lefty. Bloomfield, however, turned in one of the most dominant strikeout performances of the season last week, racking up 18 in a complete-game win over Point Boro. Bloomfield finished with a four-hitter that included two walks and four unearned runs.
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