Red Bank Catholic Rocks Pt. Beach in Shore Conference Tournament Opening Round

Photo above: Senior first baseman Mike Ianelli had a big RBI triple in the 13-run first inning.

RED BANK – Entering Wednesday’s Shore Conference Tournament first-round matchup up versus Pt. Pleasant Beach, the eighth-seeded Caseys had lost three in a row and four out of their last five games - all against teams ranked in Shore Conference top ten.

Badly in need of a win, it didn’t take long for the Casey’s to take their frustration out on the twenty-fifth seeded Garnett Gulls (12-6, 11-3) as they erupted for 13 runs in the bottom of the first inning essentially putting the game to bed early.

The Shore’s ninth-ranked team, Red Bank Catholic (16-6, 11-3) banged out 11 hits in the inning and batted around the order twice with all but one starter getting a hit and three players going 2-for-2. They walloped seven extra-base hits in the inning including five triples and two doubles and at one point crushed three, three- baggers in a row.

Handed 13 runs to work with before he even stepped on the mound, starting pitcher Jack Ipsen breezed through three innings of work before turning the ball over to reliever Tom Monano with a 16-0 lead; allowing him to exit early with a rare opportunity to rest his arm. He retired nine of the ten batters he faced with the only runner reaching base on an error in the third inning and set down the side in order twice including an eight-pitch first inning. The junior ace picked up his fourth win of the season against two defeats without allowing a run, hit or walk while striking out four.

“It was definitely great having the team behind me,” Ipsen said. “The run support definitely helps; it’s easier to throw strikes and get into fastball counts. It’s good to get some momentum going after losing three out of four. The spirits are high in the dugout right now and I think this helped our confidence moving forward.”

The Caseys tacked on another three runs in the third inning and just for good measure put up a solo run in the fourth. The 17 runs and 19 hits were both season-highs for the Caseys and were the most runs RBC has scored since an early April 15-6 drubbing of Red Bank Regional.

Pt. Beach starter John VanSchoick (2-3) lasted only a third of an inning and took the loss.

Junior shortstop Even Madigan led the hit parade going 3-for-3 with a three-run RBI triple and two runs scored while senior left fielder Chris Bender, sophomore first baseman Anthony DeRosa and junior second base man Mike Spinelli had three hits apiece with Bender collecting a double and three RBI and DeRosa checking in with a double and two RBI and Spinelli adding an RBI and two runs scored.

Aaron Ahn - a sophomore third baseman – was 2-for-2 including a three-run RBI triple in his second at bat of the first inning after he brought home a run with an RBI sacrifice fly in his first at bat giving him four RBI in the first inning alone.

Senior designated hitter Michael Ianelli had an RBI triple and a single in three at bats while scoring three runs. At one point in the first-inning onslaught, senior right fielder Tom Merlo, Doug Facendo and Ianelli had back-to-back-to-back triples to drive in the first three runs of the game.

After giving up a single to leadoff hitter Ryan Franzoni, Casey reliever Nick Ianelli – the third Casey pitcher of the game - retired the next three batters to mercifully close out the game.

“Any time you win if feels pretty good, it doesn’t matter what the score is, but it’s a tournament game so getting that run support definitely helps,” Red Bank Catholic head coach Buddy Hausman said. “Jack was great, he needed to get going in the right direction again and I think this game did it for him. All of our pitchers: Jack, Justin (Liggett) and John (Smith) have all been really good for us this year and they pick each other up. Our hitters approach was good today and they put good swings on the ball.”

The Caseys will now host ninth-seeded Toms River South - a 6-1 winner over No. 24 seed Raritan on Tuesday – in the round of 16. Time and date TBD.

This should be a classic matchup up between the eighth and ninth ranked teams in the Shore Conference. The Caseys defeated the Indians 10-3 back on April 18 at Toms River South so the Indians will hyped for a payback.

“Toms River South will be coming in here to get revenge,” Hausman said. “It’s a great program with a great tradition so we definitely can’t take them lightly.”

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