Brick Memorial Baseball: Welcome

Location..............................Brick, NJ 08724
Opened...............................1980
Division...............................A-South
Conference..........................Shore
State Section/Group...Central Jersey Group IV
Nickname............................Mustangs
Colors..............Forest Green and Vegas Gold
Director of Athletics...............Bill Bruno

Brick Memorial's American Legion finishes up strong season
BY WAYNE WITKOWSKI Staff Writer

Anthony Gearity didn't play much this summer for Brick Memorial's American Legion baseball team.

But when he did play, he left quite an impression. Gearity will be the player leading the way for the Mustangs next season.

"He's the real deal," said Brick Memorial High School varsity coach Rich Bishop, who took over the team early in the American Legion season before varsity assistant Evan Rizzitello took over for most of the summer while Bishop was away. "When he's on, he's very tough."

In fact, Gearity was perfect at one point. He pitched a perfect game this summer against Southern Regional that Brick Memorial won, 4-0.

"We shut him down for the summer because his shoulder was a little stiff from pitching so much in the spring, except for that one game against Southern," Rizzitello said.  Gearity struck out seven in that game.

"It was the first time I was ever a part of a perfect game," Rizzitello said. "I know it's only the summer, but when he accomplished that, it was a big deal."

Center fielder Jon DelValle saved the perfect game with a diving catch in the sixth inning that robbed a Southern batter of what appeared to be a double. All of the other fielding plays were routine.

When Gearity isn't pitching, he plays at second base. That versatility makes him even more valuable for next season.

The team finished 12-2-1 and was in third place in the Ocean County division behind Jackson — which beat Brick Memorial in 11 innings — and Toms River South.

The top three teams are invited to the American Legion state tournament. But because Brick Memorial went in last year and had to forfeit a game, league rules prohibit participation the following season. The forfeited game was postponed because of rain and was rescheduled for a weekday early afternoon, at a time when many players and the parents who would be driving them to the game had to work.

"We tried every avenue of appeal, but we could not get it changed," said Rizzitello, who was helped over the summer by his brother, Paul, his dad, Ed, Tim Brennan and Mark Angelo.

"We're excited about next season," Rizzitello said.

The varsity last spring finished just above .500 for a second year in a row, and qualified for the Shore Conference Tournament while just missing the NJSIAA Tournament.

"We have a pretty deep pitching staff and we can go to all of them," Rizzitello said. "The majority of players had varsity experience, but the main thing was that we had chemistry. A good number of players were on the junior varsity which won the Ocean County Tournament."

Phil Sigona was 4-0 over the summer as the top pitcher on the Legion schedule. Bishop said he "did an outstanding job pitching and hitting." Sigona struck out 28 and walked only two in 22 innings with a 0.32 ERA.

"I'm not really surprised, because he works hard and is a big kid," Rizzitello said. "We just need him to execute on the mound.

"Pitching probably helped us achieve a good record in Legion," he said. "There's always a lot of offense in Legion, but our pitching was phenomenal."

Andrew Nelson went 2-1 with 39 strikeouts in 25 innings and "will be a starter or closer, wherever we need him," Bishop said.

Lou Raccuglia was 2-0 with two saves, striking out 36 in 26 innings. His ERA was 1.36.  Nelson and Raccuglia helped make up for the departure of June graduates Justin Short, who beat Brick Township in the Mayor's Trophy game in May, and Tim Spaulding, who was named the Most Valuable Pitcher. Other graduates included shortstop and second baseman Brian Staub, who was named the team's MVP and is headed to Springfield College later this month, and first baseman Jose Ramos. Short and Ramos received the Coaches' Award. Justin Gordon, another graduate, was selected for the Offensive Player Award.

"Our strikeout-to-walk ratio was our most impressive stat," Rizzitello said. "You usually want a 2-to-1 ratio, and we were 5- to-1."

Bishop and Rizzitello credited the play of catchers Jason Promisel, who will be a senior this fall, and Chris Austin, a junior who hit a grand slam over the summer, for keeping the pitchers settled.

"Both did a great job at catcher," Bishop said.

Nelson also will play in the field when he is not pitching and was moved from third base to first base this year. He also can play at shortstop.

Kevin Nilsen is touted as the next bright prospect. He plays third base and also pitches. Nilsen batted .370 during the Legion season.

"He's the missing link to what we needed after last season," Bishop said.

"He will be a very good player," Rizzitello said emphatically.

Mike Rytelewski, who became the regular shortstop as a sophomore on the varsity last spring, batted .450 during the American Legion season. He also can pitch, along with junior Mike Nebesne.

