Shore Conference Week 1 Player and Pitcher of the Week Winners

On the subject of the Shore Conference Baseball Player and Pitcher of the Week, the fans of the Shore have spoken, which means it is time to reveal the winners. We will start with the Shore Sports Network Week 1 selections for both awards, followed by the fan vote winners.

Shore Sports Network Shore Conference Week 1 Player of the Week

Tyler McLeod, Jr., RHP/DH, Southern

Southern junior Tyler McLeod. (Photos: Sheena Harper)

McLeod dominated Southern's double-header sweep over Central on Friday, April 5. On the mound, he fired five scoreless, two-hit innings with five strikeouts and no walks in the official season-opener, which Southern won, 5-2, in extra innings. At the plate, we went a combined 5-for-7 with two doubles, three runs scored and two RBI, including 4-for-4 with a double and two RBI in that extra-inning win to open the season.

Shore Sports Network Shore Conference Week 1 Pitcher of the Week

Collin Denton, Jr., RHP, Monmouth

Monmouth Regional junior Collin Denton. (Photo: Anne Marie Davidson)

In his first start of the season, Denton took a perfect game into the fifth inning against Wall and stuck out the first two batters of the frame. He went on to give up a run in the inning, but his Monmouth teammates tied the game in the bottom of the inning and then won it in the bottom of the seventh to make a winner out of Denton. The junior struck out 17, walked only one and allowed two hits in the 2-1 Falcons victory over the Crimson Knights.

Fan Vote Player Shore Conference Week 1 Player of the Week

Tyler McLeod, Jr., RHP/DH, Southern

During the first week of the season, McLead was so nice, he needed to win twice. McLeod raked in 36.5 percent of the Player of the Week voting share to top runner-up Bryan McCartin of Matawan (26.9). Jackson Liberty's Mat Galayda also made a run at the award with 18.8 percent of the vote.

Fan Vote Shore Conference Week 1 Pitcher of the Week

Christian Suarez, So., LHP, Wall

Wall sophomore Christian Suarez. (Photo provided by Wall High School Baseball)

Suarez only pitched three innings of relief in the first week of the season, but those innings were crucial in helping Wall pull off what might have been Week 1’s biggest upset. The sophomore took over in the bottom of the fifth after Wall took a 7-5 lead in the top of the inning and spun three scoreless frames to earn the save.

Suarez allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out two vs. the Shore’s No. 1 team to open the season and followed it up with another strong performance this week. Making his first career start, the left-hander tossed 6 2/3 innings to earn his first win in a 7-2 Crimson Knights victory over Monmouth on Monday.

Suarez won the Week 1 award with 31.3 percent of the vote, beating out runner-up Nick Garbooshian of Brick Memorial (25.3 percent). Denton (16.2 percent) and Donovan Catholic left-hander Jake Marciano (12.4) also drew better than 10 percent of the vote.