Dom Massaro of South Plainfield is the NJ.com Baseball Newcomer of the Year, 2023

 

Dom Massaro of South Plainfield batted .402 with 39 hits, 32 runs scored,

14 extra-base hits and 18 stolen bases.Scott Faytok | NJ Advance Media

By Luis Torres | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

South Plainfield coach Scott Gleichenhaus figured he had something in Dom Massaro following a preseason scrimmage against Christian Brothers.

Massaro had a good showing that day, so much so that CBA coach Marty Kenney Jr. went up to Gleichenhaus and told him Massaro was a stud and asked what year he was in.

Kenney was stunned to learn Massaro was just a freshman. Not a bad first impression for Massaro, who shined in that scrimmage.

It was then that Gleichenhaus expected Massaro to be a contributor once the season began. What he couldn’t have envisioned is the total impact he would end up having as a rookie facing stiff competition.

Massaro hit leadoff, patrolling center field each game and producing at a level that Gleichenhaus hasn’t seen in his almost two decades of coaching.

After hitting .402 with 39 hits, 32 runs scored, 14 extra-base hits and 18 stolen bases, Massaro is NJ.com’s 2023 Newcomer of the Year.

Massaro’s 39 hits led South Plainfield and were the most by any freshman in the state this spring. His 32 runs scored were tied for third-most by any rookie.

He recorded a hit in 22 of the Tigers’ 29 games and reached base safely in 25 of 29 games.

“You can’t predict that out of anybody,” Gleichenhaus said. “I would hope that the best players on your team, the guys that you expect to be the thumpers in the lineup, that they are going to be in that 30-hit range and put up the type of numbers collectively. RBIs, extra-base hits, things like that.

“You just hope that those guys can do it, and to expect that out of the leadoff spot from a freshman? That’s unheard of. No, I didn’t expect it.”

Gleichenhaus said Massaro didn’t get complacent after winning the starting center field job heading into the season. Massaro worked on his craft daily, finding ways to fine tune his skills as South Plainfield played in the Red Division - the toughest division in the Greater Middlesex Conference.

Massaro had to face pitchers like North Brunswick’s Zachary Konstantinovsky, Monroe’s Harrison Lollin, South Brunswick’s Joey Tuttoilmondo, Old Bridge’s Justin Hascup and St. Joseph (Met.)’s Jimmy Mulvaney, who each have unique pitching arsenals and were each named to their respective All-Group teams.

“The moment was never too big for him. You never had that sense that he was overmatched outside of a few occasions,” Gleichenhaus said. “I’ve never had a player like him at the freshman level. His performance ranks up there with any of the top players that I’ve ever coached in any grade at the varsity level.

“You look at a guy like that, and you’re like, this is a once-in-a-generational type player. That’s the type of caliber of player that he has the potential to be.”

That potential is still untapped, according to Gleichenhaus.

Gleichenhaus said that Massaro might end up being South Plainfield’s best pitcher by the time he’s a junior. Massaro didn’t pitch this season because of arm surgery, focusing only on being the best center fielder and hitter he could be this spring.

It paid off with a monster freshman season and Gleichenhaus is looking forward to what’s to come over the next three years.

“I think he wants to be the best and do whatever he needs to do to reach that goal,” Gleichenhaus said.

Dom Massaro of South Plainfield is the NJ.com Baseball Newcomer of the Year, 2023 - nj.com

GMC All-Star Game Players

Greater Middlesex Conference final Top 10 ranking (MyCentralJersey.com)

 

Andy Mendlowitz
MyCentralJersey.com

GMC FINAL TOP 10 FOR 2023 SEASON

1. Old Bridge (21-9) – The Knights were ranked No. 8 in our preseason rankings. Well, that’s why you play the game. Old Bridge earned its No. 1 ranking by capturing the NJSIAA Central Group 4 title then beating Eastern in the Group 4 semifinals to reach state final. The Knights contended in the tough Red Division until the final week finishing tied for second with St. Joseph and Monroe. The talent emerged with both upperclassmen and underclassmen improving throughout the season. Old Bridge finished strong by winning 10 of its last 13 games and beat state power Red Bank Catholic.

