2011 Game Report
Matawan 19...Neptune 3
The Huskies traveled down the Garden State Parkway to Neptune to "kick-off" their 2011 season. They returned to Matawan after a convincing 19-3 drubbing that was reminiscent of a football game. Although it would appear that the Huskies missed 2 extra points, this BASEBALL game was much closer than the final score would indicate. Chris Vetter was handed the ball for his first MAMS start and he responded with over 3 innings of one hit ball to secure his first win. Vetter was highly effective as he struck out four and allowed only one earned run. After running out of gas in the bottom of the 4th inning, Anthony Hirujo erased any hopes of a Neptune comeback by striking out four of the seven batters he faced. After a back and forth game through 4 innings with Matawan leading 7-3, the Husky bats exploded for 12 runs in the top of the 5th inning to put this game well out of reach. Alex Cella (3-5, 3R, 3B, SB, 2RBI), Joe Piscopo (4-5, 2B, 2R, RBI), Billy Rodriguez (2-3, SAC, 3RBI, BB, R), Nick Smith (2-5, 2R, SB, 2RBI), Vic Jamandron (2-3, 2B, 2SB, RBI, 2R, BB), Isaiah Phillip (2-3, 2RBI, 2R, BB), Matt Esposito (1-2, SAC, 2R, SB, 2RBI), and Sal Trapani (2-3, 2B, 2R, BB) all contributed to the 18 hit attack. Nick Perrone scored two runs in his debut for the Huskies.
Matawan 10...Colts Neck 1
It has been noted that the memory capacity of a husky is similar to that of an elephant. Elephants tend not to forget much...neither do these Matawan Huskies. There are five current eighth graders who stood on our field at Husky Park and watched Colts Neck celebrate an 8-7 victory last May 11th. Those five and another eleven current Huskies made sure we will remember who came out on top this season. Nick Smith was handed the ball for his first career MAMS start and he responded by pounding the strike zone. Smitty allowed only 3 hits, 2 walks, and struck out 2 without allowing an earned run to notch his first victory and the team's second this season. Colin Thompson pitched an effective 7th inning as he struck out 1 and allowed a lone hit. Matawan scored in every inning except for the 7th as they battered 3 different Colts Neck pitchers. Alex Cella (2-3, 2R, SB, BB), Joe Piscopo (2-4, 2R, RBI), Billy Rodriguez (3-4, 2B, 3B, R, 2RBI), Nick Smith (1-2, R, SB, 2BB), Victor Jamandron (1-3, R, SB, RBI), Isaiah Phillip (2-3, 2-2B, 2R, BB) and Sal Trapani (1-2, 2B, BB, R) led a balanced Matawan attack from top to bottom. Chris Angolia plated the 10th Husky run with a sacrafice fly in the 6th. Matt Esposito collected an RBI on a sacrifice bunt and two more on a perfectly excecuted squeeze play. Billy Rodriguez and Alex Cella both made dazzling plays in the field to end rallies.
Holmdel 12...Matawan 6
The Huskies traveled to Holmdel on a beautiful April afternoon and were promptly handed their first loss of the season. The team had breakdowns in almost all aspects of the game: ineffective pitching, poor baserunning, shoddy fielding, and untimely hitting. Add all these factors together and it is difficult to come away with a victory. Matawan put up some solid offensive numbers, but were eventually burned by a lack of aggression that lead to 8 runners left on base. Alex Cella, Joe Piscopo, Billy Rodriguez, Matt Jamandron, and Adam Elliott each collected a hit. Isaiah Phillip (3-4, SB, RBI, R) and Nick Smith (2-3, 2B, R, RBI, SB, BB) had nice offensive games for the Huskies.
Thompson 4...Matawan 2
The Huskies lost consecutive games for the first time since May 3, 2006, as they fell to 2-2 on the season after being two-hit by Thompson. Nick Smith lacked his best stuff on the mound, but Anthony Hirujo was effective in pitching 4 and 2/3 innings of relief without allowing a run and allowing only one base on balls. Matawan capitalized on several Thompson errors to keep the game within reach. However, Alex Cella and Joe Piscopo were the only Huskies to register a hit on the day. Cella made a nice play throwing out a Thompson runner in the first as Joe Piscopo did a great job blocking the plate.
