Rob Kaminsky, St. Joseph Regional
Photo by Daniel Coppola
There was plenty at stake when
St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, N.J.) met
Gloucester Catholic (Gloucester City, N.J.) on Saturday at Provident Bank Park - a possible No. 1 state ranking, 0.00 ERAs, undefeated pitching records and potential state player of the year honors.
In the end, it was reigning Gatorade State Player of the Year
Rob Kaminsky who prevailed over Gloucester Catholic's
Mike Shawaryn, 6-1, in a battle of two of the top teams in New Jersey and two of the top pitchers in the country.
Kaminsky picked up the win by twirling a complete-game three-hitter that included 13 strikeouts and no walks. He had a 0.00 ERA entering the game, but Gloucester Catholic ended that run with a single run in the seventh inning to avoid the shutout. Kaminsky, who is headed to North Carolina, has a 6-0 record with 76 strikeouts on the season.
Mike Shawaryn, Gloucester Catholic
Photo by Daniel Coppola
Shawaryn, meanwhile, took the loss, his first of the season (4-1), and while giving up six runs, two of them earned, on seven hits with five strikeouts and two walks. Shawaryn, who has signed with Maryland, also had a 0.00 ERA entering the game, but the two earned runs against St. Joseph Regional puts his season ERA at 0.43, according to the Newark Star-Ledger.
St. Joseph Regional got all the runs it needed in the third inning when it got to Shawaryn for five runs. A throwing error by Shawaryn on a bunt with two runners on base provided the first run of the game.
Matt Kozuch added a single to drive in two more runs.
Michael Gallo and
Dom Paiotti concluded the rally with a pair of basehits that plated two runs.
“You give Rob two runs, and it’s like 10,” St. Joseph coach Frank
Salvano told James Kratch of the Star-Ledger. “You give him five? We had a great game plan going in, and
we adhered to it. We give Rob that lead, and we ride with it.”
Gloucester Catholic (16-3) entered the game ranked No. 1 in the state by
the Star-Ledger while St. Joseph Regional (17-0) was ranked No. 3.
See complete photo gallery of the St. Joseph Regional-Gloucester Catholic game here.
