Andy Mendlowitz
MyCentralJersey.com
South Plainfield 11, Edison 1
The heavyweight came through with a big blast to start a rally and the veteran pitcher went the distance.
South Plainfield took Round 1 host against Edison in an early series between two of the best teams in the White Division.
Vincent Esposito, a senior right-hander, struck out nine and allowed eight hits with no walks.
In an early tight game, the No. 5 hitter Scott -- also the heavyweight wrestler for the Tigers -- led off the fourth inning with an opposite-field home run to give South Plainfield a 1-0 lead. Leadoff hitter Nick Loniewski keyed the six-run inning with a bases loaded triple to help break the game open.
The Tigers (6-1 overall, 5-0 White Division) entered No. 4 in the Home News Tribune Top 10, and Edison (5-1, 4-1) was No. 3. The teams meet again Saturday.
While it's early, the contest had a big-game feel to it.
"These guys knew," South Plainfield coach Scott Gleichenhaus said. "We have a natural rivalry between Edison. These guys have been playing against these kids since they were 9, 10, 11 years old. Edison always seemed to have their number, so our guys were fired up going in. They were focused. Not cocky, just focused on everybody doing their jobs."
That included Esposito. He singled in Loniewski in the fourth inning. On the mound, Gleichenhaus called him dominant and comfortable.
He smoothly pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the fourth inning to help South Plainfield keep the momentum.
"He bulldogged his way out of it," Gleichenhaus said. "He was pounding the zone all day. ... He was spotting his fastball and then he was getting his off-speed stuff over the plate for strikes. He pitched his butt off."
In the big fourth inning, South Plainfield kept the pressure on as Kennedy Ferguson reached on an error, Frank Flannery had a bunt base hit and Tyler Balent and Troy O'Connor each walked.
Scott finished 3-for-5 with two RBI.
For Edison, Matt Yascko, Charlie Taub and Nico Lopez each had two hits.
It was a key win for South Plainfield, but guess what -- they have to do it again Saturday as Edison travels to the Tigers.
"I talked to the guys and I'll have a talk with them again tomorrow," Gleichenhaus said. "You take nothing for granted. It's a new day. Stay focused. It was a nice win, but we got a lot more baseball left to play and if they really want to make a statement, they got to come back out on Saturday and not let up at all, you know. Keep pushing forward. Keep grinding."
Email: amendlowitz@njpressmedia.com
GMC Baseball: Highlights from games Thursday, April 29 (mycentraljersey.com)
6-run explosion powers South Plainfield over Edison in meeting of division leaders
Updated 10:06 PM; Today 10:06 PM
By Joe Zedalis | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
South Plainfield head coach Scott Glichenhaus cautioned his team about losing focus against long-time rival Edison on Thursday.
“I told them any loss of focus and all the wheels could fall off,” Glichenhaus said.
He couldn’t have been more correct. The wheels did come off – not for South Plainfield, but for Edison.
A solo home run was followed by a throwing error and breakdown on a bunt and that opened the floodgates for a six-run, fourth inning and the Tigers rolled to an easier-than-expected, 11-1, victory, in a meeting of Greater Middlesex Conference White Division leaders.
South Plainfield is 6-1 overall and 5-0 in the GMC White. Edison slips to 5-1 and 4-1 in the division. The two teams will play the second of their two-game set Saturday in South Plainfield.
“No way I expected a game like this, not after the first three innings,” Glichenhaus said. “We left three guys on and their pitcher (Dom LaPelosa) was in command.”
That all changed quickly in the fourth inning.
Lefty-swinging Austin Scott, the heavyweight on the outstanding South Plainfield wrestling team, launched an opposite field home run on a 3-1 pitch leading off the inning.
However, the inning became disastrous for Edison. First, a throwing error. Then Francis Flannery dropped down a bunt and was safe when Edison failed to cover first. Then, a passed ball and two walks made it 2-0. Nick Loniewski crushed a long triple that cleared the bases for a 5-0 lead. The final run scored on a single by winning pitcher Vincent Esposito. And that was all before an out was recorded.
That was more than enough for Esposito. The senior right-hander struck out nine without a walk. He threw 103 pitches during his complete-game effort. He allowed six hits.
“He got out of a jam in the fourth inning and that was crucial,” Glichenhaus said. “They had a couple guys on and one of their guys hit a ball to the fence. We all thought it was gone but our left fielder Kennedy Ferguson caught it on the warning track. If it goes out, our lead is cut in half.”
Esposito wiggled out of trouble when he faced it and South Plainfield tacked on three more runs in the top of the six and two in the top of the seventh. The Tigers finished with 11 hits. Scott had three hit and Brandon Shine two.
6-run explosion powers South Plainfield over Edison in meeting of division leaders - nj.com
South Plainfield (11) at Edison (1) - NJ.com
