Baseball – Vote: Week 5 Player and Pitcher of the Week

Each week for the remainder of the baseball season, Shore Sports Network will select both players and pitchers of the week from each of the six Shore Conference divisions and open up the voting to the readers in order to pick an overall Player of the Week. In addition to the six pitchers and players from each division, there will be two wild cards in each category who will be placed on the ballot. Vote early, vote often, and vote until Thursday at 10 p.m., when the voting will close and the winners will be posted.

Class A North

Player of the Week

Tommy DiTullio, CBA

CBA closed it’s a North season with three wins last week and DiTullio was in the middle of all three wins. He came through with a game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning to beat Freehold Township 2-1 and one game later, he belted a go-ahead two-run home run in a come-from-behind, 12-6 win over Howell. DiTullio also collected a hit and scored a run in a 4-1 win over Manalapan to open the week.

Pitcher of the Week

Justin Tucker, Neptune

Neptune’s senior left-hander turned in a career outing last Wednesday, when he struck out 14 and walked none in a one-hitter against Marlboro. Tucker, who needed only 86 pitches to finish the gem, also went 2-for-4 with a triple, a run scored and an RBI in the win.

Honorable Mention Class A North Player of the Week: John Gannon, Neptune; Ron Cole, Neptune; Joe Kohm, Colts Neck; Blaise Venancio, CBA; Mike Pirrotta, Freehold Twp.; Jeremy Bello, Marlboro

Class A Central

Player of the Week

Zack Johnston, Raritan

Johnson picked up win No. 5 last Monday against St. John Vianney with a complete-game effort and then went 1-for-2 with a double in a 2-0 win over Matawan the next day. The win over the Lancers clinched Raritan a share of the division title and the Rockets clinched the title outright by beating the Huskies the next day.

Pitcher of the Week

Alex Burnett, Rumson-Fair Haven

The junior right-hander did not earn a win against Manasquan last Thursday, but Burnett matched Manasquan senior Connor Muly for seven innings to give his Bulldogs a chance to win the game in the bottom of the eighth, which they did, 6-5. Burnett allowed three runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out three and throwing 100 pitches.

Honorable Mention Class A Central Player of the Week: Alex DiBona, Holmdel; Matt Fanelli, Holmdel; Will Grant, Red Bank; Jack Boyer, Rumson; Robby Smith, Rumson; John Juco, Red Bank; Matt Birdsall, Raritan; Mason O’Mara, Red Bank; Jack Povey, Red Bank

Class A South

Player of the Week

Pat Barrett, Southern

Technically, the player of the week awards are based on Monday-through-Sunday production, but if you include what Barrett did last Sunday, his week was one of the best of anybody this season. In the Ocean County first round against Brick Memorial, he hit the go-ahead three-run home run in a 6-4 Rams win, which preceded another big week for Barrett and his team. He homered and pitched a one-hitter in a 1-0 win over Brick on Monday, went 3-for-4 in a loss to Central, 2-for-3 with an RBI in an OCT win over Jackson Liberty and homered twice in a win over Barnegat.

Pitcher of the Week

Nick DeGennaro, Toms River East

The pitch count rule bit DeGennaro and Toms River East last Monday against Toms River North, but not before the junior right-hander spun a gem against the Mariners. DeGennaro struck out 13 with one walk and five hits allowed before having to come out of the game with 114 pitches and two out in the bottom of the eighth inning with the score 1-0 and the tying run on third. Toms River North scored in the inning and won the game in the ninth to deny DeGennaro the win. DeGennaro also brought his bat to the yard in that game, going 2-for-2 with a double.

Honorable Mention Class A South Player of the Week: Ryder Tallent, Jackson Mem.; Joey Howell, Brick Mem.; Jared Bellissimo, Toms River North; Nolan Watson, Southern; Chris Salsano, Brick; John Prato, Brick; Justin Fall, Toms River South; Jon Giordano, Toms River North; Matt D’Amore, Jackson Mem.; Nick Simone, Southern

Class B North

Player of the Week

Garrett French, Middletown North

The junior started off the week with 6 2/3 one-hit innings in a win over Long Branch and ended it by going 3-for-3 with a home run and three RBI in a win over Donovan Catholic. French also went 2-for-3 with two runs scored against Long Branch and struck out six during his performance on the mound.

Pitcher of the Week

Grant Shulman, Wall

Shulman made just his third start of the season last week and each has been better than the one before it. After throwing six shutout innings in a win over Red Bank Catholic on May 1, Shulman came back 10 days later and pitched a three-hit shutout with seven strikeouts to beat Ocean, 1-0. Shulman also struck out seven and did not walk a batter in the seven-inning, 89-pitch effort.

