Redbirds come up a run short in the end

ERIC SUCAR staff Ocean Township catcher Tony DeSantis puts the tag on Allentown's Josh Howell in what was the game-winning play for the Spartans in their 1-0 victory in Friday's Central Jersey Group III title game in Ocean.

The Allentown High School baseball team gave one of the best teams in the state all it could handle Friday in the Central Jersey Group III title game.

Facing an Ocean Township team that is considered one of the top 10 teams in the state, the Redbirds showed no signs of intimidation, playing the heavily favored Spartans as tough as they could have hoped for before eventually succumbing 1-0 in what was a beautifully played game.

The Spartans (24-5), who got their only run on a Neal Yaffe RBI single in the fifth, needed an astonishing defensive play in the final inning to preserve the win, as Allentown fought to the very end in attempting to win their first sectional title. After Ethan Perro singled to lead off the seventh, he was moved over to second on a bunt base hit from tough-luck losing pitcher Chris Kubik. Vin Puglese then advanced the runners with a sacrifice

That set up the final play, one which people will be talking about for some time.

Ocean's Kyle Norman made a stunning back-to-the-plate catch of a pop foul, then spun around to throw a strike to the plate, where catcher Tony DeSantis was waiting and made a desperate tag to nail courtesy runner Josh Howell.

It was a bang-bang play, and one that ended the Redbirds' finest season in recent memory in dramatic fashion.

While Norman's play, which Ocean head coach Del Dal Pra described as "impossible," ended the Redbirds' season, it did nothing to diminish what they accomplished throughout their run through the state tournament.

Allentown finished the year at 16-6, but proved that the program, under second-year head coach Brian Nice, is ready to compete on the grandest of stages.

Ocean Township went on to play Seneca on Tuesday for a shot at the Group II title on Saturday in Toms River.

If they're able to capture the overall state title, it will likely still be the play at the plate against Allentown that everyone will be talking about.