Raritan Hammers Rumson-Fair Haven In Bulldogs Season Opener

Photo above: Winning pitcher Zack Johnston

RUMSON – After being shutout 3-0 by Marlboro in their season opener the Rockets offense erupted for 18 runs and 12 hits and Zack Johnston, the losing pitcher in the loss to Marlboro, picked up his first win of the season going five strong innings in Thursday’s six inning 18-2 rout of the Bulldogs.

In that season-opening loss, Johnston, who is being counted on to be the ace of the staff, allowed three runs - one earned - three hits, three walks and had nine K’s, but he uncharacteristically hit five batters in five innings of work.

“Zack started off slow being stuck with the Northeast baseball just getting out here and getting his work in,” said Raritan head coach Jeff Struble. “He struggled a little bit against Marlboro letting a lot of guys on base so we worked on his fundamentals a little bit and he pounded the zone today. We played some defense behind him too, so it was good to see and good to get that first win of the season.”

In Thursday’s win Johnston regained the control he’s known for and got all the run support he needed while displaying the stuff that has portrayed him as one of the top hurlers in the Shore this season after posting a 5-2 record a year ago with a sparkling 0.81 ERA.

“I had good control of my fastball today and located it very well and used my off-speed stuff for strikes,” said Johnston of his performance on the mound. “I’m just glad I had a better outing today and we were able to get the win. I feel like I can be one of the best pitchers in the Shore Conference this season and I know the team is counting on me.”

The senior right hander evened his record at 1-1 Thursday allowing two runs - one earned - three hits and three walks while striking out 10. He threw 90 pitches with 25 of them coming in the first inning when the young Bulldogs put up two runs to take a short-lived 2-0 lead after one inning.

With one out Johnston walked Dan Harby and after striking out Kyle Caruso for the second out of the inning he hit Rumson starting pitcher Nick Forsyth putting runners on first and second. Junior third basemen Sean Mikoladczyk then punched a RBI single through the right side of the infield but right fielder Shawn O’Hea let the ball get by him for an error letting in the second run of the inning. Johnston then struck out senior catcher Robbie Smith to end the inning.

“I just had to buckle down and start locating my fastball and get my curve ball over for strikes,” said Johnston. “And that’s what I did and we came up with the win.”

The Rockets quickly came to Johnston’s aid scoring six runs in the top of the second inning to take a commanding 6-2 lead and knocking Forsyth – only a sophomore – out of the game.

“They scored a lot of runs for me and that’s always a good feeling seeing my friends and teammates scoring runs for me,” Johnston said of his run support Thursday.

Junior DH Ryan Kasmer led off the top of the second with a line-drive single into right and moved to second on an errant pickoff attempt. D.J. Dekis then walked and sophomore left fielder Dan Fiore laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt moving the runners over. O’Hea then hit a grounder to the right side of the infield allowing Kasmer to score and O’Hea reached first when Rumson second baseman Andrew Schmid booted the ball.

Number nine batter Chris Gonzalez then worked a walk to load the bases bringing up leadoff hitter Tyler Bruno, who cleared the bases with a booming triple over the centerfielders head giving the Rockets a 4-2 lead.

“Tyler’s one of our big guys in the lineup and he’s kind of like the heart of the team right now,” Struble said of his leadoff batter. “He gets us going and we needed that from him in that spot to really open us up a little bit. He’s a very good player.”

Senior second baseman/pitcher Dan Vanmeerbeke brought Bruno home with a line drive RBI for another run and after a walk to senior catcher Alex Lamattina the Rockets had runners on first and second with two outs.

Kasmer, who led off the inning with a hit, then dropped an RBI single into shallow centerfield for the sixth run of the inning.

Johnston then struck out the side in order on just 12 pitches in the bottom of the second before Raritan struck for another four runs in the top of the third.

The Bulldogs brought senior Dylan Avino in releif of Forsyth in the top of the third and he didn’t fare much better allowing four runs – three earned - four hits and three walks in just one inning.

The Rockets loaded the bases on an error, O’Hea's single and a Gonzalez walk before a wild pitch to Vanmeerbeke scored O’Hea. Vanmeerbeke, who went 3-for-4 at the plate with two doubles, three RBI and three runs scored, then sliced a double down the right field line for the second run of the inning and junior Jake Tennent lined a RBI single into right field before Lamattina brought in the fourth run of the inning on a fielder’s choice for a 10-2 lead.

“Dan’s a great hitter. Him and Tyler, we can always count on them,” said Johnston. “They just rip the ball and get us going; it’s a chain reaction.”

Johnston coasted through the third and fourth innings but ran into a little trouble in the bottom of fifth issuing a leadoff walk and a two-out double to Schmid but picked up his 10th strikeout of the game to end the mini threat and complete his day’s work.

The Rockets added a solo run in the fifth on a Laminattina RBI double and seven more in the sixth with both Bruno and Vanmeerbeke cashing in on RBI doubles and Laminattina a two RBI single against freshman pitcher Nick Ferrara.

Junior Hunter Neville worked the bottom of the sixth for the Rockets allowing a one-out single before striking out the last two batters of the game.

Bruno finished 2-for-6 with a triple, double, four RBI and two runs scored while Lamattina went 2-for-3 including a double, two RBI and two BB. Kasmer was a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate with three walks, two runs scored and two RBI.

Most preseason publications have Raritan picked to win the Shore Conference Class A Central.

“No, not at all,” said Johnston when asked if there’s any pressure on the team to live up to expectations. “We’ve been here before. Our experience helps us a lot. We have players that can tell the younger guys what to do and guide them through the season which helps a lot.”

“We’re just trying to take it one game at a time,” said Struble about being picked to win the division. “The A Central is a tough division. Rumson’s a good young team and we just have to make sure we take it one game at a time and play hard and show up in between the lines each and every game.”

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