Post by Freehold Resident on Aug 10, 2007 19:09:25 GMT -5
newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/2007/0725/Sports/072.html
Ruggieri has Freehold in playoffs
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer
Whether it's using his speed, his power or his overall leadership, Colton Ruggieri sparked the Freehold Borough American Legion 19-under Senior team into the state playoffs.
Ruggieri has made it an exciting season for the Colonials, dramatically winning three games for them in their last at-bat that that put them in a position to nail down one of the four playoff berths available.
In back-to-back games, the lead-off batter smacked walk-off grand slam home runs. In another contest, with the scored tied, Ruggieri led the inning off with a bunt single, stole second and third, and scored on a passed ball. Wins like that have the Colonials playing with a lot of confidence.
"Colton is the best team leader I've ever seen," said Freehold manager Mike Marx. "He's carried the team on his back. Being around him is such a pleasure. He's so focused on the team doing well.
"He had those qualities last year, but this year he took it to the next level," he added.
Thanks to the center fielder's clutch play, the Colonials are 11-4 and gained the No. 4 seed from the Monmouth County American Legion for state playoffs t hat begin Saturday for Freehold Borough in West Deprforto (Monmouth, Colts Neck and Ocean are the other teams from the county that made the state tourney).make the playoffs.
The playoff berth is a big reversal of the team's fortunes from the scholastic season, which saw the Colonials unable to overcome injuries to the pitching staff and finished below .500.
This summer, the team is jelling. They've gotten strong starting and relief pitching, the hitters have been very patient at the plate, working out free passes, and once on base, they've been using their speed to wreak havoc. Freehold's MO has been coming up with a way to win the close games.
Only three teams in the 19-team league have given up fewer runs than the Borough pitching staff.
"The pitching is better than I thought," said Marx. "It has kept us in games."
Neil Bolton, John Marx and Jeff Frost, along with Rich Poltar, have been the starting rotation. Poltar, unfortunately, broke his wrist in a recent game and is lost for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs. Helping to soften that blow is the probable return of Matt Yuhas to the rotation. He has been nursing a tired arm from the high school season and will be ready for the playoffs.
Ryan Kresky and Brian Prisk have been more than the team's closers. Marx has brought them into games with runners in scoring position late in close games, and those runners have remained where they were.
It follows that if a team's pitching is keeping it in games, the defense has been making plays. And it's no different with Freehold Borough. The defense has been very tight.
Ruggieri anchors a swift outfield that can run down fly balls in the gap. Flanking him are James Frost in left field and Brendan Coulson and Matt Whalen in right.
Catcher Jason Baggitt is the cornerstone of the infield defense that has Kresky at shortstop, Gerry Plescia at second, Prisk and Harold Bolton at third and Jeff Frost at first.
Harold Bolton, James Frost, Kresky and Ruggieri have sparked an offense that seems to do whatever it takes to score more runs than the opposition. Bolton has been on a tear with three home runs in his last two games.
Marx was quick to give credit for Freehold's fine record to assistant coaches Tom Ryan and Mike Polansky. Marx, a harness driver, hasn't been able to make every game, and in his and Neil Bolton's absences, Ryan and Polansky have helped the team grow.
Should Freehold Borough make the playoffs that begin next week (they are sitting comfortably in third place), the team will be bolstered by the addition of what are called swing players. They are members of the 17-under, or junior Legion team. For the first time, Freehold is fielding a junior team, and that will really help the program in future years. Chris Embling is managing the young team that included a few eighth-graders who will be entering high school in September.
"We never had this opportunity before," noted Embling. "The focus is on developing the team for the varsity.
"It was a wonderful season," he added. "The kids were enthusiastic and it was fun."
The good news is that most of the team will be back next summer for another year of seasoning.
Embling made sure that everyone on the team played a considerable amount of time. No one played less than half a game each contest.
Matt Holhmann, Josh Leahy and Anthony Pira were the junior standouts during the season and could get the call up for the playoffs (with a broken toe, Pira, a pitcher, is doubtful).
"Each player develops at different times," he said. "It was great to watch the players raise their level of play from the beginning of the season to the end. I was really proud of their effort."
Alex Goldfarb, Jessie Harris and Nick Filippo were the starting rotation for the Marlboro juniors, with Jake Eckhaus and Ken Konzelman, the team's closers.
The pitchers received support behind them from a good defense led by the double-play combo of shortstop Jordan Katz and second baseman Nick Buro.
Third baseman Nick Martino made the left side of the infield tough to get a ground ball through. Catcher Elliott Drucker was a team leader, providing solid defense and working well with the pitching staff.
Outfielders Jason Ortiz, Cody Darwick, Tom Dellarosa, Mike Martinez and Tom Paglio all contributed to the team's defense.
Ortiz, the team's lead-off hitter, was the top offensive player. Infielders Wes Klockner and Mike Martinez along with Katz and Joe Lefkowitz (first base) swung big bats for the team as well.
The juniors made a run for the playoffs, winning three of their last four games - a good sign for Marlboro High School's future.
