Brick National’s 10-year-old Little League baseball All-Stars were still very much in the running for the District 18 championship at Holbrook coming into this week and played Monday night against Toms River National.
Meanwhile, Brick American, which had two wins in the tournament over Manchester, was eliminated by Berkeley, 9-4, on Saturday at Brick American. Nine walks over the first three innings led to seven Berkeley runs for a 7-3 lead and Berkeley sealed the victory with two runs in the sixth.
The Nationals ended their week with an exciting 10-6 victory over Brick American on Wednesday at Brick National as Andrew Casten clubbed three hits. The Nationals scored four runs in the third inning for a 4-2 lead as Scott Gordy lifted a sacrifice fly in the rally. They added four in the fourth for an 8-3 advantage. Tim Carney got the victory over Nick Galeotafiore.
Brick American earlier in the week scored a 6-3 victory over Manchester at Point Pleasant Boro as Kevin Case pitched a two-hitter with six strikeouts and four walks. The Americans scored the game’s first four runs in the third inning as Case lashed a run-scoring single, Mike DiGuilmi walked with the bases loaded, and Mike Rytelewski’s grounder was misplayed as the last two runs scored. DiGuilmi hit a sacrifice fly in a two-run fourth. Ed Gearity, Derrick Koch and Ryan Nolan helped protect the lead for manager Chuck McGinnis’ squad with terrific catches in the outfield.
Rytelewski also pitched a two-hitter in a 2-1 triumph over Manchester. Rytelewski struck out nine and walked one. Koch slugged a single in the first inning and, after a passed ball and groundout, DiGuilmi drove in the run with a come-backer to the mound. John Vloyanetes walked in the second inning and, after two passed balls, Koch delivered what proved to be the winning run with an infield hit.
Brick American hung to 7-3 against Berkeley before losing as Rytelewski and DiGuilmi grounded in runs and a wild pitch let in another early in the game. Galeotafiore’s grounder drove in Vin Sabba, who doubled, with Brick American’s final run in the fourth inning.