Honorable Mention Class B North Player of the Week: Josh Jackson, Monmouth; Joe Sprake, Middletown South; John Perrino, Wall; Aurellio Licata, Middletown South; Matt Mincieli, Long Branch; T.J. Brewer, Long Branch; Tyler Ras, Middletown North; Paul Birzin, Monmouth; Trey Dombroski, Wall

Class B Central

Player of the Week

Kevin Donnelly, Point Beach

Donnelly had a torrid week at the plate, going 6-for-12 with two home runs, three doubles and nine RBI in four games. He homered and drove in five against Keansburg, homered and drove in three against Henry Hudson, went 2-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI against Mater Dei and went 2-for-2 with a double in a loss to Point Boro.

Pitcher of the Week

Greg Bender, Mater Dei Prep

Bender cooled off a Ranney team that started to make some noise last week by limiting the Panthers to an unearned run on just two hits while striking out five and walking two – all while earning his first win on the mound.

Honorable Mention Class B Central Player of the Week: Grady Hendrickson, Henry Hudson; Devin Nash-McGee, Asbury Park; Cole Redman, Ranney; Brendan Carlstrom, Henry Hudson; Brandon Mology, St. Rose; John Nista, Point Beach; Riley Maypother, St. Rose; Kiran Shah, Ranney; Brian DiPasquale, St. Rose

Class B South

Player of the Week

James Johns, Manchester

The Mancheter freshman had a big three days to start last week, first going 3-for-4 with a triple and an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth that gave the Hawks a walk-off win in extra-innings against Lakewood. Johns followed his late-inning heroics on Monday by throwing five strong innings Tuesday against Lacey in the Ocean County Tournament. After Johns allowed one earned run on seven hits and one walk to keep his team in the game, the Hawks scored three times in the top of the seventh to stun the second-seeded Lions and advance to the OCT semifinals. Johns capped his three-day roll by going 1-for-2 with a double, two walks and an RBI in a 4-3 win over Pinelands.

Pitcher of the Week

Anthony Elefante, Lacey

Elefante got Lacey off to a good start last week with a dominant performance against Donovan Catholic. The senior right-hander punched out 15 and walked one in a two-hit shutout as the Lions blanked the Griffins, 3-0.

Honorable Mention Class B South Player of the Week: Kyle Tavaska, Jackson Liberty; Trent Livolsi, Point Boro; Gavin Pabst, Manchester; Sean O’Rourke, Pinelands; Justin Thompson, Lacey; David Melfi, Jackson Liberty; Shane Hickey, Jackson Liberty; Matt Morro, Donovan Catholic; Josiah Gliddon, Point Borro; Tom Paul, Point Boro

Wild Cards

Player of the Week

T.J. Scuderi, Toms River South

Scuderi began last week with a strong performance in a high-scoring attack for Toms River South, but his hitting in tight games helped the Indians finish off the A South season and also advance to the OCT semifinals. He started the week by going 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI in an 11-1 win over Central, then homered in back-to-back wins over Brick Memorial and Central. He hit a solo shot in a 5-1 win over the Mustangs, then belted a go-ahead three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth in the Indians’ 6-3 win over Central in the OCT quarterfinals. He also went 1-for-2 in a loss to Jackson Liberty on Saturday, making Scuderi 5-for-10 with five runs and five RBI for the week.

Nick Hohenstein, CBA

Hohenstein found his groove on the mound again at the beginning of last week in the form of a complete game in a 4-1 win over Manalapan. The junior right-hander allowed six hits and struck out six to pick up the win and helped his cause by going 3-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI. Hohenstein also went 1-for-2 with a double, three walks, two runs scored and two RBI in the 12-6 win over Howell.

Pitcher of the Week

Nick Simone, Southern

Thanks to his offense, Simone only needed to throw five innings to pick up a shutout win over a Jackson Liberty team that has been on fire. Simone allowed just two singles, did not walk a batter and struck out four during a 52-pitch complete game in the Rams’ 11-0 win. Jackson Liberty entered the game on a five-game winning streak and since losing to Southern has beaten both Toms River South and Toms River North to improve to 8-2 over its last 10 games.

Matt Pickus, Jackson Liberty

Speaking of Jackson Liberty, the Lions picked up a big win over No. 1 Toms River South on Friday behind a complete-game effort by Pickus. The junior right-hander allowed one run on three hits while walking four and striking out five to lead the Lions to a 3-1 win.