2. St. Joseph (21-10) – The Falcons made a strong case for the top spot and several factors were considered. While that’s something that fans can debate, there’s no denying their GMC Tournament championship as the No. 3 seed. St. Joseph proved its once again one of the top programs in the area. The Falcons advanced to the Non-Public South A title game falling to Red Bank Catholic.  

3. North Brunswick (21-7) – The Raiders clinched the program’s first-ever Red Division pennant with an 8-4 record in the brutal grouping. A tournament championship escaped North Brunswick, but fans can’t blame the Raiders for their effort. North Brunswick simply dropped two heartbreakers that could have went either way – a 2-0 loss to St. Joseph in the GMCT final and a 2-1 defeat to Old Bridge in the sectional final.  

4. Monroe (14-11) – The Falcons had a slow start record-wise beginning 1-4. Everything else, though, looked good with strong play. Monroe beat St. Joseph and then lost to St. Joe’s 3-2 to conclude the series and dropped a 1-0 game to North Brunswick. The pitching remained strong and the victories came. Monroe reeled off seven-straight wins and ultimately placed tied for second in the Red Division, no small feat. The Falcons reached both the GMCT and Central Group 4 semifinals, losing to North Brunswick twice by a run.  

5. South Plainfield (15-14) – The Tigers battled in the Red Division, finishing 5-7 to tie with East Brunswick for third place. The seventh-seeded Tigers upset second-seeded Old Bridge in the GMCT quarterfinals before falling to eventual champ St. Joseph 2-1 in the semifinals. South Plainfield split with No. 1 Old Bridge, No. 2 St. Joseph and No. 3 North Brunswick in the regular season.

6. Sayreville (15-10) – Winning the White Division means something. The Bombers made an impressive turnaround in the division by going from last to first. Sayreville played just about every team tough including beating Blue Division champs Spotswood and losing by a run to Old Bridge in regular season games.

7. Spotswood (21-8) – The Chargers controlled the Blue Division for most of the season and clinched down the stretch for the pennant. As the No. 11 seed, Spotswood scored an impressive upset over sixth-seeded Woodbridge in the GMCT second round. Spotswood continued its winning hardball by reaching the Central Group 2 final. Along the way, the Chargers pleased their fans with back-to-back walk-off wins in the sectional's first two round games.

8. Woodbridge (18-5) – The Barrons have won 45 games over the last two seasons and once again showed their grit in the postseason. Woodbridge rallied from a 7-2 deficit on the road in the North 2 Group 4 semifinals against Bridgewater-Raritan to force extra innings. While B-R had a walk-off 10-9 win, Woodbridge showed it’s a tough out. The Barrons finished second in the White Division behind Sayreville.

9. Edison (16-9) – The Eagles had quite a turnaround season going from 7-17-1 to 16-10 this spring and tied for third in the White Division. Edison split with division champs Sayreville, as well as with No. 8 Woodbridge and No. 10 Middlesex in White play.

10. (tie) Middlesex (17-9) – For many Group 1 schools, heavy graduation losses means a rebuild. Not the Blue Jays. Middlesex simply has a pipeline of good players coming up through the ranks. Once again, Middlesex had an impressive season that included finishing tied for third in the White Division with Edison and reaching the Central Group 1 final.

East Brunswick (15-12) – The Bears stayed afloat in the Red Division and had splits with No. 1 Old Bridge, No. 3 North Brunswick, No. 4 Monroe, No. 5 South Plainfield and No. 9 Edison. Quality wins do count, as does an overall winning record.

NJ Baseball: Greater Middlesex Conference final Top 10 ranking (mycentraljersey.com)

Greater Middlesex Conference All-Area teams (MyCentralJersey.com)

Andy Mendlowitz
MyCentralJersey.com

FIRST TEAM

P: Zack Konstantinovsky, North Brunswick, Sr.

It’s simple: Konstantinovsky’s overall body of work with his dominance on the mound and top-level hitting distinguished himself from his peers. The GMC coaches and MyCentralJersey selected him as the league’s Player of the Year. The Rutgers-bound star had a 0.56 ERA and struck out 88 hitters and posted nine walks in 63 IP.

P: Harrison Lollin, Monroe, Jr.

