Old Bridge vs. South Plainfield for Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament championship

By JOSH ROSENFELD,

 May 31, 2011 5:34 p.m.

When Mike Anastasio convened his Old Bridge baseball team in early March, he asked them to write down their goals for the season.

One goal was universal.

"We wanted to put a banner in our gym," Anastasio said, noting there are no banners celebrating titles won by the baseball team on walls filled with banners for other sports. "We've got a chance of doing so so we're all geared up."

Old Bridge (17-10) will attempt to secure a banner emblematic of the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament championship Wednesday night at 7 in East Brunswick when it takes on South Plainfield (21-7), winner of 12 in a row heading into Tuesday's state tournament game against Mendham.

Old Bridge's quest for a state title was derailed by Hillsborough last week so this is its last chance to decorate the gym walls.

Anastasio got his first look at South Plainfield, which is ranked No. 20 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, when it erupted for seven runs in the sixth inning to finally subdue Perth Amboy, 11-5, in the second semifinal last Saturday, after Old Bridge relied on small ball to defeat St. Joseph of Metuchen, 6-1.

"I had heard all year that they have some good hitters," Anastasio said. "It's one thing to hear about but when you see it, wow. They swing the bat, it's pretty incredible."

When asked to compare the teams South Plainfield coach Anthony Guida referred to an old adage.

"Good pitching usually beats good hitting," Guida said. "They can pitch. We know we have our work cut out for us."

Anastasio doesn't necessarily feel that that adage is appropriate here.

"I may be biased but I think our pitching is better than good," Anastasio said. "And I think their hitting is a lot better than good."

Anastasio plans on starting Rutgers-bound senior Jon Young (8-2, 1.77) to tame a South Plainfield attack that is heating up at the right time. Young is batting .373, second on the team behind Vin Dacunto (.377), leads with four home runs and shares the RBI lead with Alejandro Diaz at 17.

South Plainfield boats five players with 20 or more RBI and each of them has been on fire lately. Dan Hansen had the first two-home run game of his career in Saturday's semifinals, Brandon Downes and Stephen Petriello have been on a tear at the 3-4 slots and lead-off hitter Mark Tomei is batting .505 with 56 hits, including 20 doubles, five triples and eight home runs.

"They mash. What we do, you can't call mashing," Anastasio said. "It's the slugger vs. the fighter. Those guys can knock you out, we're going to have to peck away."

http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/573405329683838364/old-bridge-vs-south-plainfield-for-greater-middlesex-conference-tournament-championship/

THE STAR-LEDGER TOP 20
1-Don Bosco Prep (25-0)
2-Gloucester Catholic (26-2)
3-Red Bank Catholic (23-2)
4-Manalapan (25-2)
5-Jackson (20-3)
6-St. Augustine (22-3)
7-Westfield (22-4)
8-Seton Hall Prep (20-5)
9-Pope John (21-4-1)
10-Ramapo (21-5)
11-Millburn (22-5)
12-West Essex (19-2)
13-Gov. Livingston (22-6)
14-Voorhees (17-3)
15-Steinert (23-3)
16-Robbinsville (23-3)
17-Cranford (20-5)
18-Brick (20-4)
19-Hackettstown (19-1)
20-South Plainfield (20-7)

http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/-8514885323479066793/a-look-at-the-state-baseball-tournament-don-bosco-prep-still-atop-top-20/

Game 29: Mendham 10, South Plainfield 6 (State Tournament)

NORTH 2 GROUP III
MENDHAM 10, SOUTH PLAINFIELD 6:

Senior Brandon Downes went 2-for-3 with a run scored and sophomore Quinn Cochrane went 2-for-4 with a double and three runs scored for South Plainfield.
Junior outfielder Mark Tomei belted a solo homer in the third inning for the third-seeded Tigers (21-8).

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20110531/NJSPORTS0130/105310319/HNT-BASEBALL-Perth-Amboy-shuts-out-Woodbridge-advance

Mendham (10) at South Plainfield (6), NJSIAA Tournament, Semifinal Round, North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 - Baseball

The Star Ledger, May 31, 2011 9:23 p.m.

Casey Meyers belted the first pitch he saw in the seventh inning over the centerfield fence for a three-run home run to give upset-driven Mendham a 7-5 lead against South Plainfield, No. 20 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 semifinals in South Plainfield.
Nick McGuire finished 3-for-4 with a two-run home run and junior lefty Dan Dessel scattered 10 hits, struck out three and did not issue a walk for Mendham (12-14), which won for the fourth time in its last five games. During that stretch, Mendham knocked off the defending Group 3 state champion, 17th-ranked Cranford, 7-3, last Friday in the state quarterfinals. Mark Tomei had a solo home run while Brandon Downes and Stephen Petriello finished with two hits apiece for South Plainfield (21-8), which had its 12-game winning streak snapped.

http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/-2054266813684093477/mendham-10-at-south-plainfield-6-njsiaa-tournament-semifinal-round-north-jersey-section-2-group-3-baseball/

Game 28: South Plainfield 11, Perth Amboy 5 (GMC Tournament)

THE STAR-LEDGER, May 28, 2011 5:30 p.m.

