Patriots top CBA to win Monmouth crown

As he paced back and forth in the dugout, Freehold Township High School baseball coach Frank Gualtieri remarked, "They're letting us hang around."

ERIC SUCAR staff Freehold Township High School second baseman Hector Henriquez makes a throw to first base during the Patriots' 7-3 victory over Christian Brothers Academy in the championship game of the 2009 Monmouth County Tournament. The game was played at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood on May 30.

"They" were mighty Christian Brothers Academy. The Colts carried at 23-2 record and two one-side victories over the Patriots into the May 30 championship game of the Monmouth County Tournament.

The final was played at FirstEnergy Park, Lakewood.

The No. 1 seed Colts were clinging to a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning and Gualtieri knew his team was one big hit or one play away from shocking the Colts.

The Patriots got that big hit in the bottom of the fourth inning and that led to an eventual 7-3 victory and the Monmouth County Tournament championship.

The fourth inning started as may big innings seem to do, with a walk to Matt Gelchion.

At that point CBA Coach Marty Kenney had seen enough of starter Ryan Egan, who seemed to get to a 3-2 count on every batter and had already walked four Patriots.

Brandon Coluccio welcomed reliever Mike Rossi with a single and Hector Henriquez followed with an RBI single to tie the game at 1-1. An infield hit by Sean Edgeworth with the bases loaded gave the Patriots a 2-1 lead.

Before the inning was over, Kenney had gone to the bullpen again and turned to Jim Yacobonis.

That CBA was "letting" the Patriots hang around in the game had more to do with pitcher Matt Cadigan, who was pitching the game of his life for Freehold Township.

"This was without question Matt's finest hour," said Gualtieri. "He was very, very sharp and he made the big pitches when he had to."

Patriots' catcher Chris Gheraldi agreed with his coach's assessment of Cadigan.

"He was unbelievably tough; he pitched his heart out," Gheraldi said. "That's the best he's pitched in his four years. We knew he was going to keep us in the game."

For Cadigan, a lefty, it was the biggest game of his scholastic career and one he was ready for.

"I was so pumped up, so excited to play in a championship game," he said.

It had been 10 days since the Patriots had beaten defending Monmouth County Tournament champion St. Rose High School of Belmar in the semifinals and Cadigan took that time to stay sharp. He said he worked his regular sessions like normal.

"I felt good," he said.

Cadigan went into the championship game against CBA with a solid game plan of how to pitch against a top-to-bottom lineup that can hurt a pitcher and with players who like to hit fastballs.

"I threw a lot of off-speed pitches and a lot of change-ups," the Patriots' hurler said.

He did not abandon his fastball, which was even more effective with the Colts having to honor the off-speed pitches.

"I kept them off-balance." he said.

Cadigan kept CBA off the scoreboard in the top of the fifth inning to preserve Freehold Township's 2-1 lead.

The Patriots broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth with three runs. The key hit in the barrage was a two-run double off the left field fence by Gheraldi.

"I've been struggling," he said. "My wrist was hurt, but it's been feeling better. I watched (the pitcher) in warm-ups and saw his fastball was flat. I knew he would come in with the fastball and I ripped it."

The bottom of the fifth inning started with singles by Tyler Haines and Gelchion. A walk to Henriquez loaded the bases with one out. A wild pitch brought Haines home to make it 3-1 and then Gheraldi doubled in two more runs for a 5-1 lead.

CBA (23-2) came roaring back in the top of the sixth inning and got the first solid hit off Cadigan since Dillon Hamlin's RBIdouble in the second inning.

A one-out double by Zach Tanenbaum got the inning going for CBA. An error and back-to-back singles brought home two runs as the Colts cut Freehold Township's lead to 5-3.

With two out and runners on first and second, Gualtieri turned to Mike Surick to relieve Cadigan and put out the fire. Surick, who had been warming up during the game, was ready. He got Hamlin to pop out, stranding the tying runs on base.

"I wanted to get ahead of the batters," Surick said. "I knew I had to get the first pitch over."

He did that and Hamlin went quietly.

The two-run rally gave CBA life and it was important for the Patriots to answer the Colts and they did, only they did it with their legs.

In the bottom of the sixth inning Steve Talbott reached on an infield error and Haines walked. A double steal put runners on second and third with one out and the Patriots were one hit away from breaking the game open again.

Freehold Township did not get a clutch hit, but the Patriots did score two runs on a wild pitch. The hustling Haines scored all the way from second on the play and just like that, momentum was back with the Patriots and so was their four-run cushion, at 7-3.

In the top of the seventh inning, Surick walked the Colts' leadoff hitter, but got a 4- 6-3 double play initiated by Matt Goldberg at second base to clear the bases. Surick ended the game with a strikeout, leading to an exciting and emotional celebration.

"This is the greatest feeling in the world," said Gheraldi, who is a senior. "We worked hard in the off-season and we played as a team. We all did what he needed to do to win."

Gualtieri was proud of the way his players did not allow anything — an error, an untimely walk, or a bad at bat — to distract them.

"We played with a purpose tonight," the coach said. "I told the players on the bus untimely walk, or a bad at bat — to distract them.

"We played with a purpose tonight," the coach said. "I told the players on the bus that their resolve would be tested, that they would have to overcome it and they did."

The road to the Monmouth County Tournament championship was an emotional one for the Patriots since the death of former player Dan Buckiewicz in an automobile accident two weeks ago. The players dedicated the tournament to him and had the letters DB painted on their faces.

"He (Buckiewicz) meant a lot to the coaches and we wanted to do what he wanted, which is to win," said Surick.

For the storied Freehold Township baseball program, which started under the tutelage of the late Bernie Goldwater, this was the Patriots' first Monmouth County Tournament title. The Patriots have won everything else, including the 1986 NJSIAA Group III state championship.

That 1986 state championship happened to be the last time Freehold Township had won a baseball tournament until the night of May 30 in Lakewood.

"This is a wonderful feeling," Gualtieri said as he clutched the trophy.

The 2009 Patriots (16-10) achieved their goal of restoring the program's winning tradition.

Talbott was honored with the award that is presented to the player with the highest batting average in the tournament, and Cadigan was named the tournament MVP.

Cadigan improved to 4-1. He struck out seven and allowed two earned runs. Surick earned the save. He did not allow a hit.