Red Bank Catholic pitcher Luke Meyers was all set to watch Tuesday’s Monmouth County Tournament final from the sidelines. However, plans changed when RBC coach Buddy Hausmann unexpectedly called upon him to take over the mound from ace Ryan Prior. Prior struggled through a 108-pitch effort, forcing Hausmann to bring in reliever Sam French. With CBA threatening to close the gap on Catholic’s 7-3 lead, Meyers stepped up to the plate and shut down the Colts in the crucial sixth inning, securing an 8-3 victory for RBC in the county championship.
Meyers showed incredible composure as he retired the next three batters in order, preventing any runs from scoring. His performance was impeccable, starting with getting Jayden Matejicka to fly out to right field. The Colts’ Dylan Iwanyk hesitated to run home after the catch, thanks to a precise throw from Red Bank Catholic’s Charlie Stumberger to catcher Aiden Funk. Meyers then struck out Alex Fiore and fielded Colin Hoverter’s ground ball back to him, ending the inning without any damage.
In the seventh inning, Meyers continued his dominance, allowing only an infield single before closing out the game with two more outs for the save. Despite a challenging pitching duel between RBC’s Prior and CBA’s Loggie, Meyers’ stellar performance on the mound ultimately sealed the victory for the Caseys. Hausmann praised Meyers for his crucial role throughout the tournament, highlighting his ability to come in clutch when needed. The game was a testament to Meyers’ mental toughness and unwavering focus on executing his pitches effectively.