South Plainfield surprised No. 18 Perth Amboy, 11-5, as South Plainfield scored seven runs in the sixth inning. Dan Hansen hit two homers and finished with six RBI, Mark Tomei hit a three-run homer and Quinn Cochrane a solo shot for South Plainfield. FULL STORIES COMING SOON

http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/-8356507117616234722/seton-hall-prep-wins-79th-greater-newark-tournament-old-bridge-south-plainfield-advances-in-gmct-semifinals-on-baseball-diamond-saturday/

Details to follow.....

South Plainfield (11) at Perth Amboy (5), Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament, Semifinal Round - Baseball

The Star Ledger, May 28, 2011 9:33 p.m.

By Josh Rosenfeld

Midnight struck during the sixth inning for Cinderella, clad in Perth Amboy red on this summer-like afternoon.
Despite the absence of its top three pitchers, all victims to inning restrictions as a result of its 17-inning marathon on Wedneday, top-seed Perth Amboy found itself clinging to a one-run lead heading into the sixth inning of its Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament semifinal-round game with South Plainfield.
South Plainfield (21-7) erupted for seven runs in that frame on a three-run homer by Mark Tomei, another by Dan Hansen, who also homered earlier, and a solo shot by Quinn Cochrane to rally for an 11-5 victory yesterday at East Brunswick Tech.
Fourth-seeded South Plainfield ran its winning streak to 12 games and earned a berth opposite second-seeded Old Bridge (17-10), a 6-1 winner over St. Joseph, in the GMC championship game Wednesday at 7 p.m. at East Brunswick High School.
Hansen, better known for his pitching skills, was 3-for-4 with six RBI for South Plainfield. He singled in two runs in the first, drew South Plainfield within a run with a solo shot in the fifth and clubbed the three-run shot for a 10-5 lead in the sixth.
"It was crazy. I was going up there the entire game just looking to get a base hit on the ground somewhere and ended up with two home runs," said Hansen, who had never homered twice in a varsity game before. "I can't believe it."
Outfielder Jose Hernandez made his first start on the mound for the depleted Perth Amboy staff and yielded three unearned runs in the first before tossing three shutout innings. Perth Amboy (21-4) took a 5-3 lead by scoring four times in the fourth on an RBI single by Yon Jerry Perez, who had the game-winning hit in Wednesday's 2-1 epic victory over Sayreville, and a two-run double by pinch-hitter Tilson Brito.
"Jose Hernandez did exactly what we needed him to do. He should be proud of himself," Perth Amboy coach Ernie Kregeloh said. "Our pitchers carried us all year. Today, it had to be the bats and the gloves and we scored five runs."
Hansen made it 5-4 with a solo shot to right in the fifth and South Plainfield's sixth began with a single up the middle by Rob Eggert and a four-pitch walk to nine-hitter Ryan Marcoux with the .500-hitting Tomei coming to bat.
"The whole game I was popping it up, hitting little ground balls," Tomei said. "I was just thinking about getting as much power as I could on it, and I just hit it over the fence."
Tomei clubbed his team-leading eighth home run of the season to right center, putting South Plainfield on top to stay at 7-5 with the three-run blast. Hernandez induced a grounder to second before a catastrophic three-pitch sequence in which Brandon Downes doubled, Stephen Petriello received an automatic intentional walk, and Hansen and Cochrane homered on successive first pitches.
"He was only throwing fastballs and we recognized it and just kept on hitting it," Hansen said.
Sixth-seeded St. Joseph (17-9) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Matt Hratko drilled his team-leading eighth home run of the season to left, homering for the fourth game in a row. That was all of the scoring St. Joseph could muster off of Taylor Amato (5-6), who scattered five hits and struck out seven while walking one.
Old Bridge quickly assumed the lead by scoring four runs in the bottom of the first, the biggest blow being a two-run infield single by Briajhn Knoth that never made it past the infield grass with Vin Dacunto motoring home from second.
"We usually score late and its kind of nerve-wracking in the middle innings when we're down, so scoring early definitely boosted our morale," Amato said. "Once he hit the home run I knew I had to zone in."
Old Bridge tacked on single runs in the second and third, using four consecutive singles to plate Amato in the second, including a hit on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Nick Santurro. Knoth led off the third with a single, stole second, took third on a sacrifice by Payam Agha Ghassem and scored the final run of the game on a single by George Pagan.
"I knew we were going to have to bunt, hit-and-run and steal and do all of that stuff," Old Bridge coach Mike Anastasio said. "We just put some good swings on the ball early."
And South Plainfield, is opponent in Wednesday's championship game, put some good swings on the ball late.

http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/-2054267813693093467/south-plainfield-11-at-perth-amboy-5-greater-middlesex-conference-tournament-semifinal-round-baseball/

