By Rich Chrampanis
MIDDLETOWN – Reaching the Central Jersey Group 3 championship game for a second straight year is special for Middletown North. Beating your archrival to get there made it extra special. The Lions used a four-run third inning to jump out to a lead and hung on for a 5-3 win over the Eagles.
Zach Hampton and Jason Quardt had RBI singles in the third wrapped around a sacrifice fly and a double steal to give the Lions a 4-0 lead. Sophomore lefty Gabe Ahlemeyer navigated the Eagles lineup and kept them off the scoreboard until the fourth inning when John Chiusano delivered an RBI single to make it 4-1.
Dylan Briggs delivered a solo homer on a blast to left field to give the Lions a four-run cushion once again.
But Middletown South battled with their season on the line. After a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning made it 5-2, the Eagles created some major drama in the top of the seventh inning.
An infield single and a walk chased Ahlemeyer after six innings of two-run ball. The Lions turned to Hampton to get three outs. Following a walk, Hampton induced a shallow fly ball from Ben Schild that resulted in a sacrifice fly to make it 5-3. An infield single by Will Christopher loaded the bases once again. Middletown South could tie the game with a base hit and take the lead with an extra-base hit.
Hampton trusted his defense in the end and the result was a ground ball to third and sophomore Aldo Casale who started a 5-4-3 double play to end the game. Casale’s throw to Colby McMahon was perfect and RJ Kernan made a big league scoop at first base to seal the victory. Casale spent the first six innings on the bench and entered the game to take Hampton’s place on the hot corner when he went to pitch. It’s a microcosm of the success of the defending state champs. Middletown North’s team mentality and the players’ ability to lean on each other are the keys to a second straight magical post-season run.
“Throughout the game coach was like stay warm, stay warm,” Casale said. “In my head, I know if I’ve got to go in I have to make these plays and be ready and just be there for my teammates. I knew Zach was going to get me a strike there and I was ready for anything he was going to throw.”
Hampton was a two-way contributor. The sophomore had three hits at the plate – highlighted by his RBI single to start the scoring – and stayed calm under pressure to navigate through the bases-loaded jam and get the save.
“I was just trying to throw strikes and let my defense play,” Hampton said. “Aldo came up big and made a nice play. We just never give up. We’ve done that for the past two years. We could be 10 in the last inning and these guys are fighting until the end. We’re just a relentless team and we always come through.”
Thanks to upsets in the top half of the bracket, the Lions will get to host the Central Jersey Group 3 title game when No. 4 seed Lawrence comes to Middletown Friday, June 2.
“A lot of these guys are young and they’ve been around and gained experience as we’ve gone on,” coach Ryan McCabe said. “It’s a good group of guys and they believe in the guy next to them and good things are going to happen.”
RFH to Defend Central Jersey
Group 2 Title
Rumson-Fair Haven is accustomed to playing in tight games and that experience paid off with a return trip to the Central Jersey Group 2 finals.
RFH scored two runs in the first inning and the Bulldogs’ vaunted pitching staff took care of the rest in a 2-1 win over Ocean Township.
Owen Kenney had a ground-rule RBI double in the bottom of the first inning and Rumson added another run on a couple of walks that brought another run home.
Jackson Hinchliffe pitched five innings and turned things over to an RFH bullpen that saw Owen O’Toole and Matt Bruno pitch scoreless innings to outduel Spartans starter Michael King. King went the distance, giving up just two runs in the loss. Hinchliffe allowed just one run on five hits with five strikeouts. The right-hander’s ERA is down to 1.16 for the season.
RFH is now 20-5 on the season with an impressive 7-4 record in one-run games. The Bulldogs will host Spotswood this Friday, seeking a second straight sectional title.
Editor’s Note: Red Bank Catholic and Ranney both played in state playoff games Wednesday, after press time. We will have updates in next week’s edition on the Caseys and Panthers if the teams remain alive in the state playoffs.
The article originally appeared in the June 1 – 7, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
