South Plainfield Senior right-hander Jake Alba was named as a pitcher
to watch by The Star-ledger and NJ.COM
By
on March 30, 2016 8:35 AM
on March 30, 2016 8:35 AM
SOUTH PLAINFIELD PREVIEW
Coach: Anthony Guida, 8th season (145-58).Last year: 24-8 overall, 8-2 division.
2016 schedule: Click HERE to view the schedule.
Twitter: Follow South Plainfield baseball
Key losses: LJ Scarpitto (1B), Bryan Gillen (2B), Chris Graves (3B), Tommy Dunn (LF), Sean Erhardt (RF), Chris Marrero (C), Vincent Pellegrino (RHP), Wilfredo Rivera (RHP-INF), Kyle Dickerson (DH), Brandon Rickert (P).
Returning lettermen: Nick Polizzano (Sr., SS); Jack Gillis (Sr., CF); Jared Marks (Jr., C); Nick Plate (Jr., 1B-3B-P); Dylan O’Connor (Jr., OF-P); Brian Cullen (Sr., OF); Jean Sapini (Jr. P-1B-3B), Jake Alba (Sr., P).
Top newcomers: Billy Keane (So., 1B-P), Nick Peterson (Jr., 2B); Nick Plate (Jr., 1B-3B-P); David Tavarez (3B-P); Mike Lampasona (Jr., 3B); Michael Stanczak (So., 3B-P); Dillon Harris (Jr., OF), Ricky Pellegrino (Jr., OF), Kyle Bythell (Jr., OF); Kevin Soper (Jr., OF-P).
Pitchers: Jake Alba (Sr., RH); Jean Sapini (Jr., RH); Nick Plate (Jr., RH); Ryan Stankan (Jr., RH); Dylan O’Connor (Jr., RH); Kevin Soper (Jr., RH); David Tavarez (Jr., RH); Billy Keane (So., LH); Michael Stanczak (So., RH).
Outlook: Graduation decimated the defending state Group III champions, who must replace six players – Erhardt (24 hits), Gillen (46 hits), Graves (37 hits), Dickerson (26 hits), Dunn (23 hits), Scarpito (33 hits) – who combined for 189 hits. The outstanding glovework of Scarpito at first base and the stellar defense of Marrero, who split time with an equally talented catcher in Marks last season, will also be missed.
South Plainfield’s pitching is expected to keep the Tigers in games until the club’s offense develops. The team must compensate for the graduation of Pellegrino (5-2, 2.93), who led South Plainfield with 55 innings pitched. The transfer of Rivera to a school in Pennsylvania creates another void. With Stony Brook signee Alba (6-2, 2.64) and Sapini (4-0, 2.21) back on the hill, the Tigers have two outstanding starters. Sapini earned wins against Millburn, St. Peter's Prep, Roxbury and Mount Olive. He went the distance in the sectional and state semifinals. Sapini had no-decisions against Montgomery and Paramus. Alba closed out the sectional and state championship games. Opponents batted just .270 against South Plainfield pitching last season. The Tiger staff fanned 183 batters while walking just 97. Offensively, the Tigers were a small ball team. They parlayed 52 stolen bases, 26 sacrifices and 291 hits (only three of which were homers) into 186 runs.
South Plainfield jumped on opponents early, outscoring teams 37-8 in the first inning. South Plainfield boasted a stellar .960 fielding percentage, committing just 40 errors in 31 games. Polizzano (.247) returns as the club’s second-leading run-producer (18 RBI) behind the graduated Graves (30 RBI). Gillis (.366), who was fourth on the team with 30 hits, is also back. Fellow returners Marks, O’Connor, Cullen and Sapini combined for 19 hits.
The team’s out-of-division (Central Group IV champion Old Bridge, GMCT runner-up Sayreville, Group I finalist Middlesex) and nonconference schedule (Watchung Hills, Montgomery, Notre Dame, Paramus, Westfield, Millburn, St. Peter’s Prep, Somerville, St. Mary’s-Rutherford, Freehold Township) remains ultra-competitive.
2015 division scores: Click HERE to see how team fared against division opponents last spring.
READ: Guida was the Home News Tribune's 2015 Coach of the Year
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/sports/high-school/baseball/2016/03/27/gmc-baseball-2016-white-division-preview/82137326/
MyCentralJersey.com’s 2016 Greater Middlesex Conference baseball previews continue today with our All-Division and All-Conference selections.
Follow sports writer Greg Tufaro on Twitter for links to future previews and for complete coverage all season.
Here’s a look at the rest of the preseason lineup: Preview of all 30 GMC teams; Preseason Top 10 rankings; Preseason All-Conference team; Opening weekend schedule (coming soon); Feature story on the league’s top hurlers (coming soon); Statewide scene (coming soon); Preseason GMC podcast (coming soon).
Please consider bookmarking this page as links to the aforementioned preview items will be added to it throughout the week.
A list of last year's top hitters in the division can be found HERE, while a list of last year's All-Conference selections can be found HERE.
Follow sports writer Greg Tufaro on Twitter for links to future previews and for complete coverage all season.
Here’s a look at the rest of the preseason lineup: Preview of all 30 GMC teams; Preseason Top 10 rankings; Preseason All-Conference team; Opening weekend schedule (coming soon); Feature story on the league’s top hurlers (coming soon); Statewide scene (coming soon); Preseason GMC podcast (coming soon).
Please consider bookmarking this page as links to the aforementioned preview items will be added to it throughout the week.
A list of last year's top hitters in the division can be found HERE, while a list of last year's All-Conference selections can be found HERE.
| RHP | Robbie Peto | Monroe |
| LHP | Eric Heatter | Monroe |
| C | Anthony Tagliaferro | Monroe |
| 1B | Eric Reardon | North Brunswick |
| 2B | Kyle Daly | Monroe |
| SS | Mike Wilson | Colonia |
| 3B | Shawn Eldridge | Monroe |
| OF | Jack Gillis | South Plainfield |
| OF | Rico Viani | Monroe |
| OF | Jordy Mora | J.F. Kennedy |
| DH | Trevor Cykowski | Woodbridge |
| UP | Jake Alba | South Plainfield |
| UP | Harry Rutkowski | Woodbridge |
4. South Plainfield (24-8): The defending state Group III champions return two outstanding pitchers in Stony Brook signee Jake Alba (6-2, 2.64) and Jean Sapini (4-0, 2.21).
South Plainfield, however, must replace six starters who combined for 189 hits. Jack Gillis (.366) is among the conference's best outfielders, while Justin Marks is an experienced catcher.
Shortstop Nick Polizzano returns as the club's second-leading run producer (18 RBI).
The Tigers impressed with a .960 fielding percentage.
Read more about South Plainfield.
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/sports/high-school/baseball/2016/03/30/preseason-2016-all-white-division-baseball-selections/82452034/
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