Brookdale Baseball Sweeps Valley Forge College For Fifth Win In A Row

Photo above: Jimmy Rodriguez lets one fly in Sunday’s game-one win. Photo by: Tom Smith

LINCROFT – With the regular season winding down the Jersey Blues are playing some of their best baseball of the season at just the right time.

After Sunday’s 11-6 and 15-0 double header sweep of Valley Forge College, Brookdale (18-15, 11-5) has won five in a row and nine out of 11 games. The Blues are slowly working their way up the standings in NJCAA Region XIX play and with eight region games still to be played; Brookdale still has a mathematical chance of capturing the title.

“The guys are really starting to buy into it and gain some confidence,” Brookdale head coach Johnny Johnson said. “They have to play three aspects of the game: pitching, hitting and defense. For them to win they have to do two or three perfect. If they do all three like they did against Camden Saturday they can make it happen.”

Game one featured a lights-out relief performance by freshman right-hander Jimmy Rodriguez. The 6-foot-4 hurler entered the game with two outs in the top of the second, a man in scoring position and the Blues already down 6-1. With the runner at second base Rodriguez promptly induced a harmless pop up to second baseman Jon Baturgil (Colts Neck H.S.) for the final out of the inning.

Rodriguez (1-0) went on to close-out the game tossing 5 1/3 innings of shutout ball allowing one hit without walking a batter while striking out 10. The lone hit he allowed was a bunt single that could’ve been scored either way and he twice struck out the side in order. It was his first start and first win of his career at Brookdale.

“The thing that helped the most was that I was locating my fastball,” Rodriguez said. “Also spotting up on my curveball and throwing it over for strikes. I was mixing my pitches and controlling my fastball and curve and getting ahead in the count. The game was huge momentum changer because we’ve been falling behind and this sets the tone for the rest of the week.”

“Jimmy’s been working his tail off,” Johnson said. “I love this kid. He bought into the system and works on his mechanics every day. He kept us in the game and he’s been doing that all year long for us out of the bull pen. I wanted to get him some innings so when we need him come tournament time.”

The Blues went on to score 10 unanswered runs thanks to some very sloppy play in the field by the Trojans who committed 11 errors and allowed nine unearned runs.

Baturgil went 3-for-4 with three RBI’s and two runs scored and sophomore centerfielder Harold Hester (Manchester H.S.) had two RBI’s and a run scored.

In the second game, five Brookdale pitchers combined to throw a three-hit shutout. Sophomore righty Mike Imperato (Marlboro H.S.) started and got the win going three innings allowing one hit while striking out six for his second win of the season.

Freshman right-hander Joe DeCelie (Freehold Twp. H.S.), freshman lefty John Monahan (Howell H.S.), sophomore righty Aaron McCue (Long Branch H.S.) and freshman right-hander Frank Dente (Middletown North H.S.) all contributed one scoreless inning of work.

Sophomore shortstop Spencer Young (Jackson Memorial H.S.) had a double and two runs scored while Baturgil had two hits including a double and two RBI’s. Freshman first baseman Joe Sadler (Holmdel H.S.) had single and two RBI’s, Hester added two RBI’s and sophomore designated hitter Tim Carney scored two runs and drove in one.

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