Lollin was great as a sophomore, and as a junior he just kept getting better as the Falcons challenged for the Red Division pennant. The Oregon commit had a 1.77 ERA and struck out 83 hitters in 59 1/3 innings and allowed just 16 walks, while having five double-digit K games. He also had an impressive season at the plate hitting .375 with 15 RBI and 19 runs scored.

P: Jimmy Mulvaney, St. Joseph, Sr.

Mulvaney had a good junior season, but the Falcons needed him to emerge as an Ace this spring. He delivered. Big-time. Mulvaney took the ball in the biggest spots and came through as the stopper. In the GMCT semifinal and final wins, Mulvaney allowed one run in 13 2/3 innings. He also earned the win against Notre Dame in the South Non-Public A semifinals. The Fairfield-commit had a 1.52 ERA with 67 strikeouts and 10 walks in 64 1/3 innings.

P: Joey Tuttoilmondo, South Brunswick, Sr.

You want a highlight game? How’s this: Tuttoilmondo struck out 20 hitters and threw a no-hitter allowing one run on three walks in a win over Allentown. The High Point commit was electric in his career. Fans never knew when he'd produce a special night. This spring he twirled six games with double-digit K’s and finished with 84 strikeouts in 43 2/3 innings and sported a 1.44 ERA.

C: Mark Gialluisi, St. Joseph, Sr.

He runs! He hits! He frames pitches! What doesn’t Gialluisi do? He’s simply an all-around player excelling behind the plate and at-bat. He finishes as the program’s all-time hits leader with 126 in three seasons. The on-base machine bats leadoff for the Falcons, a role not often given to catchers. This spring he hit .486 (54 of 111) with 16 doubles, a triple and two homers. He drove in 19 runs and scored 35 times, along with 25 stolen bases – another stat unheard of for a catcher. The Virginia-bound Gialluisi also walked 10 times and was hit by five pitches.

1B: Ty Kobylakiewicz, Woodbridge, Sr.

The Barrons showcased a prolific offense over the past two seasons that produced a combined 45 wins. Kobylakiewicz’s big bat was a mainstay and he delivered out of the No. 3 hole. Had 13 multi-hit games this spring en route to a .479 batting average (34 for 71) with 25 RBI. The prototypical power first baseman with speed had nine doubles, four triples and three home runs. His 29 walks and .634 OBP enabled the 6-foot-2, 225-pounder to score 30 runs. He has committed to play at William Paterson.

INF: Yomar Carreras, North Brunswick, Jr.

To his right or left, the slick defender at shortstop was able to scoop up a seemingly sure hit or turn a clean double play at ease for the Red Division champs. Carreras was equally as valuable at-bat with a team-high 39 hits and batted .411 from the leadoff spot. The table-setter scored 26 runs, walked 10 times and flashed some power. He hit two home runs and had nine doubles, six triples and drove in 18 runs. Carreras has committed to Rutgers.

INF: Casey Cumiskey, Spotswood, Sr.

The star shortstop/pitcher’s accomplishments are almost too long to list. The Player of the Year candidate has his name etched in the Spotswood and GMC record books after a terrific career. The Seton Hall commit set a GMC record with 60 hits (108 AB) and batted .556 with 16 doubles, four triples, two home runs and 34 RBI (a Spotswood single-season record), along with 35 runs scored. He helped lead the Chargers to the Blue Division pennant and the Central Group 2 title game. He also took the ball when needed on the mound and went 3-0 with a save and had a 2.70 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings. He posted 17 multi-hit games this spring and ends with a career .502 batting average, 30 doubles, 62 stolen bases and the program’s career mark with 146 hits.

INF: Julius Rosado, South River, So.

Rosado is just one of those players that has a presence about him with the way he carries himself on the diamond. Simply, he has the look of a star. Of course, he also produces. The Rutgers-commit followed up on his terrific freshman season and helped keep South River in the Blue Division race. The shortstop hit .515 this season (34 of 66) with seven home runs, 28 RBI, 11 doubles, two triples and scored 41 runs. How’s this for respect – eight of his 22 walks were intentional. He has 82 career hits, 11 HR and 65 RBI.

OF: Robbie Carvelli, St. Joseph, Sr.

