Cougars Maul Spartans 17-9

By Walter J. O’Neill, Jr.

Making a perfect running catch for Ocean Township is senior Michael Martin (3) a senior durning the loss to Colts Neck.

April 28, Ocean Township High School varsity baseball team played their first home game of the 2026 season on their newly recondition field. The first 12 games of the season were played away or at alternate sites within the township. The opponent on Tuesday, were the Cougars of Colts Neck, who dominated the game winning 17-9.

Starting on the mound for the Spartans of Ocean was Braden Moore. It was a rough start for the right hander, as Colts Neck scored seven runs in the first inning. Cip Apicelli, head coach at Ocean, knew the Cougars were a good team and replaced Moore with John Trotte in the top of the second inning.

Trotte held his own for two inning holding Colts Neck scoreless. However, in the fourth inning, the Cougars added an additional run taking an 8-0 lead into the bottom of the inning. The Spartans woke up in the bottom of the fourth, as they scored three runs.

Colts Neck had another big inning at the top of the fifth adding an additional five runs. In the middle of the inning Apicelli pulled Trotte and replaced him with Andrew Hill, who would finish the game. Ocean added three more runs in the fifth, and going into the sixth they were down 13-6.

Cougars added one run in the sixth and allowed the Spartans to score three more in the bottom. The final inning had Colts Neck up 14-9. In the seventh, Cougars added three more taking the 17-9 victory.

Nick Pignatelli worked 3.1 inning throwing 69 pitches and Ronan Kiely threw 55 pitches over 3.2 innings for the winners.

At the plate for Colts Neck, Dan Annunziata was 2-3 with four RBI, scored a run and stole a base. Ryan Rude went 2-4 with a run and RBI, R.J. Conover was 2-3 with two RBI, Joe Pignatelli was 2-3 with 3 RBI and scored two runs, Matt Clark was 2-2 with two RBI and Kiely was 1-2 with two runs.

Colts Neck and Ocean are both in the B North division of the Shore Conference. With the win, Colts Neck is 10-4 overall and 8-2 in division action. Leading the B North is Rumson-Fair Haven followed by the Cougars then Freehold Township, Middletown North, Raritan, Ocean which is now 5-8 overall and 2-6 in division games, and Monmouth Regional in last position.

For the Spartans, Eli Gonzalez went 2-4 with two RBI and scored two runs. David Jules went 2-5 and Michael Martin was 1-2 with two RBI. Currently, the Spartans have lost the last six games being outscored 79-25. Their five wins were; 8-4 over Wier of West Virginia, 10-7 over Utica of Ohio, 16-8 over Monmouth Regional, 12-2 over Monmouth Regional and 3-0 over Manchester.

Next two games for the Spartans were against the Rockets of Raritan on April 29, and May 1. Colts Neck also has back-to-back games on the same dates against Middletown North.

Additional photos of can be viewed at www.Facebook.com/TheLinkSports