Venuto’s 11-year streak ends
By: Rudy Brandl
The streak is over.
Veteran head coach Steve Venuto knew it would be difficult for the Manville High baseball team to continue its school-best run of 11 straight appearances in the state playoffs. Three more losses last week extended Manville’s record to 4-9, which makes it mathematically impossible for the team to qualify for the Central Jersey Group 1 playoffs.
"I’m a little disappointed," Venuto said. "We have the same goals every year. We worked hard. We just didn’t accomplish it."
The Mustangs started well in last Friday’s do-or-die home game vs. Hackettstown with five runs in the bottom of the first. Unfortunately, they couldn’t hold the early 5-0 lead and wound up on the short end of a 16-5 result.
Hackettstown (8-5) chipped away and finally forged ahead with a nine-run fifth inning, while the Mustangs could not add to their score. The Tigers still trailed 5-3 before the barrage in the fifth. Rob Wood (1-2) took the loss for the Mustangs despite some good pitching early in the game.
"Rob threw well but then they started to hit him a little bit," Venuto said. "They kept chipping away and finally broke it open."
The Tigers took advantage of three MHS errors but also pounded out 11 hits. The Mustangs collected nine hits but most of them came in the first inning.
Manville broke out of a two-game scoreless streak with the big first inning. Kyle Sopko and Chris Weber started the surge with base hits. Anthony Palovick followed with an RBI double to score Sopko but Weber was cut down at home plate. Five more base hits plated four runs, including RBI singles by Dennis Petrone, Wood, Pat Horner and freshman shortstop Brendan Nurnberger.
"We came out hitting," Venuto said. "We put the ball in play the whole game but they made some nice plays. Their center fielder made two nice running catches. The defense in the upper division (of the Skyland Conference) is much better."
The Mustangs hadn’t scored a run since the sixth and final inning of their second round Somerset County Tournament game at Ridge six days earlier. North Warren and Delaware Valley completed season sweeps of the Mustangs with 12-0 and 7-0 victories, respectively, to stretch the team’s scoreless streak to 12 innings. Manville busted out in the first inning Friday but finished with another six scoreless frames.
MHS needed to win at least twice last week to have a realistic shot at qualifying for the playoffs. North Warren is the best team in the Valley Division, so that was a tough matchup. Del Val and Hackettstown play in the larger Raritan Division, so the Mustangs knew they had three difficult assignments.
North Warren became the first team this season to enjoy offensive success against MHS ace Tommy Rock, who took his second loss of the spring. Del Val beat sophomore right-hander Joe Burnett Thursday afternoon in Alexandria. The Mustangs managed only five hits in the two games, three vs. North Warren and two at Del Val.
"We had a rough week and we’re a little down, but we’re going to try to finish strong," Venuto said. "These kids won’t quit. They battled all week and I’m proud of them."
Venuto called a short practice Saturday and the players were upbeat as they worked on their hitting. Manville won’t be competing in the playoffs, but Venuto is confident his team will continue to play hard.
Manville was scheduled to play four games in five days this week. Venuto planned to use Rock on the mound in Tuesday’s game at South Hunterdon and Saturday morning’s home game vs. Belvidere. Palovick, Wood, Weber and Burnett could all see action in the other games vs. Somerville and Hackettstown.
"We have to get ready for next week," he said. "Every week is like the start of a new season. We can’t make any excuses. We have to be ready to play."