Middletown South Gets Much-Needed Win Behind Zac deRocco's Gem

Photo above: deRocco lets one fly Friday in Eagles win versus Lions

MIDDLETOWN – Senior right hander Zac deRocco likely saved both his and his team’s season Friday tossing a two-hit 5-0 shutout against cross-town rival and previously unbeaten Middletown North.

A preseason top-ten pick, the Eagles entered Friday’s game 0-4 with deRocco absorbing two of those losses.

“After his first outing we noticed he was falling off hard to the first base side,” Middletown South coach Ryan Spillane said. “He wasn’t balanced throughout (his delivery) so we worked on a couple things and got him straightened out. We got his release point to where it needs to be and he was good today.”

DeRocco struck out six, walked two and flirted with a no-hitter entering the bottom of the sixth.

“I definitely felt a lot better today and I just wanted to send a message that we’re a better team than our record,” deRocco said. “We couldn’t afford to go 0-5; 0-4 is already not a good start. So this win is one that hopefully will lead to couple more.”

DeRocco was never in any real trouble the entire game not allowing a runner past second base and permitting two men on base only twice, both times in the bottom of the second.

In the bottom of the second deRocco hit catcher Walter Schopf to lead off the inning and center fielder Tyler Ras reached on an error with one out to put runners on first and second. Catcher Zach Schild then picked off pinch runner Conor Youncofski at second, which allowed Ras to move to second during the rundown. Senior right fielder Anthony Pianoforte followed with a walk to put runners at first and second with two outs before deRocco closed out the inning inducing a tapper in front of the mound for an easy 1-3 out.

The Eagles scored two unearned runs in the top of the first on two throwing errors on a pickoff attempt and stolen base. Leadoff hitter Nolan Peerless lined a single into left field but was caught stealing before No. 2 batter Dave Mangarelli lined a single over the first base bag. Shortstop Johnny Zega followed with a liner into centerfield to put runners at first and second with both runners scoring on the throwing errors.

Middletown South added single runs in the second, third and fifth innings against the Lions (3-1,2-1) to take a 5-0 lead and give deRocco some breathing room.

“It definitely feels good having confidence going on further into the game and getting runs early on really helps that,” deRocco said. “I know I have my defense behind me and they are going to make the plays.”

In the second, designated hitter Freddy Yahn drove in pinch runner Tom Frandsen with single up the middle after Schild was hit by a pitch leading off the inning and Frandsen was balked to second base. In the top of the third, Zega lined a single into centerfield and scored on a Ben Porpora sacrifice fly after the Eagles had loaded the bases on hit batter and bunt single by junior Austin Markmann.

Porpora got his second run batted in of the game in the fifth, drilling a double over the head of senior right fielder Chuck Estelle to drive in Markmann who had walked to lead off the inning.

DeRocco lost an 8-5 decision on opening day to Colts Neck and gave up the game-winning single in relief in Wednesday’s loss to the Mustangs.

“I really needed this one,” deRocco said. “The first game I pitched I wasn’t very good and the last game I gave up a hit against Marlboro. As a team, I think we were anxious and we had a lot of energy. We always have a lot of energy against North, so this was a good game for us.”

DeRocco knew entering the sixth that he was working on a no-hitter but he left a breaking ball over the plate that junior third baseman Kyle Capo lined cleanly into center field for a single to break up the no-hitter.

“That pitch, I wanted to do over again,” deRocco said. “I was able to mix my pitches and throw my breaking ball and changeup for strikes, but that one I just left right over the middle.”

“I think he had everything going today,” Spillane said. “It carried over from Saturday when he threw well in relief. This was the biggest game of the year for us to this point, obviously, and being a senior it nice for him to come out and throw as well as he did. These guys are resilient and as a program have never been in this situation. We knew we better than 0-4 coming into this game and today we did most of the little things right.”

Markmann finished 2-for-2 with a double and a run scored, Porpora had a double and a sac fly with two RBI’s , Zega added two singles and scored two runs, Yahn contributed a RBI single and Mangarelli went 2-for-4 with a run scored.

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