Monroe wins in controversial fashion
April 05, 2010 • 9:11 pm
By GREG TUFARO STAFF WRITER
MONROE — Keith Sanchez’s stellar relief pitching, Zach Batchelor’s three-run homer, Nick Dini’s three clutch hits and an umpire’s controversial call in the final at-bat led the Monroe High School baseball team to a thrilling 6-5 victory over South Plainfield on Monday.
Monroe (3-0) began the game without ace and scheduled starter Andy Sullivan, who broke a bone in his non-throwing wrist while playing first base Saturday. The Rutgers University-bound senior’s left wrist will be in a cast for 4-6 weeks.
South Plainfield (2-1) lost ace Dylan Papa, a senior left-hander, to arm soreness in the second inning and with his team trailing 1-0 after Dini led off the bottom of the first for the second straight game with a homer.
Monroe starter Ted Moke pitched 5 and two thirds innings before giving way to Sanchez after Rob Pasternak’s two-run triple to right center made the score 6-5. Sanchez struck out Mark Benak looking to escape that jam.
Sanchez walked two of the first three batters in the top of the seventh to create some more drama in a game already filled with tension. Monroe coach Greg Beyer vehemently but unsuccessfully contested three questionable calls on the basepaths earlier in the game, each of which thwarted a Falcon rally. Beyer finally got his way in the end.
With runners on first and second and two away, the plate umpire, upon Beyer’s request, removed South Plainfield slugger Matt Cesare from the game with an 0-1 count because Cesare was wearing a necklace, which is in violation of NJSIAA rules.
Simon Diaz, making his first varsity plate appearance, replaced Cesare, a four-year starter who singled in two previous trips. Diaz struck out.
According to the National Federation baseball rule book, to which NJSIAA member schools adhere, Cesare should have been permitted to continue his at-bat. The rule regarding the wearing of jewelry states in part: “”At the end of the playing action, the umpire shall issue a warning to the coach of the team involved and the next offender on that team shall be ejected.”
The Tigers did not protest the call, but even if they did, it would not be honored because protests of rule misinterpretations are not permitted in high school.
South Plainfield took a 2-1 lead in the third. Mark Tomei, who led off with a single and stole second, scored when Benak’s single to center field was misplayed. Dan Hansen followed with a two-out RBI double.
Batchelor smacked his three-run homer off the scoreboard in left-center in the third for a 4-2 lead. Casey Rickard’s RBI single produced the fourth run of the inning.
South Plainfield closed to 5-3 in the fifth when Benak singled and raced to third on a defensive miscue. He alertly scored with a huge secondary lead from third base on the catcher’s throwback to the pitcher.
Monroe took a 6-3 lead in the fifth. Alex Vizcaino was hit by a pitch and went to third on Batchelor’s perfectly executed hit-and-run single through the vacated right side. Vizcaino scored on an infield throwing error.
http://blogs.mycentraljersey.com/baseball/2010/04/05/monroe-wins-in-controversial-fashion/ 
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