Manalapan Babe Ruth team wins state title
Eastern Regional next for 14-year-old stars
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

It's hard to tell who has had more fun this summer, the Manalapan Baseball and Softball Association 14-year-old all-stars, or their manager, Kyle St. Angelo.

Manalapan's 14-year-olds recently won the North Jersey Babe Ruth Championship and will begin play tomorrow in the Eastern Regional in Voorhees. This group of players have won the District 11 title for six straight years and finally got over the hump last week when they beat Readington, 5-4, in dramatic fashion. They scored the tying and winning runs in the top of the seventh.

That capped a two-game sparkling tourney for Manalapan. In pool play Manalapan went 3-1, and got the No. 2 seed for the playoffs, where they faced No. 2 Randolph. That elimination game went nine innings before Manalapan won, 4-3.

It was on to the final where top-seed Readington, which handed Manalapan its only loss in pool play, 2-1, was waiting.

Reading, the Babe Ruth power in recent years, scored three runs in the last of the sixth to grab a 4-3 lead. But Manalapan struck back, scoring two runs in the top of the seventh.

Nick Kreiger, one of Manalapan's top hurlers, delivered what St. Angelo called "the biggest hit of the tournament" - a lead-off triple in the top of the seventh. Joe Ramirez singled him home to tie the game. He would later score the winning run on Kyle Rubbinaccio's RBI single.

Pitcher Joe Crocco yielded a lead-off double in the last of the seventh, but stranded him there to get the win in relief for the new state champions.

"It was a very well-played game," said St. Angelo. "It was very even. I think we just had more heart."

For St. Angelo, the ride the Manalapan all-stars have taken him on (first the District 11 title and now the state championship) has been impressive. St. Angelo was a product of the Manalapan Baseball and Softball Association and went on to start at Manalapan as quarterback of the football team and shortstop. He's now studying at Rutgers University. He was an assistant coach for the Manalapan American Legion team, helping out his older brother, James St. Angelo, this summer when the coaching position for the Babe Ruth all-star team became opened. Since he had coached most of the players in legion ball, he took the job, with no regrets. As a recent participant in the association, he appreciates the level of play he has seen.

"The caliber of baseball they play for 14-year-olds is incredible," he said. "It's a pleasure to watch them play.

"They enjoy the game and they play it the right way," he added. "We're pretty solid in every aspect of the game."

Kreiger, Rubbinaccio, Crocco and Derek Kawa were the primary pitchers for Manalapan.

Rubbinaccio, Alex DeCastro, Mike Sette and Marco Ferrante were the team's most consistent hitters. Manalapan played small ball for the most part relying on timely, situational hitting.

Defensively, Manalapan backed it pitchers by making the plays behind them.

The Manalapan 14-year-old Babe Ruth all-star state champions are: Kreiger (center field/pitcher), DeCastro (left field), Kawa (pitcher/outfield), Richie Riccardi (shortstop), Ferrante (first base), Ramirez (second base), Sette (first base/outfield), Rubbinaccio (pitcher/utility), Randy Berman (catcher), Chris Baird (catcher), Crocco (third base/pitcher), Brian Morgan (outfield), Jake D'Amoto (second base) and Tim Murray (third base).

Manalapan will play four games in pool play through Sunday.