Noah Schwartz of Robbinsville went 2-for-2 for the Central team in the Senior All-Star Game.
Soren Gregor of Hunterdon Central walked an ever-rattling tightrope before closing out a wild 15-14 victory that saw the Northwest squad erase a 9-0 deficit to the South team at the NJHSBCA Senior All-Star Game at Diamond Nation last night.
It was a surreal setting at the end as a mist fell and fog settled in on Field 3, while much of the rest of the complex went dark with the Northwest and Northeast contingents already on the road home.
Northwest struck for four runs in the fifth inning and five more runs in the sixth to help turn what was a tight 2-2 contest into a 14-4 walk in the park in Flemington.
Adding to the weirdness was the fact that, thanks to a scheduling quirk, a few of the NJSIAA state semifinals were in progress as the two all-star games began, leaving some would-be all-stars pursuing bigger goals around the state.
The evening began with slightly better weather conditions and a terrific ceremony that honored some of New Jersey’s greatest coaches of all-time, including Man of the Year Dennis McCaffery (Cranford/St. Jos. Met.) and Hall of Fame inductees Kenny Frank of Toms River South, Bob Brewster of Westfield, St. Joseph of Montvale’s Frank Salvano and Ewing’s Andy Greener, all possessing more than 500 career victories.
McCaffery (527), Frank (934), Brewster (655), Salvano (630) and Greener (561) have combined for a staggering 3,307 career wins.
Also honored with service awards were Pat Laguerre (430 career wins) of St. Peter’s Prep, Jim Haupt of North Warren, umpire/coach Bill Kilduff and South Jersey Hot Stove legend Joe Gorski.
NJHSBCA’s Joe Sorce presents Man of the Year honor to coach Dennis McCaffery of St. Joseph (Met.)
One of the cooler sights to see in the pre-game was a friendly conversation between legends Frank, McCaffery and Brewster. McCaffery, at Cranford, and Brewster had many high profile encounters over the years in both the regular season and Union County Tournament. McCaffery and Frank had a memorable unpleasant tete-a-tete in a state final years ago that has since been swept away by mutual respect.
The right-handed Gregor was used sparingly on the mound by Hunterdon Central, but permitted just one run in 15.1 innings while the shortstop batted a robust .492. He was called upon to close out a 15-12 lead against a potent South lineup that had hit three homers and three triples in building a 9-0 lead through the top of the sixth inning.
The Central team had rallied for four runs in the fifth, five in the sixth and five more runs in the sixth to take a 14-10 lead. But the South, as one would expect, kept coming, scoring two runs in the eighth to shave the deficit to 14-12. Central tacked on what would turn out to be a critical run in the bottom of the eight to extend the lead to 15-12.
But Soren struggled with command before his live fastball would finally get him out of trouble. The Binghamton-bound infielder surrendered two runs on one hit, walked four and struck out one. That one strikeout came on three straight pitches to the final batter he faced, with the bases loaded and two outs. His last pitch clocked at 88 miles per hour.
Casazza’s mad dash
This game often produces some impressive sights courtesy of the high level of talent, such as Hoboken’s Max Casazza scoring all the way from second base on a long sac fly by Pope John’s Jack Portman. The run tied the game at 2-2 for the Northeast in the bottom of the fourth.
Portman hit a laser to straightaway center field that the center fielder chased down before stumbling to the turf briefly out near the warning track. The Kean-bound Casazza wisely tagged up at second base and took off as soon as the center field made the grab.
“It was a hard hit line drive and I knew I needed to play it safe because I would get to third on a tag up,” said the speedy Casazza. “When I got close to third the coach (High Point’s Ryan Ellis) was waving so hard I turned it on.” Many fans were confused, thinking Casazza left second base early, thinking the ball wasn’t caught. On the contrary, he knew exactly what he was doing.
Mokienko’s two scoreless innings
Delsea righthander Nick Mokienko was impressive, opening the game for the South with two scoreless innings as he permitted just an infield hit, struck out one and walked none. That was nothing new for the Camden County College-bound Mokienko, who allowed just three runs this season over 54 innings while striking out 60 for the 23-5 Crusaders.
“I have to thank coach (Vincent) Londino for believing in me,” said Mokienko. Londino, a longtime assistant at Delsea, took over this year for the departed Joe Smith, who took the head job at Mainland. “I’m really having fun playing this game. It’s great having all this talent together. There’s non-stop talking. Everyone is enjoying it.”
NJHSBCA’s Wil Mendez presents Hall of Fame plaque to retired Toms River South coach Kenny Frank.
Schwartz goes 2-for-2
Whether Noah Schwartz of Robbinsville (18-6-1) plays ball at the college level is still to be determined, but, just in case, he’ll have a lasting memory in his final high school appearance. Schwartz, the top defensive center fielder in the Colonial Valley Conference and, perhaps, well beyond, singled to left field in his first at bat and single again, this time to right field, in his second, and last, at bat.
Schwartz’s second single came in the middle of Central’s four-run fifth inning that ignited its comeback victory against the South. Schwartz later scored in the inning.
“The two pitchers I saw were really good,” said Schwartz, “but nothing I haven’t seen. Both times I jumped on a second-pitch fastball. I got breaking balls both times on the first pitch.
Schwartz’s immediate post-high school plan is to attend Mercer County College for one year then move on to a four-year college. While Schwartz clearly exhibits college level talent, his potential baseball journey beyond high school is something he is still weighing.
