Greg Tufaro ,
@GregTufaro
Following are the Home News Tribune's All-Area baseball selections for first, second, third, fourth team and honorable mention.
FIRST TEAM
P, Harry Rutkowski, Woodbridge, Sr.
The lefthander compiled a 9-1 record. He fanned 113 batters and walked 19 in 70 innings. Owner of a 0.59 ERA, Rutkowski yielded six earned runs. He hurled five shutouts while raising his career victory total to 27, which ties him with three other pitchers for the league’s career wins record. At the plate, Rutkowski batted .500 with a 1.011 slugging percentage. He recorded 43 hits – including a state-leading 11 home runs – in 86 at-bats. Rutkowski scored 35 times and delivered 39 RBI. During four seasons with the Barrons, Rutkowski fanned 348 batters over 244 innings. He hurled 26 complete games, 10 of them shutouts. He is the Home News Tribune’s Player of the Year, a Rutgers University signee, and 28th round pick of the Cincinnati Reds.
P, Kyle Angel, St. Joseph, Sr.
The hard-throwing right-hander posted a 7-0 record with a 1.11 ERA while leading the Falcons to this year’s league tournament championship. He struck out 80 batters and allowed nine earned runs over 56 and two thirds innings with a walks-hits per inning ratio of 0.971. St. Joseph went 9-0 in games Angel started – including four victories against other future Division I hurlers – and the Falcons won every Red Division contest which he began on the mound. Angel helped his own cause throughout the season, batting .392 with two homers, 16 RBI and a .456 on-base percentage as St. Joseph’s cleanup hitter. The league’s reigning Pitcher of the Year will continue his career at Northeastern University.
P, Eric Heatter, Monroe, Sr.
The four-year letterwinner holds career school records for wins (18), strikeouts (263) and ERA (0.96). The league-leading 0.25 ERA Heatter posted this spring is also a single-season school mark. He allowed 28 earned runs, 118 hits and 48 walks in 197 and two thirds career innings. In 2017, the southpaw, who will attend Rutgers University on a baseball scholarship, yielded a remarkable two earned runs over 57 innings. He fanned 76 and walked nine. Heatter has excellent command of four pitches and complements his fastball with a devastating changeup. In addition to fielding his position well on the mound, Heatter is also an excellent defensive first baseman, who batted a team-leading .375 with 12 RBI.
2B, Carlos Marte, Woodbridge, Jr.
The transfer from Elizabeth played an integral role in Woodbridge setting a single-season school record with 25 victories. A sure-handed second baseman, Marte was the perfect complement to slick-fielding shortstop Trevor Cykowski. He batted .384 (40-for-104) with 34 runs and 14 RBI. Marte stole 11 bases and recorded 12 extra-base hits including six doubles, five triples and a homer. He also contributed on the mound (4-1, 1.67 ERA), providing Woodbridge with a solid arm behind Harry Rutkowski and Zach Delvalle. Marte was selected to play in the prestigious Garden State Classic Underclassmen Showcase, held earlier this week at Diamond Nation.
SS, Chris Brito, Perth Amboy, Jr.
The Rutgers University commit and three-year starter is on track to end his career as one of the finest players in history at a school that has produced several professional players including current Perth Amboy head coach Alex Perez, who was a New York Yankees farmhand, and Jose DeLeon and William Pennyfeather, who both played in the Major Leagues. Brito batted .493 (33-for-67) with six doubles and seven homers for a .896 slugging percentage. He stole a team-high 14 bases, scored 26 runs and registered 30 RBI. Brito also played third base and pitched (1-2, 2.04 ERA) for the Panthers, who rebounded from a 0-8 start to win 10 of their last 14 games.
3B, Mike Lapczynski, Metuchen, Jr.
