Mustangs Grounded in Season Opener, Lose 10-2

After battling hard for four innings Monday afternoon and tying the game at one, everything fell apart for Brick Memorial (0-1).

Toms River South (1-0), arguably one of the top-10 teams in the state, would take the lead back with force, striking for four runs in the sixth inning and six runs in the seventh inning to take a commanding 10-2 victory at Brick American Baseball League in Brick.

"You can only hold them down for so long," Brick Memorial head coach Evan Rizzitello said. "I think we did a good job of that for five innings."

Sophomore Brian Cottrell pitched five innings for Brick Memorial in his first varsity start, striking out three batters, walking one and allowing four earned runs.

"You have to give a lot of credit to Brian Cottrell," Rizzitello said.

After falling down 1-0 in the second inning, freshman Kevin Cala singled in the game-tying run with two strikes and two outs. Zack Santos started the inning with a lead-off single and eventually came around to score.

After giving up two runs without recording an out into the sixth, Cottrell was pulled in favor of Ryan Civello, who only got charged with one earned run.

Mike O'Neill began the seventh inning, and only recorded one out, while being tagged with five earned runs. Kevin Nilsen finished off the seventh unscathed.

Nilsen also contributed with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth to cut the deficit to 5-2.

"Opening with Toms River South, it's a good way for [inexperienced players] to be welcomed into varsity baseball," Rizzitello said.

"It shows how strong the A-South is and if we play at this level, and a few more things go our way, I think we will win a lot of games," he said.

Still, the 'Stangs have to move on quickly, as they play games on three straight days from Wednesday through Friday, starting with another home divisional game against Toms River East on Friday.

"We have a better group this year, so they can handle losing," Rizzitello said, "There's not a whole lot I'm going to say to them except that we have to get back at it at practice tomorrow."

Brick Memorial will look for their first win on Wednesday before they hit the road to make-up their rain-out at Pinelands Regional on Thursday.