Baseball: South Plainfield rallies to reach GMCT final

Staff Report
By Greg Tufaro
May 28, 2011

Knowing its opponent's pitching staff was completely depleted, the South Plainfield High School baseball team intended to reach Perth Amboy starter Jose Hernandez early.
The senior right-hander, who hurled just three varsity innings in his career, was forced to take the hill because the Panthers entered Saturday's Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament semifinal against the Tigers having played 31 innings the previous three days.
South Plainfield couldn't reach Hernandez until the sixth inning when it parlayed three homers into a tide-turning seven-run rally en route to an 11-5 comeback victory at East Brunswick Tech.
The fourth-seeded Tigers (21-7), who extended their winning streak to 12 games, will face second-seeded Old Bridge for the GMCT championship at 7 p.m. Wednesday at East Brunswick High School.
Perth Amboy used up all the available innings of its three-man starting rotation during a three-game stretch last week including Wednesday's 2-1 GMCT quarterfinal victory over Sayreville, Thursday's 6-3 win over Perth Amboy Tech and Friday's 6-5 comeback victory over Edison in the North 2 Group IV Tournament.
The Panthers (21-4) swept the regular-season series with South Plainfield, rallying for two comeback victories.
They appeared to be on their way to a third straight comeback win Saturday when pinch hitter Tilson Brito's two-RBI double highlighted a four-run rally that gave the Panthers a 5-3 lead in the fourth.
"I told our guys Perth Amboy played (the equivalent of) five games in three days," South Plainfield coach Anthony Guida said. "That's going to take a toll on them. They've also beat us twice this year. They can do it again. Let's make sure that does not happen. I said they don't have much after (Hernandez). Three of their pitchers cannot throw. I said let's get to him. It took a while."
Perth Amboy spotted South Plainfield a 3-0 lead in the top of the first as the Tigers scored all of their runs with two outs following an infield error. Dan Hansen, who finished 3-for-4 with two homers and six RBI, fueled the outburst with a two-run single.
The Panthers scored an unearned run of their own in the first, trimming the deficit to 3-1.
South Plainfield, which stranded five runners over the first two innings, failed to pad its lead in the second, leaving the bases loaded without scoring a run. A spectacular defensive play in the ensuing inning ended another rally as the Panthers recorded an 8-5-4 double play to escape another jam.
Hansen's solo homer in the fifth trimmed Perth Amboy's lead to 5-4. Hernandez, who went the distance, throwing 106 pitches, appeared to have lost some velocity on his fastball at that point.
The strong-armed right fielder-turned pitcher allowed the first two batters to reach in the sixth. Both moved into scoring position on a wild pitch.
With first base open and leadoff batter Mark Tomei, the league's leading hitter with 56 hits, at the plate, Perth Amboy could have called for an intentional walk. Hernandez instead pitched to Tomei, who deposited his first pitch — a belt-high fastball — over the right-center field fence for a three-run homer and a 7-5 South Plainfield lead.
"When I saw Tomei coming up, I was like, this is where we want to be," Guida said. "We've got a pretty good shot. We always feel good with the top of our lineup coming up, not just Tomei."
Brandon Downes followed with a double. With first base open, Hernandez intentionally walked cleanup batter Stephen Petriello to pitch to Hansen, who deposited his initial offering — another belt-high fastball — over the right-center field fence for another three-run homer and a 10-5 advantage.
Designated hitter Quinn Cochrane homered on the very next pitch to produce the final margin. Hernandez was never chased because Perth Amboy had just one available arm, that of freshman Jose Ortiz, who had never thrown a varsity inning.
Perth Amboy chased South Plainfield starter Ryan Hutchinson after the first four batters reached safely to start the fourth. Reliever Nick DeMarco, South Plainfield's closer, hurled four scoreless innings to record the victory. The stint was his longest of the season.

Greg Tufaro: gtufaro@njpressmedia.com

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20110528/NJSPORTS0130/105280310/Baseball-South-Plainfield-rallies-reach-GMCT-final

Middlesex: GMC Semifinal Preview; Strong GMC Showing In States

Published: Friday, May 27, 2011, 11:23 PM     Updated: Saturday, May 28, 2011, 12:05 AM

 By Josh Rosenfeld/For The Star-Ledger The Star-Ledger

GREATER MIDDLESEX CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
SATURDAY, MAY 28
SEMIFINALS
AT EAST BRUNSWICK TECH

12:00  6-St. Joseph vs. 2-Old Bridge
Overview:

 

St. Joseph's Andrew Hille threw a two-hitter at Old Bridge on April 26. (Andrew Mills/The Star-Ledger)

St. Joseph: The Falcons have won seven of their last nine outings and the two losses were of the quality variety: 4-3 to fellow semi-finalist South Plainfield, winner of 11 in a row, and Monday to No. 6 Pope John, 10-5.  Dolan (6-2, 1.18), the likely starter, has been unhittable lately yielding six hits, one run and three walks in 13 innings over his last two starts while striking out 24. Hille (4-3) pitched his best game of the year against Old Bridge in his two-hit effort. Balance has been the key on offense as seven different players have double-digit RBI totals yet none above the 18 of Matt Hratko, who leads the team with seven home runs, and Dom Forcella, who leads with a .427 batting average.

