Jersey Shore Tides win ABCCL championship

The Jersey Shore Tides won the Atlantic Baseball Confederation Collegiate League (ABCCL) Championship in a hard-fought three-game series against the Toms River Black Sox.

The Tides just came off a sweep of the Protocall Starz in the second round, dominating the Starz, 9-1, in the opening game, and 13-2 to complete the sweep.

The Tides' starting pitchers, Chatham's Mike Ness (Duke University) and Westwood's Tim Klein (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute), shut down the potent Starz offense, with both pitchers allowing only one run through the first six innings of each game. Before they left the game, the Tides had comfortable leads, with several players having strong offensive games. In the first game, Bridgewater's Greg DeSantis (Long Island University) had three hits, two RBIs, and a run scored while Monroe's Jarred Jimenez (Rutgers University) was on base in all four of his at-bats, with two hits, a hit by pitch, and safe on an error. Jimenez surpassed that in the second game, reaching base on all five of his plate appearances, including two doubles, three RBIs, and a run scored.

Offensive support was also provided by Staten Island's Frank DiMasi (Long Island University), who was 2-for-3 with a home run and two walks, and Dagsboro, Del.'s Josh Dean (University of Delaware), who had two doubles.

The Toms River Black Sox also swept their earlier round and would provide a formidable opponent in the ABCCL championship series. The opening game featured an outstanding pitching duel between the Tides' Tim Klein and Black Sox's Marty Cabalar (Montclair State University). Klein allowed only one unearned run, but Cabalar shut down the Tides, as the Black Sox took a 1-0 lead into the ninth. The Sox added another unearned run in the top of ninth for a 2-0 lead, and that proved to be the difference, as the Tides' Frank DiMasi hit a solo homer in the bottom of the ninth, but it was not enough, as the Tides lost by the score of 2-1 in the opening game of the series.

With the Tides facing elimination in game two, Holmdel's Nick Amabile (The College of New Jersey) took the mound and matched Hillsdale's Dennis Hill (Rutgers University) through the first three innings as both teams were tied at 1-1. The game broke open in the fourth, with the Tides striking for 14 runs over the final six innings. Paramus' Marc Palestina (Montclair State University) hit a grand slam homer in the fourth to put the Tides in front for good. DiMasi added his second homer of the series, and Farmington, Conn.'s Mike McGuire (St. Peter's College) hit his first in the ninth, as the Tides took a 15-8 victory to tie up the series. Freehold's Jeff Calabrese (Felician College) pitched three strong innings in relief, and Hazlet's Sean Donovan (Stockton College) closed the game for the Tides.

With the series tied at one win each, game three would be for the championship. The Tides' Mike Ness took over the contest with a brilliant performance, limiting the Black Sox to one run over nine innings, striking out seven and throwing only 89 pitches in the complete-game victory. The Tides' offense continued to roll, with seven runs behind Mike McGuire as he went 3-for-4 with his second homer of the series and a double. He was responsible for five of the Tides' seven runs, with two RBIs and three runs scored. DiMasi had another big playoff game with two doubles, two RBIs and a run scored. Elmwood Park's Adam Gomez (Wesleyan University) added a 3-for-4 game.

The ABCCL champion Jersey Shore Tides will be back in action, playing a postseason match-up against the Russian National Baseball Team on Saturday, Aug. 11, at Brookdale Community College with a start of 2 p.m. The Russian team is on a tour of the U.S. this summer, playing top collegian summer league teams and national teams, including Team USA and the Chinese National Team. This is the 20th year of competition for the Russian National team. Several Russians have signed contracts with Major League baseball teams, and one had reached the Majors. The U.S. tour is the team's preparation for this September's European Championships and the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

All proceeds from the game will be used to cover Team Russia's travel expenses for the game. With the continuation of baseball being threatened as an Olympic sport after 2008, the funding for international baseball has been severely cut back and it is necessary to host visiting international teams. Advertisements and sponsorships for the event and game-day program are being accepted (tides@abccl.com). Bat boys/girls are also sought for the game. The game will be Team Russia's only game in New Jersey as they travel from Philadelphia to New York City, where they will end their tour.