The versatile Lapczynski played both corner infield spots – lining up at first base when Matt Volpe was on the mound – and was an effective hurler. Lapczynski batted .413 with 38 hits, nine doubles, four homers, 23 runs and 31 RBI for the Bulldogs. As a pitcher, Lapczynski fashioned a 4-2 record with a 2.59 ERA. He threw six innings and Volpe hurled one as the two combined for a no-hitter over Riverside in the Central Group I semifinal. Lapczynski struck out just four times in 104 plate appearances and walked 11 times for a .47 on-base percentage.
OF, Ross Maertz, St. Joseph, Sr.
The strong-armed right fielder helped comprise the conference’s best outfield, a fleet-footed trio including Jon Sot and Gabe Mejias that combined for 103 hits, 76 runs and 42 stolen bases. Maertz was among St. Joseph’s leaders in a host of offensive categories. He batted .391 (36-for-92) with six homers, 25 RBI, 27 runs, 12 doubles and 13 stolen bases. He blended power with speed, legging out 19 extra-base hits for a team-leading .707 slugging percentage. Maertz’s team-leading six homers included a two-run game-tying blast over the left-field fence at TD Bank Ballpark that propelled the Falcons to a conference tournament semifinal comeback victory.
OF, Ryan Flynn, East Brunswick, Sr.
One of the state’s most consistent sluggers, Flynn led the conference with 48 hits while batting .475 to help the Bears successfully defend their Red Division championship, which they clinched with a victory in their final division game. Flynn joined Woodbridge’s Zach Joe and St. Joseph’s Jon Sot as one of the league’s best defensive center fielders. His strong and accurate throwing arm was also utilized on the mound as a relief pitcher. Flynn collected nine doubles, three homers and stole 10 bases. He boasted a .657 slugging percentage. Flynn delivered 25 RBI and scored 22 runs. With Flynn leading the way, East Brunswick won 20 games for the second consecutive season.
OF, Nick Vincelli, Spotswood, Jr.
As teammate JT Vento, who is headed to Coastal Carolina, did a year ago, Vincelli established himself as the Blue Division’s leading power hitter and one of the best all-around sluggers in the state. He batted .430 with 40 hits, 21 of which went for extra bases. Vincelli led the Chargers to a division title with 12 doubles, four triples and five homers. He scored 29 runs and plated 27 more. Vincelli hit safely in all but one game and ended the season on a 20-game hitting streak. He paced Spotswood with a .806 slugging percentage.
C, Brandon Warick, St. Joseph, Sr.
A former San Francisco Giants farmhand and All-State catcher from Westfield, St. Joseph coach Mike Murray knows about backstops, and said Warick is the best he saw defensively this season including University of Notre Dame commit David Lamanna of Bergen Catholic. Warick called every single pitch while managing a staff with a 1.94 ERA. Warick threw out 16 would-be base stealers for a caught stealing mark of 31 percent. His strong and accurate arm was a deterrent. Warick registered the third highest batting average (.361) among full-time starters with seven doubles, three homers, 31 hits and 18 RBI for a club that played the toughest schedule of any conference school. He was hit by a state-leading 14 pitches and drew 12 walks for a team-leading .509 on-base percentage.
UP, Kyle Harry, Metuchen, Sr.
Arguably the most conference’s most consistent player during his three-years as a starter, Harry’s career concluded with 110 hits, a .407 batting average, 79 runs, 40 RBI, 35-for-39 on stolen base attempts, a .503 slugging percentage and a .458 on-base percentage. In 2017, Harry committed just one error in 131 chances for a .992 fielding percentage. The catcher’s strong and accurate arm deterred base stealers. He displayed cat-like reflexes behind the plate. Harry batted .396 this season with 38 hits, 33 runs, 21 RBI, seven doubles, two triples, two homers and a 1.031 on-base slugging percentage. He helped lead the Bulldogs to the Central Group I final by pacing the team in four offensive categories. The GMC coaches voted Harry as the league’s all-conference catcher.
UP, Matt Volpe, Metuchen, Jr.
