Starting Pitching Has Lions Favored In Powerful Class B North

Middletown North players at the Jersey Sporting News Photo Shoot: (L to R) #20 Chris Price, #5 Tyler Ras, #3 Brendan Doherty, #15 Garrett French

MIDDLETOWN NORTH – If Middletown North’s starting pitching is as good as advertised and they can avoid injuries to the staff the Lions just may be one of the top teams in the Shore Conference this season.

In football it’s generally believed that defense wins games. In baseball, when push comes to shove, it all comes down to pitching – and that’s music to the ears of Middletown North, which boast one of the best starting pitching rotations in the Shore this season.

The Lions will need all the pitching - and hitting - they can muster being a member of the Class B North, which is undoubtedly, top-to-bottom, the most competitive division in the Shore Conference.

Middletown North boasts three senior hurlers who all could be penciled in as their No. 1 starter, but University of Alabama commit Tyler Ras will get the opening-day nod from head coach Justin Nathanson.

“The pitching staff is really experienced this year with the top three guys all seniors and we’re looking to build off the success we had last year and hopefully do a little better,” said Ras of the Lions starting rotation. “All three of us are capable of being a one.”

Ras, a 6-foot-4, 195-pound righty flame thrower, struck out 46 batters in 40 innings pitched a year ago while walking just eight. He finished the season with a 3-2 record and a 2.80 ERA with a 1.10 WHIP and enters this season with lofty expectations.

“With the pitching we have we’re going to shut down teams,” Ras said. “If we can get runs, we’re going to win a lot of games.”

The Lions had some problems scoring runs a year ago but Ras feels they’ve corrected that issue.

“Basically, it’s the experience. We’ve got 10 seniors this year and we’re all going to step up at the plate,” Ras said. “We’ve got a few juniors and sophomores and even a freshman or two who’ve looked good and we’re going to do everything we have to get the job done.”

Number two starter, right hander Chris Price, emerged as a quality starter as a junior a year ago when he burst on the scene recording a 4-2 record with a 1.62 ERA, which placed him in the top 20 in that category in the Shore Conference. In 52 innings pitched, Price struck out 20 and walked 12 batters while posting a 1.14 WHIP.

Rutgers University commit, Garrett French, led the team with a 7-2 record last season and he ranked eighth in the Shore with a stellar 1.12 ERA along and a just as impressive 0.94 WHIP. He also led the team in innings pitched with 56.1 IP while striking out 59 batters and walking 22. You can expect French to be the bulldog of the staff once again this season.

Senior left hander Jason Timmons figures in as the fourth starter and spot reliever after seeing limited time on the mound a year ago, while underclassmen Sean Gardner (P/3B), Kevin Fallon (P/OF) and Brandon Sansone (P/INF) will all come out of the pen and vie for playing time in the field.

The Lions return 10 seniors from a year ago including six position players.

Ras will leadoff and play third base when he’s not on the mound and is coming off a season which saw him hit .419 with two home runs, 20 runs scored, 10 stolen bases while driving in nine runs. Senior Brendan Doherty, who will also be counted on as a spot starter and in relief, will bat second and be in centerfield this season after posting a .392 average with 11 RBI’s and 15 runs scored.

Penciled in at the third spot in batting order is the slick-fielding French, who will start at shortstop when he’s not pitching, and the Lions expect French’s offensive numbers to improve after hitting just .203 with one home run and four RBI’s in 89 plate appearances a year ago, although he did score a solid 13 runs.

Timmons will hit cleanup and man left field this season after hitting .288 and leading the team with two home runs and 12 RBI a year ago while junior Brian Quinn will bat fifth and take over first base after posting impressive numbers at the J.V. level last season.

Senior catcher Jake Dillon came on strong after being handed the starting assignment behind the plate in the latter part of last season and he’ll resume catching duties and hit sixth.

Expectations are high for sophomore left fielder Ryan Rozinski after he burst on the scene as a freshman last season hitting two home runs in a first-round game of the Monmouth County Tournament that nearly fueled an upset win over second-seeded Monmouth Regional. He’ll bat seventh.

Senior Mike Adamson looks to be the front-runner for the second-base job and bat eighth.

“I think we size up very well in the division,” said Ras of his team’s chances. “We just need to come out every day and play up to our potential.”

The Lions will host crosstown rival Middletown South in the season opener Saturday in the Rich Veth and Walter Woods Memorial game.