By: Ken Weingartner
Tuesday was all about "firsts" for the Monroe High baseball team.
Jarred Jimenez batted first for the first time in his high school career, hit the first pitch of the game for his first homer of the season and helped lift the Falcons to their first win of the year.
Jimenez was 3-for-3 with a walk, two stolen bases, three runs and three RBI as Monroe posted a 6-1 victory at Woodbridge, squaring its record at 1-1.
"He’s the fastest guy on the team, so we figured we’d put him up there and make things happen," Falcons coach Greg Beyer said, adding with a laugh, "Every once in a while I make right decisions."
A junior, Jimenez has usually batted third or fourth in Monroe’s lineup during his previous two seasons as a starter. He hit .338 last season, tops among Falcon returnees, with two homers and a team-best 13 RBI.
"When they told me I was going to bat leadoff they said they wanted me to see more fastballs, and I saw one the first pitch of the game and hit it out," Jimenez said. "I guess teams don’t think the leadoff hitter will hit with power. I hope they keep thinking that way. Obviously, coach made a good choice.
"I think the move shows coach has confidence in me. If I were batting third, I probably would see a curveball the first pitch. I was zoned in on a fastball and he put it in my sweet spot. The move worked out well."
Rich Feldhan helped Monroe break open a 1-1 game with an RBI single in a three-run fifth inning. Anthony Viani had a double and walked three times while Dan Brancatella had two hits and Nick Tauriello tripled to pace the Falcons’ nine-hit, seven-walk attack.
Mike Sweeney pitched four innings of two-hit ball, striking out five, before leaving the game with a knee injury. Scott Basarab worked three frames of one-hit relief to get the save. The injury to Sweeney is a concern because the senior was expected to help anchor the starting rotation, which lost returnee Ryan Cushman to injury in the preseason.
"Basarab and Sweeney are a pretty good 1-2 combo, but who knows when Sweeney will be back," Beyer said. "He missed last year with a torn (knee ligament) and he thought he felt something pop in it Tuesday. We’ll have to see what the doctor has to say. We’ve already lost a good pitcher; if you lose two, it’s tough."
Returning to the bright side, the win for Monroe might be an indication the Falcons have turned the corner after taking their lumps with young teams the past two seasons. Last year, MHS dropped its first seven games before picking up its first victory.
"Our team is definitely better," Jimenez said. "We should be contending, without a doubt. The coaches know we have the talent to win a lot of games, and we also know it. We’re not going to be cocky; we’re just going to keep doing our thing. We’ll do what we have to do to get the wins, whatever it takes.
"We’re all confident this year. We know we can get the job done. It’s just a matter of executing."
Monroe dropped its opener, 7-2, to South Plainfield. Mark Povlosky and Brancatella each drove in a run for the Falcons, who got doubles from Nick Alberino and Mike Doros.
The Falcons had a game at Allentown rained out last Saturday; the contest will be played this Saturday.
"We’re a lot better this year," Beyer said. "We didn’t play that badly against South Plainfield. Their pitcher did a real nice job against us; we didn’t really hit the ball. Basarab struck out 11. Our pitching has been really good and our hitting is going to come around.
"The kids are doing a real good job. It’s a good bunch of kids to coach. They do more than I ask them to do. We’re going to have a lot of fun with this group, especially if we can stay healthy."
In addition to playing Allentown this week, the Falcons were scheduled to host New Brunswick yesterday and visit Highland Park today.
When they returned to action, Jimenez would be right back at the top of the order looking to continue his success.
"For right now, he’s our leadoff hitter," Beyer said. "As long as we keep winning we’ll keep him up there."
With all the "firsts" out of the way, anyone for seconds?

