A Baseball Star Is Born in Barnegat

I saw it with Al Leiter at Central Regional High School in 1984 and J.M. Gold fourteen years later at Toms River North. Each time those highly-regarded pitching prospects took the mound the biggest crowd was not necessarily in the stands but behind home plate with radar guns pointed at the pitching mound.Now in 2016 the throng of major league scouts and other officials are focused on another Ocean County hurler whose pitching appearances are taking on a life of their own.

The latest phenom is Jason Groome, a 17-year old left hander from Barnegat High School who is blessed with the ability to throw a 97 MPH along with a curve ball that can and will make you look very bad. The 6’6 Groome could be the #1 player taken in June’s first-year player draft and if that happens he will be playing for the Phillies which means we may see him in Lakewood at some point.

I mention Groome today because on Monday he threw a no-hitter and struck out 19 batters in Barnegat’s 8-0 win over Central. He did not walk a batter and allowed only one base runner on a 3rd inning error. It was Groome’s first no-hitter and the first in school history as each of his outings becomes an event you almost don’t want to miss.

If that’s the case then his next scheduled start in Saturday night when the Bengals visit a very good Red Bank Catholic team as part of the Autism Awareness Challenge. By the way Groome finished strong on Monday, striking out the last 11 Central batters.

Groome’s dominating performance took some of the headlines away from Jackson Liberty sophomore Matt Pickus who also tossed a no-hitter yesterday. In just his second varsity start Pickus blanked Donovan Catholic 7-0, striking out 7 and walking just one in collecting the first no-hitter in the history of the Lions program.

At tonight’s Toms River Township Council Meeting members of the governing body are expected to hear from some unhappy golfers. What those golfers are unhappy about is a change at the township-owned Bey Lea Golf Course prohibiting back nine play during morning hours.

That has been popular with some older golfers who start on the 10th tee and play nine holes only during the first hour of tee times. I’m told the change is being made to better allow maintenance on the course at the start of the day but despite several meetings the sides have not found a solution.