Addition Of Malori Bell Made Middletown North A Force To Be Reckoned With By Mike Ready

MIDDLETOWN – Entering the 2018 season, Middletown North knew they had a couple of critical holes to fill following the graduation of a number key players including star pitcher and current University of Rhode Island ace Riley Kernan. Then Malori Bell fell into their laps. 

Bell transferred to Middletown North following a breakout sophomore season at Keansburg that saw her named second team All-Shore after batting .529 with 36 hits, 19 RBI, seven doubles and two triples at the plate and going 15-8 with a 0.92 ERA in the circle. In 145 innings pitched she recorded 273 strikeouts – sixth in the state – while allowing just 32 base on balls, 75 hits and 19 earned runs. 

However, graduation didn’t leave the Lions cupboard entirely bare by any stretch of the imagination, but the addition of Bell has been a difference maker. She’s helped transform a very good team into one that has all the markings of a champion. 

Sisters Gabi and Adriana Cerbo, who were both named first team All-Shore a year ago, are back and better than ever, along with second team All-Shore selection Milena Wilton and third team All-Shore pick Alyssa Vetrano. 

Gabi – a senior catcher batting .508 – leads the team in home runs with three while driving in 13 runs with 30 hits including 11 doubles. Her sister – junior outfielder Adriana – is hitting at a .420 clip with a triple, five doubles and 14 RBI.

Wilton sets the table for the Lions as one of the top leadoff batters in the state and leads the Lions in just about every offensive category. She tops the team in hits (36), batting average (.529), doubles (14), triples (4), runs (26) and RBI (26). At this pace she’s a lock for All-State honors. 

Vetrano is heating up with the weather after a bit of a slow start and looks to be rounding into form and that’s good news for the Lions. The senior shortstop is hitting just .262 which is way below her career .341 batting average, but she still has 11 RBI, one home run and three doubles while playing flawlessly in the field. 

After a solid sophomore campaign, Cara McNulty has upped her game to the next level. She’s hitting .365 with 23 hits, 15 RBI, four doubles, two triples and is second on the team with 18 runs scored. Returners Sam Kanach (.296), Ashley Kofsky (.312), Dri Noterile (.316) and Karen Smith (.241) and newcomer freshman Ava Turner (.391) have all contributed to the Lions success as well. 
 

However, it’s the addition of Bell that has pushed the Lions over the top. In the circle she’s 13-2 with a 1.43 ERA and is mowing down batters at a pace (173 K’s) that will surpass last season’s 273 strikeout mark while pitching against much stiffer completion in the Class B North. 
 

When Bell’s not dominating in the circle she’s been a terror at the plate. She’s hitting .438 with 21hits and is second on the team with 20 RBI along with seven doubles and a triple.  

The Lions (17-2, 11-2) are currently ranked third in the Shore Conference and sixth in the state and are tied for first in the B North with Red Bank Catholic – ranked fifth in the Shore. Those two teams meet this Tuesday in a game that will determine the B North champion. The Caseys beat Middletown North, 1-0, earlier this season in a classic pitching duel between Bell and RBC ace Alexandra DiBenedetto. 

Saturday the Lions will host undefeated Howell (15-0, 11-0) – ranked No. 18 in the state – 

 in a Monmouth County Tournament semifinal game with the winner taking on the winner of the other semifinal game which pits No. 1 seed Saint John Vianney against fifth-seeded Matawan.  

Last season in the Monmouth County Tournament final, SJV beat Middletown North, 2-1, in nine innings for the championship. Then in the Shore Conference Tournament the Lions were eliminated by the Lancers in the semifinals following a 3-2 loss. So you could a assume there’s a little extra motivation for Middletown North to get by Howell with Saint John Vianney more than likely waiting in the wings.  

UPDATE: The Lions moved to 18-2 and advanced to the MCT final with a 6-1 win over previously undefeated Howell and will now face top-seeded and undefeated Saint John Vianney, a 6-0 winner over fifth-seeded Matawan, in the final. Bell tossed a complete game three hitter allowing one run while striking out 14 and walking two and went 1-for-3 at the plate with a walk. Gabi Cerbo blasted a three-run home run; Wilton scored two runs including stealing home on a passed ball.  Vetrano went 3-for-3 with two runs and Kofsky was 2-for-3 with an RBI.