Babich enjoys productive return
By: Rudy Brandl
A year ago, Greg Babich was sitting in the Manville High baseball dugout keeping score. Unable to play because of a right knee injury, Babich was relegated to charting statistics for his teammates.
That same ACL injury, which required surgical reconstruction, kept Babich away from the football field and off the wrestling mat. He was Manville’s biggest lineman and a solid heavyweight wrestler, but the surgery kept Babich from participating in those sports in his senior year.
Last Thursday afternoon in Manville, Babich made a mighty contribution to his baseball team on the field. The lefty-hitting slugger, who’s listed as a backup first baseman and designated hitter, went 2-for-2 with three RBI to help the Mustangs improve to 6-1 with a 10-0 shutout victory over Newark Central.
Babich, who had doubled in two runs in the previous inning, came to the plate with two outs and runners at the corners in the bottom of the fifth. MHS already had a 9-0 lead but was looking for the knockout punch and a mercy rule ending to the game. Babich delivered the clincher, a hard RBI single up the middle to score winning pitcher Steve Anderson with the 10th run.
"I just wanted to get up, hit the ball and drive in the run to win the game," Babich said afterward. "It feels good. I wanted to come back and contribute to the team. He (head coach Steve Venuto) puts me in when he gets a chance. Patience pays off."
Babich’s bat made greater noise in the fourth when he drove in two runs with a booming double to the right-center field gap. Babich missed a chance at a triple when he tripped on his way around the bases. The knee might have stopped him from taking an extra base, but it didn’t keep his bat from pounding the ball.
"I kind of tripped going over first and second base," he said. "I’m not used to turning that much with my knee."
Babich may get a few more at-bats after last week’s performance.
"He stepped in and did a good job," Venuto said. "He’s a good hitter. I haven’t given him many at-bats, but he took advantage and did his job."
Venuto has tried his best to spread the wealth during the team’s 6-1 start. Last week’s mercy rule victories over Hillside (14-2) and Newark Central stretched Manville’s winning streak to four games entering this week’s action. There was even talk that the Mustangs could get a first-round bye in the upcoming Somerset County Tournament, which held its seeding meeting Wednesday night.
"I’m happy, the kids are happy," Venuto said. "We have to keep it going."
The Mustangs didn’t expect much trouble in last week’s home games. Venuto sent his two senior pitchers to the mound and both dominated the opposition and only needed to go five innings, another plus entering a busy stretch of games.
Anderson (3-0) came close to a no-hitter and perfect game in Thursday’s shutout. Only two men reached base for Central one on a hit and another on an error. Anderson struck out 11 men and didn’t issue a walk. He also went 2-for-2 with two walks and three runs scored at the plate.
Ernie Lukacs (3-1) scattered three hits and allowed only one earned run against Roselle. Lukacs cruised through the game after his teammates piled up 10 runs in the first inning.
Manville only collected three hits but took advantage of five walks and three errors to take a commanding lead. Tommy Rock, Jeff Opachinski and Anderson walked to load the bases with no outs. Shawn Lessing delivered a two-run single and another run scored when Kyle Sopko reached on an error. Robert Wood walked to load the bases again.
A walk and two more errors helped the Mustangs continue the rally with two outs. Opachinski smacked an RBI single and Anderson ripped a two-run single in their second at-bats of the first inning.
Manville didn’t score in the second and third but clinched the mercy rule margin with four runs in the bottom of the fourth. Lukacs and Sopko walked and Wood stroked an RBI single. Wood stole second to put runners at the corners and Andrew Schaefer walked to load the bases.
Pinch hitter Jack Calvo took a 3-2 pitch for a walk that forced in the 12th run. Tommy Rock provided a little extra cushion with a two-run double to center field.
"We’re starting to score more runs," Venuto said. "We’re getting more walks and our pitchers are doing a good job not walking people. The defense was a little better this week, too."
The Mustangs had to wait around for well over an hour as both opponents arrived late. Venuto admitted some concern over sitting around, but his team quickly calmed those fears with fast starts and quick endings to both games.
"We did what we had to do," Venuto said. "It’s coming along. We’ve still got a long way to go."