 

Alejandro Diaz is a weapon at the plate or on the mound for Old Bridge. (Andrew Mills/The Star-Ledger)

Old Bridge: The Knights have alternated between wins and losses over their last 10 games although they’re due for a win having lost their last outing to Monroe, 2-0, on Thursday. Pitching depth is its greatest strength with three proven starters in Jon Young (8-2, 1.77), Taylor Amato (4-6, 4.45) and Hondo Diaz (2-1, 2.33). Old Bridge is batting .288 as a team and slugging at a .369 rate. Vin Dacunto leads the team with a .390 batting average while Young has hit four of the Knights’ six home runs (Diaz has the other two), leads with 17 RBI and is batting. 375.

The teams split a pair of one-run decisions April 25-26, Old Bridge winning the first in Metuchen, 2-1, St. Joseph winning the second at Old Bridge, 4-3. St. Joseph’s Brandon Dolan took a no-hitter into the sixth inning of the first game and teammate Andrew Hille fired a two-hitter in the second. St. Joseph, seeded 10th, defeated fourth-seeded Old Bridge, 3-2, in the GMC title game on June 1, 2008. St. Joseph defeated Msgr. Donovan, 5-0, in a first round Non-Public A South contest Friday while Old Bridge was eliminated from the Central Jersey, Group 4 bracket by Hillsborough, 5-3, on Monday.St. Joseph, 4-2.


Prediction: Old Bridge may have more pitching but St. Joseph has the better one if Dolan is on the mound. If he is,

2:30 (approx.) 4-South Plainfield vs. 1-Perth Amboy
Overview: Perth Amboy swept their back-to-back White Division games, rallying from a 7-2 deficit to win in South Plainfield on April 14, 10-8, then prevailing the following day in 10 innings at Rudyk Park, 10-9. Both teams won state tournament games Friday, South Plainfield topping Belleville, 9-4, and Perth Amboy rallying to defeat Edison, 6-5. Perth Amboy is still dealing with the aftershocks from Wednesday’s 17-inning, 2-1 win over Sayreville in the quarterfinals of the GMC Tournament and the ramifications of that marathon on its pitching staff.

 

South Plainfield's AJ Celentano stretches for a throw at first in Wednesday's GMC quarterfinal victory over Woodbridge. (William Perlman/The Star-Ledger)

South Plainfield: The GMC’s hottest team has won 11 in a row. The Tigers have been on fire at the plate as they showed Wednesday when they lit up Woodbridge ace Nick Stallone for nine hits and six runs over four innings in a six-inning 11-1 victory in the GMC quarterfinals. Mark Tomei, batting .509 with 54 hits including 20 doubles, five triples and seven home runs, had a double, triple and home run against Woodbridge and doubled twice Friday. Brandon Downes went 3-for-4 with two RBI against Woodbridge while Stephen Petriello had driven in seven runs in the last two games to raise his team-leading total to 29. Dan Hansen (6-1) looked sharp Wednesday against Woodbridge as he retired the last seven batters he faced.

 Perth Amboy's Fernando Rosa gets some love from a teammate after scoring in a game against Woodbridge earlier this season. (Ben Solomon/For The Star-Ledger)

Perth Amboy: Emilio Calderon (11-1), Fernando Rosa (4-0) and Wonder Ortega (5-2)

are all ineligible to pitch due to Wednesday’s marathon so coach Ernie Kregeloh will likely call on right fielder Jose Hernandez, who earned a save in Friday’s state tournament win over Edison, to start. Perth Amboy is on a pretty good run of its own having won nine in a row. Catcher Anderon Rosa leads the attack with a .512 batting average, 42 hits, eight home runs and 32 RBI, while his cousin, Fernando Rosa, is hitting .444. Outfielder Ismael Paulino has 31 RBI and bats .425.

Prediction: The teams have won 20 consecutive games between them but Perth Amboy appears to be in trouble without any of its top pitchers to contain South Plainfield’s mighty attack. South Plainfield, 8-5.
 
GMC RULES!: Great showing by GMC schools in the state tournament Friday, compiling a 9-2 record. And one of those losses was to another GMC school when Perth Amboy rallied to beat Edison.

http://www.nj.com/hssports/blog/baseball/index.ssf/2011/05/middlesex_gmc_semifinal_preview_strong_gmc_showing_in_states.html

Game 27: South Plainfield 9, Belleville 4 (State Tournament)

 

Belleville (4) at South Plainfield (9), NJSIAA Tournament, Quarterfinal Round, North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 - Baseball

The Star Ledger, May 27, 2011 10:53 p.m.

Stephen Petriello doubled home two runs and scored on an infield error as South Plainfield (20-7) scored three runs in the bottom of the first and cruised to its 11th consecutive victory in the quarterfinal round of the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 playoffs in South Plainfield. Mark Tomei went 3-for-5 with two doubles to give him 54 hits and 20 two-base hits this season. South Plainfield's Quinn Cochrane and Robert Eggert each had three singles and scored a run in support of Charlie Huber (6-1). Mike Cazli went 2-for-3 with a two-run single for Belleville (10-17) while Jonathan Caraballo singled twice and scored a run. South Plainfield will be the host to Mendham, a 7-3 upset winner over the defending Group 3 state champion, No. 10 Cranford, in the sectional semifinal on Tuesday.
 

http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/-2054268813694093478/belleville-4-at-south-plainfield-9-njsiaa-tournament-quarterfinal-round-north-jersey-section-2-group-3-baseball/

 

STAFF REPORT

May 27, 2011

North 2 Group 3

SOUTH PLAINFIELD 9, BELLEVILLE 4:

Mark Tomei went 3-for-5, including two doubles and two runs scored, in the 11th straight win for South Plainfield.

