By doug mckenzie
Staff Writer
FARRAH MAFFAI Ocean’s Gregg Krzyzanowski fires a pitch during the American Legion All-Star Game at Firemen’s Field in Ocean Township on Sunday.
With the American Legion baseball regular season wrapping up, the area’s top players gathered on Sunday to participate in the Third Annual Monmouth-Ocean County All-Star Game at Firemen’s Field in Ocean Township.
The game featured a bit of everything — clutch hitting, solid pitching, heads-up base-running, and even some defensive gems. However, it was the defensive miscues that made the biggest difference in the end, as a series of late errors led to a number of runs, and eventually opened the door for the game-winning run, as Ocean topped their Monmouth counterparts, 7-6.
Both teams had their chances in the first inning, but failed to capitalize. Ocean got a lead-off walk from Toms River South’s Todd Frazier, who then advanced to third following an error on the Monmouth third baseman. However, Freehold Township’s Paul Lepore got Central Regional’s Ryan Carboy to ground into a 1-6-3 double play to end the threat.
In the bottom of the first, the Monmouth squad went quietly, despite a one-out single from Monmouth Regional’s Kevin Frederick. Southern Regional’s Keith Mackenn pitched around the hit to keep the game scoreless.
FARRAH MAFFAI Red Bank’s Doug Johnson gets out of the way of a pitch during the American Legion All-Star Game in Ocean Township on Sunday.
Ocean got on the board in the top of the second, as Ocean Township’s Gregg Krzyzankowski took the mound for Monmouth. Central’s Mike Tier led the inning off with a double to right, but could not advance to third on a bloop single to right by Jackson’s Rob Kane. Toms River North’s Chris Herman then sacrificed the runners over, before TRN’s Mike Dinnebeil got the game’s first RBI with a ground ball to third. Krzyzanowksi came back to strike out Point Pleasant Boro’s Pat Cook to end the threat.
Trailing 1-0, Monmouth answered back with a run of their own in the bottom of the second. Christian Brothers Academy’s Kristopher Urbano led off with a double to left, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Following a 5-3 putout off the bat of Manalapan’s Mike Santoro, Urbano scored on a single to center field by Middletown South’s Justin Distler.
The score remained tied at 1-1- through the third as Krzyzanowski held the Ocean squad in check, before the Monmouth batters went down in order.
In the top of the fourth, Ocean jumped back on top, scoring twice off St. John Vianney’s Ed Goodman. Goodman got a quick two outs with a pair of ground balls, but got into trouble when he walked Dinnebeil, and surrendered a single to left by Southern’s Chris Pinto. Joe Armenio then got an infield hit to load the bases, and Monsignor Donovan’s John McKay knocked in the two runs with a single to right. Goodman ended the threat with a ground ball to second off the bat of Pinelands Regional’s Rob Belk.
But as they did in the second inning, the Monmouth batters responded, scoring a pair of runs to notch the game once again, at 3-3. Manalapan’s John Lacugna led off with a double to left/center, before Urbano walked. Santoro then fouled off several tough pitches before lacing a single to left to load the bases. Distler then hit into a 4-6-3 double play, allowing Lacugna to score to make it 3-2. Ocean appeared to get out of the jam when Red Bank’s Doug Johnson hit a slow chopper to third, but an errant throw to first allowed the tying run to score. The inning ended with a fly ball to right off the bat of Freehold Township’s Evan Mann.
Middletown South’s Brian Skirka came in to pitch the top of the fifth, and kept the game tied at 3-3 despite an infield hit from Chris Kapsales. In the bottom of the fifth, Brick’s Dan MacInnes came in to pitch, and overcame another error in keeping the Monmouth bats at bay.
Ocean went on top again in the top of the sixth, after Lacugna came in to pitch for Monmouth. After Brick’s Robert Hine went down swinging leading off, Pinelands’ Ed Bennett walked, and advanced to second on a balk. Dinnebeil then grounded back to Lacugna for the second out of the inning. Lacugna appeared to be out of the inning, but a dropped fly ball in right field off the bat of Pinto allowed the run to score, making the game 4-3. Santoro then threw out Pinto trying to steal second the end the inning.
But once again, the Monmouth squad responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the sixth. After Middletown North’s Rob Ogorzat lined out to third to start the inning, CBA’s Vincent Buffone lashed a single to center. Freehold Township’s Nick Pappa entered as a courtesy runner, and promptly went to second when the Ocean catcher overthrew the pitcher. Pappa then scored on an error by the center fielder, knotting the game 4-4.
As the defenses continued to betray their pitchers, things got even stranger in the top of the seventh. With Wall High School’s Matthew Desider on the mound for Monmouth, Cook led off with a walk, and stole second. McKay then flew out to right, advancing the runner to third. Belk then knocked Cook home with a single to right, and advanced to second on a botched pick-off attempt at first. Kapsales then singled to right, moving Belk to third.
With Point Beach’s Robert Molnar at the plate, Kapsales tried to steal second. Buffone’s throw was on target, but was dropped by the shortstop.
Meanwhile, Belk headed home, but the throw to the plate was also dropped, allowing Belk to score. Molnar then hit a bullet to third, but a diving stop by Skirka saved another run, and Kapsales got caught in a run down between third and home and was tagged out by Buffone. Courtesy runner Kane then ended the inning by being thrown at trying to steal third.
The score remained 6-4 until the top of the eighth, when Ocean padded their lead, scoring off another Monmouth error. That error turned out to be costly, as Monmouth score twice in the bottom of the inning to get to 7-6. Howell’s Steve O’Loughlin knocked in the first run with a single, while Red Bank’s Jason Krangle singled to score the game’s final run.
Both teams went scoreless in the ninth, and Ocean County went home with a win in what was a bizarre game, featuring several defensive adventures.
Following the game, Urbano (double, walk, two runs scored) was named the Monmouth squad’s MVP, while MacInnes took the honors for Ocean. McKay was named the game’s overall MVP.