Freehold Township squad reaches sectional final
Howell Central still
in the hunt for
Little League title
Freehold Township is one step away from winning the Section III Little League Junior League Championship.
The District 19 champions advanced to the section final, winning a pitcher’s duel against Howell Central, the District 11 champs, last Sunday night, 4-3, at the Howell Central Little League Complex on Old Tavern Road.
Township’s Ryan Boysen and Howell Central’s Bobby Malloy both tossed completed game gems in the semifinal with Freehold Township, winning the game in the bottom of the seventh on Matt Phillips’ bases-loaded single.
This was the first time in the playoffs that the township has had to go to its last at bat to win a game.
"Pitching has been our real strength," said Freehold Township manager Gary Cocco. "Pitching and defense have helped us control games. That has kept us in games and let our hitting take over."
Freehold Township used that formula against host Howell Central, behind Boysen and a near flawless defense.
Dan Cocco started the game off with a solo home run in the last of the first for Freehold Township, and they pushed across another run in the second on Brian Bresnahan’s RBI single for a quick 2-0.
Howell Central struck back in the top of the third, scoring three times to a take a 3-2 lead. Greg Corcoran drove in the first run with a single, and Billy Smith delivered two more with a bases-loaded single.
Township responded in the last of the third, tying the game on Jon Harrison’s single.
Boysen and Malloy took charge from there, matching zeroes until the last of the seventh when Jimmy Ascolese started things off with a single. Harrison reached on an error and Brad Brach followed with a single that loaded the bases for Phillips.
The 4-3 win left Freehold Township undefeated in the double-elimination tournament. They began section play last Friday night with an 11-1 thumping of District 12 champion East Windsor. Dan Cocco went the distance on the mound and was aided by a 14-hit offense, highlighted by Ascolese’s two-run home run in the first frame.
This is the same Freehold Township squad that won the district title as 13-year-olds last year. They have relied on four outstanding starters who can go the distance. Cocco, Boysen, Brach and Ascolese make up the rotation that gives the township a dependable starter every time out.
In addition to the starters, the other members of the District 19 champions are: Billy Golden, Harrison, John Paul DeStefano, Chris Zytko, Phillips, James Tumminia, Chris Collins, Bresnahan and James Tuosto.
Gary Cocco is the manager, and Dennis Ascolese and Frank Harrison coach.
Host Howell Central was not eliminated by its 4-3 loss to Freehold Township. Howell played Toms River East American on Monday night to determine who would play Freehold Township in the Section III final yesterday.
Howell Central made the biggest noise of the tournament Thursday night when they opened play by beating the Toms River team, made up of the players who won the Little League World Series in 1998. They made a return trip in 1999 as the repeat Eastern Region champions. Now they are playing in the 13-14-year-old Junior League.
Howell’s six-hit, five-run fifth inning erased a 3-2 Toms River lead and led to the 7-4 victory. Billy Smith’s three-run home run that cleared the left field fence was the big blow of the rally.
Conrad Renner went the distance for Howell Central and pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the seventh.
Toms River East went into the loser’s bracket after the loss and responded with a 13-10 win over District 10 champion Sayreville, and a 13-0 blanking of East Windsor to earn their second shot at Howell Central.
The District 11 champions from Howell Central are: Matty Watson, Steven Esposito, Renner, Jason Feibisch, Jore Battaglia, Malloy, Joe Sandomierski, Ross Feibisch, Smith, Mikey Corley, Tommy Roman, Corcoran, Justin Feibisch and Ray Tilotsan.
Mike Corley is the manager, and the coaches are Eric Johnson and Matt Calahan.
Since Freehold Township is 2-0 in the section tournament, if the winner of the Howell Central-Toms River East American game beat them yesterday, there will be a game tonight at Howell Central with the winner going on to the state tournament. If tonight’s game is necessary, it will start at 7 o’clock.

