Brick 11-year-old teams just keep rolling along

Brick American and Brick National are each a victory away from a showdown in the Brick American 11-year-old Little League Tournament.

Brick American plays Lakewood on Saturday at noon, followed by Brick National taking on Point Pleasant Boro South at 2:30, in the next round of games in the 13-team tournament. If both Brick teams win, they’ll go head-to-head the following weekend.

Brick American won its first two games over the weekend over Toms River East National, 4-0, as Anthony Gearity pitched a masterful three-hitter, and then beat Hamilton Township, 8-0, as Cody Cutter hurled a four-hitter and belted a grand slam.

Manager Ray Mennon marveled over the pitching of Gearity, who had pitched the Indians over the Rangers team he coached in the Brick American Little League playoff championship game. Gearity struck out 11 and walked two, and helped his own cause with two doubles.

Ryan Charterina smacked two hits and batted in a run, and Andrew Nelson lined a run-scoring double as Brick American scored a run in the first, two more in the third and the final run in the sixth inning. Brian Duckworth chipped in two hits.

Cutter struck out seven Hamilton Township batters and walked two. His grand slam came in a five-run fifth inning. Nelson collected three hits and drove in a run. Duckworth had two hits.

Brick National on Saturday beat Toms River East American, 5-2, and Toms River American, 6-2.