Volpe was the conference’s fourth-leading hitter. He topped the Blue Division with a .506 batting average. Of his 42 hits, 16 went for extra-bases including 10 doubles, three triples and three homers. He was second on the club with 30 RBI and also scored 17 runs. As a pitcher, Volpe compiled a 3-4 record with a 2.35 ERA. He fanned 39 batters in 41 and two thirds innings. Volpe’s on-base slugging percentage of 1.378 was Metuchen’s best. A fine defensive first baseman who provides his infielders with a sizable target, Volpe committed just three errors in 180 chances for a .983 fielding percentage.
UP, Connor Adams, South Plainfield, Jr.
The speedy outfielder led the White Division with a .506 batting average and was fourth in the conference with 45 hits. Adams scored 25 runs for the Central Group II finalist Tigers, who lost a heartbreaker in the championship game to Governor Livingston on a three-run walk-off double. Adams used his speed out of the batter’s box to transform routine groundballs into infield singles. He stole 18 bases in 24 attempts and committed just one error. Adams doubled four times and drew nine walks for a .551 on-base percentage.
DH – Darius Diaz, Perth Amboy, Jr.
The catcher, who moved back to Perth Amboy from the Dominican Republic before the start of the 2016 season, emerged as one of the state’s best catchers a year ago and earned himself a full scholarship to Kennesaw State University. Diaz batted .437 (31-for-71) with 11 doubles, a triple, three homers, 18 RBI and 23 runs. Over the past two seasons, he has been among the Red Division’s most consistent players with 64 hits, 20 doubles and four triples. The left-handed hitting slugger is a gap-to-gap hitter with power to all fields. Kennesaw State is renowned for grooming professional catchers with three of its last four starting catchers being Major League draft picks.
SECOND TEAM
P – Jake Kodros, Old Bridge, Sr.
P – Jean Sapini, South Plainfield, Sr.
P – Kyle Nepton, Middlesex, Jr.
P – Jake Hellwig, St. Joseph, So.
C – Luke Jacobi, J.P. Stevens, Sr.
1B – Tyler Burnham, East Brunswick, Sr.
2B – Chris Perdoni, Monroe, Sr.
SS – Trevor Cykowski, Woodbridge, Sr.
3B – Chris James, South Brunswick, Sr.
OF – JT Vento, Spotswood, Sr.
OF – Jon Sot, St. Joseph, Jr.
OF – Zach Joe, Woodbridge, Sr.
DH – Jayson DeMild, Sayreville, Sr.
DH – Matt Carovillano, Middlesex, Sr.
UP – Ryan O’Shea, Highland Park, Sr.
UP – Nick Payero, Monroe, Jr.
UP – Chris Michael, Colonia, Jr.
THIRD TEAM
P – Matt Ciaccio, Spotswood, Sr.
P – Joe Papeo, Old Bridge, Sr.
P – Zach Delvalle, Woodbridge, Jr.
P – Michael App, Carteret, Sr.
C – James Ingram, Piscataway, Jr.
1B – Jason Hilenski, Colonia, Jr.
2B – Nick Loffredo, St. Joseph, Sr.
SS – David Bermudez, East Brunswick, Jr.
3B – Andrew Tan, North Brunswick, So.
OF – Marco DiIusto, South Brunswick, Sr.
OF – Manny Pozo, Perth Amboy, Sr.
OF – Gabe Mejias, St. Joseph, Sr.
DH – Nick DiMaggio, Middlesex, Sr.
UP – Mike Falco, East Brunswick, Sr.
UP – Kyle Richards, Sayreville, Jr.
UP – Anthony Palmisano, Colonia, Jr.
UP – Christian Petrillo, North Brunswick, So.
FOURTH TEAM
P – Troy Sweeney, South Brunswick, Sr.
P – Kalbin Rodriguez, New Brunswick, Jr.
P – RJ Jobin, East Brunswick Tech, Jr.
P – Jacob Ciccone, South Brunswick, So.
C – Jared Marks, South Plainfield, Sr.
1B – Billy Keane, South Plainfield, Jr.
2B – Ryan Szatkowski, Spotswood, Sr.
