Freehold Twp. American wins District 19 pennant
Team is 1-1 in sectional play
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

At the 9- and 10-year-old level of baseball, the hitters are well ahead of the pitchers.

Freehold Township American Little League manager Al Molina kept that in mind when building Freehold Township American.

"All the kids will hit," he said. "Pitching and defense is pretty much what it takes.

"Our pitchers threw strikes and our players made the plays," he added.

Thanks to a flawless defense and a pitching staff that didn't issue base-on-balls, Freehold Township American won the District 19 9-10-year-old championship, and is still very much alive in the Section III tournament going on this week in Spring Lake Heights. The team is 1-1 in section play.

The key to Freehold Township American has been the ability of its starters to go the distance. Aces Al Molina Jr. and Kevin Checkett chewed up innings for the District champions, with Molina tossing three complete games in the postseason.

Jake Areman and Ryan Ramiz rounded out the rotation that has led the team to an 8-2 tournament record. Areman and Ramiz have been used primarily in relief, but when needed can start.

When Freehold Township American needed an extra starter, Ramiz, a lefty like Checkett, got the call, and the result was a 1-0 complete-game win over their hometown rivals, Freehold Township National. That win was a perfect example of American's outstanding defense. They simply made every play behind Ramiz.

Second baseman Areman and shortstop Molina have been glued up the middle. When he isn't pitching, Ramiz anchors the outfield defense from center field.

Of course Freehold Township American can score runs. In pool play, they scored in double-figures in three of their four games. They averaged just under six runs a game in the double-elimination finals.

Areman and Ramiz, who both have very high on-base percentages, are the catalysts at the top of the lineup. Molina and cleanup batter Chris Talbott have been the key run producers.

Everyone in the lineup has contributed because the team looks to get on base, be it via the walk or a bunt, and then stir things up with the running game. It has been very effective at pushing runs across the plate.

After a 3-1 record in pool play (a 5-4 loss to Middletown, which went 4-0), Freehold Township American was undefeated in the double-elimination finals, getting the measure of Middletown twice.

The team started it off with a 5-2 win over Middletown and that was followed by a 12-2 defeat of Shore. Freehold Township National was next in the winner's bracket final, and Ramiz pitching his complete-game shutout.

Middletown emerged from the loser's bracket to play Freehold Township American for the pennant. A 5-1 win avoided the if-necessary game and sent FT American to the Section III tournament that started Saturday.

Freehold Township American let a 10-7 lead slip away and lost to Sunnybrae in extra innings, 14-10. But, the team bounced back on Sunday with a 15-4 win over Clark on Sunday.

Should Freehold Township weave its way through the loser's bracket, the team will play for the Section III title tonight at Spring Lake Heights.

Freehold Township American's District 19 9-10-year-old champions are: Jake Areman, Kevin Checkett, Nick Fasano, Steven Ginter, Gianni Magliaro, Danny Martucci, Al Molina Jr., Chris Noesges, Ryan Ramiz, Joey Schultz, Chris Talbott and Mark Robinson.

Al Molina is the manager and Rosh Ramiz the coach.