Sports
Hillsborough Falls Short in Group 4 Title Game
After double play ends Raiders' best threat, Manalapan earns win with two-run homer.
baseball coach Norm Hewitt took the blame square on himself.
The play came in the top of the sixth inning with the bases loaded in Saturday's 2-0 loss to Manalapan in the Group 4 state title game at Toms River North.
With the game scoreless against Manalapan, Raiders' catcher Tyler Ferrati took a Joseph Serrapica pitch and smacked a liner in what appeared to be heading into shallow left field to at least score a run.
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But the projection of the ball just seemed to hold up in the air.
Manalapan shortstop Brian Lamboy went out and was able to snatch the liner in shallow left field. He turned around and threw to second base and got Raiders' Pat Roberts at second for a double play and ended Hillsborough's best threat.
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Hewitt said that he should have gotten Roberts to hold off and not get off second base so far.
At that point the momentum seem to shift to Manalapan.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Braves' Vito Gadeleta took an Evan Edelman curve ball over the left-field wall for a two-run homer.
The Raiders were unable to respond in the top of the seventh.
IN SHORT—It was a pitcher's duel between Hillsborough's Evan Edelman and Manalapan's Joseph Serrapica. Edelman allowed only two hits, but one was a two-run home run to Braves Vito Gadeleta in the bottom of the sixth inning.
The Raiders did not take advantage of two of their three hits that came in the top of the sixth inning where an inning-ending double play squashed Hillsborough's best opportunity with the bases loaded and one out.
The loss ended a memorial postseason run by the Raiders, who captured the , and reached the Group championship game. Hewitt also won his along the way.
RAIDER OF THE GAME
Evan Edelman—Edelman, the Hillsborough ace, struck out five and fired a two-hitter for six innings to keep Hillsborough in the game.
KEY PERFORMANCES
R.J. Fanelli—Base hit in the top of the sixth inning started a rally while also stealing third base in the same inning.
Pat Roberts—Infield hit in the top of the sixth inning put runners at first and second. He then stole second base. Also coaxed a walk in the top of the fourth inning.
Mackey Price—First hit for the Raiders in the top of the third inning. Price got all the way to third, but was stranded.
COACH'S TAKE
"We saw that their infielder weren't holding them (runners) well. We took a gamble. I thought it was going to fall. It's my fault," Hillsborough head coach
Norm Hewitt said about the double play that ended the Raiders scoring attempt in the sixth inning.
THEY SAID IT
"I hung it and I knew it was going to go after he hit it," Evan Edelman said about the home run pitch.
"I thought it was going to fall in," Edelman said about Ferrati's hit that started
the double play in the top of the sixth inning.
"What a crime to throw a two-hitter and lose. He's been everything for us. Today was no different," Hewitt said about Edelman.