Stephen Petriello drove in two runs and scored two runs as well while going 2-for-3 with a single and double for the Tigers (20-7).

Charlie Huber (6-1) went six innings, allowing four runs, one earned, on nine hits with two strikeouts.

The Tigers will host Mendham in Tuesday's semifinals

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20110527/NJSPORTS0130/105270322/HNT-BASEBALL-ROUNDUP-Done-helps-Perth-Amboy-victory-North-2-Group-IV

Baseball - 2011 NJSIAA Tournament - North 2, Group 3

State Tournament Bracket:

http://highschoolsports.nj.com/tournament/8438/

Preliminary results as of 5/27/2011 - 8:00 p.m.:

FINAL SCORES:

NORTH JERSEY, SECTION 2

GROUP 3

Millburn 2, West Morris 0
Somerville 17, Iselin Kennedy 10
South Plainfield 9, Belleville 4
Mendham 7, Cranford 3

High School Top Performer - Week 8: Mark Tomei (baseball), South Plainfield

Mark Tomei of South Plainfield is The Star-Ledger's top performer for baseball this week. (William Perlman/The Star-Ledger)

High School Top Performer - Week 8: Mark Tomei (baseball), South Plainfield

Published: Thursday, May 26, 2011, 12:01 AM
By Josh Rosenfeld/For The Star-Ledger The Star-Ledger

MARK TOMEI, SOUTH PLAINFIELD
Junior outfielder, 5-9, 185 pounds

Just the stats: The leadoff hitter, who batted ninth last season as a sophomore, hit his seventh home run of the season in South Plainfield's 7-1, opening-round victory in the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 playoffs on Monday, its ninth consecutive victory. Prior to that, on Saturday he went 7-for-9 with five doubles as South Plainfield won a Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament first-round game against J.P. Stevens and then defeated Toms River South, ranked No. 9 in The Star-Ledger Top 20 at the time, in a regular-season contest. For the season, Tomei is batting an even .500 with 48 hits in 96 at-bats, 17 doubles, four triples and seven RBI. He has a .543 on base percentage and .979 slugging for a 1.522 OPS.

Thoughts on the season: "I knew we probably weren't going to be as good as we were last year (25-3), but I knew we were going to stick in there. We have a nine-game winning streak and we're going to just keep cruising. Batting leadoff I didn’t think I was going to get that many hits. My main focus is hitting and how the team is doing."

Coach's comments: "He plays hard every pitch. He will get very upset when he does not get a hit, and will play that way the entire game. He does not care who is on the mound, what team is on the other side. He's able to hit the ball hard somewhere, he doesn't swing at bad balls and he's going to work the count until he gets his pitches. We feel very comfortable when he's at the plate." -- South Plainfield coach Anthony Guida.

Favorite athlete: Jets linebacker Bart Scott. "My uncle does landscaping and worked on his house and Bart Scott invited me over to his house a couple of weeks ago to talk about baseball and other things. He's real respectable, one of the funniest guys I know."

Favorite team: Yankees.

Favorite TV show: Comedy Central's Tosh.O. "It's just funny, it makes me laugh a lot."

Favorite movie: "Clash of the Titans." "I like action movies and that movie's just all-around good."

Favorite actor: Will Ferrell.

Favorite type of music: "Whatever comes on. I like any kind of music, it doesn’t really matter."

Favorite musical artist: Lil Wayne.

Last song I played on my iPod: "John," by Lil Wayne.

Favorite food: Pasta, elbow macaroni.

Favorite school subject: History. "It's just interesting to learn about all of the things that happened back in the day."

Favorite teacher: Mr. Holt, history. "He's just one of those teachers that's laid back but gets the work done."

Pregame rituals: "Usually before a game I’ll zone out and think about everything that's going to happen during the game."

Super power: "To be the strongest person in the world, like the Incredible Hulk."

Dinner for 3: "My grandfather on my father's side, who died the week before I was born, Bart Scott and Derek Jeter."

College plans: "I'm just waiting for what this season brings, see what colleges call me. I know there's a lot of pro and college scouts coming to our games."

In 10 years: "Hopefully I will fulfill my dream of being a professional baseball player."

http://www.nj.com/hs-athlete-of-the-week/index.ssf/2011/05/top_performer_-_week_9_mark_tomei_baseball_south_plainfield.html

Game 26: South Plainfield 11, Woodbridge 1 (GMC Tournament)

MY CENTRAL JERSEY PHOTO GALLERY LINK:

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=CN&Dato=20110525&Kategori=MULTIMEDIA05&Lopenr=105250803&Ref=PH&odyssey=mod|galleriespic

Tomei leads South Plainfield to 10th straight win

Written by GREG TUFARO
May 25, 2011

Leadoff hitter Mark Tomei batted ninth in the South Plainfield High School baseball team's order a year ago.

