Baseball

The top hitters and pitchers in average, home runs, ERA, strikeouts and more during the 2021 Shore Conference baseball seasons.

The preseason rankings proved particularly meaningless this season, as six unranked teams in April finished ranked in late June. No. 1, however, was no big shock.

Brian Boyce, who led Manalapan to three NJSIAA sectional championships and two Group IV championships, has stepped down as Braves head baseball coach.

Manchester was one of the state's best underdog stories of the 2021 baseball season in New Jersey and Sean McAllister had the most memorable swing during that story.

Ben Schild pitched a two-hit shutout with seven strikeouts and Middletown South beat Montclair to capture its first NJSIAA Group IV championship in 25 years.

Rumson-Fair Haven struck for seven runs in the top of the first inning and never looked back in a 9-3 win over Red Bank Catholic that clinched the Bulldogs their first Monmouth County title.

Middletown South takes the field in Hamilton looking for its second ever state championship and will have to go through a Montclair team looking for its first.

Red Bank Catholic and Rumson-Fair Haven square off for a third time Friday at Count Basie Park, this time with the Monmouth County Title on the line.

Freshman catcher Cristian Soto capped a huge day with the game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the 13th inning to deliver Central an unforgettable, 7-6, win over Brick Memorial to clinch the Ocean County title.

Making his final start in high school, Shane Panzini struck out 14 CBA batters in 6 1/3 innings and went 3-for-3 at the plate to lead Red Bank Catholic to the Monmouth County final.

Central and Brick Memorial clash for the Ocean County Tournament title, while Red Bank Catholic, CBA, Manalapan and Rumson scrap for a spot in the Monmouth County Final.

Two sectional champions are on the road in the Monmouth County Tournament quarterfinals, with Rumson-Fair Haven and CBA already awaiting the winners.