Thorne 7...Matawan 5
The Matawan Huskies continued their growing pains as they lost their third game in a row by a score of 7-5. The Huskies came out swinging in the first as they scored 2 runs off a double by Vic Jamandron. They threatened again in the second, but Matt Esposito was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a sac fly from third base. Matawan manufactured a run in the third as Joe Piscopo scored after Nick Smith was caught stealing from first base. The Huskies were holding a 3-0 lead entering the bottom of the 4th when Thorne erupted for 4 runs to take the lead. Thorne was able to tack on 3 more runs in the 5th, but Matawan responded with 2 in the top of the 6th as a result of Anthony Hirujo's double to cut the lead to 2 runs. After getting the tying run on base in the 7th, Nick Smith lined out to left field to end the game.
Matawan 7...Bayshore 4
The Huskies broke their three game losing streak with a 7-4 victory over Bayshore. Alex Cella secured his first MAMS victory after pitching 4 innings while Vic Jamandron and Nick Smith pitched effectively in relief. After giving up a run in the 3rd, Matawan plated 3 runs of their own as Kyle Chapman (1-2, R, SB, SAC), Alex Cella (1-3, R, BB, SB), and Nick Smith (1-2, 2R, SB, BB) scored. The Huskies would push across three more runs in the 5th as Billy Rodriguez (R, SB, RBI), Smith, and Jamandron (1-1, 2BB, R 2SB, RBI) score to increase the lead to increase the lead to 6-1. Things got interesting as Bayshore scored 3 times in their half of the 6th inning, but Chris Vetter (BB, R) scored Matawan's 7th run to secure the victory. Joe Piscopo (2-3, SAC, 2RBI, SB) and Isaiah Phillip (1-3, 2B, SB, 2RBI) enjoyed nice offensive games for the Huskies.
Hazlet 8...Matawan 7
The Huskies dropped a game to their cross town rivals Hazlet for the first time since 2006 by a score of 8-7. The Huskies quickly took a 2-0 lead after four Hazlet errors in the first inning. Over the course of the next six innings, Matawan returned the favor with six miscues of their own. However, trailing by three runs, the Huskies pulled off a remarkable comeback by scoring four times to take the lead entering the 7th inning after RBI doubles by Billy Rodriguez (2-3, 2B, R, BB, 2RBI) and Nick Smith (1-4, 2B, R, 3 RBI) and a single by Vic Jamandron (1-4, RBI). Unfortunately, Hazlet responded with a walk off triple to score two runs and win the ballgame.
Matawan 9...Hazlet 6
Alex Cella's arm, legs, and bat carried the Huskies to a 9-6 victory over Hazlet yesterday to conclude their home and home series. Cella relieved starter Nick Smith (2 1/3IP, 4H, 2ER) and threw 4 2/3 innings of one run ball to earn his second win of the season. Offensively, Cella was 2-2 with 4 runs, 2 SB,, and 2 BB on the day. Joe Piscopo (2-2, 2B, SAC, RBI, BB, 2R) continued to swing a hot bat as Matawan scored 7 times in the first two innings to take a 7-2 lead. Kyle Chapman (1-3, RBI) and Matt Esposito (1-3, SAC, R, 2RBI) both laid down perfect squeeze bunts and Nick Smith doubled off Hazlet's leadoff hitter in the 6th as he caught a liner and fired a strike to Kyle Chapman covering at 2B. The Huskies are 4-4 as they begin the second half of the schedule.
Matawan 3...Holmdel 2
Holmdel strutted into Husky Park with a first place 8-1 record and had their title hopes seriously jolted by a Husky team that finally played a complete game. Anthony Hirujo was flawless aside from a 5th inning throwing error. He pitched 7 innings, struck out 3, scattered 8 hits and allowed only 2 first inning runs to pick up his first career MAMS victory. Holmdel took an early 2-0 lead on four singles. Matawan squandered opportunities in their 1st and 2nd on doubles by Joe Piscopo (2-4, 2B) and Vic Jamandron (2-3, 2B). The Huskies seemed to gain momentum entering the bottom of the 6th inning after inning-ending-double-plays by Jamandron and Hirujo. Alex Cella (2-3, 2R, BB, 2B) doulbed to lead off and scored on a bomb by Billy Rodriguez (1-3, R, 3B, BB) to cut the lead in half. Nick Smith (2-3, HBP, 2 RBI) tied the game on a nicely executed squeeze play. Hirujo lumbered out to the mound in the 7th and retired Holmdel before they could turn over the lineup. That set the stage for a comeback for the ages. Adam Elliott walked and was immediately bunted to second base by Hirujo with one out. Alex Cella ran the count to 3-0, but Elliott was picked off 2nd base on the next pitch. Piscopo followed with a swinging bunt that put runners on 1st and 3rd with 2 outs. Holmdel wanted no part of Rodriguez and issued an intentional walk to load the bases. Nick Smith responded to the insult with a one hopper over the 3rd base bag to score Cella and complete the walkoff/comeback win. The Huskies remain in the hunt with a 5-4 record.
