Sticking to the basics brought the Freehold Intermediate School baseball team a championship.
ERIC SUCAR staff As Freehold Intermediate School’s Tyler Jordan (right) sprints into second base, Howell Memorial shortstop Anthony Lobasco tries to complete the double play during the Monmouth County Intermediate School Championship held at Freehold Intermediate School. Even though the team lacked a dominating force on the mound or at the plate, Freehold Intermediate still won the regular season Shore Intermediate School Baseball League championship and advanced to the playoff championship game, falling to Howell Memorial, 11-4.
Coach BabeWarrington had a mixture of veterans and underclassmen that included a trio of sixth-graders. It proved to be a winning combination.
“The key to the whole season was my pitching,” said Warrington. “We played small ball. We moved runners along, concentrated on the fundamentals.”
Kevin Phillips and Mike Bolton were the mainstays on the mound. Phillips is a hard-throwing right-hander, while Bolton is a crafty left-hander who relies on his trickery. It doesn’t hurt that they are battery mates. Each catches the other.
Dennis Nardone did the middle relief and closing when called upon.
Kevin Smith and Samuel Cubero (one of the three sixth-graders on the team) had some spot starts during the season.
It was the top of the lineup that provided the offense with its spark. Nardone batted lead-off and did his job of getting on base either through a hit or working out a base-on-balls. Bolton, a lefty, is a fine situation hitter in the No. 2 hole. He can put down the bunt or find the hole in the infield defense.
Edgar Galindo and Phillips batted three and four and were the team’s run producers. Phillips was the one player on the team with home-run power.
Galindo and Phillips were named to the league’s All-Star team.
After its first-place regular season (8- 4), Freehold ran into a power-hitting team from HowellMemorial. Freehold Intermediate raced out to a 4-0 lead in the fourth, but a loose inning (walks and errors) let Howell back into the game, and the visitors (the final was played on Freehold’s home field) never looked back.
Still, it was a memorable season for the Freehold players, who brought the school its first title since 2004.
“I was pleased, real happy with the way the season went,” saidWarrington. “I was a little bit surprised because we had a lot of sixth-graders and seventh-graders who were new.”
John Bostic was one of the sixthgraders who stepped up and made an impact, especially on defense, where his glove at first base was golden.
Cubero and Max Stein are the other sixth-graders who will be an integral part of the team next spring.
Galindo, Tyler Jordan and Phillips were the eighth-graders who shouldered the load because of their experience. They led and the underclassmen followed.
Bolton, Ian Curry, Quinn Leuper, Zach Lewis, Nardone, Matt Parke and Smith are the seventh-graders who will be next year’s leaders.