Freehold Township wins county title

WALL – Freehold Township’s 2022 season was already historic. Tuesday’s big win was icing on the cake.

It was a year of firsts for Freehold Township. The Patriots advanced to the Shore Conference Tournament final for the first time – ultimately losing to Donovan Catholic – and captured their first ever sectional title last month.

The Patriots added one more accolade to the program’s best ever season with a Monmouth County Tournament championship with a 14-5 victory against Middletown South in the final on Tuesday.

Freehold Alexa Barbera celebrates after hitting a home run in the fifth. Freehold Township softball defeats Middletown South 14-5 in Monmouth County Tournament Final in Wall, NJ on June 7, 2022.

In fitting fashion, each player in the lineup recorded at least one RBI to put an exclamation mark on the end of the season.

Coaches picks: 2022 All-Division, Senior All-Star teams

All-Shore softball Watch List: 53 players are on our list

“To finish with a win and a championship, that’s all we can dream for, especially after a sectional championship,” Freehold Township senior Lila Williams said. “We can all hit, and I think that’s what made our team really special this year.”

The rally sparker

Remarkably, it was the fifth time the two teams had faced each other this spring with Freehold Township (21-6) winning the last three games for an overall 3-2 season record against Middletown South (23-3). The last three wins (Central Group 4 semis, Shore Conference Tournament semis, county final) all came in the postseason.

So it came as no surprise that the two teams that know each other so well went back and forth in the early going. There were six lead changes through the first four innings.

Freehold Township softball celebrate their win. Freehold Township softball defeats Middletown South 14-5 in Monmouth County Tournament Final in Wall, NJ on June 7, 2022.

That was until Freehold Township junior Jiana Maniscalco came to the plate in the fifth. After striking out in her first two at-bats, she laced an RBI single that put the Patriots up 5-4. It was the last lead change of the game, and Maniscalco’s clutch hit sparked a 10-1 rally the rest of the way for the Patriots.

“All I was trying to do was stay focused, lock in and produce for my team,” Maniscalco said. “I knew it was a big spot and we needed those extra runs. I went up with the approached that I needed to make something happen.”

Barbera’s bomb

Another unsuspecting hero for the Patriots was sophomore No. 9 hitter Alexa Barbera. Middletown South had already tied the score twice on a solo home run by Carlee Iannone and a two-run shot by Gillian Deans.

That’s when in the bottom of the fourth, Barbera smacked a solo homer – the first of her varsity career – to left to give the Patriots a 4-3 lead. Middletown South would tie the game again on Iannone’s second home run of the game, but the Barbera homer gave the Patriots a jolt.

Freehold Alexa Barbera celebrates after hitting a home run in the fifth. Freehold Township softball defeats Middletown South 14-5 in Monmouth County Tournament Final in Wall, NJ on June 7, 2022.

Freehold Township head coach Johnny Sciarappa was stunned when he saw Barbera at tryouts this year. He couldn’t believe the talent he saw in a young player with no prior varsity experience.

“She’s a sophomore, but she’s an experienced varsity player.” Sciarappa said. “She’s got a powerhouse bat, she can hit to all fields. Of all things, for her to smack the home run was just awesome.”

You May Also Like

Marjorie holds court on Capitol steps.

Send to Email Address Your Name Your Email Address Cancel Post was…

Passenger screaming that her young child ‘needs to throw up’ causes chaos as United flight

Passenger screaming that her young child ‘needs to throw up’ causes chaos…

‘I can’t stand that motherf***er’ ,there’s time and a place for 0everything”

  Former heavyweight boxing champion, Deontay Wilder says he still ‘can’t stand’…

Reese Witherspoon and husband Jim Toth announce difficult decision to divorce after over a decade of marriage

Reese Witherspoon and husband Jim Toth are getting a divorce after over…