Howell didn’t make it easy on itself, but it’s where you finish that counts.
After falling below .500 with two games remaining before the state cutoff date, Howell’s baseball team came back to beat Keyport, 7-2, and Barnegat, 13-8, to qualify for the state playoffs. The two wins put Howell at 10-9 on Friday, the cutoff date for teams to be .500 or better to make the state tourney.
The Rebels thus avoided the sour taste of last year when a late-season rally was not enough to overcome a poor start and they fell short of the postseason. They didn’t let it happen a second straight time, although a 1-5 stretch around midseason made them work hard for it.
Brian Battaglia’s grand slam fueled Howell’s win at Barnegat. He’s in the middle of a hot streak with 10 hits in his last 21 at-bats. He’s had two triples, two home runs and eight RBIs during that stretch. He had five RBIs against Barnegat.
Sophomore shortstop Ryan Drew, whom coach Bill Gallacher said has been the team’s steadiest player throughout the year, was 4-for-5 in that playoff clincher. He’s batting .400 for the season with 31 hits, one more than Battaglia. He had a double and triple in the Barnegat win.
Another sophomore, Ryan Weber, has been the team’s catalyst at the top of the lineup.
“Ryan Weber has been an unexpected surprise,” Gallacher said of his center fielder. “He was hitting eighth or ninth at the start of the season, but he hit well enough to jump up to leadoff and the second spot in the order.”
Outfielder Tim Lamirande, who has hit the ball well all year, according to Gallacher, is beginning to hit it where they aren’t. He came up with clutch hits against Barnegat and Marlboro.
Steve Symczak, a junior third baseman, has also been swinging a torrid bat as of late.
Mike Fiorillo has been pitching well down the stretch. He’s 5-2 on the season and got the win Thursday.
Had Howell not beaten Keyport on May 7, the Barnegat win would not have mattered. Battaglia leveled his pitching record to 2-2 in the win at Keyport that left Howell at 9-9.
Drew and Andrew Dans smacked doubles, and Battaglia, a triple, as Howell kept its playoff flame burning.
Howell will be joined in the state playoffs by A North Division champion Colts Neck (15-6), Manalapan (12-8) and Freehold Borough (11-8).
Colts Neck, Howell andManalapan are in the Central Jersey Group IV section and Freehold Borough, Group III.
The state tournament begins with preliminary games (if necessary) on Friday.