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NJSIAA Tournament

Sectional Finals

South Jersey Non-Public A

(2) St. Augustine 6, (4) Red Bank Catholic 5 (6 Innings)

Josiah Ragsdale stole home to tie the game with two out in the bottom of the seventh and junior Kyle Neri hit the game-winning single off the base of the fence in the bottom of the eighth as the Hermits rallied from a five-run deficit to beat the Caseys and win their fifth straight sectional championship.

Red Bank Catholic was one out away from their first sectional title since 1997 and Ragsdale hit a routine ground ball to second base, but Caseys second baseman Nico Gonzalez did not field it cleanly and Ragsdale was ruled safe on a close play at the bag. The junior stole second and third without a throw and on a 1-2 pitch, after Stanyek had just stepped off, Ragsdale broke for the plate and scored standing up when Stanyek threw the ball over the head of catcher Shane Andrus, who jumped up from out of his crouch.

Neri was the walk-off hero and he came through after getting hit directly in the face with a pitch from Stanyek in his previous at-bat. He stayed in the game to run the bases and with runners on first and second with one out in the eight, Neri jumped on a curveball from Stanyek and sent it just over the reach of freshman left-fielder Sean Griggs to chase in the winning run.

Stanyek made an impact in every way possible for RBC, ripped a two-run double to make it 4-0 in the top of the second, robbing starting pitcher Jackson Vanesco of an RBI double with a diving catch at the warning track in right field in the bottom of the third and striking out seven over four innings while giving up just one earned run.

Dylan Wanagiel also fell victim to spotty RBC defense, with only two of his four runs allowed being earned. Wanagiel pitched into the fifth inning, struck out five, walked one and gave up six hits. The Caseys committed a total of six errors in the game, leading to three unearned runs.

 

Sectional Semifinals

Central Jersey Group III

(1) Colts Neck 5, (5) Allentown 2

Sophomore Tyler Spencer took over on the mound for classmate Anthony Gubitosi when the game resumed on Thursday and pitched 3 2/3 shutout innings to help the Cougars beat the Redbirds and advance to the sectional final round for the first time in 13 years.

Gubitosi threw 43 pitches over 2 1/3 innings when the game started on Tuesday, but a downpour halted the game and the ensuing poor field conditions forced it to be suspended at that point of the top of the third inning.

Spencer took over on Wednesday and quieted Allentown through the end of the sixth before turning the game over to junior Collin Kratzer with a 5-1 lead. Kratzer gave up an unearned run in closing out the win and punching Colts Neck's ticket to Friday's final, which will be against No. 7 Northern Burlington in Colts Neck.

Christian Rice singled in a run and Brad Salamone was hit with the bases loaded to give Colts Neck a pair of insurance runs in the sixth inning for a 5-1 lead.

Back on Tuesday, Colts Neck plated three runs in the bottom of the first on just one hit - a ringing, leadoff double by senior Cameron Knipp. Two errors, a passed ball, a wild pitch and three walks contributed to the fast start by the Cougars.

 

Monmouth County Tournament

Round of 16

(1) Manalapan 5, (16) Matawan 4

Manalapan strung together four straight run-scoring hits with two out in the bottom of the fifth inning and the Braves rallied from a three-run deficit at the start of the day to survive and advance past the Huskies.

Max Graime singled to lead off the inning but was stuck on third base with two out until Chris Marzo came through with an RBI single to cut the Matawan lead to 3-1.

Anthony Matrone followed with an RBI single and fellow senior Anthony Matteis gave Manalapan the lead with a two-run single to score both Marzo and Matrone. Senior Tom Guidice capped the five-run rally with an RBI double.

Tyler Kane earned the win in relief and Sebastian Czajkowski picked up the save with a scoreless seventh inning on just seven pitches.

Manalapan will host Colts Neck in the quarterfinal round on a date to be determined.

(5) Freehold Twp. 7, (12) St. John Vianney 1

Senior Matt Villapiano fired a complete game for his seventh win of the season and the Patriots topped the Lancers to advance to the MCT quarterfinals to face the winner of Saturday's game between No. 4 Rumson-Fair Haven and No. 13 Ranney.

Villapiano scattered 10 hits and allowed one unearned run while striking out six and walking one. The senior left-hander also went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored to help his cause.

Freshman Ryan Costello had a breakout performance, going 3-for-3 with a double, two runs, two RBI and two stolen bases, while junior Ryan Keegan went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI and senior Zach Gorman was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

 

Ocean County Tournament

Quarterfinals

(9) Toms River South 4, (1) Jackson Memorial 3

Eli McEwan hit a big two-run single in the fourth inning and plated the winning run with a sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth as the Indians stunned the top-seeded Jaguars to reach the OCT semifinals against No. 4 Brick Memorial.

Junior Aidan Folsom allowed three runs - one earned - over six innings of work and junior Jake Wilber closed out the win with a one-two-three seventh.

Charlie Meglio hit an RBI single in the fourth inning and Ty Beck tied the game in the fifth with an RBI double down the left-field line. Jackson Memorial cut the lead to 4-3 on an error in the bottom of the sixth but could not push the tying run across again.

Beck took the loss in relief for Jackson Memorial.

(4) Brick Memorial 4, (12) Point Beach 1

Brandon Hulsart pitched a two-hitter with six strikeouts and four walks and Joe Gioia broke a scoreless tie with a three-run double in Brick Memorial's four-run fourth inning, propelling the Mustangs into the OCT semifinals to face No. 9 Toms River South.

Reese Hackett tacked on a run in the fourth with an RBI single for Brick Memorial.

Owen West and Giuseppe Taurozi combined on a four-hitter for Point Beach, with West taking the loss. The Garnet Gull will look to bounce back Friday at Middlesex in the Central Jersey Group I championship game.

 

Regular Season

Class A Central

Rumson-Fair Haven 4, Shore 2

Mike Amendola drove in the winning run with an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth and the Bulldogs beat the Blue Devils to complete their Class A Central regular-season schedule.

 

Class A South

Brick 6, Toms River North 0

John McFadden pitched a three-hit shutout with nine strikeouts and one walk as the Green Dragons topped the Mariners.

Matt Kunzman doubled and drove in three to highlight Brick's offense.

 

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