Freehold Twp. Seniors one win from state title
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

All the stars seem to be lining up for the Freehold Township Little League Senior League (ages 15-16) all-star team.

As 12-year-olds, they won the state championship and the venue was the South Vineland Little League.

This summer they return to South Vineland, where they are one game away from capturing another state flag. Manager Anthony Cirillo's team played North Cumberland last night in the double-elimination final. Freehold Township is undefeated, having beaten North Cumberland, 4-3, and Livingston, 6-3.

With a win, Freehold Township will move the Senior League Eastern Regional in West Deptford, which has been the launching pad for two previous Freehold Township Senior League teams that went on to the World Series (the 2004 team won the World Series in Bangor, Maine).

This 2007 squad could well be the third. They are 13-0 this summer.

"They love the game," said Cirillo. "They've been playing since March. A lot of kids get tired at this time. Our kids are still at the top of their game."

In certainly showed in the Section III and State Tournament, where Freehold Township was put to the test and passed the test every time. They had a 6-5 squeaker with Franklin Township in the Section III tournament in Old Bridge and bounced back with 7-1 and 7-2 wins against Brick American.

In the state tourney, Freehold Township has beaten North Cumberland, 4-3, and Livingston, 6-3.

For the Freehold Township Seniors, familiarity has meant success. Five members of this summer's championship team have been together since they were playing at the 8-9-year-old level. At every age group up to the Senior Division, they've known nothing but success, including that state championship in the Major (11-12) Division.

Anthony Cirillo, Danny Klinsky, Stephen Talbott, Gerry Plescia and Shawn Purves are the quintet, and now they've added to that mix, Chris Leroy, who has been with the team the last three summers.

That they are one game away from another state title is no surprise. What might be is the way the newcomers have all fit in so smoothly.

"The chemistry has been so great," noted manager Cirillo. "The kids are really laid back. They're nice boys who love the game."

In the past, even with all their success, the lineup had been suspect after the top five in the order. That hasn't been the case this year.

"Every kid is stepping up," said Cirillo. "In the past one through five in the lineup was good. We're deep one through 12 this year."

The Seniors have been deep in arms as well. Manager Cirillo has been able to have a trio of starters in Josh Leahy, Christopher Ballester and Leroy, with Anthony Cirillo and Klinsky as the team's closers. Cirillo has been lights out. In his last two appearances he has faced 13 batters and struck them all out.

The Seniors biggest test came in the first round of the Sectional tournament when Franklin rallied in the sixth to tie Freehold Township at 5-5.

The tie didn't last long. In the top of the seventh, a two-out triple off the bat of Klinsky plated the winning run.

In the last of the seventh, Klinsky closed it out, retiring Franklin in order on just five pitches.

Ballester was a bulldog through five innings in the final against Brick and Cirillo nailed it down, fanning the side in both the sixth and seventh innings as Freehold Township secured the championship. This game was 2-2 through five with Freehold Township breaking it open late.

Freehold Township won the District 19 pennant without dropping a game either. Most of the games didn't even go the full seven innings.

In pool play, Freehold Township beat Long Branch, 13-0; Middletown, 11-0; Tinton Falls, 15-1; Lincroft, 16-2; Eatontown, 12-4; and beat Bayshore via a forfeit.

Middletown was the team with the second best record during pool play and earned a rematch with Freehold Township at the Tinton Falls Little League Complex for the District 19 title. It was a best two-of-three series and Freehold Township won it in two. The Seniors won 19-4 in the first game and survived their first scare of the tournament, winning the second game, 9-8, and clinching the pennant. Freehold Township went 8-0.

Against North Cumberland in the state tournament, Leroy pitched into the fifth inning, with Cirillo entering the game with two outs in the fifth and striking out all seven batters he faced to secure the victory.

It was Leahy, pitching a very strong six innings, who picked up the win against Livingston that put the team one game away from West Deptford.

The Freehold Township Senior League all-stars are: Anthony Cirillo, Purves, Bryan Gillis, Matthew Hohmann, Klinsky, Ballester, John Kropa, Plescia, Talbott, Thomas Wojciechowski, Leahy and Gregory Lewis.