Toms River East baseball returns to its past glory with first OCT title in 17 years
Source: Yahoo Sports
BERKELEY - Keith Smicklo knows what the Toms River High School East's baseball team's 8-5 win over Jackson Memorial Friday in the Ocean County Tournament championship game at Central Regional's Al Kunzman Field at Al Leiter Ballpark means to all those associated with the program's rich history.
"It's why I took the job,'' Smicklo, who is in his seventh season as the head coach at his scholastic alma mater, said. "When I was offered the job, I was excited to come back to a place I played at. ''
Smicklo was a catcher on teams coached by legendary former head coach Bill Frank that won three straight OCT championships from 1997-99. The win Friday was Toms River East's first OCT title since 2007 and ninth overall. Toms River East is second on the OCT title list behind Toms River South's 12.
"I know a lot of people associated with the program, from coach Frank to coach Dietrich (former Toms River East assistant coach and head coach Dan Dietrich) to Walt Currie (the current Brick Memorial head football coach who was an assistant baseball coach at Toms River East when Smicklo played),'' Smicklo said."I know a lot of alumni and they're excited the program's back.
"I came here to do to get back to where we were when I playing.''
Smicklo said he talked to Frank earlier this week. Toms River East won eight OCT titles, the 2001 NJSIAA Group 4 championship, four South Group 4 titles, nine Shore Conference Class A South championships and 520 wins during his 30-season career as the Raiders' head coach from 1985-2014.
"He came to one of our games and he was proud that we were playing back to the standared that he set here,'' Smicklo said. "We've got a good group of kids that are working hard. We're getting better and better. I'm really proud of them.''
Junior shortstop Matt Ferrara, whose two-run double in the bottom of the sixth broke a 4-4 tie, said there is an intangible reason Toms River East has been able to move back among the Shore's elite this season.
"We have incredible team chemistry,'' Ferrara said. "We've been playing together since we were 10 years old. We all have that chemistry that just clicks. We have a really good bond with each other.''
Smicklo began his head coaching career in 2017 by going through the type of season that is tough for any coach to go through, let alone one in his first season.
The Raiders went 3-17 that first season. That is the type of season that would make anyone question everything they were doing.
"Of course there are some times where you wonder if you are doing the right thing,'' Smicklo said. "You've just got to stick to what you believe in, stick to what your philosophy is and what you believe will work. You get the right group of people and the right group of kids and things slowly start to take place. I'm excited about it.''
The right man up in the right place at the right time
In a game that saw 17 walks issued (10 by Toms River East's three pitchers), two hit batsman (both by Toms River East), Ferrara, one of the Raiders' best players, was the right man in the right spot at the right time in the bottom of the sixth.
The Raiders (15-3) had runners on first and second with one out after a leadoff single by James Whalen, a sacrifice bunt by Brandon Safoschnik and a walk to Ryan Koman.
Ferrara's double came on a 2-0 pitch.
"It was a fastball. I was looking fastball,'' Ferrara said.
"I have complete confidence in Matty in coming up in that spot,'' Smicklo said. "They had to pitch to him, which was huge. Once they walked the nine batter (Koman) and they couldn't pitch around him (Ferrara), I knew we were in a good spot.''
Junior Gavin Toth did the rest after Ferrara's big hit. His two-run home run to left made it 8-4.
"I was looking for a pitch down the middle and got it,'' Toth said.
Toth, Toms River's East third pitcher of the game, picked up the win with two innings of relief. He recorded the final out with a fly out to center with the bases loaded
"My adrenaline was pumping so it got a little bit wonky there,'' Toth said. "I just had to settle down.''
"Gavin's been our Swiss Army Knife,'' Smicklo said. "He's caught for us. He's played left field, pitched for us and batted in the 3 hole all year for us. He's having a hell of a year.''