GMC Tourney 1st Round

Staff Report
SOUTH PLAINFIELD 3, NORTH BRUNSWICK 2: Sophomore A.J. Celentano’s two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the seventh lifted sixth-seeded South Plainfield into a Saturday quarterfinal matchup with third-seeded Middlesex. Stephen Petriello, who was intentionally walked, moving Taylor Born and the winning run to second, walked three times and had a hit. South Plainfield is 17-7.

Saturday - Quarterfinals
At Community Park, North Brunswick
11 a.m.
(9) Edison vs. (1) Sayreville, Field 2
(5) Dunellen vs. (4) St. Joe's, Field 1
2 p.m.
(10) Monroe vs. (2) Perth Amboy, Field 2
(6) South Plaifield vs. (3) Middlesex, Field 1

By John Haley/For The Star-Ledger 

South Plainfield 3, North Brunswick 2

South Plainfield, which had lost to North Brunswick twice during the season, looked like it would fall for a third time and it looked as though an eight-game winning streak would come to an end.
But in you believe in baseball Gods, then they were on the Tigers' side in this one.
Here's how close they came to losing:
Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh, South Plainfield had a man on first with two outs and an 0-2 count on Taylor Born.
But Born managed to single just in front of the center-fielder to put runners on first and third to keep the inning alive.
When Stephen Petriello had a 3-0 count on him, North Brunswick decided to intentionally walk him, putting the winning run on second base.
On the first pitch thrown to him, A.J. Celantano hit a line drive to center. The center-fielder made a dive for the ball, according to South Plainfield coach Anthony Guida, but he could only get his glove on it as it dropped in for the game-winning hit as two runs scored.
Wow!

STATE TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS
The NJSIAA Thursday announced the pairings for the state baseball tournament that will begin Monday. Games will be played at the sites of the higher-seeded teams. Seedings precede the teams.
The six state championship games -- four public school groups and two non-public groups -- will be played Saturday, June 9.

NORTH JERSEY, SECTION 2

GROUP 3
16-Ferris at 1-Cranford
9-Scotch Plains-Fanwood at 8-Barringer
12-Morristown at 5-Nutley
13-Warren Hills at 4-South Plainfield
14-Parsippany Hills at 3-Millburn
11-Chatham at 6-Mendham
10-Somerville at 7-Iselin Kennedy
15-Belleville at 2-West Morris