Manasquan Rallies Past Middletown North In Wild 12-Inning Game

Photos above by Tom Smith: Bulldog Connor Mully on the mound for Manasquan Friday

MANASQUAN – Senior Tommy Sheehan belted a two-out, two-run, walk-off home run breaking a 5-5 tie ending a back-and-forth marathon game in the bottom of the twelfth.

Sheehan’s homer easily cleared the right-field fence hooking just inside the foul pole giving the Warriors a 7-5 win, but it was not without controversy as Middletown North argued the ball was foul.

It was a bizarre ending to one of the most exciting games of the year as the entire Manasquan team surrounded home plate waiting to celebrate with Sheehan as he rounded the bases while the Middletown North players and coaches emptied the dugout in protest contending the ball was foul.

But in the end it was ruled fair and No. 6 Manasquan (9-4, 8-2) remained in sole possession of first place in the Shore Conference Class B North a game and a half ahead of No.2 Wall (9-3, 6-3) and No.3 Monmouth (9-3, 6-3) and two games in front of No.7 Middletown North (8-5, 6-4) and No. 9 Red Bank Catholic (8-4, 6-4) in the most competitive division in the conference.

“Both sides played an excellent game, it was just an excellent game at the high school level,” Manasquan head coach Bob Waldeyer said. “We really battled the whole game and I’m sure Middletown North’s coach (Justin Nathanson) feels the same way. Just back-and-forth, back-and-forth, it was just a great game to watch.”

Manasquan entered the bottom of the 12th trailing 5-4 after the Lions – who came into the game riding a six game winning streak – went ahead in the top half of the inning on a Mike Mercier RBI single. In thr 12th, Warriors senior centerfielder Tommy Antonucci knotted the game at five with a one-out inside-the-park home run into the left-centerfield gap before Sheehan ended the contest one out later. Sophomore third baseman James Harmstead had reached on an infield single ahead of Sheehan’s blast.

“I probably sent him (Antoucci) out of sheer desperation at that point,” Waldeyer said. “In that situation with the inning we’re talking about and one out you kind of need to send him. It was a great at bat, same thing Ethan (Thompson) did with one out - shooting one over the fence; it was awesome.”

Manasquan hit four home runs Friday and all four either tied the game or put them in front.

In the bottom of the sixth, with Middletown North starter Tyler Ras seemingly in complete control of the game, senior catcher Adam Schreck sent his fifth homer of the year – a two-run shot - over the left field fence to tie the game 3-3 and Thompson deposited a game-tying solo shot with one out in the bottom of the 11th to pull Manasquan even at four.

“He (Schreck) comes up in a lot of big spots for us and almost always comes through,” Waldeyer said of his power hitting catcher. “He’s just a great power hitter and is a threat every time he steps up to the plate. It’s outstanding having the opportunity of putting him in the lineup and see that every single day.”

Middletown North took a 4-3 lead in the top of the eleventh on a perfectly executed suicide squeeze bunt by third baseman Nick Donato scoring Jake Dillon from third with Dillon just beat the throw and sliding under the tag by Schreck.

Starting pitcher Connor Mully went eight solid innings for the Warriors and seemed to be getting stronger with each inning as he faced just six batters in his final two innings of work. His only blemishes on the day being a two-run home run by Ras in the top of the third and a solo inside-the- park homer by right fielder Jason Timmons in the top of the sixth. Mully allowed eight hits and two walks while striking out nine on 106 pitches.

“Connor Mully wants the baseball,” said Waldeyer. “As a senior he’s done an awesome job for us. Going out in the eighth inning approaching 100 pitches - he wanted the baseball. He’s a threat every time he takes the mound and gives us the opportunity to win come tournament time because he gives us that second pitcher; he was excellent.”

Harmstead came in for the Old Dominion University - bound Mully in the top of the ninth and kept the Warriors in the game with four innings of gutsy relief while picking up the win. He allowed two runs on four hits, struck out five and walked two on 64 pitches.

Middletown North jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the third on Ras’ two-run homer that easily cleared the left-field wall. Ras was 5-for-6 at the plate including his homer, two doubles and two RBI while picking up a no decision in six innings of work from the mound despite allowing just two hits and striking out nine with two walks on 96 pitches.

Manasquan got a run back in the bottom of the fourth without the benefit of a hit with pinch runner Jamie Damaso scoring on a wild pitch after stealing second and tagging and moving to third on long foul out to the first baseman Sheehan.

Sheehan finished 2-for-6, as did Harmstead, who also scored a run.

Jason Timmons hit an inside-the-park home run to extend the Lions lead to 3-1 in the sixth and added an infield hit in the 11th that moved the runner to third setting up the squeeze play.

Cody Sharkey was the tough-luck loser for the Lions with 5 2/3 innings of relief work. He faced only two batters over the minimum in innings seven through 10 before home runs doomed him in the 11th and 12th innings.

“I don’t think any team expected to run through the division,” Waldeyer said of the tight B North race. “We didn’t expect that. We have four more division games left with three team’s right at the top of the division. We’re trying to win weeks, not games; there are too many good teams out there. If we can do that it will put us position to win the division.”

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