Manalapan Drops Weather-Lengthened Game in SCT Semi-Finals

When the Manalapan Braves took the field against the Red Bank Catholic Caseys in the semi-finals of the Shore Conference Tournament, Wednesday, June 1, they did not know what was ahead of them.

With inclement weather in the forecast, the teams blazed through the first inning and a half before play was halted.

Two seperate weather delays and five hours later, the Braves fell to Red Bank Catholic, 7-5, finishing at approximately 9 p.m. on a different field from when the first pitch was thrown.

Following their original two hour and five minute delay, the teams travelled across the street, playing at ther, as the field at the school was deemed unplayable.

After Manalapan plated three batters with a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the second at the new location, the teams were halted again -- this time for 55 minutes -- before they would be able to play out the final five innings of the game.

Joe Serrapica made the start on the mound for Manalapan, but struggled throughout, particularly with the home run. He threw 4 1/3 innings, allowing seven runs on seven hits, struck out three batters, walked two, and hit one. He surrendered three home runs while participating in both delays.

"Both teams were out here for five hours so you can't blame it on that," Manalapan head coach Brian Boyce said, "We didn't execute. We didn't get the big hit, they did."

After falling behind 4-3 in the top of the fourth, the top-seeded Braves answered in the bottom half of the inning.

Derek Kawa belted a one-out home-run down the left field line to tie the game at four, and later, Rich Ricciardi ripped a two-out double to left field.

Nick Kreiger drove in Ricciardi with a two-out RBI single to center field, giving the Braves the 5-4 advantage.

Red Bank Catholic answered, however, with a three-run home run in the top of the fifth inning after back-to-back singles.

Nick Kreiger entered the game in the top of the seventh as a pitcher with one out and two inherited runners on first and second base. After walking the first batter to face him, Kreiger responded well with back-to-back strikeouts to get out of the bases loaded jam.

Steve Canoro came in for relief of Serrapica. He lasted one inning, allowing two hits and one earned run. 

Billy Gulino also pitched for Manalapan, throwing one inning as well, allowing two hits and walked a batter.

"We ran into some trouble in the fifth inning there," Boyce said.

Jake Winston lead off the bottom of the sixth inning by being hit by the pitch. After moving over to second base on a ground ball, Winston was caught stealing at third base to end the Braves' threat.

Ricciardi lead off the game with an infield single, and after a double to right by Kreiger, both runners scored on a two-RBI double by catcher Chris Baird.

Courtesy runner Nick Benevento then scored on an RBI single by Marco Ferrante to center field as Manalapan took the early 3-0 lead.

The Caseys answered in the top of the second inning with a two-run home run to right center.

The Braves will be home again on Friday afternoon, taking on Monroe for the Central Jersey Group IV sectional title.

"Our focus is now on Friday. It's all we have to play for now and we're going to be ready for a battle," Boyce said.

The loss is the second Red Bank Catholic has handed Manalapan in one week. The Caseys eliminated the Braves from the Monmouth County Tournament six days earlier, 13-7.