Rytelewski batted in the heart of the order with Nelson, a .429 hitter with 11 RBIs, and left fielder Brian Duckworth, who hit .437 with five doubles and seven RBIs. DelValle capitalized on his speed in the leadoff spot with an on-base percentage of over .500 as he batted .413 and stole 10 bases. Kevin Krotulis, a senior, played in right field. Tom Tressito was the first outfielder off the bench. "We're looking for big things out of him next season," Bishop said.

Dylan Stalfa and Ed Gearity, Anthony's brother, give good depth to the outfield. Both are juniors this fall.

BRICK MEMORIAL BASEBALL AWARDS BANQUET

2009

Defensive Player of the Year - JON DELVALLE 

Offensive Player of the Year - JUSTIN GORDON

Pitcher of the Year - TIM SPAULDING 

Coaches Award - JOSE RAMOS/JUSTIN SHORT 

Most Valuable Player - BRIAN STAUB 

BY: Coach Brennan/Coach Angelo 

In the championship game of the JV Ocean County Tournament the Brick Memorial Mustangs fell behind 6-0 in the 2^nd inning to the Jackson Memorial Jaguars.  The mentally tough STANGS showed tremendous character by scoring 3 runs in the bottom of the second, cutting the deficit in half.  Mike Salerno hit a double to score 2 runs followed by Ed Gearity’s single to score Salerno. 

Kevin Nilson started a one out rally in the bottom of the 3^rd with a single; followed by a Chris Austin base on balls and Ryan Shaughnessey got on to load the bases.  With two outs and the bases loaded Mike Salerno came through with another clutch hit scoring two more runs.  Tom Tressito then had a game tying single, plating Ryan Shaughnessey. 

Mike Salerno, who came on in relief, continued to shut down the JAGS allowing one hit and one walk for the next three innings.  Ed Gearity led off the bottom of the 6^th inning with a single and moved to 2^nd on a pass ball.  Tom Tressito had the go ahead RBI single scoring Gearity. 

The Mustangs completed a 1-2-3 top of the 7^th inning victory to bring home the OCT JV Championship Trophy. 

The Mustangs completed the season 15-6, which is one of the most successful JV seasons in recent years.  Congratulations from the entire Mustang staff. 

                        It’s a great day to be a Mustang!!

Tom Tressito – 3-4       3 1B     2 RBI

Dylan Stalfa --  0-4     

Mike Rytelewski – 0-4

Kevin Nilson – 2-2       1BB     2RS

Chris Austin – 0-2        1BB

Chris Vivaldi – Courtesy runner for Austin         1RS

Ryan Shaughnessey – 0-3         1RS

Mike Matteo – 0-2       1BB     1RS

Mike Salerno – 2-3      1 2B     1 1B     1RS     4RBI’s

Ed Gearity – 2-2          1BB     2 1B     1RBI

Pitchers:

Mike Rytelewski started the game and pitcher 1 2/3 innings with 2 K’s

Mike Salerno – 5 1/3    innings with 1K; Gave up 1 Hit and 1 BB

(22) Brick Memorial 4, (6) Manalapan 1
 

The Mustangs (12-11) continued their Cinderella run in the SCT by upending the Braves (16-8) and ace Ryan Harvey by pushing across two unearned runs in the top of the seventh inning to snap a 1-1 tie and advance to meet the Toms River North in the quarterfinals.

With two outs, Brian Duckworth and Joe Murray each drew walks in the seventh inning. Senior Jose Ramos then grounded to the shortstop, and Duckworth beat him to the bag at second base. Murray then scored on a wild throw home by the shortstop. Duckworth took third on the wild throw and then scored when the catcher threw the ball into left field trying to get him at third.  Senior Brian Staub then added an insurance run with an RBI single to bring home Ramos.

Justin Short (2-3) allowed one run on three hits, striking out two and walking two, in six innings for the Mustangs to get the win, and Andrew Nelson came on in relief to pitch a scoreless seventh inning to get his third save of the season. Justin Gordon added an RBI single in the fourth inning for the Mustangs' first run.

Manalapan's lone run came on a game-tying homer in the bottom of the sixth by Joe Ramirez. Harvey (7-2) allowed two earned runs on five hits, striking out five, walking four and hitting a batter, in the loss.

