By Rich Chrampanis
RUMSON – When Brick Memorial was forced to cancel its Saturday morning game with Rumson-Fair Haven due to a rescheduled division game, the Bulldogs could have started their spring break early. But one of New Jersey’s top ranked baseball teams was eager to find a challenge and they got one when the Ranney Panthers agreed to a last minute game that proved to be one of the best early season showdowns in the state.
RFH was able to grind out a 3-2 win against the newest power in New Jersey in a game that could be a precursor to the Shore Conference Tournament. The Bulldogs are debuting a new turf field in the 2022 season and this heavyweight matchup was the first “big game” at the new look RFH diamond.
In the first inning, Rumson’s Owen Kenney smashed a triple to left field but Ranney was able to get out of the jam thanks to a diving stop of a liner by Panthers shortstop Brett Wehringer who threw to third for the 6-5 double play. In the bottom of the second, John Bruno delivered a base hit to left that plated Matt Rigby to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.
Rumson piled up six hits in all against Ranney starter Nick Coniglio but the Panthers weathered the storm and did not allow any more runs as Duke commit AJ Gracia came on in relief in the fourth.
Ranney tied the game in the third on a wild pitch and had a chance to do some serious damage in the fourth, loading the bases with nobody out, but Charlie Jones escaped a big inning. Jones allowed a bases loaded walk to give Ranney a 2-1 lead but got out of trouble to keep the game close.
The Bulldogs manufactured runs when it mattered the most in the sixth. Rigby led off with a single and he scored on an Aaron Del Tin sacrifice fly. Brain Doherty’s hustle on the basepaths allowed him to score on a wild pitch in what proved to be the winning run.
Jones, who’s signed to play ACC baseball at Wake Forest, showed why he is one of the best pitchers in the state. After escaping major damage in the fourth, he settled in and tamed a dangerous Ranney lineup over the final three frames. A complete game three-hitter with six strikeouts was the ultimate difference in the 3-2 win.
“I’m pretty proud of the way we as a team just beared down there,” Jones said. “My boys got my back in the end there – a big sixth inning – from there on we just won. It was amazing.”
For Ranney, it was a much needed game against top competition. The Panthers showed that they are not suited to play in their division of the Shore Conference after beating Asbury Park 46-0 earlier in the week. Coach Pat Geroni continues to schedule aggressively out of conference and the Panthers have games on the horizon against Middletown South and Marlboro which should get them ready for the post-season.
RFH made headlines when it opted not to play in the upcoming Monmouth County Tournament, despite being considered a favorite to be the top seed. That made last Saturday’s game in Rumson all the more meaningful as we saw two top teams give us a playoff feel in mid-April. Ranney will chase after the Monmouth County title next while RFH will be in a position to earn the top seed in the Shore Conference Tournament in May.
This article originally appeared in the April 21-27, 2022 print edition of The Two River Times.