Getting your name in the St. Joseph record book means something. Carvelli finished his Falcons career with 107 hits in his three seasons which is second all-time behind Gialluisi. Quite impressive. And there were no gimmies playing in the Red Division and the Falcons’ tough non-conference slate. The Lehigh-bound Carvelli hit .362 (38 of 105), drove in a team-high 30 runs, scored 27 times and chipped in 12 stole bases. He flashed power with three homers and eight doubles, and found ways to get on base with seven walks and six hit by pitches.

OF: Dominik Massaro, South Plainfield, Fr.

The South Plainfield coaches knew that Massaro had potential with his speed and athleticism. Freshmen, though, have to prove it and he impressed early with his defense in center field. The Tigers gave him the opportunity to hit leadoff and prove it he did. The rookie didn’t get rattled against older players and hit .402 (39 of 97) with nine doubles, three triples and two home runs. He scored 31 runs and had 29 RBI along with 18 stolen bases.   

OF: Mike Villani, Old Bridge, Sr.

Villani was a career second baseman, but when Old Bridge needed an outfielder, the athletic senior moved to center field this spring. He developed into an outstanding defensive player patrolling center for the Knights. He moved around in the batting order, but settled at cleanup for Old Bridge and helped the Knights win the Central Group 4 title and reach the Group 4 title game for the first time in school history. The Stony Brook-bound Villani hit .389 (37 of 95) with 22 runs scored, 12 doubles and three triples, along with 17 RBI and 16 walks. 

UTL: Jaxon Appelman, Edison, Jr.

Appelman turned in one of the most incredible high school pitching performances you’ll see in a 2-0 win over J.P. Stevens on April 18. The right-hander threw a no-hitter with 19 strikeouts (with five walks). The Coastal Carolina-commit had three other double-digit K performances and finished with 82 strikeouts in 50 2/3 innings with 29 walks and a 1.38 ERA. He also played outfield when not pitching and turned in a .381 batting average with five home runs, 21 RBI and 19 runs scored, ailing with nine doubles and five triples.

UTL: Omar Carreras, North Brunswick Sr.

Carreras just puts the ball hard in play consistently for the Raiders and hits to all fields. He batted .461 this season (35 of 76) with eight home runs, 32 RBI and scored 27 runs. Carreras also stole eight bases and walked 23 times. His big hits included a two-run shot that gave the Raiders a 2-1 win over Monroe in the GMCT semifinals. While he played some first and third base, he was primarily a catcher and called his own game. Carreras has committed to Tusculum University.

UTL: Frank Papeo, Old Bridge, Jr.

Papeo was not only a bulldog, but a team leader who pumped up the whole pitching staff. He’d talk to the other throwers during games and at practices offering tips and insights like a veteran who’s pitched varsity since he was a freshman. Papeo was hampered by a late season injury, but still had a stellar 1.64 ERA with 71 strikeouts in 59 2/3 innings. He also played outfield and first base when he wasn’t throwing.  

UTL: Jake Romanello, Sayreville, Jr.

Romanello was the table setter for the White Division champs. He hit leadoff for the Bombers and turned into a run-scoring machine. He crossed home 28 times and hit .425 (31 of 73). He stole 20 bases and his 21 walks helped him carry a .574 OBP.   

SECOND TEAM

P: Justin Hascup, Old Bridge, So.

P: Dustin McGuinness, East Brunswick, Jr.

P: Eddy Nunez, Woodbridge, Jr.

P: Jackson Walsh, Spotswood, Sr.

C: Kyle McSorley, Old Bridge, Sr.

1B: Ethan Fantel, South Brunswick, Jr.

INF: Jayden Alvarez, South Plainfield, Jr.

INF:. Drew Lukachyk, Woodbridge, Jr.

INF: Thomas Papeo, Old Bridge, Sr

OF: Michael Novak, Sayreville, Sr.

OF: Aidan Kozak, Middlesex, Sr.

UTL: Carter Cumiskey, Spotswood, So.

UTL: Tyler Delvecchio, St. Joseph, Sr.

UTL: Jordan Martins, Edison, Sr.

UTL: Jeremy Ricourt, J.F. Kennedy, Sr.

UTL: Zach Robinson, South Plainfield, Jr.

THIRD TEAM

P: Justin Bonito, J.P. Stevens, Sr.

