Baseball: Central Jersey, Group 2 State Tournament Preview

By Joe Zedalis | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on May 17, 2019 7:09 AM

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP 2
BRACKET
Favorite

Manasquan: The third-seeded Warriors (14-4) have two quality pitchers in Spencer Bauer and Mike Anthony and a big-time bomb-hitter in Monmouth University recruit James Harmstead. Plus, Manasquan benefits from having hard-hitting Gov. Livingston and strong-armed South Plainfield in the upper bracket. Manasquan has showed it has the ability to play with some of the better teams in the Shore Conference. It as a 1-0 win over No. 20 Red Bank Catholic and a 5-2 loss to No. 11 Christian Brothers.

Complete tournament preview
North 1: GR. 4 | GR. 3 | GR. 2 | GR. 1
North 2: GR. 4 | GR. 3 | GR. 2 | GR. 1
Central: GR. 4 | GR. 3 | GR. 2 | GR. 1South: GR. 4 | GR. 3 | GR. 2 | GR. 1
N-P: North A | North B | South A | South B

Contenders

Gov. Livingston and South Plainfield:  First-seeded Gov. Livingston and ninth-seeded South Plainfield would meet in the quarterfinals if both survive the opening round. With the way it swings the bat, Gov. Livingston is capable of winning any game. However, with the way it has pitched it is capable of losing any game, too. Gov. Livingston was bounced from the Union County Tournament in the semifinals by Scotch Plains-Fanwood. Gov. Livingston is only 2-2 in its last four. It clearly misses Georgia Tech recruit Stephen Reid, who is out with a hand injury. However, the Highlanders still have Drew Compton, who is one of the state's finest hitters. South Plainfield has stud right-hander Chris Shine (74 strikeouts, 15 walks, 4 earned runs in 43.4 innings), lefty Jordan Hamberg (44 strikeouts, 14 walks, 11 earned runs in 34.4 innings and a perfect game). However, South Plainfield also has a tough first-round drawn in No. 8 Delaware Valley (10-7).


Dark HorsesMetuchen and Voorhees: Metuchen is dangerous. The Bulldogs pitch pretty well -- especially when Matt Rowe is on the hill. They hit pretty well. Metuchen has won three of its last four. Tenth-seeded Metuchen has a tough, first-round draw in Bordentown (11-6). Voorhees is the second-seed. The Vikings (13-6) lost to Hunterdon Central, 2-1, and has two victories over Delaware Valley. Voorhees is 3-3 in its last six. Voorhees has two solid pitchers in Drew Conover (45 strikeouts, 16 walks in 27.8 innings) and Truman Richter (36 strikeouts, 18 walks in 23 innings). Nick Zobian is having a strong spring at the plate for Voorhees with 23 hits and 18 RBI.


Hitting Leaders

(Through May 15 according to njschoolsports.com)
Player, School, Hits - At-Bats - 2B - 3B - HR - Runs - RBIs

Saul Lopez, Johnson, 32-73-3-3-0-19-16
Kyle Adorno, Johnson, 31-73-2-0-0-28-12
Jack Gillmer, Robbinsville, 29-69-8-2-0-31-6
Michael Gurzynski, Carteret, 29-70-6-2-0-26-26
Steve Harrington, Johnson, 29-68-4-2-0-19-24
Sam Collins, Point Pleasant Boro, 28-68-2-2-0-21-11
Dylan Wood, Bordentown, 27-59-4-1-0-11-18
Colin Saliski, Carteret, 27-72-6-1-3-22-21
Julian Santana, Carteret, 27-76-8-0-0-31-12
Jordan Hamberg, South Plainfield, 27-68-6-0-2-12-18
Nick Razzano, South River, 24-68-4-0-0-16-15
Nicholas Guzzi, Point Pleasant Boro, 24-54-4-1-0-9-24
Axel Nunez, Carteret, 24-67-5-5-2-23-26
Michael DeSantis, South River, 23-69-3-0-0-19-14
TJ Massaro, South Plainfield, 23-64-4-2-0-18-2
Zach Zuchowski, Delaware Valley, 23-56-4-1-3-14-18
Dennis Shopp, Carteret, 23-54-4-1-0-13-10
Nick Zobian, Voorhees, 23-55-2-0-4-9-18
Oscar Rodriguez, Carteret, 23-63-3-2-1-21-12
John Raymond, Delaware Valley, 22-48-10-1-1-13-13
Nick Matt, Robbinsville, 22-66-0-0-1-8-15

Pitching leaders

(Through May 15 according to njschoolsports.com)
Player, School, Wins - IP - K’s - BB - ER

Jake Tennant, Raritan, 6-48.4-30-19-24
Chris Shine, South Plainfield, 6-43.4-74-15-4
Nicholas Guzzi, Point Pleasant Boro, 6-40.5-63-7-5
Dante Ciaramella, Monmouth, 5-47-73-10-8
Mike Anthony, Manasquan, 5-24-27-11-7
Sam Collins, Point Pleasant Boro, 5-34.4-46-8-7
Matt Rowe, Metuchen, 5-46.1-64-14-10
Michael DeSantis, South River, 4-26.4-43-10-4
Matt Vento, Spotswood, 4-34.2-42-12-8
Tyler Lehmann, Robbinsville, 4-36-45-6-7
Dan Frascella, Robbinsville, 4-26-30-10-9
Kyle Kato, Bordentown, 4-37-35-11-8
Julian Santana, Carteret, 4-28.6-32-26-33
John Grill, Gov. Livingston, 4-31.3-39-22-8
Kevin Shanes, Rumson-Fair Haven, 4-7-6-6-5
Jordan Hamberg, South Plainfield, 4-34.4-44-14-11
Drew Conover, Voorhees, 4-27.8-45-16-13

Past champions:

2018: Raritan
2017: Gov. Livingston
2016: Delaware Valley
2015: Gov. Livingston
2014: Robbinsville

FINAL PREDICTION:

9-South Plainfield vs. 3-Manasquan

http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/5112792146705381238/baseball-central-jersey-group-2-state-tournament-preview/