Full Press coverage - St. Rose defeats TR North, 11-1/full story
By TONY GRAHAM
STAFF WRITER
WALL - As a he blew a swinging third strike past the final hitter Wednesday afternoon St. Rose ace Anthony Ranaudo pumped his fist.
The nondivision game with Toms River North, No. 1 in the Asbury Park Press Top 10, had apparently been circled on the calendar of the No. 7 Purple Roses.
""It was definitely a little incentive (TR North being No. 1),'' said Ranaudo after the towering right-hander hurled St. Rose to an 11-1 victory at the Shore Christian Academy.
According to Bart McInerney, coach of St. Rose (15-1), it marked the first time in his 13 seasons the Roses, from Shore Conference Class B Central comprised of the Shore's smallest schools, had defeated the Press' No. 1 team.
"It was fun to come out here and play against a good team and to play this well against them is a good feeling,'' said Ranaudo. The 6-7 senior allowed five hits, four in the third inning, struck out five, and walked none.
With at least eight major league scouts crowded near and behind the home plate area, the the Louisiana State signee threw just eight balls among his 49 pitches.
""This game was something we've looked forward to all year,'' said junior outfielder Connor Smith of St. Rose.
The game apparently was not held in as high regard by Toms River North, champions of Shore Conference Class A South comprised of mainly large (Group IV) schools.
""I can guarantee you this game wasn't circled (on TR North calendars),'' said Ted Schelmay, coach of TR North. ""They're a good team, the kid (Ranaudo) did a heck of a job. They got the runs they needed and they beat us.''
TR North scored in the the third inning on an opposite field RBI single by Paul Demartino. But the rally ended when a runner was called out for leaving third base too soon on what would have been a sacrifice fly.
""They just did a good job putting the ball in play,'' said Ranaudo. ""I was hitting the outside corner and you tip your hat to them. They're a good team. It was good competition so it was fun.''
St. Rose then cuffed three North pitchers for six hits when it scored nine runs in the bottom of the inning.
An RBI double by Chris Bresnahan tied the game and Vin Vinci made it 3-1 with a two-run single.
The avalanche continued sparked by an RBI single by Brian Donohoe and a two-run double by Smith who had two hits in the inning. Bresnahan drove in another run in the rally with a sacrifice fly.
""We were being really disciplined up at the plate,'' said Smith. ""When we got a strike to hit we hit it good.''
""We did all the little things to win a big game like this,'' said McInerney. ""Toms River North is an outstading baseball team and I thought our execution on all the detail things was 100 percent today.''
McInerney conceded that, so far, having been able to spot Ranaudo for major games is a plus.
""That's obviously a big advantage,'' said McInerney. ""But we've also won 15 games and he's only 5-0. But that's the way the cookie crumbles. That's how it is in baseball.
""That's the benefit of having Anthony Ranaudo. Obviously I'd rather pitch him against Toms River North than somebody else. We don't get to play the number one team in the Shore that often.''
""Toms River North is not riding into the sunset like the Lone Ranger,'' said Schelmay. ""We'll be back.''
STAFF WRITER
WALL - As a he blew a swinging third strike past the final hitter Wednesday afternoon St. Rose ace Anthony Ranaudo pumped his fist.
The nondivision game with Toms River North, No. 1 in the Asbury Park Press Top 10, had apparently been circled on the calendar of the No. 7 Purple Roses.
""It was definitely a little incentive (TR North being No. 1),'' said Ranaudo after the towering right-hander hurled St. Rose to an 11-1 victory at the Shore Christian Academy.
According to Bart McInerney, coach of St. Rose (15-1), it marked the first time in his 13 seasons the Roses, from Shore Conference Class B Central comprised of the Shore's smallest schools, had defeated the Press' No. 1 team.
"It was fun to come out here and play against a good team and to play this well against them is a good feeling,'' said Ranaudo. The 6-7 senior allowed five hits, four in the third inning, struck out five, and walked none.
With at least eight major league scouts crowded near and behind the home plate area, the the Louisiana State signee threw just eight balls among his 49 pitches.
""This game was something we've looked forward to all year,'' said junior outfielder Connor Smith of St. Rose.
The game apparently was not held in as high regard by Toms River North, champions of Shore Conference Class A South comprised of mainly large (Group IV) schools.
""I can guarantee you this game wasn't circled (on TR North calendars),'' said Ted Schelmay, coach of TR North. ""They're a good team, the kid (Ranaudo) did a heck of a job. They got the runs they needed and they beat us.''
TR North scored in the the third inning on an opposite field RBI single by Paul Demartino. But the rally ended when a runner was called out for leaving third base too soon on what would have been a sacrifice fly.
""They just did a good job putting the ball in play,'' said Ranaudo. ""I was hitting the outside corner and you tip your hat to them. They're a good team. It was good competition so it was fun.''
St. Rose then cuffed three North pitchers for six hits when it scored nine runs in the bottom of the inning.
An RBI double by Chris Bresnahan tied the game and Vin Vinci made it 3-1 with a two-run single.
The avalanche continued sparked by an RBI single by Brian Donohoe and a two-run double by Smith who had two hits in the inning. Bresnahan drove in another run in the rally with a sacrifice fly.
""We were being really disciplined up at the plate,'' said Smith. ""When we got a strike to hit we hit it good.''
""We did all the little things to win a big game like this,'' said McInerney. ""Toms River North is an outstading baseball team and I thought our execution on all the detail things was 100 percent today.''
McInerney conceded that, so far, having been able to spot Ranaudo for major games is a plus.
""That's obviously a big advantage,'' said McInerney. ""But we've also won 15 games and he's only 5-0. But that's the way the cookie crumbles. That's how it is in baseball.
""That's the benefit of having Anthony Ranaudo. Obviously I'd rather pitch him against Toms River North than somebody else. We don't get to play the number one team in the Shore that often.''
""Toms River North is not riding into the sunset like the Lone Ranger,'' said Schelmay. ""We'll be back.''
posted by Tony Graham at 5:53 PM
2 Comments:
Looks like you got your hands full come this weekend with the Top Ten. Both your #1 and #2 teams fall on the same day. How far do they drop? Where do you put St. Rose after this proformance?
And there are teams like Jackson, Toms River East and Wall. What about TRS ( I believe they have won their last 8 of 9 ballgames)
Luckily I have one more day to ponder this.
Then again, I may ask the boss to skip the poll this week...nah.. he'll never go for it it.
I think I know what I am going to do, well, maybe.
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