Ruziecki's Two-Run Homer, Gannon's Game-Ending Throw Send Eagles To SCT Semi's

Photo above: Stars of the game, Ruziecki and Gannon

MIDDLETOWN – Junior Ryan Ruziecki broke a 5-5 deadlock in the bottom of the sixth sending Colts Neck’s pitcher Mario Ferraioli’s 3-1 offering well beyond the 355 mark in left field for a dramatic two-run homer. Ruziecki’s third homer of the season gave second-seed Middletown South a thrilling 7-5 win over the 10th-seeded Jaguars Wednesday in the quarterfinal round of the Shore Conference Tournament.

Zach Schild led off the sixth with a walk and was moved to second on a Ben Porpora sacrifice bunt setting the stage for Ruziecki, who didn’t disappoint, blasting a fast ball deep into the trees for the game-winning hit.

“Holy cow, that was nerve-wracking for sure,” Eagles head coach Ryan Spillane said. “Ryan’s homer was huge; what a pickup he’s been. He’s our eighth hitter and I guarantee he’s the best No. 8 hitter in the Shore; we were pumped up after that.”

“I needed a little revenge; I came up a little short in a couple innings,” Ruziecki said. “It just felt good to come back and get some revenge. I’m just having fun. That’s what baseball’s for, coming in and having a good time. The whole lineup has a bunch of power and we’re all a bunch of hitting machines.”

Joe McLaughlin, who entered the game in the top of the sixth when starter Ian Scheuer got into trouble, worked his way out of a bases-loaded two-out jam in the sixth, striking out Anthony Galason for the third out of the inning. He then had men on first and second with two outs and the go-ahead run at the plate in the top of the seventh when centerfieler Tom Gannon came to the rescue.

McLaughlin worked a 0-2 count on Mike Antico before Antico drilled his next pitch into centerfield for a single. Gannon charged the ball and came up throwing from centerfield, releasing a perfect one-hop throw to the plate allowing catcher Zach Schild to apply the game-ending tag for a heart-stopping conclusion of the back-and-forth game.

“I was just thinking of the runner on second and how he could advance easily on it as he did earlier in the game,” Gannon said. “So I just tried to pick it up as fast as I could and get it in.”

“What a great throw,” Spillane said. “He should’ve had two put-outs. His throw was right on the money. What a great throw to end the game; how exciting was that.”

Of Ruziecki’s homer Gannon said, “Oh man that was huge, absolutely huge; great pickup from Raritan. He’s an important part if this team. He squares up the entire order and brings it together; we have a very even lineup throughout. He’s a big spot in the lineup and good friend to all of us.”

The win sends Middletown South (22-4) into the semifinals of the Shore Conference Tournament next Wednesday at Count Basie Fields in Red Bank against sixth-seeded Toms River South (21-7) who beat 14th-seeded Freehold to advance.

The Eagles jumped all over Colts Neck starter Mike D’Ottavio (5-1) sending him to the showers early after only one-third of an inning pitched.

Gannon led off the bottom of the first lacing a double down the third-base line and number two batter Jeremy Joyce walked before Johnny Zega ripped a two-run triple over the centerfielders head for a quick 2-0 lead. Clean-up hitter Austin Markmann then brought Zega home with a run-scoring sacrifice fly to left field.

A walk and a hard line-drive single to right field by Schild sent D’Ottavio packing, but reliever Matt Hawkins (2-0) got out of the inning without any further damage on a strikeout and 5-4 force out.

Colts Neck then put up two runs on the board in the top of the second on a Jeremy Slad two-run single. On the play, Gannon uncorked a dead-on throw to the plate that looked in time to nail the second runner but Schild couldn’t handle the throw.

The Eagles added two more runs in the bottom of the third. Markmann roped a double into left field at the 318 mark before shortstop Tim Cavrak booted a grounder by Jon Martin placing runners at first and third with one out.

Schild then jacked a run-scoring double down the third-base line scoring Markmann and Porpora lofted a sacrifice fly into center scoring Martin for a short-lived 5-2 lead.

The Jaguars got two back in the top of the fourth when back-to-back two-out errors led to two unearned runs in the inning.

“It almost seemed like we tried to give the game away early,” Spillane said. “We just didn’t play well defensively; we made mistakes. But good teams this time of the year find ways to win even when they don’t play well. We grinded it out and got this one, and that’s a tough team over there. They’re scrappy and well coached, so it was just good to win this one and move on.”

In the meantime, Ferraioli worked a perfect fourth and fifth innings striking out four South batters and walking a batter who was then picked off first.

In the top of the fifth, Nick Umbro dropped a two-out looping double down the third base line to tie the game 5-5 before Scheuer struck out Slad for the final out of the inning setting up the nail-biting sixth and seventh innings.

“It looked like we were a little bit tired half way through the game,” Spillane said. “I don’t know if the heat had something to do with it. So I told them to go home, take care of yourself, drink plenty of fluids, get something good to eat, go to bed early and let’s get ready to win tomorrow.”

The Eagles are right back at it Thursday when they face No. 7 seed Wall Township (10-10) in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III quarterfinals. The second-seeded Eagles will send Markmann to the mound with Martin available in relief if needed.

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