NJSBCA Senior All-Star Game

Congratulations to Stephen Petriello, Mark Tomei & Coach Anthony Guida for being selected to participate in the Senior All-Star game!

By James Kratch/For The Star-Ledger
The New Jersey Scholastic Baseball Coaches Association senior all-star games will be held Thursday night at Diamond Nation in Flemington at 7 p.m.
The Central team is playing the South team and the Northwest squad collides with the Northeast team.
Here is the roster for the Central team:
PITCHERS
Mark Maksimow, Notre Dame
Sam Burum, Robbinsville
Rich Ferguson, Immaculata
Placido Torrez, North Brunswick
Joe Serrapica, Manalapan
Jose Hernandez, Perth Amboy
CATCHERS
Chris Reynolds, St. Rose
Stephen Petriello, South Plainfield
FIRST BASE
Mark Blajsa, Watchung Hills
Andrew Ramey, Gill St. Bernard's
INFIELDERS
Brock Podgurski, Steinert
Kevin Bradley, Hopewell
R.J. Fanelli, Hillsborough
Brett Bonn, Hunterdon Central
Brett Matzen, Ridge
Evan Klimchak, Hunterdon Central
OUTFIELDERS
James Locklear, Steinert
Narcisso Crook, Trenton
Nick Muha, South Brunswick
Jeff Puckett, Dunellen
Mark Tomei, South Plainfield
Brett Ender, Montgomery
DESIGNATED HITTERS
Chris Petiya, Middlesex
Mike Roethke, Immaculata
COACHES
Marty Kenney, Christian Brothers Academy
Ryan Lillis, North Brunswick
Norm Hewitt, Hillsborough
Anthony Guida, South Plainfield
Chris Kenney, East Brunswick
Chris Banos, Dunellen

GMC stars get two chances to shine

Written by Greg Tufaro
Chris Petiya, the state’s leader with 13 home runs, has a penchant for performing on the big stage.
The senior designated hitter/first baseman from Middlesex High School has two more chances to shine before continuing his playing career at Raritan Valley Community College next spring. Petiya is one of seven Greater Middlesex Conference players who will represent their respective schools in both the GMC and New Jersey state baseball coaches association’s senior all-star games.
All proceeds from the GMCBCA Senior All-Star Game benefit Robert Wood Johnson University Children’s Hospital in New Brunswick. The contest will be played 7 p.m. today at East Brunswick High School.
The NJSBCA Senior All-Star Game pits a squad from Central Jersey, featuring GMC players, against counterparts from South Jersey. The contest will be played 7 p.m. tomorrow at Diamond Nation in Flemington. North Brunswick’s Placido Torres, South Brunswick’s Nick Muha, Dunellen’s Jeff Puckett, Perth Amboy’s Jose Hernandez, and South Plainfield’s Mark Tomei and Stephen Petriello will join Petiya in both games. Petiya ended his three-year varsity career with 28 homers. He homered in three of the Blue Jays’ four GMC Tournament games while leading his team to the league championship.
“Anybody that’s going to be clutch has to have the ability to zone in when the situation calls for it,” Middlesex coach Mike O’Donnell said, noting that Petiya fits that description.
Petiya’s walk-off homer lifted the Blue Jays to a 5-2 victory over Monroe in the GMCT semifinals.
He followed that three-run homer up with a solo homer off Sayreville ace Christian Campbell in Middlesex’s 10-4 GMCT championship win. “It’s good for him,” O’Donnell said of Petiya, who led the Blue Jays with 44 RBI, being selected to participate in two all-star games. “I think those experiences are good for him and he will represent the school well.”