Jun 04, 2010
McGee leads Indians to SCT championship

Senior lefty finishes 20-0 for his career
By STEVEN FALK APP STAFF WRITER June 3, 2010
LAKEWOOD  Andrew McGee thought what Pat Light accomplished the past two seasons was remarkable. Now, the Toms River High School South senior left-hander can be mentioned in the same sentence as the former Christian Brothers Academy and current Monmouth University pitcher, who went 20-0 for his career.


McGee, who will join Light at Monmouth next season, finished this season with a 12-0 record by hurling a complete-game in Toms River South's 7-3 win over NJSIAA Group IV finalist Jackson Memorial on Thursday night in the Shore Conference Tournament championship game at FirstEnergy Park.


Toms River South (26-4), which won its record seventh SCT title and second in the past three seasons, went 3-1 against the Jaguars this season and won three championships.


McGee became the third pitcher in Toms River South's history to go unbeaten in a season. The others were Chris Wisman, who went 10-0 in 1989, and Chris Purguy, who went 8-0 in 2001.


"It's remarkable," said McGee, who recorded his third victory against Jackson Memorial this season. "Pat Light went unbeaten the last two years and I always looked up to him. Now, it's cool to be with him.


"The baseball down here (at the Shore) is amazing, and to go 12-0, it shows, I've got a great team behind me that picks me up when I'm not doing my best."


McGee, who went 20-4 for his career, has probably been sharper than he was on Thursday night. He allowed eight hits and struck out only two. Only one of the runs was earned because a throwing error in the fourth inning led to two runs.


"What a bulldog he was (on Thursday night)," said Toms River South coach Ken Frank, who concluded his 33rd season. "We were going to yank him in the fifth and he didn't want to come out.


"He's definitely got a big heart. He's one of the best pitchers we've ever had in the program."


"He's good. We knew that just from seeing him these last couple of years," said Jackson Memorial coach Frank Malta. "He's gutsy, too."
The Indians' offense did pick McGee up as they collected 15 hits, including four by first baseman Dave Egeland and three by shortstop Mitch Dressing. Eight of the nine batters in Toms River South's lineup had at least one hit.


They broke a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the fifth as junior shortstop Mitch Dressing delivered an RBI single to break the tie and Steve Petrosino followed with an RBI single.


Egeland added insurance runs with a two-out, two-run double to right center in the sixth.


Toms River South had tied the game in the bottom of the fourth when shortstop Mitch Dressling alertly tagged up from third and scored when Tyler Kapp's fly ball to shallow center was caught by the shortstop.


"Usually when a ball is that shallow, they won't think you're going," Dressing said. "That's what we do, put the pressure on the defense and make it work."


"Anybody's that going backwards, we always tag," Frank said. "We caught them by surprise a little bit. It was a good tag (tag up)."


Jackson Memorial had taken a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth on Mike Folk's two-run single to center.


The Jaguars had pulled within, 2-1, in the third when Matt Meleo led off with a triple to right center and scored on a passed ball.


Toms River South broke through in the bottom of the second on a two-out, two-run single by Tyler Kapp.


Jackson Memorial (25-6) will seek its second state championship and first since it won Group III in 1972 at 2 p.m. Saturday at Toms River East when it meets Randolph (27-3). Junior right-hander Dan Falvo (6-1) will likely pitch for the Jaguars.


"I wish Jackson a lot of luck. Frank Malta has done a great job and they're a class team. I hope they win the state championship," Frank said.


"We watched them (Toms River South) hold the trophy (the SCT trophy) in the air and said (to his players), 'You want to be on that end Saturday, feel