P: RJ Coleman, J.F. Kennedy, Jr.

P: Paul di Pasquale, Edison, Sr.

P: Lucas White, Monroe, Jr.

C: Tyler Weber, Woodbridge, Jr.

1B: Mihir Patel, Sayreville, Sr.

INF: Bobby Bressler, Piscataway, Jr.

INF: Artis Ray, St. Thomas Aquinas, Sr.

INF: Justin Santana, Carteret, Jr.

OF: Matthew Kosuda, St. Joseph, Sr.

OF: Joseph Lepore, South River, Sr.

UTL: Casey Chiola, Colonia, Jr.

UTL: Jack Gerould, East Brunswick, Sr.

UTL: Justin Gordon, Middlesex, Sr.

UTL: Aayush Mehta, Sayreville, Sr.

HONORABLE MENTION

NOTE: Players that were not on the first three teams earned Honorable Mention based on two criteria: 1, They were selected All-Division by the coaches. 2, They were selected to play in either the 2023 Frank Gavigan Senior All Star Game or the 2023 GMCBCA Underclassmen Showcase.

Carteret: James Rodriguez, Nick Kee, Jhoalvin Ledesma, Eric Thompson; Colonia: Dylan Conklin; Dunellen: Ryan Hutchins, Mark Stein, Corbin Evans, Myles Harrada, Danny Watt; East Brunswick: Jack Nelson; East Brunswick Magnet: Ryan DellaFave, Scott Pede, Jack Clements; Edison: Jackson Ferrer, Paul DiCarlo, Robert Roma; Highland Park: Seamus MacKinnon, Aidan O’Connell, Luca Sheldon, Owen Roth-Zappo; J.F. Kennedy: Grant Lorentzen, Donovan Claiborne; J.P.Stevens: Jackson Fong, John Papaianni; Metuchen: Lucas Weiss, Marcus Malamug;Middlesex: Dom Parenti; Monroe: Trevor Wallace, Kyle McCauley; New Brunswick: Ronaldy Peralta; North Brunswick: Justin Batts, Kyle Anderson, Chris Rosario; North Plainfield: Davyn Ciriaco, Joan Herrera; Old Bridge: JT Meyer; Perth Amboy: Sebastian Apante, Melvin Jiminez; Perth Amboy Magnet: Nelson Concepcion, JohnKelly Jiminez, Jean Felipe-Lozado, Dariyon Gonzalez; Piscataway: Mike Wojcik, Jaden Peace; Piscataway Magnet: Jacob Lyerly, Matthew Baez, Nomar Carreras, Jurodh Santos-Carabello; St. Joseph: Matthew Friedman, Matthew Kosuda, Joseph Zammitti; St. Thomas Aquinas: David Ryden, Zachary Diaz, Ricky Del Rio, Gavin Sansone; Sayreville: Michael Colonnello, Thomas Schlaline, Michael Robinson; Somerset Tech: Ryan Delsordo; South Amboy: Ben Hernandez, Steve Evanski, Diego Colon, Gabe Albarran; South Brunswick: ; South Plainfield: Ashton Donovan, Mike Sbailo, Aldo Pigna; South River: Parker Lane, James Zsorey; Spotswood: Breckyn DeAngelis; Timothy Christian: Josh Francis, Josh Thiero, Dylan Spivey; Wardlaw-Hartridge: Luke Tan, Cian Nicholls; Woodbridge: Ryan Leach

NJ Baseball: Greater Middlesex Conference All-Area teams (mycentraljersey.com)

GMC Coaches announce 2023 All-Conference, All-Division teams

 June 7, 2023 by Mike Pavlichko

The Greater Middlesex Conference coaches have announced their All-Conference and All-Division teams for the 2023 season, as well as their team awards.

The GMC Red Division – recognized as one of the toughest in the state – earned 12 of the 17 selections on the all-league team, with three going to the White and two to the Blue.

