Blue Devils top Colonials with extra-inning homer
Ryan Yelton, Mike Dilione team up
for four hitter

CHRIS KELLY Shore Regional catcher Marc Hyndsman is swarmed by his teammates after hitting a game-winning home run in the ninth inning of the Blue Devils’ game against Freehold Borough.

Shore Regional catcher Marc Hynds-man knew exactly where his ninth-inning 1-0 pitch was going as soon as he hit it.

Right after making contact, Hyndsman was trotting to first base, and calmly watching the ball sail over the wall, as his late-inning dinger plated three runs, and gave the Blue Devils a 5-2 nonconference win over Freehold Borough on Friday.

"I knew the moment I heard the ball strike the bat that this one was leaving the field," said Hyndsman. "We played a tough game today, and it was just awesome to get the game-winning hit."

After Shore tied the game at 2-2 in the fourth inning, on an RBI single by Hyndsman, neither team could send another batter across the plate over the next four innings. It wasn’t until the bottom of the ninth inning that Shore received their first real chance since the fourth.

Following a fly out to center field, Shore put runners into the base paths on a walk to Chris Carty and a single by Joe Toccacili.

A diving effort to catch a high Andy Swinton bunt earned Freehold the second out of the inning, putting the game in danger of going to a possible 10th inning.

However, after taking the first pitch for a ball, Hyndsman pulled the ball for a 340-foot, three-RBI home run. The dramatic shot was the veteran catcher’s first varsity career homer.

The game’s scoring didn’t start until the third inning, when Shore sent a runner over the plate on an infield error. After failing to score on loaded bases in the second inning, Shore’s Mike Snow walked to first, then stole his way onto third. When the catcher tried to throw Snow out, the third baseman misplayed the ball, allowing Snow to race over the dish.

However, Shore’s one-run lead only lasted for half an inning, as the Colonials sent two runners home in the top of the fourth.

Don Bielak reached first on a fielder’s choice play to second that earned Shore the second out of the inning. Bielak advanced on a single by Steve Morreale, then scored on a line-drive RBI single stroked by Andrew Little. Morreale was able to race over the plate as Hyndsman misplayed a relay a throw that followed a Chris Coulson single.

Shore was able to come back in the bottom half of the inning, scoring Carty on Hyndsman single.

Working the mound for the first four and a quarter innings was Ryan Yelton. The lefty faced 21 batters, giving up three hits, walked three and struck out two

Relieving Yelton in the beginning of the fifth inning was Mike Dilione, who squared off against 17 batters, gave up one hit, walked one and fanned four.

The win improved Shore to a 5-5 record, keeping their state tournament hopes alive. In order to qualify for the postseason tournament, teams must have a .500 record by the end of play on May 10.

On Monday, the Devils improved their playoff chances with a 14-4 win over Henry Hudson, but gave that win back on Tuesday, falling to Colts Neck, 9-5.