SS – Ryan Moran, South Brunswick, Sr
3B – Will Hronich, Metuchen, So.
OF – Kevin Reyes, South Brunswick, Jr.
OF – Michael Matusz, J.F. Kennedy, Sr.
OF – Sean Flynn, Bishop Ahr, Jr.
DH – Michael DeSantis, South River, So.
UP – Rich Albrecht, Bishop Ahr, Jr.
UP – Mike Farr, St. Joseph, Sr.
UP – Brandon Szerszen, South River, Jr.
UP – Justin Silva, Woodbridge, Sr.
UP – Kenny Tunison, Dunellen, Jr.
UP – Christian Biolsi, Edison, So.
HONORABLE MENTION
Bishop Ahr: Matt Smith, Austin Brooks, Brandon Rodriguez, Andrew Brazicki, Kyle Orta. Carteret: Brian App, Tyler Baez, James Hart, Chris Pena. Colonia: Jarred Ruiz, Frank Lehman, Nick Nielson, Nick Michael, Anthony Demeo. Dunellen: Brandon Vail, Michael Harmon, Ryan Kerwin, Joe Olsommer, Alex Dornbeirer. East Brunswick: Brad Edwards, Joe Petrocelli, Scott Dessel, Jay Marchese, Nick Martino, Brandon Rosenthal. East Brunswick Tech: Vincent Pellicane, Garrett Allo, Austin Montgomery, Dylan Montouro. Edison: Mike Barbato, Sam Cruz, Jason Smith. Highland Park: Liam Roth, Dylan Powell, Myles Herzog. J.F. Kennedy: Matt Godlewski, Vivek Patel, Jordy Mora, Hakim Hamer. J.P. Stevens: Shiv Patel, Joseph Traina, Frank DiSerio, Steven Zederbaum. Metuchen: Jay Harry, Sean McCadden, Sam Johnson, Brandon Iskandar. Middlesex: Tyler Dymond, Michael Schweyher, Quincy West, Patrick Kannaley, Jared Venutolo, Jarrett May, Jack Hnylycia. Monroe: Shawne Eldridge, Matt Sorrento, Bryant Skurbe, Nick Quercia, Tim Ruckdeschel, Joe Pedulla. New Brunswick: Wilson Gomez, Joheny Peralta, Elvis Diaz. North Brunswick: Justin Garcia, North Brunswick, Danny Reardon, Damian Ortiz, Eric Vasquez, Ryan Breheney. Old Bridge: Connor Freel, Rob Dacunto, Rob Laconti. Perth Amboy: Devin Rodriguez, Jesus Acosta, Jose Peralta, Pether Minier. Perth Amboy Tech: Anthony Neich, Victor Caraballo, Nick Ruttler, Brian Arocho. Piscataway: John Swier, Parris Washington, Ro Morris, Justin Mckeown, Jayson Mahmood. Piscataway Tech: Khristian Calloway. St. Joseph: Anthony Favor, Kyle Subers, Nick Estes, Mike Velez, Dave Razzano. Sayreville: Christian Aich, Bryan Fernandez, Drew Zimmerman, Joe Polomene. South Amboy: Jordan Ortiz, Kyle Gasiewski, Zach Honimar. South Brunswick: Ryan Moran, Adam Britton, Marcus James. South Plainfield: Mike Stanczak, Mike Marrero, Dylan O’Connor, Rob Gonzalez, Chris Shine. South River: Nick Errico, Nick Razzano, RJ Fischer, Billy Drum, Kyle French. Spotswood: Vincent Guardiola, Nick Mohr, Matt Vento, Chris Auciello, Mike Izzo, Dylan Seel. Timothy Christian: Michael Thiero, Jonathan Thiero. Wardlaw-Hartridge: Ovidio Chavez, JJ Stueck, Sandy Miller, Ryan Patella. Woodbridge: Josepher Gutierrez, Michael Medvetz, Joe Muccilli.
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/sports/high-school/baseball/2017/06/17/home-news-tribune-all-gmc-baseball-selections/380279001/
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