Matawan 6...Ocean 4
The Huskies continued their solid play as they traveled to state powerhouse Ocean Township and handed the Spartans their 4th loss of the season with a 6-4 victory. Colin Thompson was outstanding as he pitched 6 innings, allowing one walk and one earned run. His performance was key as Matawan played their 5th game in as many days and their pitching staff has been stretched out over this time. After allowing 5 hits and 4 runs in the first, Colin settled down and relied on his defense to make outs. Vic Jamandron (2-2, R) continued to swing a hot bat as he scored the first Husky run on an RBI double by Matt Esposito. Matawan tied the game in the 5th when Kyle Chapman (1-1, 2R, BB, SB) singled and went to second on a Joe Piscopo (3-4, 2B, R, SB, 2RBI) double. Chris Vetter (1-2, RBI) singled home Chapman and Matt Liebowitz (2-2, 2B, 2RBI) followed with a hard single to tie the game. Matawan pushed across two runs in the 6th courtesy of a Isaiah Phillip (0-3, R, SB, BB) walk, stolen base, and 2 RBI double by Piscopo to make the score 5-3. The Huskies tacked on an insurance run in the 7th when Chris Angolia (1-1, 2B, SAC, R) doubled and scored on a perfecly executed bunt by Sal Trapani (1-2, 2 SAC, RBI). Vic Jamandron wqlked two but struck out two as well to collect his first MAMS save. The Huskies seem to be hitting their stride heading into first place Thompson to conclude a long week.
Thompson 4...Matawan 2
The Huskies gave 10 and 1 Thompson everything they could handle, but unfortunately Matawan fell a bit short and lost 4-2. Matawan certainly had their chances but left three men on in the 2nd, one in the 3rd, and two more in the 4th as they tried to tie the ball game. Nick Smith (0-3, R) score Matawan's first run to tie the game as he reached on an error and score on Vic Jamandron's (2-2, RBI, HBP) RBI single to notch the score at one. Chris Vetter was outstanding as he scattered seven hits and relied on his defense to record nine flyouts. A couple of errors in the 6th inning caused the flood gates to open on this 1-1 game. Still, Matawan had its chances but fell two runs short.
Matawan 12...Colts Neck 8
The Huskies swept the season series from the Colts as they squandered a five run lead, then tied the game at eight, and eventually put it away with four runs in the 7th. A trio of pitchers (Hirujo, Thompson, Jamandron) struggled with their control and issued 10 walks and allowed 8 hits to make this a ballgame. Eventually, Vic Jamandron (2 1/3 IP, 4BB, 5K, 0 ER) notched his first MAMS victory. Matt Liebowitz (1-3, 2R, BB), Nick Smith (2-3, 3R, HBP, BB, SB, 4 RBI), Billy Rodriguez (2-4, 3B, 2R, 2SB, BB, RBI) and Alex Cella (2-5, 2B, 2R, SB, RBI) enjoyed nice offensive games. The Huskies travel to Long Branch next, then come back to Husky Park for a two game homestand to close out the season.
Matawan 1...Thorne 0
The Huskies closed out the 2011 season on the friendly confines of Husky Park facing their end of season nemesis Thorne. Although Matawan was out of title contention, the Huskies played this game as if it were game 7 of the World Series. Nick Smith, in his final MAMS start, was magnificent on the mound as he pitched 7 shutout innings, allowing a mere 3 hits while walking no one. The Matawan defense was just as stellar as Billy Rodriguez and Alex Cella made sparkling plays in the field. Chris Vetter led off the 7th with a walk and quickly found himself 90 feet away from the winning run as Alex Cella (2-4, 2B) smacked a long double with no one out. Joe Piscopo (2-3, SB, RBI) closed out the 2011 season with a single over shortstop to score Vetter and secure a 8 win 5 loss season.