Ocean Township’s Ryan Kussmaul practices his swing during a Greater Middlesex Coaches Summer Baseball League game against South Brunswick at Ocean Township High School on June 29. ERIC SUCAR staff A summer baseball league coordinated by the Greater Middlesex Conference coaches has caught on in Monmouth County, and local high school teams are participating in the league for a second consecutive summer.
Games are scheduled for Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings, giving high school athletes the chance to get playing time after the school season ends. The Greater Middlesex Coaches Summer Baseball League accepts only scholastic players.
The primary league is for players 17 years old or younger. The Greater Middlesex coaches also coordinate a separate Mickey Mantle 16U League.
Monmouth Regional High School is participating in the summer baseball league along with other Shore Conference clubs, including Red Bank Catholic, Holmdel, Colts Neck, Rumson-Fair Haven, St. Rose and both Freehold schools.
“The real value of the summer league is it gets players a maximum number of pitching opportunities and at-bats,” said Ted Jarmusz, head coach at Monmouth Regional. “This day and age, kids go to different states and only get a few at-bats. This summer league has to be one of the best values for the money.” Sixteen Monmouth Regional players are participating in the summer league, and Adam Evans, who coaches the school’s freshman team, serves as the head coach of the summer team.
“It gives us a chance to get tighter as a team. It’s like squeezing an entire season in between [the school seasons]. I’m really grateful that we have it,” said Jarmusz, who organizes a summer baseball camp at Monmouth Regional.
The summer league gives Shore Conference teams like Monmouth Regional an opportunity to see some different competition outside of the school season.
“The Middlesex component is a big part of it. There aren’t many chances to see teams from Middlesex County. It’s kind of a novelty,” Jarmusz said.
The Falcons finished the 2011 season with a 15-10 record. Monmouth Regional, a member of the Shore Conference’s Class B North Division, went as far as the quarterfinals in this year’s Shore Conference Tournament, losing to Brick, 14-4.
The Falcons are in the Monmouth South Division, where they sport a 4-5 mark. Their next game is scheduled for July 7 at home against Marlboro.