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Schools

Central Regional Boys Baseball Team Finishes Up Impressive Season

Scran hopes next year will be a 'reloading' not rebuilding year

Central RegionalHigh School's baseball team concluded its fourth winning season at 14-9 with a 9-2 loss to Seneca in the NJSIAA Group III South tournament semifinals.

"I felt like we were clicking and playing our best baseball of the year and we ran into a buzz saw,"  Central Regional coach John Scran said.

Scran has had four consecutive winning seasons during his five years as coach.

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Steve Uhlak - a senior who started the season as the team's catcher and ended up as one of the best pitchers  -- threw sharply as the losing pitcher and lined a two-run double in game against Seneca. Uhlak compiled a 5-3 pitching record for the season.

"He really stepped away at the end of the year," Scran said.

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Central Regional also beat Manchester, Lacey and Wall early in the season. The team had had one-run losses to Lacey and Manchester the second time around, which led to a third place finish in the keenly competitive Shore Conference B South.

The Golden Eagles also had impressive victories over Shore Conference A South teams Toms River North, Toms River South and Southern.

Central Regional also rallied from a 6-2 deficit before losing its Shore Conference Tournament opener to Raritan, 6-5.

The Golden Eagles lost to Brick Township, 10-5, in the second round of the Ocean County Tournament after both teams were tied, 4-4, in the late innings.

But eight players, including six starters, were seniors on this team. That means the Golden Eagles will have a new lineup next spring, especially in the infield. Five of those players will continue their baseball careers in college, including Uhlak, who is going to Philadelphia University. Three were selected for All-Star games and showcases.

The junior varsity and middle school teams each won 10 games and the freshman team  had a winning season.

"Our lower levels played well," Scran said. "We're getting to the point in my fifth year here where I hope we're reloading and not rebuilding."

Pat Sheldrick, a first baseman who batted .455 with nine doubles and 26 RBI, was selected for the prestigious Shore-area Carpenter Cup team that plays its first game on Monday, June 13.

Sheldrick also was selected for the June 15 state All-Star game in Flemington, along with second baseman Mickey Donnelly. Donnelly is headed to Montclair State University after batting .450 and stealing 24 bases with a school record 32 runs scored this spring.

Shortstop and No. 2 pitcher Mark Calleo and designated hitter Tony Dominguez were selected for the June 20 Shore Conference All-Star game.  Calleo, who is headed to Stevens Institute of Technology, set a school career record with fewest walks allowed -- 24 in 80 1/3 innings pitched. Dominguez has narrowed his college choices to Wesley College or Newman University.

Sheldrick said his intensity and focus helped him move to first base, where he will play in the All-Star games. He thinks he will return to the outfield for the Carpenter Cup team and in college. He also was picked for the division All-Star team with Donnelly.

"This feels great," Sheldrick said.  "I worked so hard in the off-season. We all did and we played hard as a team. We all wanted to win a state championship and we won a few games to get there. It's nice to get recognized in the end. I didn't think I'd like playing first base as much as I did."

Lefthander Wesley Krempel , a junior who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee early this season, was sorely missed. That affected the pitching staff, which rotated more players on the mound.

Scran expects Krempel and Canning, who was 2-2, to be top pitching prospects next year.

"I thought our defense was strong all year," Scran said.  "When we were losing games, we gave up walks in key situations and we did not have clutch hitting. We stranded a lot of runners with two out. When we were winning, our pitching was good, our defense was good and we had clutch hitting."

Sophomore Evan Mahoney, an outstanding swimmer, returns to centerfield where he batted .390, drove in 20 runs and stole 16 bases in the middle of the order.

"He's a state level swimmer but if he focused only on baseball, he could play in college. He's very fast," Scran said.

Despite the senior dominance, some younger players got playing experience this season. When Donnelly pitched, sophomore Mike Puglisi played at second base. Junior Connor Stacy saw some action at shortstop.

Scran said 6-foot-4 freshman left-hander Andrew DiPiazza has "great potential" throwing the fastball, curve and changeup and changeup that is typical of the pitchers at Central Regional under pitching coach Dennis Kopin.

"There are some good prospects but I'll miss these seniors," Scran said. "They were with me when I came up to this program from the middle school. Some of them I had been with as a coach for six years."

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