The Monmouth Liberty captured the 17/18U Wood Bat championship of the Summer Finale-2.
By Rich Bevensee
Joe Ciammaruconi has always struggled with self-confidence in baseball, he said, especially at the plate. Which is kind of strange in itself because anyone who has seen him hit would think the kid is full of confidence.
Ciammaruconi was going through one of his dry spells for his club team, Monmouth Liberty, this weekend and kept waiting for the clouds to lift. He was hitless through two games, and although that streak included four walks, he was still frustrated.
Then came Sunday and the Summer Finale Week 2 playoffs Powered by Victus in the 17/18U Wood Bat division at Diamond Nation in Flemington. Ciammaruconi’s father suggested avoiding social media on their trip to ‘The Nation.’
Dad was right. With a clearer mind and sharper purpose, Ciammaruconi’s bat exploded in the championship game, as he went 3-for-3 and finished a home run short of hitting for the cycle in leading Monmouth to a 9-1 victory over the PA Shockers on Sunday.
“My dad was like, maybe stay off social media for a day, and he was right, I had to switch something up,” said Ciammaruconi, a rising senior at Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft. “TikTok, X, Instagram, I’m on everything under the sun. But on the drive here I was visualizing my ABs. It was sick.”
Ciammaruconi had just eight plate appearances last spring in his first season on varsity at CBA and is hoping his swing is straightened out by next spring so he can be a valuable contributor.
“Joe has the potential to be a really high level hitter,” Monmouth coach Evan Buckalew said. “He just needs to figure out how to be a little more consistent. The mechanics are there. He can be a big-time player.”
Monmouth’s Thomas Lee, another rising senior at CBA, was named tournament MVP for his bat and glove. Lee played both corners of the infield without a miscue and he went 6-for-8 in four games with a double, four walks, four RBI and four runs scored.
“One thing we love about Thomas is he can play multiple positions, and if you need him to pitch he’ll pitch,” Buckalew said. “He didn’t pitch this weekend but he has been one of our better pitchers. He plays both corners and he makes good contact at the plate. He’s our Swiss Army knife.”
In an age of specialization from the earliest stages of instruction, Lee is somewhat of an outlier. He said he can and would be willing to play almost any position – except right field.
“Just can’t read the fly balls out there,” Lee said. “Whatever we need, I like being versatile and giving guys a shot at other positions. I think being versatile is more fun. It’s about playing the game wherever they put you, being out there and making some plays.”
Ciammaruconi was 0-for-1 in seven mostly productive plate appearances heading into the final. He walked four times in two pool play games and was hit by a pitch twice in the semifinal.
As Monmouth’s No. 9 hitter, Ciammaruconi didn’t get his first at bat until he led off the third inning because the game began as a terrific pitcher’s duel between Monmouth righty Devon Fahey and Shockers righty Matt Honrado.
The only run scored in the first two innings occurred when the Shockers’ Elijah Los led off the game with a walk and eventually scored on a Brett Miracle sacrifice fly.
Monmouth Liberty’s Thomas Lee earned tournament MVP for his flawless defense and going 6-for-8.
Monmouth turned the game on its head in the third as Honrado, who employed an 85-mph fastball to pitch two scoreless innings with four strikeouts, seemed lose his control.
Infield singles by Ciammaruconi and Trace Allard and a walk to John Trotte led to Eddie Sergarra tying the game with a sac fly. Two more walks led to another run, and after an infield popup, a bases loaded walk to Lee made it 3-0 Liberty and chased Honrado from the game. Facing Shockers reliever Brandon Tucker, Matt Paglio made it 4-0 with another bases loaded walk.
The Liberty piled on in the fourth inning against Tucker and Miracle. Ciammaruconi stroked an RBI double into the left field corner and soon scored on an infield error. Trotte had an RBI groundout and Sergarra, who reached on a hit by pitch, scored on another infield error to give Monmouth an 8-0 lead.
Ciammaruconi added the final piece to his offensive outburst in the sixth inning, leading off with a booming triple to right center. He later scored on a passed ball.
“Going into the game I really had only one AB,” Ciammaruconi said. “Today after that first hit I saw the ball pretty well. I got my hands into that second AB, and I was able to see the ball on the last AB and take it to the opposite field.”
Fahey got the win after allowing one run over three innings on two hits and one walk with three strikeouts. Paglio continued the Liberty’s exceptional pitching, logging three scoreless innings and yielding one hit and two walks with two strikeouts.
For Monmouth’s offense, Finnbar Dufficy and Trace Allard both had two hits and Zach Ercolino doubled.
Honrado lasted 2⅔ innings and gave up four runs on three hits and four walks with four strikeouts. Tucker pitched two-thirds of an inning and gave up two runs on two hits and one walk with one strikeout. Miracle also lasted two-thirds of an inning and surrendered two runs on one hit and a hit batsman. Jonathan DePhillips struck out three in 1⅓ scoreless innings while giving up no hits and one walk.