Baseball: Ridge captures Somerset County Tournament with dominant pitching and clutch hits
BRIDGEWATER - A combination of team strengths shown through emphatically for Ridge High School’s baseball team Monday night.
Clutch hitting and base running by senior Mike Olivo and a terrific complete game effort by junior righty Connor Byrne led top seed Ridge to a 6-0 win over No. 6 Rutgers Prep in the 48th Somerset County Tournament final at TD Bank Ballpark.
Ridge was being no hit by freshman lefty Zach Fronio with one down in the fourth when Olivo doubled to right. Matt Aber followed with a shallow fly to right for the second out, but Olivo tagged and beat the throw to third. Julian Kielb then hit a sharp grounder to third, but a poor throw to first allowed Olivo to score and Ridge led 1-0.
“We got a little bit of help and if we get an extra out we can do some damage,” Ridge coach Tom Blackwell said.
Catcher George Busnach blooped a hit to left to drive in Kielb from second for a 2-0 lead. Luke Somelofske then drove in Busnach with a double to make it 3-0. All three runs were unearned.
“I’m really proud of these guys," Blackwell said. "It’s nice in life when your hard work pays off. It doesn’t always happen that way but these guys have been grinding so hard … for a moment like this and to get rewarded with a championship is outstanding."
What it means
Ridge (20-2) won its seventh county title, adding 2022 to the ones won in 1976, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1989 and 2011. The Red Devils are 7-8 in county finals. Prep won the tournament in 2017.
Key plays
Ridge broke it open in the fifth.
Brian Leitz was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game. With one out, Olivo doubled home Leitz, who scored all the way from first for a 4-0 lead.
“Brian Leitz is probably our best overall base runner and I was going to send him as soon as that ball was hit,” Blackwell said.
Olivo stole third and Matt Aber drove him in with a double. A third double by Julian Kielb made it 6-0, giving him his second RBI on the night.
Prep got two on with one out in the seventh when Anthony Brigante walked and Evan Laub singled. But Byrne fanned the last two batters – his ninth and 10th of the night to end it.
Byrne, 9-1, allowed two hits and a walk. He entered the final with a 1.69 ERA.
They said it
“Connor was unbelievable,” Blackwell said. “You don’t go 9-1 by accident. He’s a talented kid. He’s dedicated to getting better everyday.”
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Baseball: Ridge captures Somerset County Tournament