“Right now my plan is to not play, but there’s always a chance. I change my mind all the time.” We’re betting Mercer County coach Russ Stupienski will be in the lobbying business soon.
NJHSBCA’s Joe Sorce presents Hall of Fame plaque to retired Westfield coach Bob Brewster.
Labrador’s bomb
Third baseman Jayson Labrador of Immaculata was playing not only on the site of his high school’s teams home games, but also the site of some many practices and games played for the Diamond Jacks program the past seven years.
Labrador is a familiar face to so many around the facility for the joy he brings to the game and the fact that he also works at the facility when he’s not playing baseball or achieving high grades at Immaculata. So when he came to the plate for the first time last night in the bottom of the sixth, a lot more people were rooting for him than his family contingent above from the deck of the scout tower.
Labrador latched onto a hanging slider and drove it over the left field fence for a solo home run in the middle of a five-run inning that drew the Northwest to within a run of the South.
“He started me with a slider then missed with a heater,” said Labrador of his at bat. “He was a lefty and the second slider ran right into the barrel. It kinda’ hung there and stayed in the zone longer than he wanted it to.”
The Babson College-bound Labrador enjoyed a leisurely trot around the bases as the home run matched his total during a season in which he batted .370 for the Spartans. He was named All-Skyland Conference for his efforts.
“There are just a bunch of great guys in this game, on both sides of the field,” he said. “I’ve played against so many of those guys on the South team in travel. Labrador, who has aged out of the Diamond Jacks program, will play ball this summer for Whitehouse Legion before leaving for college.
Cherokee reaches state final … and all-star game
Brett Gable and Brett Chiesa hustled into the Diamond Nation complex just in time to participate in pre-game ceremonies and to be introduced to the crowd with the rest of the South team.
Gable and Chiesa had a bigger appointed assignment ahead of the Senior All-Star Game just 25 minutes away in Hillsborough. Cherokee (26-3), which began its season at 20-0 and has spent most of the season among the top five teams in the state, made quick work of Hillsborough, 11-0 in five innings, in a NJSIAA Group 4 semifinal. The win sends the Chiefs to the Group 4 title game on Saturday against Westfield.
“It’s really a tribute to all the hard work we’ve put in,” says Gable.
Neither played in the All-Star game, choosing to protect their health heading into the state final.
The Rowan-bound Chiesa, a 6-2, 210 third baseman, went 0-3 against Hillsborough and scored a run from his No. 2 spot in the Cherokee. He is batting .340 on the season. Gable went 0-1 in a late pinch-hitting appearance, but he will have a much bigger role on Saturday when he takes the mound in his team’s state championship game.
The Harvard-bound Gable is 8-1 on the season with 81 strikeouts and 23 walks and a 1.63 ERA. He got the win in Cherokee’s 5-4 victory over Eastern in the South Jersey, Group 4 sectional final.
“It’s awesome being here at the all-star game and it’s an honor to be part of the South Jersey team,” said Gable, a Diamond Jack since the 15U level. “And it’s also cool to be here for this game where I’ve played and made so many friends.” Gable hadn’t been back to the facility since his last fall league game with the Diamond Jacks Super 17 team. Brett’s younger brother Drew plays for the Diamond Jacks Super 14U team.
NJHSBCA’s Brian Giallella presents Central Jersey Service Award to family of the late Andy Greener.
Ayers in comfort zone
Catcher Henry Ayers of Seton Hall Prep has been playing at Diamond Nation since he joined the program’s Super 15U team three summers ago. Perhaps that’s why he looks so comfortable at every tournament or game at the facility.
It’s good to be here one last time and fall back on my Diamond Jack memories,” said Ayers, who will take his baseball skills to Middlebury College in Vermont. “I started here with Trav’ (Diamond Jacks coach Travis Anderson) and he changed me for the better as a player and person.”
Ayers went 1-for-3 with a single in the All-Star Game, rapping a single up the middle in his second at bat. “This was very cool for my final event here. It’s a different atmosphere than the Garden State (Underclassmen) Games. Much looser. It’s a fun atmosphere.
Ayers had a terrific senior year for 22-2 Seton Hall Prep, which fell in the North Jersey, Parochial A semifinals to DePaul. He batted .493 with 35 hits, knocked in 23 runs, drew 15 walks and posted a gaudy 1.085 OPS.
Where is the Shore?
While most people in New Jersey know how to get to the Shore, it seems Shore teams have forgotten how to get to the NJ High School Baseball Coaches Association Senior All-Star Game.
The Central team, despite its wild 15-14 victory over the South, was missing its traditional bolstering by teams from the mighty Shore Conference. We are well aware the Shore Conference participates in the Carpenter Cup, which began on Monday, but the Jersey Shore team wasn’t playing its first game until noon today.
Also, there are only eight seniors on the Jersey Shore’s Carpenter Cup team, so why the cold shoulder by the bulk of the Shore Conference?
Yes, the NJHSBCA requires schools to pay $50 annually to be in the association and, thus, participate in the Senior All-Star Game, along with all of the other benefits of being in the association. Fifty bucks can’t be the stumbling block, can it? The association continues to open welcoming arms to the Shore.
The Shore’s absence seemed even weirder with the state’s all-time victories leader, Kenny Frank of Toms River South, being inducted into the coach’s Hall of Fame at the start of the evening.