Spartans, Caseys experience ups and downs
BY DOUG McKENZIE
Staff Writer

PHOTOS BY ERIC SUCAR staff Above, Ocean Township catcher Tony DeSantis puts the tag on Allentown's Josh Howell in what was the game-winning play for the Spartans in their 1-0 victory in Friday's Central Jersey Group III title game in Ocean. Below, the Spartans mob Kyle Norman after his catch and throw set up the game-winning play at the plate.

It's a strange time of year for high school baseball and softball teams.One day, you could be celebrating a championship in one tournament, while the very next day you're back on the diamond trying to secure your participation in another.

It can lead to a roller-coaster ride of emotions, which is exactly what the Ocean Township baseball and Red Bank Catholic softball teams experienced over the weekend.

Most coaches will tell you that the state tournament is more important than a conference or county tournament.

So more often than not, you'll see teams focusing on the state games a bit more.

Maybe that was the case with the Spartans and Caseys, because while both won their state tournament games late last week, neither team was able to survive the semifinals of the Shore Conference Tournament.

Spartans down to one title chase this week

After falling to Wall Township, 10-8, in a slugfest in the semifinals of the Monmouth County Tournament on Thursday, Ocean Township was back in action on Friday, hosting Allentown in the finals of the Central Jersey Group III tournament.

The result was an instant classic.

Behind the dominant pitching of Eric Hinkle (five innings, two hits and seven strikeouts), and a brilliant defensive play from Kyle Norman to end the game, the Spartans beat a better-than-advertised Allentown team, 1-0, to capture the sectional crown.

Allentown gave the Spartans all they could handle, as the Redbirds showed no signs of intimidation, playing the heavily favored Spartans as tough as they could have hoped for before eventually succumbing in what was a beautifully played game.

PHOTOS BY ERIC SUCAR staff Red Bank Catholic's Lexi Elhaskar and coach Tracy Yarosz-Lombardi celebrate the Caseys' state tournament win over rival St. John Vianney on May 31 in Holmdel. Below, sophomore pitcher Brittany O'Donnell shows some competitive spirit while firing a pitch to the plate.

The Spartans (24-5), who got their only run on a Neal Yaffe RBI single in the fifth, needed an astonishing defensive play in the final inning to preserve the win, as Allentown fought to the very end in attempting to win their first sectional title. After Ethan Perro singled to lead off the seventh, he was moved over to second on a bunt base hit from tough-luck losing pitcher Chris Kubik. Vin Puglese then advanced the runners with a sacrifice.

That set up the final play, one which those in attendance will be talking about for some time.

Ocean's Norman made a stunning back-to-the-plate catch of a pop foul, then spun around to throw a strike to the plate, where catcher Tony DeSantis was waiting and made a desperate tag to nail courtesy runner Josh Howell.

It was a bang-bang play, and one that ended the Redbirds' finest season in recent memory in dramatic fashion.

While Norman's play, which Ocean head coach Del Dal Pra described as "impossible" ended the Redbirds' season, it did nothing to diminish what they accomplished throughout their run through the state tournament.

Ocean went on to play Seneca on Tuesday for a shot at the Group II title on Saturday in Toms River.

If they're able to capture the overall state title, it will likely still be the play at the plate against Allentown that everyone will be talking about.

Unfortunately, the Spartans' pursuit of the SCT title came to an end on Saturday, as Colts Neck's A.J. Rusbarsky put his team on his back and led the Cougars to a 5-4 win over the defending champion Spartans.

Rusbarsky went 4-for-4 on the day, with two solo home runs and three runs scored, including the game-winner. Meanwhile, pitcher Dom Hayes came in in relief to hold the Spartan line-up in check over five and one-third innings.

With the game tied at 4-4 in the sixth inning, Rusbarsky led off with a single, and eventually scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch. Ocean had a chance to tie it again in the bottom of the seventh, but an Ocean baserunner was thrown out at the plate on a Norman single to left to preserve the lead.

The loss was tough to take for the Spartans, who were playing their fifth game in as many days, and were forced to use three pitchers who have not been part of the rotation all year.

However, the Spartans left the field feeling fortunate that they would live to fight another day. That day came Tuesday.

RBC finally finds a way

to beat Lancers

The fourth time was indeed the charm for the Red Bank Catholic girls softball team.

After losing to rival St. John Vianney three times this season, with the last two defeats coming in extra innings, the Caseys entered the May 31 NJSIAA Non-Public South A semifinal anxious to finally get the better of the top-seeded Lancers, and earn a shot at the sectional title.

Well, they got their wish.

RBC won a thrilling 3-2 contest in 10 innings, propelling themselves into yesterday's sectional final against Notre Dame, the bracket's third seed, who stomped Paul VI, 14-4, in the other semifinal.

RBC got its first run on an errant throw on a play at the plate, then added two more runs in two-out, RBI singles from Jess Long and Meg Marley.

The Lancers, however, did not go quietly, as they scored two runs of their own with two outs in the bottom of the 10th. Kasey Bulman scored the first SJV run, scoring from second on a bunt base hit by Jamie Petraglia. Kate DeBlasio then added an RBI single, before RBC pitcher Brittany O'Donnell got the final out to preserve the win.

With a win yesterday over Notre Dame, the Caseys would have earned a shot at the Non-Public A championship on Saturday in Toms River.

On Saturday, both SJV and RBC were back in action in the semifinals of the Shore Conference Tournament. The Lancers, behind a gutty effort from pitcher Diana Sansevera, beat Wall Township, 2-0, to advance to the SCT title game last night.

There, they were to face Toms River East, who avenged their only loss of the year to Red Bank Catholic in the second semifinal game on Saturday.

The Caseys jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning, with Marley scoring on a sacrifice fly in the first, and RBC adding two unearned runs in the second.

But TRE's Lyndsey PeQueen shut the door from there, as the Raiders used their speed on the basepaths to escape with the 4-3 win.

TRE got its first run in the second inning when freshman Holly Luciano scored on an overthrow as she was trying to steal third. Then, in the fourth, back-to-back hits from Kaila Conboy and Luciano set up Mary Johnson's bunt. However, an error allowed both Conboy and Luciano to score, tying the game at 3-3. After Dina Sommese drew a walk, she and Johnson attempted a double steal, and an errant throw allowed Johnson scoring the game-winning run.

So in the end, it was some shaky Casey defense that did them in against the Raiders.

RBC (20-5) was hoping to rebound with another state tournament win last night.