Freehold Twp. juniors dominate Eastern Regional
Locals are off to Junior League World Series
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

JEFF GRANIT staff Freehold Township’s Anthony Cirillo celebrates as Christopher Bresnahan crosses home plate during his team’s win over Brick American in the Eastern Regional final at Michael Tighe Park on Aug. 11.

Freehold Township Little League’s Junior League all-stars didn’t need a jet to get to Taylor, Mich.

They were flying high enough on their own after a two-year World Series quest was fulfilled. Last week, the 13-14-year-old all-stars won the Junior League Eastern Regional championship, which they hosted at Michael J. Tighe Park, beating Brick Township American, 7-0, in the championship game Thursday.

The victory completed a dominating week for the Freehold Township stars, who were 4-0 and out-scored their opponents by a 35-3 margin.

“We really wanted to get to the World Series,” said Mike Miranda, who pitched the complete-game shutout against Brick. “It’s going to be real exciting. I can’t explain it.”

Manager Anthony Cirillo said that winning the championship on their home field was an added bonus.

“It was nice to have the opportunity to have the home crowd watch us,” he said.

Having traveled the last time they went to a Regional, the Juniors pointed out that playing home gave the team an edge, but not a decisive advantage.

“It was good,” said Miranda. “You get to go home and sleep in your own bed, and have your family and friends at the field.

“We still had to play the games,” he added. “No one was going to give it to us.”

Two years ago, Freehold Township won the Little League (ages 11-12) state championship and advanced to the Eastern Regional in Bristol, Conn. The all-stars were find out that they were as good as any other team there, but they didn’t get through to the Little League World Series.

That experience left them hungry to take the next step, and educated as to the do’s and dont’s at the region level. Last week they got a second chance and made the most of it.

“We knew what to expect,” said Miranda. “We have many of the same players from last time. We were a little more focused this time. We played to our capability.”

Which was all that Freehold Township needed to outclass the field. Cirillo, who was the team’s skipper when the Freehold Township won the Little League state title two years ago, said this year’s club is much deeper top to bottom.

“Two years ago we didn’t get hitting from the bottom of the lineup,” he said. “This year we were more balanced. We were deep all the way through.

“I couldn’t ask for more from my starters and our defense is special,” he added. “We’re a total team.”

There was one other aspect of this year’s team that was different than the 2003 squad and that was a killer instinct. When this team had a team down, it didn’t get back up.

Freehold Township displayed its balance throughout the tournament. They were pressured in their first game by Lower Sussex, the state champion from Delaware. But a four-run bottom of the sixth broke it open, leading to an 8-2 triumph. The game featured two long rain delays.

The offense was on display at its most devastating in a 16-1 mercy win against Brick American, and Freehold Township was on its way.

Pitching and defense took over against Maine state champion South Portland on Wednesday. as Freehold Township made its way through to the final with a 4-0 win.

Brick American and South Portland played later that day to determine who would emerge from the loser’s bracket to play Freehold Township for the region title.

It was Brick American by a 4-3 score.

The state champions (as host and District 19 champion Freehold Township didn’t have to compete in the state tournament) fared a little better the second time around on Thursday, as they did manage to go the distance. Behind the one-hit pitching of left-hander Miranda, Freehold Township rolled, 7-0.

“I just wanted to win the game,” Miranda said. “That’s all I was focused on.

“I kept jamming them with the fastball,” he added. “Chris Bresnahan [who won the first game against Brick] told me they were free swingers.”

Cirillo had no doubt that Miranda would close it out for Freehold Township.

“He told me, ‘Give me the ball,’ ” said Cirillo.

Miranda received all the offensive support he needed in the very first frame when Morrill whacked a double to left that scored Klinsky.

Brick starter Brendan Melody then shut the door on Freehold Township, keeping his team in it at 1-0 until the fifth, when the home team scored three times. It started with Miranda and Anthony Cirillo singling. With two outs Bresnahan brought home Miranda with an RBI base hit, and Morrill’s second double of the game plated both Cirillo and Bresnahan.

A pair on unearned runs in the top of the seventh produced the final 7-0 score, and it was on to Troy for the new Eastern Regional champions.

“The whole team is excited,” said Bresnahan. “There was a feeling of relief when we finally made it happen.

“We’re basically a family,” he added. “On the field we’re hard-nosed players, but off the field we hang out a lot.”

Freehold Township’s debut in the Junior League World Series was an impressive one on Sunday as they handled the Texas state champions, West Side Lions, 7-0. Bresnahan pitched the shutout and had as many hits as the entire Texas team, three. Shortstop Anthony Cirillo highlighted the offensive fireworks with a two-run home run as Freehold Township ran its playoff record to 11-0.

The Junior League World Series is divided into two five-team pools, one for the USA teams and the other, the International champions. All of the teams will play each other through Thursday with the top two teams from each pool playing Friday for the USA championship and the International title. On Saturday, the World Series final, pitting the USA champion against the International team, will be played at 5 p.m.