WP - Justin Short (2-3)   Save - Andrew Nelson (3)   LP - Ryan Harvey (7-2)

HR - (Man) Ramirez

BM   0  0  0  1  0  0  3     4  5  1          BM - (12-11)

Man 0  0  0  0  0  1  0     1   2  2         Man - (16-8)

(22) Brick Memorial 9, (11) Red Bank Catholic 8
 

The Mustangs rallied from a 6-1 deficit and then with the game tied at eight in the sixth inning, they scored what proved to be the winning run on a two-out, RBI single by Brendan Melody on their way to upsetting the Caseys to move on and face sixth-seeded Manalapan in the Round of 16.

Jose Ramos went 3-for-5 with a run scored, Brian Staub had a hit, two runs scored and two RBIs, and Justin Gordon had two RBI sacrifice flies in the win. Tim Spaulding pitched three innings of relief to get the win, allowing two runs on seven hits, and Andrew Nelson threw two scoreless innings in the sixth and seventh to get the save for the Mustangs.

Senior catcher Jake Beim went 3-for-4 with a grand slam in the second inning to make it 6-1 for the Caseys, and Brendan Ford went 2-for-3 with a double.

BM     0  1  4  2  1  1  0     9   11   3

RBC  2  4  0  0  2  0  0      8   11   2

WP - Tim Spaulding (3-1)     SV - Andrew Nelson (2)    BM (11-11)     RBC  (10-7)

2B - (BM)Gearity, (RBC)Pricoli, Ford

HR - (RBC) Beim 

Brick Memorial 7, Pinelands 0
 

The Mustangs (10-10) blanked the Wildcats to qualify for the SCT on the cutoff date as Phil Sigona picked up his first varsity win with five shutout innings, striking out three, walking three and allowing two hits for Brick Memorial.

Steve Zrowka went 1-for-1 with two RBIs and Brian Staub, Mike Rytelewski, Brendan Melody and Jason Promisel, and Phil Sigona each had RBIs in the win. Senior first baseman Jose Ramos also played for the first time in 11 games after being sidelined with a dislocated elbow, and he had two hits, two runs scored and two stolen bases.

WP - Sigona (1-0)     LP - Gesicki     BM - (10-10) / (7-6)     2B - Gordon

Pinelands  0  0  0  0  0  0  0     0   3   3

Mustangs  1  1  0  3  0  2  x     7   8   1

Sunday scoreboard

Class A South

Brick Memorial 4, Brick 2

The Mustangs (9-10, 7-6) scored three runs in the bottom of the first and never looked back in sweeping the season series from the rival Green Dragons (5-13, 2-10) and winning the annual Brick Day Mayor's Cup game at FirstEnergy Park for the third straight year.

Justin Short tossed a complete game three-hitter, striking out three and walking four while allowing one earned run for his first win of the season for Brick Memorial, which has to win a nondivisional game on Monday against Pinelands to qualify for the Shore Conference Tournament on the cutoff date. Brian Duckworth went 1-for-3 with three stolen bases, two runs scored and an RBI, Brian Staub went 1-for-2 with an RBI, a run scored and a walk, Justin Gordon went 1-for-3 with an RBI, Mike Rytelewski had two hits, and Brendan Melody had a double and an RBI for the Mustangs.

In the loss for Brick, Matt Dornacker went 3-for-3 with two doubles, Cody Schnebel had an RBI walk and Tim Carney had an RBI sacrifice fly.

BT   0  0  2  0  0  0  0     2  3  1

BM  3  0  0  0  1  0  x      4  6  1

WP - Short (1-3)     LP - Boyle (2-3)

BM  9-10/7-6    BT  5-13/3-10
2B (BT) Dornacker  (BM) Melody

 Class A South

Brick Memorial 4, Jackson Memorial 2

The Mustangs upset the No. 1 Jaguars and handed them their first loss of the season, as Anthony Gearity (3-1) pitched a complete game, striking out six and walking two, while also smacking a solo homer.

Gearity broke a 1-1 tie with a solo homer to lead off the fifth, and Brian Staub and Justin Gordon each had two-out RBI singles to push the lead to 4-1. Gordon finished 3-for-4 with a double, a run scored and an RBI, Staub had two hits, a run scored and an RBI and Kevin Krotulis went 2-for-3 with an RBI single in the second inning.

Pete Kelich went 1-for-3 with an RBI and Jon Kozlowski hit his 12th double of the season and had an RBI sacrifice fly in the loss for the Jaguars.

WP - Anthony Gearity (3-1)
LP - Brian Soloman (2-1)
2B - (BM)Gordon (JM) Koslowski
HR - (BM)Gearity

BM - 6-7 / 4-5
JM - 11-1 / 10-1

BM 0 1 0 0 3 0 0    4 9 1
JM 0 0 0 1 0 1 0    2 5 2