After Rough Start Spartans Look to Bounce Back in JSBL Playoffs

When it comes to the Jersey Shore Baseball League playoffs, there is no such thing as an easy game. That was definitely a lesson the Howell Spartans learned on Tuesday when they traveled to take on the Point Pleasant Merchants in a first round contest.

Despite splitting the regular season series with the perennial powerhouses, the Spartans struggled to put together any offense as they fell 5-1 to the defending league champions. With the loss, the local squad will need to pick up a win tonight at Oak Glen Park to keep the season going for at least a few more days.

In Tuesday night's game the Spartans got just two hits that helped them get their only run of the contest. One hit came from Pat Sullivan who knocked a single into left field to kick off the top of the fourth. He went to second when Vinny Avella hit an infield single to give the Spartans two base runners at the same time for the first time all game. The fleet footed base runner then came in to score when the Merchant catcher attempted to pick him off but could only watch as the ball sailed into the outfield. 

That run gave the Spartans a brief one run lead, but it did not last long as the Merchants came back to score three runs in their half of the fourth inning. With Paul LePore on the mound, the Spartans did an admirable job of keeping the home team off the bases as much as possible, but were unable to push themselves ahead. The final straw came in the sixth inning when Elliot Hagburg throttled a two run home run over the left field fence to give his team a little extra cushion on the scoreboard.

First year manager Don Ebinger said he was disappointed that his squad could not emerge victorious in the first game of the series. He said despite that, they were ready for the next game. "We had a good pitcher, they had a good pitcher. Our pitcher had one tough inning," he said. Ebinger said with two evenly matched teams, it would be the small things that would make the biggest differences. "We knew it was going to be one of those where whoever takes advantage of the opportunities wins," he added. 

Having to face arguably the most successful team in the history of the league, Ebinger said his team knew what they were up against, but were up for the challenge. "We know what their reputation is. They pitch well. In playoff games they definitely bring their top line pitchers like they should, but our guys are there too."

The Merchant pitcher on Tuesday night was Corey Hammond a newcomer to the JSBL scene. Ebinger said he could see right away that the opposing hurler was a force to be reckoned with and he was right. Hammond comes to the Merchants after a successful string in minor league baseball that included stops at the AA and AAA levels. 

With his team's season on the line Ebinger said he expects another pitchers duel on Thursday but believes with Tom Abair on the mound his squad will prevail. The game is scheduled to start at 7:30 weather permitting.