GROUP 3 STATE SEMIFINAL - NORTH JERSEY
MOUNT OLIVE (21-10) VS. SOUTH PLAINFIELD (22-8)
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on June 01, 2015 7:45 AM
When: Tuesday, June 2 at 4 p.m.
Where: Jim Hynes Stadium at Kean University, 1000 Morris Avenue in Union (field is next to Union Station).
How Mount Olive got here: The two-time reigning North Jersey, Section 1, Group 3 champion defeated Pascack Valley in the sectional first round, Garfield in the quarterfinals, Paramus in the semifinals and River Dell in the final.
How South Plainfield got here: The North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 champion defeated Warren Hills in the sectional first round, Ferris in the quarterfinals, Roxbury in the semifinals and Cranford in the final.
The story: What Mount Olive has accomplished the past two season in the state tournament is pretty remarkable. The Marauders have now won back-to-back sectional titles - the only two in school history - and have done so as a seventh-seed last spring and a eighth-seed this year, winning a combined five road games. Now the Marauders will take aim at a return trip to the state final. Mount Olive has been resilient all year long and just has a knack for finding ways to win big games.
As for South Plainfield, what a run for the Tigers last week. They knocked out state-ranked Roxbury in the semifinals, then dethroned three-time reigning sectional champion and state-ranked Cranford in the sectional final thanks to a late rally. The Tigers play one of the state's toughest schedules on an annual basis and also boast wins over Group 4 semifinalist Millburn and St. Peter's Prep. It was some of their losses, and an early exit from the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament, that hampered South's ranking possibilities a bit prior to the state tournament. But the Tigers have caught fire - six straight wins and victories in 12 of their last 13 - and are looking at a very high finish in the final poll if they keep winning.
Mount Olive's key players: DH Brandon Boyle, 1B Austin Buoye, P/SS Chris Grillo, P/3B Greg Helmlinger, P Connor Henry, SS Trevor Lee, OF Devin Mathura and C Chris Somerville.
South Plainfield's key players: P Jake Alba, IF Kyle Dickerson, IF Bryan Gillen, IF Chris Graves, P Vincent Pellegrino, P Jean Sapini and 1B L.J. Scarpitto.
Pitching picture: Mount Olive will likely go to Helmlinger, who spent much of the season as the Marauders' No. 1 starter when Grillo was unavailable due to injury. Mount Olive has the benefit of enjoying some good depth on the mound this spring, so several arms could come out of the bullpen if need be. Among them, Henry would likely be the first guy. Grillo could be available for an inning late.
Alba and Pellegrino each threw four innings in the sectional final. Alba had thrown a complete game in the sectional quarterfinal with Pellegrino getting the complete game win in the first round. Sapini threw a complete game in the semifinal. All three could throw Tuesday - the educated guess here is Pellegrino gets the start.
Previous meetings in 2015: None.
Common opponents in 2015: Paramus and Roxbury. South Plainfield is 1-1 against those clubs, Mount Olive is 2-0.
http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/-3444207407924872735/baseball-preview-mount-olive-vs-south-plainfield-group-3-semifinal/
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