Following is the complete list of honorees, as released by the league:

GMC ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM:

• Edison: Jaxon Appelman
• Monroe: Harrison Lollin
• North Brunswick: Zack Konstantinovsky, Omar Carreras, Yomar Carreras
• Old Bridge: Frank Papeo, Kyle McSorley, Justin Hascup
• St. Joseph-Metuchen: Mark Gialluisi, Jimmy Mulvaney, Robbie Carvelli
• Sayreville: Jake Romanello
• South Brunswick: Joey Tuttoilmondo
• South Plainfield: Dom Massaro
• South River: Julius Rosado
• Spotswood: Casey Cumiskey
• Woodbridge: Ty Kobylakiewicz

GMC Coach of the Year: Matt Donaghue, Old Bridge
GMC Sportsmanship Award: East Brunswick

ALL-RED DIVISION TEAM:

• East Brunswick: Dustin McGuinness
• Monroe: Harrison Lollin, Lucas White
• North Brunswick: Zack Konstantinovsky, Omar Carreras, Yomar Carreras
• Old Bridge: Kyle McSorley, Frank Papeo, Thomas Papeo, Justin Hascup
• St. Joseph-Metuchen: Mark Gialluisi, Jimmy Mulvaney, Rob Carvelli
• South Brunswick: Joey Tuttoilmondo
• South Plainfield: Dom Massaro, Zach Robinson, Jayden Alvarez

Red Division Coach of the Year: Matt Donaghue, Old Bridge
Red Division Sportsmanship Award: East Brunswick

ALL-WHITE DIVISION TEAM:

• Colonia: Casey Chiola
• Edison: Jaxon Appelman, Paul diPasquale, Jordan Martins
• JP Stevens: Justin Bonito, Mihir Patel
• Middlesex: Aidan Kozak, Justin Gordon
• Perth Amboy: Sebastian Aponte
• Sayreville: Michael Colonnello, Jake Romanello, Aayush Mehta, Mike Novak
• Woodbridge: Ty Kobylakiewicz, Eddy Nunez, Drew Lukachyk, Tyler Weber

White Division Coach of the Year: Mike Novak, Sayreville
White Division Sportsmanship Award: Perth Amboy

ALL-BLUE DIVISION:

• JFK: Jeremy Ricourt, R.J. Coleman, Grant Lorentzen
• Metuchen: Lucas Weiss
• North Plainfield: Davyn Ciriaco
• Piscataway: Bobby Bressler, Mike Wojick
• St. Thomas Aquinas: David Ryden, Artis Ray, Zach Dias
• South River: Julius Rosado, Joseph Lepore, Parker Lane
• Spotswood: Casey Cumiskey, Carter Cumiskery, Breckyn DeAngelis, Jackson Walsh

Blue Division Coach of the Year: Glenny Fredricks
Blue Division Sportsmanship Award: North Plainfield

ALL-GOLD DIVISION TEAM:

• Carteret: James Rodriguez, Justin Santana, Nick Kee, Jhoalvin Ledesma, Eric Thompson
• East Brunswick Magnet: Ryan DellaFave, Scott Pede, Jack Clements
• New Brunswick: Ronaldy Peralta
• Somerset Tech: Ryan Delsordo
• South Amboy: Ben Hernandez, Steve Evanski, Diego Colon, Gabe Albarran
• Timothy Christian: Josh Francis, Josh Thiero, Dylan Spivey

Gold Division Coach of the Year: Dan Morvay, Carteret
Gold Division Sportsmanship Award: Timothy Christian

ALL-SILVER DIVISION TEAM:

• Piscataway Magnet: Jacob Lyerly, Matthew Baez, Nomar Carreras, Jurodh Santos-Carabello
• Highland Park: Seamus MacKinnon, Aidan O’Connell, Luca Sheldon, Owen Roth-Zappo
• Perth Amboy Magnet: Nelson Concepcion, JohnKelly Jiminez, Jean Felipe-Lozado
• Wardlaw-Hartridge: Luke Tan, Cian Nicholls
• Dunellen: Ryan Hutchins, Mark Stein, Corbin Evans, Myles Harrada

Silver Division Coach of the Year: Jake Rosenberg, Piscataway Magnet
Silver Division Sportsmanship Award: Wardlaw-Hartridge

GMC Coaches announce 2023 All-Conference, All-Division teams – Central Jersey Sports Radio (cjsportsradio.com)

2023 - Game # 29 Milburn 2, South Plainfield 1 ( NJSIAA Tournament, Semifinal Round, North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 )

 

By Nestor F. Sebastian | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

No. 4 Millburn 2, South Plainfield 1

Drew Oppenheim tossed a one-hitter, struck out seven and walked three in six innings as top-seeded and NJ.com No. 4-ranked Millburn nipped fourth-seeded South Plainfield in the semifinal round of the North Jersey Section 1, Group 3 tournament in Millburn.