The senior left fielder's productivity from the top spot this season is a major reason why the Tigers extended their winning streak to 10 games with an 11-1 victory over Woodbridge in the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament quarterfinals at East Brunswick High School on Wednesday.

South Plainfield (19-7) will face Perth Amboy or Sayreville in Saturday's GMCT semifinals at East Brunswick Tech.

Tomei, who is batting just above .500 with a conference-leading 51 hits, went 3-for-5 with a triple, two RBI and three runs scored to help the fourth-seeded Tigers advance.

"During scrimmages we were trying to find someone to lead off because I knew without our guys from last year, someone was going to have to take that spot," South Plainfield coach Anthony Guida said of moving Tomei from the nine spot.

"We threw him in there the last couple scrimmages and he stayed there and he ain't moving. He's doing a fantastic job. He's been our guy. He's the guy that we are excited to have at the plate. He doesn't get cheated. He's been in a zone for weeks."

Tomei set the tone for a 15-hit assault, leading off the home first with a triple and scoring on Brandon Downes' single to left.

The 2010 GMC Player of the Year, Downes, too, has been on a tear of late after getting off to a slow start this season. He singled in his first three trips Wednesday, raising his average near the .400 mark.

The game was billed as a pitcher's duel between South Plainfield ace Dan Hansen (6-1) and counterpart Nick Stallone (8-2), but only Hansen was able to fulfill that promise.

The teams split a doubleheader to start the 2011 season. Hansen was the winning pitcher in the opener, a 10-0 mercy-rule win. Stallone went the distance in the nightcap, tossing six shutout innings before working out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh to preserve a 6-5 victory.

Hansen, a senior left-hander, scattered three hits over five innings Wednesday before giving way to reliever Nick DeMarco, who threw a scoreless sixth. Hansen surrendered an unearned run in the second when Jesse Lammers plated Kyle Anderson, who reached on an error, with a single to left, making the score 1-1.

DeMarco, who has been South Plainfield's closer during its winning streak, actually ended Wednesday's game with his bat, invoking the mercy-rule on an RBI single with the bases loaded in the home sixth.

Batterymate Stephen Petriello highlighted a four-run rally in the sixth with a three-run homer over the left-field fence. His blast gave the Tigers a 10-1 lead.

South Plainfield scored single runs in the first, third and fifth innings. The Tigers took a 4-1 lead in the second with a three-run rally.

Stallone, a senior right-hander, threw 89 pitches before being lifted after four innings with the eighth-seeded Barrons (19-6) trailing 6-1. He walked four and hit a batter.

Stallone and two relievers combined to work out of trouble all day, forcing the Tigers to strand nine runners. South Plainfield left the bases loaded twice.

"We happened to get a couple of timely hits (late)," Guida said. "We were expecting a pitching duel, and I think that's what we got for the first three or four innings."

Now that the Tigers, who lost in the GMCT quarterfinals and sectional semifinals last year, are in the postseason, Guida has altered his club's philosophy.

"We play to win but this time of the year we've got to win to play," he said. "So we've just got to continue to win."

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20110525/NJSPORTS0130/105250323/Tomei-leads-South-Plainfield-10th-straight-win

Star Ledger/NJ.COM Photo Gallery Link:

http://photos.nj.com/4504/gallery/gmc_baseball_quarterfinal_between_south_plainfield_and_woodbridge/index.html

South Plainfields Ryan Marcoux (9) makes the play at 2nd base on Woodbridges James Lyczkowski (8) at the GMC baseball quarterfinal between South Plainfield and Woodbridge game in East Brunswick, NJ 5/25/11 (William Perlman/The Star-Ledger)

Dan Hansen (19) of South Plainfield delivers the pitch at the GMC baseball quarterfinal between South Plainfield and Woodbridge game in East Brunswick, NJ 5/25/11 (William Perlman/The Star-Ledger)

South Plainfields AJ Celentano (6) tries to stretch as Woodbridges Kyle Anderson (5) is safe at 1st base at the GMC baseball quarterfinal between South Plainfield and Woodbridge game in East Brunswick, NJ 5/25/11 (William Perlman/The Star-Ledger)

Woodbridges Kyle Anderson (5) tries to get the throw as it hits Ryan Marcoux (9) of South Plainfield as he slides back to 2nd base at the GMC baseball quarterfinal between South Plainfield and Woodbridge game in East Brunswick, NJ 5/25/11 (William Perlman/The Star-Ledger)

South Plainfields AJ Celentano (6) tries to tag out WoodbridgesJesse Lammers (350 as he gets back in timeand is safe at 1st base at the GMC baseball quarterfinal between South Plainfield and Woodbridge game in East Brunswick, NJ 5/25/11 (William Perlman/The Star-Ledger)

Woodbridge (1) at South Plainfield (11), Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament, Quarterfinal Round - Baseball

The Star Ledger, May 25, 2011 9:13 p.m.