Guy Goldfarb, Mike Konzelman and Steve Lefkowitz were the coaches on Dave Klockner's staff.
Ruggieri has Freehold in playoffs
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer
Whether it's using his speed, his power or his overall leadership, Colton Ruggieri sparked the Freehold Borough American Legion 19-under Senior team into the state playoffs.
Ruggieri has made it an exciting season for the Colonials, dramatically winning three games for them in their last at-bat that that put them in a position to nail down one of the four playoff berths available.
In back-to-back games, the lead-off batter smacked walk-off grand slam home runs. In another contest, with the scored tied, Ruggieri led the inning off with a bunt single, stole second and third, and scored on a passed ball. Wins like that have the Colonials playing with a lot of confidence.
"Colton is the best team leader I've ever seen," said Freehold manager Mike Marx. "He's carried the team on his back. Being around him is such a pleasure. He's so focused on the team doing well.
"He had those qualities last year, but this year he took it to the next level," he added.
Thanks to the center fielder's clutch play, the Colonials are 11-4 and gained the No. 4 seed from the Monmouth County American Legion for state playoffs t hat begin Saturday for Freehold Borough in West Deprforto (Monmouth, Colts Neck and Ocean are the other teams from the county that made the state tourney).make the playoffs.
The playoff berth is a big reversal of the team's fortunes from the scholastic season, which saw the Colonials unable to overcome injuries to the pitching staff and finished below .500.
This summer, the team is jelling. They've gotten strong starting and relief pitching, the hitters have been very patient at the plate, working out free passes, and once on base, they've been using their speed to wreak havoc. Freehold's MO has been coming up with a way to win the close games.
Only three teams in the 19-team league have given up fewer runs than the Borough pitching staff.
"The pitching is better than I thought," said Marx. "It has kept us in games."
Neil Bolton, John Marx and Jeff Frost, along with Rich Poltar, have been the starting rotation. Poltar, unfortunately, broke his wrist in a recent game and is lost for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs. Helping to soften that blow is the probable return of Matt Yuhas to the rotation. He has been nursing a tired arm from the high school season and will be ready for the playoffs.
Ryan Kresky and Brian Prisk have been more than the team's closers. Marx has brought them into games with runners in scoring position late in close games, and those runners have remained where they were.
It follows that if a team's pitching is keeping it in games, the defense has been making plays. And it's no different with Freehold Borough. The defense has been very tight.
Ruggieri anchors a swift outfield that can run down fly balls in the gap. Flanking him are James Frost in left field and Brendan Coulson and Matt Whalen in right.
Catcher Jason Baggitt is the cornerstone of the infield defense that has Kresky at shortstop, Gerry Plescia at second, Prisk and Harold Bolton at third and Jeff Frost at first.
Harold Bolton, James Frost, Kresky and Ruggieri have sparked an offense that seems to do whatever it takes to score more runs than the opposition. Bolton has been on a tear with three home runs in his last two games.
Marx was quick to give credit for Freehold's fine record to assistant coaches Tom Ryan and Mike Polansky. Marx, a harness driver, hasn't been able to make every game, and in his and Neil Bolton's absences, Ryan and Polansky have helped the team grow.
Should Freehold Borough make the playoffs that begin next week (they are sitting comfortably in third place), the team will be bolstered by the addition of what are called swing players. They are members of the 17-under, or junior Legion team. For the first time, Freehold is fielding a junior team, and that will really help the program in future years. Chris Embling is managing the young team that included a few eighth-graders who will be entering high school in September.
"We never had this opportunity before," noted Embling. "The focus is on developing the team for the varsity.
"It was a wonderful season," he added. "The kids were enthusiastic and it was fun."
The good news is that most of the team will be back next summer for another year of seasoning.
Embling made sure that everyone on the team played a considerable amount of time. No one played less than half a game each contest.
Matt Holhmann, Josh Leahy and Anthony Pira were the junior standouts during the season and could get the call up for the playoffs (with a broken toe, Pira, a pitcher, is doubtful).
"Each player develops at different times," he said. "It was great to watch the players raise their level of play from the beginning of the season to the end. I was really proud of their effort."
Alex Goldfarb, Jessie Harris and Nick Filippo were the starting rotation for the Marlboro juniors, with Jake Eckhaus and Ken Konzelman, the team's closers.
The pitchers received support behind them from a good defense led by the double-play combo of shortstop Jordan Katz and second baseman Nick Buro.
Third baseman Nick Martino made the left side of the infield tough to get a ground ball through. Catcher Elliott Drucker was a team leader, providing solid defense and working well with the pitching staff.
Outfielders Jason Ortiz, Cody Darwick, Tom Dellarosa, Mike Martinez and Tom Paglio all contributed to the team's defense.
Ortiz, the team's lead-off hitter, was the top offensive player. Infielders Wes Klockner and Mike Martinez along with Katz and Joe Lefkowitz (first base) swung big bats for the team as well.
The juniors made a run for the playoffs, winning three of their last four games - a good sign for Marlboro High School's future.
Guy Goldfarb, Mike Konzelman and Steve Lefkowitz were the coaches on Dave Klockner's staff.