Local all-stars stumble in state Babe Ruth tourney

A trip to the Babe Ruth League regional championships will be at stake in Manalapan this week.

The Manalapan Baseball Association is hosting the Northern New Jersey Babe Ruth 16-19-year-old state tournament at the Manalapan Recreation Center. The championship game of the tournament, which began Saturday, is set for tomorrow night at 7:30 on field No. 4 at the center. The "if necessary" game (should the loser’s bracket survivor defeat the winner’s bracket victor in the double-elimination format) will be played Friday night at 7:30 on the same field.

Seven teams spent the weekend vying for a trip to South Shore, Staten Island, N.Y., for the Eastern Regional championships, which starts July 25.

Three of the teams in the field are local. The Manalapan Baseball Association is fielding its own team, while the Mid-Monmouth Babe Ruth League sent two all-star teams, North and South, to the tournament.

The other teams competing in the Babe Ruth state championship are Jersey City, Bergen, Middlesex and two-time defending champion Iron Area (Morris County).

The Mid-Monmouth North All-Stars are: John Cherry, Cliffwood Beach; Jason Cavagnaro, Aberdeen; Ed Goodman, Cliffwood Beach; Perry Medina, Aberdeen; Chris Soria, Aberdeen; Jason Soltren, Aberdeen; Anselmo Roque, Aberdeen; James Vezeris, Morganville; Bryan Domenick, Aberdeen; Tom Chomko, Matawan; Brian Idyk, South Amboy; Ray Tillotson, Howell; Evann Mann, Freehold Borough; Joseph Smith, Freehold Borough; Len DonDiego, Manalapan; and Billy Brown, Cliffwood Beach.

The team manager is John Cherry, Cliffwood Beach.

The South All-Stars are Brian Bresnahan, Freehold Borough; Jason Cochran, Manalapan; Justin Cocliff, Manalapan; Ed Goodell, Sayreville; Shaun Hanrahan, Hazlet; Dom Lipariti, Manalapan; Joseph Marchito, Matawan; Mike Marx, Freehold; Alex Mautone, Hazlet; Mike Nunes, Hazlet; Chris Raniere, Manalapan; Peter Sanchez, Manalapan; Bob Stern, Monroe; Sal Straniero, Hazlet; Steve Trappaso, Hazlet, Anthony Turano, Manalapan; and Shaun Walsh, Hazlet.

George Rothweiler of Manalapan is the team manager.

On Saturday, Iron Area beat Jersey City in the first game of the championships, 6-3, while Middlesex knocked off Manalapan, 11-1, in the second game. Bergen notched a 6-3 win over Mid-Monmouth North.

On Sunday, Mid-Monmouth South fell to Iron Area, 6-3, while Bergen topped Middlesex, 6-3.

In the loser’s bracket, Manalapan scored an upset win over Mid-Monmouth North, 3-1, setting up an interesting game against Mid-Monmouth South on Monday night.

Jersey City was to play Middlesex in the other loser’s bracket matchup Monday.

Last night, Iron Area faced Bergen, with the winner to face the eventual winner of the loser’s bracket in the final tomorrow.