LOOK OUT for those line drives!

Covered the Manasquan-Holmdel game today and suddenly my life flashed before my eyes. No, not because Manasquan won, 6-1, or Holmdel lost 6-1 or whatever.

Here's what happened. Before the game Holmdel's cleanup batter was struck on the wrist by a line drive in infield drills. Initial thoughts were it was fractured but x-rays later proved negative. However, a trend was started.

First inning I was standing along the right field line near first base and was actually paying attention instead of checking ball scores on my cell phone.

A good thing. A Holmdel kid blasted a foul that roared right past my noggin as I used my cat like quickness to avoid instant demise. Well..truth be told..I wasn't real quick and the drive just missed me.

In the bottom of the inning a Squan hitter laced a shot down the left field line that struck a fan in the arm. Apparently he was unhurt.

I then put on a batting helmet.

Squan won 6-1 to take third place in Class
A Central but did not win the "public" school championship because teams finishing below second can not be champions, even by rules of the Shore Conference which hands out championships like bubble gum.


Tonight Middletown South beat Wall, 3-2. Hasn't been a banner year for the Eagles but in the past few weeks they've beaten Top 10 teams Freehold Township, TR East, and now Wall.



Matawan (10-10) is in the state tournament by way of a forfeit win over Asbury Park and a 13-5 wjn over Keansburg today. Matawan had scheduled two games for today starting with a make up game with AP but, when AP arrived lat, Matawan was awarded a forefit in accordance with a seldom enforced NJSIAA rule. The Huskies then downed KB to clinch the berth.

Asbury Park coach Stan Barber, though not thrilled with the forfeit ruling, admitted the bus driver got lost.

You can't make this stuff up!.