Veteran Toms River North Squad Has Some Unfinished Business To Settle By Mike Ready

TOMS RIVER – The Mariners are coming off an up-and-down season which saw them win both the Ocean County Tournament and Shore Conference Tournament, but sandwiched in between was a loss in the first round of the NJSIAA South Jersey Group IV Tournament to Lenape, who went on to the final before falling to Southern. 

They had big late-season wins over divisional opponents Toms River South, who won the Class A South, and Southern, who captured the NJSIAA South Jersey Group IV title, and appeared primed for a state tournament run before its best pitcher, righty Craig Larsen, inexplicably threw his only clunker of the season in their loss to Lenape. 

“It really didn’t affect us that much,” said senior Jared Bellissimo of their loss to Lenape. “After we lost in the states we were completely focused on just going after the Shore Conference title because that’s all we had left so it was just survive and advance.”

The Mariners did win 20 games but finished four games back of Toms River South in the rugged A South division. They tied Brick Township for second place, a game ahead of Southern Regional and the good news entering the 2018 season is that their entire starting pitching staff returns intact and seven starting position players are back from a year ago.

“We have a lot of seniors back so our team chemistry is looking pretty good,” Bellissimo said of the team’s outlook. “Both our pitching staff and lineup looks pretty decent. South won it (Class A South) last year so we’re going to try and take them down this year. Our goal this year is to win everything. We don’t want to lose any games but we know it will happen along the road, so we just want to win every tournament possible.”

Larsen redeemed himself in a big way by throwing a complete-game gem in the Mariners 5-0 win over Red Bank Catholic in the SCT final. He tossed a three-hit shutout against the heavy-hitting Caseys, striking out six and walking none on a compact 88 pitches.

That win pushed Larsen’s record to 6-2 on the year with a 2.32 ERA which could’ve been under 2.00 if not for his hiccup against Lenape that inflated his ERA. He posted a sterling 0.97 WHIP while striking out 40 batters and walking 11 in 48.1 innings of work. 

Larsen’s back to head up a pitching rotation that just may be the envy of the Shore Conference entering the 2018 season. 

Joining Larsen in the starting rotation will be fellow seniors Brendan Mullins, Mike Centeno and Bellissimo and junior Jonathan Giordano. 

Bellissimo and Larsen are both number one’s, so it will be up to head coach Andrew Pagano to decide who will get the opening-day nod. 

The hard-throwing Bellissimo went 6-1 a year ago, including tossing a four-hit shutout against Wall in the SCT semifinal – his final start of the season. He posted a 1.78 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 47.1 innings pitched while striking out 42 and walking 15. 

After going 4-1 with a 3.65 ERA and 1.44 WHIP a year ago, Mullins is penciled in as the number three starter. In 30.2 innings pitched he struck out 36 batters and issued 13 bases on balls while allowing 31 hits.

As a sophomore last season Giordano flashed some big-time potential going 2-0 in 23.2 innings pitched. His 1.78 ERA and 1.14 WHIP and 24 K’s illustrates just how good he can be and he’ll have a shot at proving it this season as the fourth starter. Centeno will add depth to the starting rotation as well as in relief. 

Newcomers Robert Jeans, Sal Beraco and Chris Woods will come out of the pen filling out the staff. 

“Hopefully we all stay healthy and will be able to produce for us,” said Bellissimo of the TRN staff. 

In the field, Bellissimo – a Rutgers University commit – is back at first base this season after posting a .410 batting average and driving in 28 runs with five doubles and a triple. Mullins, a Penn State commit who hit .294 last season, will man first base when Bellissimo is on the mound and see some at bats as the DH as well.  

Larsen returns at shortstop where he shinned in the field and hit for average (.396) and drove in 24 runs while drilling 14 doubles and a triple in 99 plate appearances. Junior Justin Schaff is back behind the plate this year after a solid sophomore season handling the pitching staff and the bat, hitting at a .310 clip and driving in 14 runs with a double and a triple. 

The speedy Alex Klalo will patrol centerfield again this season following a fine junior campaign which saw him hit .341, score 20 runs and drive in seven with three stolen bases while senior Nick Sibilia gets the full-time job in right field after hitting .286 a year ago as a spot starter. 

Junior Dylan Feigin bats second and plays second base after taking over the starting job late in the season a year ago, and rising sophomore Nick DeRose looks to have won the starting third base job while junior infielders Sam Angelo and Mike Collela will contribute off the bench. 

Giordano, senior Donovan Varga and junior Sean Aguiar are candidates for the starting left field job.

“Last year’s rankings mean nothing we have to go out and prove ourselves this year,” Larsen said. “That loss (in the states) is in the back of our minds, but once we step on the field we’re going to forget about it and play like we always did. We got to forget about it between the lines but outside the lines it’s there, it’s motivating us, no doubt.

“We just need to come together as a team,” Larsen added. “The talent’s there, we just need to combine all of our talents into one team and focus on our chemistry.”