Manalapan took a 11-run loss the last time they faced off against Middletown North, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Braves won by a run and slipped past the Lions 2-1. This was payback for the Braves, who suffered a 12-1 defeat the last time these two teams met.
| 04/22/25 vs Marlboro | 1 |
| 04/02/25 vs Red Bank Catholic | 2 |
| 04/09/25 vs Middletown South | 4 |
| 04/23/25 vs Middletown North | 11 |
Leo Vitale spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on five hits and racked up 11 Ks. Those 11 strikeouts set a new season-high mark for him.
At the plate, Manalapan saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Brandon Heller, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Those two RBI gave Heller a new career-high. Dennis Healy also deserves some recognition as he scored his first run of the season.
Manalapan's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 5-4. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.7 runs on average over those games. As for Middletown North, they are on a five-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 3-6.
Coming up, Middletown North will square off against St. Rose at 3:45 p.m. on Thursday. Manalapan will be paying especially close attention to the Lions' matchup: after the Lions face off against the Purple Roses, they'll take on Manalapan again at 3:45 p.m. on Friday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
