Rain holds off just long enough for official win
By: Rudy Brandl
Steve Venuto and the Manville High baseball team were due to catch a break.
After suffering their third nail-biting Valley Division loss of the season at David Brearley in Kenilworth the day before, the Mustangs took out their frustrations on Dunellen at Columbia Park last Friday afternoon. Manville raced to a 10-1 lead with eight runs in the second inning but dark clouds loomed and the rainy forecast left the completion of the game in doubt.
Fortunately, the game lasted just long enough to become official. Winning pitcher Justin Jurkowski struck out the final two Dunellen batters in the bottom of the fifth inning and the game was called before Manville started hitting in the sixth.
"I was sweating it out, but we just got it in," Venuto said. "We’re up 11-3 in the fifth inning so I wasn’t going anywhere. I would’ve stayed all night to finish the game if they didn’t make a decision to call it."
The Mustangs entered the week with a rather uneven 4-3 record. MHS has dropped three games by a cumulative total of five runs, with senior ace John Anderson absorbing all three hard-luck defeats. On the other hand, Manville’s four victories have come by a combined 33 runs, including two mercy rule wins.
Anderson has pitched beautifully despite his 0-3 record. The right-hander has walked only three batters in 19 innings, but all three have come around to score. Anderson has allowed only four earned runs this season.
Venuto had considered giving Anderson a lighter start to improve his record instead of using him to pitch against the toughest team on the schedule every week. Anderson insisted on taking the baseball in last week’s key game at Brearley.
"He wants the ball," Venuto said. "He’s got a great attitude. He’s not worried about his record. His attitude is that if he gets 10 starts, he’ll be 7-3."
Venuto wasn’t certain when Anderson would pitch this week. The MHS rotation depended on the outcome of last night’s Somerset County Tournament seeding meeting at Watchung Hills.
If the Mustangs have to play a preliminary round game this Saturday, Anderson would be the likely starter. That would also be Manville’s third game in as many days, with New Providence coming to town today and the Mustangs visiting Jonathan Dayton tomorrow.
Manville will probably send Jurkowski (3-0) to the mound against New Providence, which beat Anderson in a 1-0 thriller in the season opener. Junior Robert Snyder would get the start at Dayton unless the Mustangs don’t play a county game. In that case, Anderson would pitch Friday.
Jurkowski scattered four hits and a season-low two walks in Friday’s victory at Dunellen. The junior righty struck out six batters to remain unbeaten this spring.
Manville erupted for eight runs in the top of the second, taking advantage of four Dunellen errors in the spurt. Eddie Gryzeski walked and Chris Hardgrove and Orlando Rodriguez reached on errors. Anderson, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs, drove in two runs with a base hit.
Anthony Conti and Jon Gangwer also reached on errors with Jurkowski working out a walk in between to keep the rally going. John Saladin singled to load the bases and Jimmy Thomaszfski walked to force in a run. Gryzeski and Hardgrove made the first two outs on ground balls but both plated runs to make it 10-1.
"They played sloppy in the field and we took advantage, but that’s baseball," Venuto said.
Manville didn’t receive any such help at Brearley, which has emerged as a Valley Division contender. The Mustangs took a 1-0 lead in the first inning but missed some great chances to increase that lead before the Bears got their offense going in the middle innings.
Gryzeski opened the game with a double, moved to third on Hardgrove’s fly ball out and scored on a base hit by Rodriguez. The Mustangs loaded the bases with one out in the second but couldn’t score to add to their lead.
"I could’ve broken it open right there," Venuto said. "That was a missed opportunity."
Brearley took the lead with two runs in the third and plated a huge insurance run in the last of the fifth before the Mustangs answered. Anderson doubled and courtesy runner Gangwer came home on Conti’s double to right field. Conti was gunned down trying to stretch the hit into a triple.
Saladin gave the Mustangs hope with a leadoff single in the seventh off winning pitcher Richie Sporer. Saladin stole second and moved to third on Gryzeski’s ground ball out. With two outs and Saladin at third, Hardgrove worked the count full but popped out to end the game.
Anderson struck out nine batters and walked only one, but that man came around to score. Sporer was also outstanding with eight strikeouts and one walk, but Manville enjoyed a 9-4 advantage in hits.
Venuto remains confident that his club will qualify for the Central Jersey Group 1 playoffs and play well in the Somerset County Tournament. The pitching has been outstanding and the hitting and defense are improving. The Mustangs have been in every game so far and that makes them a dangerous ball club.