Freehold Intermediate also thrives
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

They didn't quite make it to the penthouse, but the Freehold Intermediate School baseball team was a long way from the basement.

After winning two games in 2006, the Freehold Intermediate baseball team was one win away from playing for the Shore Intermediate Schools Baseball League championship this spring. Coach Babe Warrington's Freehold team put together a .500 regular season (5-5) and won a round in the postseason (13-3 over Howell Memorial) before falling to Wall, 4-2, in the semifinals.

Improvement over last year may not have been expected from the outside, but it was from Warrington.

"I anticipated it being a better season," said Warrington of his preseason thoughts on the team. "I had a really good squad and a strong crop of seventh-graders.

"I had good pitchers," he added. "The improvement came defensively."

Chris Gollinge and Kevin Phillips provided a strong one-two starting rotation, and Chris Esola was the team's closer. Gollinge and Esola, as eighth-graders, brought experience to the mound each time.

Also chipping in as a spot starter was a sixth-grader, Mike Bolton.

Catcher Chris Torre was the standout on defense. There simply was no running game against the Lions because of his strong, accurate arm. It took only a couple of throws nailing would-be base steals for the word to get out around the league.

"Teams stopped challenging him," noted Warrington.

Behind their dependable pitchers, the Lion defense was tight. Andrew Powell (third base) and Edgar Galendo (shortstop) were a fortress on the left side of the infield. A.J. Santerillo and Zack Lewis split time at second base, and when not pitching, Gollinge was at first. The right side was equally leak-proof.

In the outfield, center fielder Glenn Restrepo was flanked by Matt Kupper (left) and Denins Nardone and Tyler Jordan (right).

Offensively, the Lions had a good balance of power and speed.

"We were very aggressive on the base paths," said Warrington.

Powell and Kupper were the speed merchants who helped make the Freehold squad so effective playing small ball.

But they could get the extra base hit as well that produced big innings. Esola, Torre and Gollinge provided the extra base power.

With the majority of the team returning in 2008, Warrington expects his Freehold Intermediate team to be back in the playoffs making a run for the league championship, which the Lions last won in 2003.

and Esola, as eighth-graders, brought experience to the mound each time.

Also chipping in as a spot starter was a sixth-grader, Mike Bolton.

Catcher Chris Torre was the standout on defense. There simply was no running game against the Lions because of his strong, accurate arm. It took only a couple of throws nailing would-be base steals for the word to get out around the league.

"Teams stopped challenging him," noted Warrington.

Behind their dependable pitchers, the Lion defense was tight. Andrew Powell (third base) and Edgar Galendo (shortstop) were a fortress on the left side of the infield. A.J. Santerillo and Zack Lewis split time at second base, and when not pitching, Gollinge was at first. The right side was equally leak-proof.

In the outfield, center fielder Glenn Restrepo was flanked by Matt Kupper (left) and Denins Nardone and Tyler Jordan (right).

Offensively, the Lions had a good balance of power and speed.

"We were very aggressive on the base paths," said Warrington.

Powell and Kupper were the speed merchants who helped make the Freehold squad so effective playing small ball.

But they could get the extra base hit as well that produced big innings. Esola, Torre and Gollinge provided the extra base power.

With the majority of the team returning in 2008, Warrington expects his Freehold Intermediate team to be back in the playoffs making a run for the league championship, which the Lions last won in 2003.