Early scoring boosts Colonials in tourney play

By tim morris

Staff Writer

"Scoring first is a priority," said Freehold Borough baseball coach Jon Block. "We like to build a little cushion and put the pressure on the other team."

It’s a strategy that Freehold Borough has taken very seriously. In 21 of the team’s 23 games, the Colonials got on the scoreboard first. Last week, in their three playoff games, the Colonials scored first in all three and won two of them.

The Colonials stunned John F. Kennedy Memorial of Woodbridge (18-5) on Thursday with four first-inning runs in the first round of the Central Jersey Group II playoffs, and went on to upset the No. 4 seeded Mustangs, 8-5.

Chris Coulson started the Colonial fireworks, leading the game off with a double. Larry Henrickson and Jarret Higley each contributed an RBI single in that opening frame.

The Mustangs may have been rocked by the first-inning firepower, but they didn’t fall down. They would tie the score at 4-4 in the last of the third, but the Colonials would strike again with a pair of runs in the fourth and fifth to retake command.

Starter Mike Kelly helped his cause in both innings by delivering RBI singles.

After a shaky start, the hard-throwing righty kept JFK in check until the last of the seventh when the Mustangs scored their final, meaningless, run. He ended the game with seven strike outs.

"The turning point was when we regained the lead," said Block. "Mike regained his composure and made some adjustments. He warmed up as the game went on and was throwing his hardest at the end."

The Monmouth University-bound Kelly, who is batting .500, went 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored. Hendrickson and Higley each went 3-for-4 with an RBI as the Colonials advanced to Friday’s quarterfinal at Voorhees. Freehold would strike first again, with two runs in the third ignited by a run-scoring triple off Kelly’s bat. But Voorhees (17-4) answered with a five-run fifth to win it, 6-2.

Starter Dave Steeneck, now 7-2, struck out six in the loss.

The Colonials’ still had life in their 2000 season. The next day, they were in Keyport for a Shore Conference first-round game. In this one, Freehold Borough (13-10) scored early and often. A grand slam home run in the first inning by Brian Fanelli was the big blow in a five-run first. The Colonials came back with four more in the second. The early outburst helped freshman Coulson pick up his first varsity win, 11-6. He struck out eight.

Toms River East was next for the Colonials yesterday in Dover.

Manalapan High School also qualified for the state playoffs. The Braves lost their opening round game in Central Jersey Group IV to South Brunswick, 2-0, wasting a fine effort from starter Chris Legiardre, who gave up just five hits. Mike James shut the Braves down on four hits for the Vikings (16-5).

Manalapan bounced back in the Shore Conference Tournament last Wednesday, rallying in the last of the seventh to beat Toms River North, 10-9. Trailing 9-7, Jason Gumnitz’s bases-loaded triple won it for the Braves.

Manalapan (11-11) lost its second round game to Toms River South (20-4), 5-0, on a combined one-hitter by Jeff Frazier and Bryan Eberle. Mike Tamalone broke up the no-hit bid with a single in the sixth.