The Shore Daily, 5/1/15
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Several division races got tighter after Thursday's action, which included Freehold Boro's Steve Rullo shutting out top-ranked Christian Brothers Academy for the second time this season in another brilliant performance.
Middletown South is now breathing down CBA's neck, one game behind in Class A North after Austin Markmann shut down cross-town rival Middletown North last night for the Eagles' ninth straight win and their 11th in the last 12 games.
Manasquan has edged in front of the pack in the Class A Central race and has now won seven of 10 after Notre Dame recruit Tommy Sheehan shut down Holmdel yesterday. The Warriors also are doing good things off the field.
Another piece of good news that came from Thursday is that Mater Dei Prep will officially remain open after an approval from the Diocese of Trenton that followed the amazing fund-raising effort to save the school.
Let's get to the Top 10 performers from Thursday's action.
Steve Rullo, Jr., P, Freehold Boro
Not too many pitchers in Shore Conference history can say they shut out CBA twice in one season, but Rullo did just that with a one-hitter in a 2-0 win over the Colts. A first-inning single is all he allowed, and it was questioned whether that was a hit by Brandon Martorano or an error, so he may have pitched a no-hitter but the official book marked it as a one-hitter. Either way, that's a tremendous performance.
Tyler Stafflinger, Jr., P, Manalapan
Stafflinger pitched six scoreless innings, allowing five hits and two walks on 91 pitches, to help power a 6-0 win over No. 5 Marlboro in Class A North. He also struck out three in winning his third straight start for Manalapan's ninth win in 10 games.
Austin Markmann, Jr., P, Middletown South
It was a day filled with strong pitching performances in Class A North, as Markmann threw a complete-game five-hitter, only allowing one earned run, walking three and striking out four while also going 1-for-3 at the plate in a 4-2 win over Middletown North. The Eagles have now won 11 of their last 12 games to put themselves one game out of first in the division.
Tommy Sheehan, So., P, Manasquan
The Warriors are looking like the team that was forecasted to win Class A Central in the preseason, as they have won seven of their last 10 after a 5-1 win over Holmdel. Sheehan threw a complete-game two-hitter, striking out four, and also went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored to keep the Warriors alone in first place.
Max Goione, Sr., SS, Rumson-FH
The Siena recruit went 3-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored to help the Bulldogs knock off St. John Vianney 9-3 and keep their darkhorse run for a division title alive.
Vinny Scrudato, Sr., P, Toms River South
Scrudato did not allow an earned run in a complete-game three-hitter to help the Indians beat Brick 5-2 in Class A South. He struck out three and walked two in the win.
Mario Ferraioli, Jr., P, Colts Neck
Ferraioli continued his outstanding season with a complete-game three-hitter with eight strikeouts in a 2-1 win over Matawan that kept the Cougars unbeaten in Class B North play.
Mike Ianelli, Sr., 1B, Red Bank Catholic
Ianelli helped the Caseys keep the pressure on Colts Neck in the Class B North race by going 3-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored in a 9-5 win over Ocean that kept RBC one game behind the Cougars in the division race.
Dave DeFeo, Sr., P, Pinelands
DeFeo had himself an all-around day in a 9-1 win over Central, smacking two home runs, including a grand slam, finishing with five RBI, and also throwing a complete-game four-hitter in which he did not allow an earned run and struck out eight while walking none. DeFeo now has five home runs on the season, including three this week.
Jared Lubanski, Jr., P, Southern
Lubanski threw a complete-game four-hitter, striking out eight, to lead the Rams to a 5-2 win over Lacey in Class A South.
FOOTBALL
Len Zdanowicz's hiring as Brick's new football coach is now official after he was approved by the Brick Board of Education last night. He becomes the fourth head coach in Brick's 58-year history and inherits a team coming off a nine-win season. The Green Dragons graduate an outstanding senior class, so the work begins now to try to keep the program in a good place after losing much of the starting lineup.
More on Friday:
- Colts Neck grad Anthony DeSclafani leads the National League in ERA for the Reds.
- A Jacksonville Jaguars lineman asked a teen with cancer to the prom.
- Matt Harvey vs. Max Scherzer tonight.
- Dante Fowler's shoes were the best part of the NFL Draft last night.
On tap for today: Oh, you mean before Harvey-Scherzer starts? Nothing particularly earth-shattering in baseball, but a full slate of quality games. Colts Neck heads to Ocean to try to get another step closer to the Class B North title, Toms River South hosts a Brick Memorial team that has been playing well as of late, and Rumson-Fair Haven goes to Red Bank in the "Battle of Ridge Road" rivalry game that hopefully is played in sportsmanlike fashion after a massive brawl between the two teams in 2013 got them both banned from the state tournament.
In lacrosse, No. 1 Southern plays at No. 10 Toms River North, looking to wrap up the Class A South title, Rumson and Red Bank have their "Battle of Ridge Road" game, and Howell plays Middletown North in a bid to clinch a share of its first Class A North title in program history.
Tomorrow marks the start of the Ocean County Tournament and some quarterfinal games in the Monmouth County Tournament, so it will be another busy Saturday of baseball. The OCT quarterfinals will then follow on Sunday.
I'll end with the sick catch by Jersey's own Mike Trout to seal the Angels' win yesterday.
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