Point Beach Survives Horrific Fifth Inning for First Victory of the Season

The Point Pleasant Beach baseball team picked up its first victory of the season, beating Henry Hudson High School, 11-9, on Friday in Atlantic Highlands.  

The Garnett Gulls (1-2) appeared to have had the game well in hand, taking an 11-1 lead into the bottom half of the fifth inning with ace Joe Scerbo stifling hitters through the first four innings. 

What looked like a certain victory took a turn for the worse for the Gulls in the bottom half of the fifth inning.

The rain, which intensified significantly in the inning, seemed to have an adverse effect on Scerbo, who walked five of the first six batters he faced in the inning.  Henry Hudson scored four runs before Point Beach recorded an out.

“Joe gave us all we could’ve hoped for in those first four innings, but I had a feeling those last three outs were going to be interesting,” said Point Beach head coach Ty Hawkins. “With the rain picking up the way it did, it's tough for any guy out there to have a good grip on the ball and throw strikes consistently.”

Hawkins pulled Scerbo in favor of reliever Anthony Capodanno, who also struggled to find the strike zone.

Capodanno was able to get two outs, but not without walking three more Henry Hudson hitters. After Mike Monatamino added a two-run triple, what was once a 10-run lead for Point Beach had become a two runs.

“Hudson did a nice job of battling back," Hawkins said. "But there’s no doubt that the conditions were really getting to our pitchers. We just needed to find a way to get out of that inning.”

After loading the bases with the tying and go ahead runs on base, Capodanno  got a harmless fly ball to right field to end the game.

“In no way could I say this win was pretty, but thankfully we were able to tack on a bunch of runs early in the game,” said Hawkins. “We made their guys work.”

Point Beach was able to build its enormous lead, much like the way Henry Hudson cut into theirs. The Gulls’ five-run first inning was aided by four walks. The inning was capped off by Nick Fiore’s run-scoring double.

“It wasn’t exactly like we tore the cover off the ball,” said Hawkins. “But anytime you score 11 runs, you’ll take it.”

For the first year head coach, there are no style points when it comes to a win.  

“A win’s a win,” said Hawkins. “I hope they’re not all like this, but I hope it’s the first of many more.”

Point Beach seeks to even its record on Monday vs. Keansburg.