Caseys impressive win over Spartans

By Jim Hintelmann
(Publication Volume 11, Issue 31)

RED BANK – Going into the season, Red Bank Catholic was regarded as one of the
state’s better baseball teams with many starters back from last year’s 26-4
Shore Conference Playoff championship team.

After winning its first three games, unbeaten RBC is living up to the advanced
hype with its latest win being an impressive 11-1 rout of Ocean Township in a
five-inning game Tuesday,

Winning pitcher Ryan Slate picked up his second win of the season with a
sparkling five hitter. He struck out eight and walked just two.

“The change up was my out pitch today,” said Slate. “My fast
ball was working well also. Everything is coming together. My fast ball has
been my best pitch this season. I like changing speeds and mixing them up so
the batter won’t be looking for the same pitch.

“Slate threw the ball pretty well,” said RBC coach Buddy Hausmann.
“We started slowly today but broke it open in the fourth inning. We’re
staying healthy and the pitchers are throwing strikes.”

RBC led only 2-1 when it came up in the bottom of the fourth, but took control
of the game there with an eight-run attack.

Trevor Brain led off with a double and scored on Joe Iacobellis’ single. Joe
Keane lined an RBI double to the center field fence and Andrew LaMura followed
with a two-run homer. Mike Resigno followed with a double and Nick Liggert
belted a two-run homer.

RBC scored in the first inning on a RBI single by Ron Robinson and Al Molino
made it 2-0 in the second with an RBI double

Ocean cut the lead to 2-1 on a sacrifice fly by Dan Dowling in the fourth but
RBC then came up with its big fourth inning and the game ended in the fifth on
the “Mercy Rule” when Resigno smacked an RBI single..

Ocean Township (2-4), which handed RBC one of its four losses last year, is in
a rebuilding year.

“We’re a young team,” admitted Ocean assistant coach Mark
Hyndsman.”We don’t have a whole lot of returners but we got a lot of
ability and just need to put it together.

RBC has a key B North game Thursday when it meets unbeaten Monmouth Regional.

“It will be a good game,” said Hausmann. “They had a good
pitcher in Ryan Cahill, who will be pitching at Seton Hall next year.”

Photo: Jack Flaherty