By Josh Rosenfeld

Fourth-seeded South Plainfield entered its quarterfinal-round game in the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament with a nine-game winning streak against a fifth-seeded Woodbridge team that had won 17 of 19.
It took South Plainfield only six innings to extend its winning streak to 10 games, as it scored in every inning in handing Woodbridge an 11-1 setback yesterday in East Brunswick.
South Plainfield (19-7) advanced to Saturday's semifinal round by pounding out 15 hits and scoring six runs in four innings off of Woodbridge ace Nick Stallone (8-3), who entered the game with a 1.37 ERA.
"We're starting to come together as a team and we're staring to hit real well," South Plainfield center fielder Brandon Downes said. "We really wanted this game today. We wanted to show that we can beat any team out there and we wanted to show that we could beat their ace."
Downes, who went 3-for-4, hit RBI singles in the first two innings as South Plainfield amassed a 4-0 advantage. Mark Tomei drilled Stallone's first pitch of the contest to deep right center for a triple and also had a single and a double, scoring three times. Steve Petriello drove in four runs, hitting a three-run homer in a four-run fifth that built the lead to 10-1.
"I told them we need at least a five-run lead and we got that, but I still wasn't comfortable," South Plainfield coach Anthoiny Guida said. "Not with their bats. I think that they're a good hitting team. I felt that we really needed to build a big lead and we finally did with Petriello's home run."
South Plainfield's Dan Hansen (6-1) limited Woodbridge (19-6) to three hits and one unearned run over five innings, striking out three and walking two. He retired the last seven batters he faced.
"He was a little shaky by my standards the first couple of innings, but he shut them down 1-2-3 in the fourth," Guida said. "I said 'He's in a zone right now' and that's exactly what it was."
Woodbridge scored its lone run in the second to tie the score at 1-1. Kyle Anderson led off and reached first on an infield error, took second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on Stallone's sacrifice bunt and scored on a single by Jesse Lammers.
South Plainfield closer Nick DeMarco pitched a scoreless sixth inning and brought the game to its early conclusion with a single up the middle that scored Ryan Hutchinson for the final run.



http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/945738186323906590/woodbridge-1-at-south-plainfield-11-greater-middlesex-conference-tournament-quarterfinal-round-baseball/

Rankings for Week of May 23rd, 2011

THE STAR-LEDGER BASEBALL TOP 20

1-Don Bosco Prep (22-0)
2-Gloucester Catholic (25-2)
3-Manalapan (22-1)
4-Red Bank Catholic (20-2)
5-Jackson (16-3)
6-Pope John (18-3-1)
7-St. Augustine (19-3)
8-Robbinsville (21-2)
9-Steinert (22-2)
10-Cranford (19-4)
11-Westfield (19-4)
12-Millburn (20-4)
13-West Essex (17-2)
14-Seton Hall Prep (17-4)
15-Ramapo (18-4)
16-Buena (18-6)
17-Roxbury (18-7)
18-Perth Amboy (17-3)
19-Gov. Livingston (18-6)
20-Voorhees (14-2)

GROUP 3

1-Cranford (19-4)
2-Millburn (20-4)
3-Ramapo (18-4)
4-Paramus (19-4)
5-Montville (18-3)
6-Jackson Liberty (15-5)
7-Highland Reg. (15-3)
8-South Plainfield (17-7)
9-Wayne Hills (17-6)
10-Hopewell Valley (16-7)

MIDDLESEX

1-Perth Amboy (17-3)
2-South Plainfield (17-7)
3-St. Joseph (Met.) (15-7)
4-South Brunswick (15-6)
5-Old Bridge (15-8)
6-Woodbridge (17-5)
7-Monroe (15-5)
8-Sayreville (12-11)
9-Colonia (9-15)
10-Metuchen (15-7-1)


http://www.nj.com/hssports/blog/baseball/index.ssf/2011/05/buena_shocks_the_house_rocks_the_top_20.html

http://s710.photobucket.com/albums/ww110/driftwood22/2011%20SP%20Baseball%20Regular%20Season/

http://www.elijahquest.com/baseball.html

A Big Thank You from the Heart

In the May 20, 2011 edition of the Observer, there was a picture showing the SP High School baseball team with their heads shaved after participating in a breast cancer research fundraiser.  This fundraiser was done on behalf of mothers of SPHS baseball players.  Sadly, breast cancer has touched several families on the high school baseball team and all the boys have been affected by it to some degree. So, for them to want to participate and donate makes me so proud of these boys.  They are very special young men.   

Thank you to Coach Anthony Guida for organizing this event and wanting to do something for breast cancer research.  Also, thank you to all the players and coaches on the JV and Varsity Baseball team who donated what amounted to $500.  I took that money and donated it on Mother’s Day at Somerset Patriots Stadium to Somerset Medical Center –Steeplechase Cancer Center for Breast Cancer.  The Somerset Patriots agreed to match the amount along with my employer’s match for a total of $1,500 being donated to the cancer center.

Not only am I thanking Coach Guida for coming up with the idea, I would also like to thank him and Coach Mosca for joining the boys in shaving their heads.   To the players that shaved their heads:  my son, Stephen Petriello, Danny Hansen, Charlie Huber, Quinn Cochrane, Nick Muglia, Sal Esposito , AJ Celentano, Patrick Boyle, and Taylor Born, thank you from my heart, and make sure you protect those heads! 

