Spartans make it two in a row with MCT win

PHOTOS BY CHRIS KELLY Ocean’s Perry Schatzow hurls a pitch during the Spartans’ win over Raritan on June 11.

Heading into the Monmouth County Tournament final on June 11, the Raritan Rockets were among the hottest baseball teams in the state.

Fresh off winning their first Group II title the day before, the Rockets were flying high, boasting the Shore’s top hitting lineup and a flurry of top-notch pitchers, all of whom were peaking throughout the postseason.

In other words, they had become the team nobody wanted to play.

But none of that mattered to the Ocean Spartans, the defending county champs and Raritan’s opponent in the final, played at Monmouth Regional.

Ocean Township senior Kevin Dibling is hugged by teammates following his game-winning RBI single in the MCT final at Monmouth Regional.

The Spartans were anxious to play anyone, after playing just two games in the previous 15 days, following early exits in both the Shore Conference and state tournaments.

And when all was said and done, it was the well-rested Spartans who emerged victorious, topping the Rockets 2-1 to win their second consecutive county tournament.

Senior Kevin Dibling was the hero, driving in the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning with a two-out single to right to score Dan Murphy, who had also singled with two outs.

But it was the pitching of Greg Krzyanowski and Perry Schatzow that was the story, as the two hurlers stymied the Shore’s top lineup, allowing just a single run in the sixth on a Greg Casha RBI double. Schatzow relieved Krzyanowski in the fifth and helped get out of a bases-loaded jam, and pitched well enough the rest of the way to earn MVP honors.

Ocean’s Greg Krzyanowski jumps for joy as the winning run heads for home during the MCT final on June 11.

With the win, Schatzow improved to 3-0, while Raritan freshman Rich Russomano, who also pitched well, suffered his first loss of the year, and fell to 7-1.

Ocean’s first run came in the top of the fourth when third baseman Jimmy Simmons hit a home run, his seventh of the year and 13th of his career, both school records.

With the win, the Spartans finished another stellar season at 20-7 and became the first team to win back-to-back MCT titles since Monmouth Regional won three straight in 1990, ’91 and ’92.

Ocean Township’s Dan Murphy dives safely back into first base during the MCT final at Monmouth Regional on June 11.