Three Boro and Beach Players Among Ocean County All-Stars

The Ocean County All-Stars were defeated by the Monmouth All-Stars on Monday night, but the game still gave three Borough and Beach high school seniors a chance to shine on the Ocean team.

Three deserving local baseball players, two from Point Beach and one from Point Borough, represented their high schools one last time in the Shore Baseball Coaches Association All-Star Game at First Energy Park in Lakewood.

Point Beach’s Danny Williams and Joe Sherbo and Point Borough’s Dane Gahr were on the Ocean County team in the All-Star game.

Sherbo, the Point Beach ace, was given the first opportunity to showcase his talents in the game.

The Ronaoke College-bound hurler entered the game in the top of the third inning with his team already down four runs.

Sherbo worked himself into a quick jam, after the first two batters he faced reached base via a hit by pitch and a single.

With runners on the corners and one out, Sherbo worked himself out of the jam, just like he did many times throughout the 2011 season, with the help of a pitcher’s best friend, a 6-4-3 double play.

“It was great to get out there,” said Sherbo. “This game is something you look forward to as a senior. It’s been a great four years at Beach and today was a great way to end it.”

After Monmouth County tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning, Point Borough southpaw Dane Gahr entered the game in the top half of the fifth inning.

Gahr, like Sherbo, worked himself into trouble. Gahr surrendered a one-out double down the left field line, to Howell’s Brian Blood.

Blood advanced to third on a ground out, but was left stranded after Gahr struck out Henry Hudson’s D.J. Miragliotta to end the Monmouth County threat.

“It meant a lot to get out there and put this uniform on one more time,” said Gahr. “I knew I was going to go out there and throw an inning, so I just tried to do the best I could."

In the top of the seventh inning, Williams entered the game at shortstop.

Williams and Gahr both took their swings against Long Branch’s Paul Tracy in the Ocean County five-run eighth inning, which cut Ocean’s deficit to only two runs.

Gahr reached on an error and scored one of the five runs in the frame.

For Williams, he grounded out to first, but enabled Monsignor Donovan’s Kyle Hoeler to advance to second.

Hoeler later came around to score Ocean County’s final run of the contest.

Williams, the Catholic University bound, veteran leader of the Beach squad, was grateful to play in the game.

“It was a great honor to be here,” said Williams. “Obviously, I would’ve liked to have played a bit more, but I was happy to be here and it was great suiting up one last time.”

All three of the Point Pleasant All-Stars were key contributors in what turned out to be very successful seasons for both the Point Beach and Point Borough baseball teams.

Both Williams and Sherbo had fond memories of playing on the home field of the Lakewood Blue Claws.

The last time both suited up at First Energy Park, Point Beach was celebrating their Class B Central Public School Crown after an 8-6 victory over Keyport.

“It was an unexpected good season,” said Sherbo. “I will always have nothing but good memories about playing on this field.”

“We were able to win a championship this season,” said Williams. “I’ll never forget that.”

For Gahr, the senior was a key contributor in a nine-win improvement and was also part of a semi-final appearance in the South Jersey Group 2 Region in the NJSIAA Tournament.

“I will always remember that semi-final appearance and our win over Buena in the States,” said Gahr. “We had a good run this year and it was a lot of fun.”