Love you boys. 

Lisa Petriello

This week in Middlesex County baseball - Player to Watch - Mark Tomei

This week in Middlesex County baseball

JOSH ROSENFELD, May 23, 2011 8:21 p.m.

PLAYER TO WATCH

After batting ninth last year on a South Plainfield team that featured a pair of All-Middlesex County underclassmen in sluggers in Brandon Downes and Stephen Petriello, Mark Tomei has been a terror at the leadoff spot this spring.

South Plainfield Junior Mark Tomei

(Photo Courtesey of Don Hunsinger)

The junior left fielder is batting .511 with 47 hits in 24 games, including 17 doubles, four triples and six home runs. He has 20 RBI and boasts a .554 on base percentage and .978 slugging for a 1.532 OPS.

South Plainfield (17-7) won twice Saturday. After eliminating J.P. Stevens, 8-3, in the quarterfinal round of the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament, it traipsed down to Toms River, where it trimmed Toms River South, No. 9 in The Star-Ledger Top 20 at the time, 3-2 in 10 innings. Tomei was 7-for-9 in the two contests with five doubles.

TEAM TO WATCH

Count St. Joseph (15-7) as another team that appears to be getting its act together at tournament time. The Metuchen school won four in a row, matching its longest winning streak of the season, heading into Monday’s showdown with No. 6 Pope John of Sparta.

Brandon Dolan (5-2 with four saves in 11 appearances), has been practically untouchable of late, yielding six hits and one run in 13 innings over his last two starts. Dolan has a 1.20 ERA with 73 strikeouts and 17 walks over 52 1/3 innings to anchor a staff with a 2.89 ERA.

Balance has been the key on offense with a lineup that boasts five .300 hitters and seven batters with double-digit RBI. Dom Forcella has gone 5-for-7 over the last two games to raise his team-leading batting average to .414, and he shares the team home run lead (four) with Matt Hratko and the RBI lead (15) with Kevin Mayce.

GAME TO WATCH

The last time Old Bridge (15-8) and South Brunswick (15-6) met, May 13, a share of the Greater Middlesex Conference-Red Division title was at stake. The stakes have risen for their next meeting. They will face off  Wednesday night at Myrtle Field in Metuchen in the quarterfinal round of the GMC Tournament.

The teams split their recent back-to-back meetings with Old Bridge’s 3-1 victory on May 12 giving it the edge in the divisional standings at the time of the tournament seeding meeting. As a result Old Bridge was seeded second while South Brunswick was seeded seventh.

South Brunswick’s 9-8 victory in eight innings the following day in Old Bridge enabled it to share the divisional title with St. Joseph while Old Bridge finished third.

http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/8220638729783261899/this-week-in-middlesex-county-baseball/

JP Stevens game photos posted by Don Hunsinger

Don Hunsinger Photo Gallery of the 5/21/2011 game vs. JP Stevens link:

http://elijahquest.smugmug.com/Baseball/Baseball-2011/SPHS-varsity-vs-JPStevens/17197256_3Xrw7G/#1304331603_2s2VJdr

Game 25: South Plainfield 7, Ferris-Jersey City 1 (State Game)

Game Photos 5/23/2011 Link:
http://s710.photobucket.com/albums/ww110/driftwood22/2011%20SP%20Baseball%20Regular%20Season/5-23-2011%20SP%20vs%20Ferris%20-%20Jersey%20City/

NEXT  STATE GAME VS BELLEVILLE FRIDAY, MAY 27TH

STATE BRACKETS LINK:

http://highschoolsports.nj.com/tournament/8438/

Ferris (1) at South Plainfield (7), NJSIAA Tournament, Final Round, North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 - Baseball

The Star Ledger, May 23, 2011 9:47 p.m.

Dan Hansen cracked a two-run homer, Stephen Petriello stroked an RBI double and Shane O'Connor singled home a run as South Plainfield (18-7) jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning of the first-round contest in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 playoffs in South Plainfield. Brandon Downes belted a two-run homer and Mark Tomei added a solo shot to account for the other runs for South Plainfield, which extended its winning streak to nine games. Charlie Huber (5-1) scattered five hits and struck out six to earn the victory, yielding one unearned run. Jomar Casiano singled and scored that run on an infield error in the sixth for Ferris (6-20). South Plainfield will host Belleville, a 5-1 winner over Warren Hills, in the sectional quarterfinal round on Friday.

http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/945729186211906322/ferris-1-at-south-plainfield-7-njsiaa-tournament-final-round-north-jersey-section-2-group-3-baseball/



Ryan Marcoux

THE CATCH

OF THE  DAY!

 

SOUTH PLAINFIELD 7, FERRIS 1:
Junior catcher Steven Petriello went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI for the Tigers (18-7) while Quinn Cochrane went 2-for-3 with two doubles.
Brandon Downes hit a two-run homer and pitcher Charlie Huber improved to 5-1, giving up five hits and striking out six over six innings. The Tigers will face Belleville in the next round.

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20110523/NJSPORTS0130/105230334/HNT-Baseball-Roundup-Kyle-Dotey-leads-Middlesex-Group-II-victory

TIGER CLAW!