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Brick Bullies: Motivated Mustangs Open 2026 With Statement vs. Toms River East

Matt Manley|March 31, 2026|Last Updated March 31, 2026

BRICK TWP. — On the heels of what could reasonably be described as the best season in program history, the Brick Memorial baseball team opened its 2026 season Monday and it did not get off to an ideal start.

On the third batter of the game, Mustangs’ junior workhorse pitcher Zach Pirnik served up a long home run to Toms River East senior rightfielder Lucas Melton to put his team behind by a run.

As it turns out, there was not a better pitcher than the unflappable Pirnik to deal with the early hiccup and there may not be a Shore Conference lineup more equipped to demoralize an opponent, which the Mustangs hitters did from their first trip to the plate.

Despite the first-inning solo homer, Pirnik struck out the side in the first, went on to pitch a three-hitter with 10 strikeouts and watched as his offense overwhelmed a sloppy Toms River East squad, 16-1, in five innings, capped by a 12-run fourth inning to blow open the game.

Melton crushed a 3-2 fastball from Pirnik in the top of the first for a 1-0 lead, a no-doubt shot into the parking lot at Brick’s American Legion complex across the street from the high school. Pirnik later got Melton into the same 3-1 count, again blew a fastball by him, but instead of going back to the heater, Pirnik threw the slider and got one of of his 10 strikeouts. Pirnik also did not walk a batter in the game.

“They just allow me to be comfortable,” Pirnik said of his offense. “I gave up the home run. It’s one pitch and you’ve got to get past it. I got us back in the dugout and watched the guys put up four runs. The numbers say it all. You’re able to go out in that second inning with a lead, you can just throw the pitch you want to throw because you have that lead.”

Brick Memorial junior Zach Pirnik. (Photo: Tom Smith | tspsportsimages.com) - Brick Memorial Zach Pirnik

Brick Memorial junior Zach Pirnik. (Photo: Tom Smith | tspsportsimages.com)

“That’s Pirnik,” Brick Memorial senior shortstop Tyler Garbooshian said. “He just keeps going. That was a great swing, a great hit by Melton and for him to come back out the rest of the game and he didn’t give up much of anything the rest of the game.”

Pirnik’s performance was in line with the All-Shore sophomore season he had in 2025, when he went 9-3 with a 1.96 ERA and wins over Christian Brothers Academy and Red Bank Catholic in the final two rounds of the Shore Conference Tournament.

“Zach is a stud,” Brick Memorial coach Evan Rizzitello said. “He doesn’t get all the attention because you don’t look at him and assume he is a big-time pitcher. He doesn’t throw as hard as some other guys but he gets the job done every time.”

The Brick Memorial offense, meanwhile, responded to an early deficit like the battle-tested, senior-led team that the Mustangs are, then finished the game like a juggernaut would.

In the bottom of the first, senior catcher Joe McGlynn and Garbooshian both reached, then senior Dan Golembieski brought them both home with a booming double to the right-centerfield fence. After Toms River East took a 1-0 lead three batters in the top of the first, Brick Memorial had a 2-1 lead and still none out.

Senior second baseman Trevor Kish roped an RBI single into left field and sophomore Jack Moriarty made it 4-1 with a sacrifice fly to cap the first-inning rally. Over the next two innings, both Pirnik and Toms River East senior starter James Whalen settled into their starts and carried the same 4-1 score into the fourth. Pirnik, for his part, put up another zero in the top of the fourth, which started with a strikeout of Melton on the 3-2 slider.

In the bottom of the fourth, Brick Memorial turned a game it had under control into an opening-day boat race. It started with a hit-by-pitch and a walk, followed by a dropped fly ball to deep center by junior Michael Figner that brought home a pare of runs. Senior Gavin McCue followed with an RBI single, which marked the end of the day for Whalen.

Senior left-hander Jonathan Pallman struck out McGlynn — who hit better than .500 in 2025 — for the first out, but Garbooshian lined a shot over shortstop and legged out a two-run double for an 8-1 lead. Garbooshian later scored on a sacrifice fly by Kish for a 9-1 lead and Brick Memorial went up by 10 when senior Brody Moore stole third and Golembiewski, who started the play at third base, scored on an errant back pick to third base. Moore also came around to score on the throw into leftfield for an 11-1 lead.

Sophomores Matt McGlynn and Moriarty followed with back-to-back doubles and Joe McGlynn delivered a two-run single with bases loaded for a 15-1 lead after the 13th run scored on a wild pitch. Garbooshian capped the rally with an RBI single for his third RBI of the game. The rally finally ended with Brick Memorial’s 17th batter of the inning.

Brick Memorial senior Trevor Kish. (Photo: Tom Smith | tspsportsimages.com) - Brick Memorial Trevor Kish

Brick Memorial senior Trevor Kish. (Photo: Tom Smith | tspsportsimages.com)

Matt McGlynn and Moriarty each doubled in their first varsity starts as sophomores, while the rest of the lineup was comprised of seniors and varsity returnees. Joe McGlynn, Garbooshian and Golembiewski were all All-Shore hitters in 2025, with Moore earning an SSI All-Shore nod as a pitcher who also hit in the top six of the order throughout the year. Kish is a new senior in the starting lineup, while both Figner and McCue started games in the outfield for the Mustangs a year ago.

Pirnik then finished off a 72-pitch complete game and figures to be fresh for a Saturday showdown with Manasquan or next week’s Class A South division clash with Wall. Brick Memorial will hand the ball to its other All-Shore left-hander, Moore, for Wednesday’s game two vs. the Raiders in Toms River.

“With Zach and Brody, we can go either way,” Rizzitello said. “With Zach on the mound and Brody in the outfield, I think that’s probably our best lineup, but I feel great giving either one of those guys the ball. They’re not the most outspoken, but they have earned the respect of the young guys just with their performance. Whether they are saying stuff or not, the kids follow along.”

Monday’s onslaught was the work of a team fixated on building on last year’s 22-7, which included a Class A South championship and first ever Shore Conference Tournament title for Brick Memorial. It also included a loss to Toms River East in the Ocean County Tournament championship game and ended with a loss to Northern Burlington in the Central Jersey Group III final. Northern Burlington also beat Toms River East in the following round and went on to claim the overall Group III title.

“We never really had the success that we had last season so to come out, prove everyone wrong and do it was a huge thing for us,” Garbooshian said. “It feels like we have been there and now, we’re just taking care of business. We feel like we should win every game we play and that’s the confidence we have.”

“You don’t want to seem too greedy, but those are two games we’d like to have back, especially because we felt like we didn’t play our best in either game,” Rizzitello said. “It happens, but with the way last year went, we’re really focused going into this year. With some of the guys we have back — some of them have been starting for four years now — they should be able to keep everybody under wraps and understand that you can’t get too high, you can’t get too low and I think they’re prepared to handle success and also bounce back.”

Now, a program that entered last season on a 10-game losing streak in NJSIAA Tournament games, including nine straight first-round exits, is focused on winning another championship that Brick Memorial has never held.

“We know who we lost to and we want them again,” Garbooshian said. “We don’t want anyone else. We’re looking to play them here (at home) this year and win it all.”

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