Millburn will next host sixth-seeded North Hunterdon in the final on Friday.

Matthew Weiner went 2-for-3 and scored a run while Robert Schneider collected a hit and scored a run as well for Millburn (26-3), which won its fifth straight game.

South Plainfield (15-14) lost for only the second time in six games.

Baseball: NJ2G3 semifinal recaps: Sand, North Hunterdon blank No. 1 Cranford - nj.com

Andy Mendlowitz
MyCentralJersey.com

North 2 Group 3
(1) Millburn 2, (4) South Plainfield 1

Drew Oppenheim allowed one run in six innings with seven strikeouts and Millburn (26-3) scored in the second and fifth innings to top South Plainfield (15-14)

NJ baseball: Results for GMC, Skyland, Union County (mycentraljersey.com)

2023 - Game # 28 South Plainfield 10, Warren Hills 0 ( NJSIAA Tournament, Quarterfinal Round, North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 )

 

Andy Mendlowitz
MyCentralJersey.com

North 2 Group 3

(4) South Plainfield 10, (12) Warren Hills 0 (5 innings)

Kevin Penny threw five shutout innings and allowed two hits and two walks with five strikeouts as South Plainfield earned the big win to advance.

South Plainfield (15-13) will play at top-seeded Millburn in Thursday’s semifinals.

The Tigers scored three runs in the bottom of the first to set the tone.

Dom Massaro went 3-for-3 with two RBI, a double, 2 runs and walk and Zack Robinson was 2-for-2 (double, RBI, 2 runs, 2 SB). Dan Kapsch (RBI), Ashton Donovan (double, 2 RBI), Aldo Pigna (double, RBI, 2 runs), Brian Potts (double, RBI, run) and Frank Flannery (double, RBI, run).

NJ baseball: Results for GMC, Skyland, Union County (mycentraljersey.com)

By Jason Bernstein | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

South Plainfield 10, Warren Hills 0 (5 inn.)

Dom Massaro was 3-for-3 with a walk, two runs, two RBI and a stolen base as fourth-seeded South Plainfield rolled to a 10-0 victory over 12th-seeded Warren Hills, in five innings, in South Plainfield.

Zack Robinson was 2-for-2 with two walks, two runs and two stolen bases for South Plainfield (15-13). Aldo Pigna went 1-for-2 with a walk, two runs and a RBI and Ashton Donovan went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Kevin Penny struck out five in five shutout innings, allowing two hits, two walks and a hit by pitch.

South Plainfield plays top-seeded Millburn, No. 4 in the NJ.com Top 20, in the semifinals on Tuesday.

Warren Hills falls to 9-17.

Baseball: North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 quarterfinal recap for May 25 - nj.com

The Tigers advance to the North 2 Semifinals after a 10-0 Win over Warren Hills. Kevin Penny dealt 5 strong innings, allowing 2h & 5ks. Dogs who ate - Dom Massaro 3-3 (2b bb 2r 2rbi sb), Zach Robinson 2-2 (bb 2b 2sb rbi) Dan Kapsch 1-2 rbi. Ashton Donovan 2b 2rbi, Aldo Pigna 2b bb 2r.

Kevin Penny arrived @ the office amped up-galloped thru the gates crankin TNT by AC/DC & got right to it. Gettin his mates out early was the easy part. The hard part was deciding which tie to wear before heading to Gallaghers to feast on 14 oz. Filet & 2 sides of spinach.

Greater Middlesex Conference rankings for Week 7

Andy Mendlowitz
MyCentralJersey.com

Top 10

Note: The records are through Sunday, May 21. The results of Monday’s NJSIAA first round public sectional games were not included in this ranking because of deadlines.

1. St. Joseph (19-8)– last week No. 2 – Who’s playing better? The Falcons entered the playoffs on a torrid 15-2 stretch since April 25. Now, the talent was always there, but a handful of players got healthy and everything started clicking. Plus, the bats have been smoking from leadoff hitter Mark Gialluisi to No. 9 batter Will Ramsay and everyone in between. The result was a 2-0 win over North Brunswick in the GMCT final Sunday as Jimmy Mulvaney went the distance on a five-hitter. St. Joseph received the No. 2 seed in the NJSIAA Non-Public A bracket and received a bye in Tuesday’s opening round.

2. North Brunswick (18-6) –last week No. 1 – You can’t get too down on a team for losing a 2-0 game against a hot pitcher. But that’s the cruelty of baseball, sometimes, and the Raiders drop to No. 2 after the GMCT final loss that snapped a 10-game winning streak. North Brunswick, the Red Division champions, still have a lot of big games left. The Raiders drew the No. 2 seed in Central Group 4 and was slated to host 15th-seeded Long Branch on Monday.

3. Monroe (12-8)– last week No. 3 – Monroe got a taste of playoff pressure in the GMCT by defeating South Brunswick 1-0 in the quarterfinals, then dropping a 2-1 game to North Brunswick in the semifinals. That type of anxiety should help the sixth-seeded Falcons as they navigate the Central Group 4 bracket. The talent is there for a run.

4. Old Bridge (16-8)– last week No. 4 – The Knights received the top seed in Central Group 4, and that alone tells you how strong their regular season went. Old Bridge tied for second in the Red Division and battled with just about everyone, including state power Millburn. Seniors Thomas Papeo and Mike Villani have led the way at the plate and Kyle McSorley is the RBI leader.

5. South Plainfield (13-13)– last week No. 5 – That .500 record doesn’t mean anything. The Tigers could beat just about anybody and will be a tough out in the playoffs as the No. 4 seed in North 2 Group 3. Junior Jay Alvarez and freshman Dom Massaro are having explosive seasons at the plate.

6. Spotswood (18-7)– last week No. 6 – The Chargers clinched the Blue Division with last week’s 8-5 win over St. Thomas Aquinas. Senior Casey Cumiskey is the headliner at the plate and on the mound, but Spotswood is far from a one-man team. His younger brother Carter Cumiskey and senior Jackson Walsh have provided valuable pitching innings. Spotswood is the third seed in Central Group 2.

7.Sayreville (14-9) – last week No. 7 – The Bombers have been one of the best stories in the GMC going from last to first in the White Division. Jake Romanello had a breakout junior season hitting over .400 and helped the Bombers draw the No. 7 seed in Central Group 4.

8. Edison (16-9)– last week No. 8 – The Eagles had a terrific bounce back season after going 7-17-1 in 2021. Edison contended in the White Division, ultimately finishing two games behind Sayreville. Junior Jaxon Appelman has emerged as one of the better pitcher-hitter combos in the conference and freshman Robert Roma had an impressive rookie campaign. The Eagles earned the No. 6 seed in North 2 Group 4.

9. Woodbridge (18-5) – last week No. 9 – When the Barrons lost this spring, they always came back even stronger. Woodbridge suffered just one two-game losing streak and that was in the opening week. The Barrons bring that winning mindset as the No. 3 seed in North 2 Group 4 after reaching the sectional final last season. Eddy Nunez and Ryan Leach are a potent one-two punch on the mound. Drew Lukachyk, Ty Kobylakiewicz and Tyler Weber power up the offense.

10. (tie) South Brunswick (10-13)– last week No. 10 – Not much is going to faze the Vikings after going through the tough Red Division. They seem primed to be a pesky out as the No. 10 seed in Central Group 4 and can face second-seeded North Brunswick in the quarterfinals.

East Brunswick (12-11)– last week No. 10 – Can the Bears make another run? East Brunswick reached last year’s Central Group 4 final as the No. 9 seed. Now, they enter as the fifth seed and seem quite capable of pulling out some wins. The Bears have momentum after finishing the regular season with five-straight victories.

NJ baseball: Greater Middlesex Conference Top 10 for Week 7 (mycentraljersey.com)

2023 - Game # 27 South Plainfield 5, Colonia 2 ( NJSIAA Tournament, First Round, North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 )

By Will Harrigan | For NJ Advance Media

South Plainfield 5, Colonia 2

Zack Robinson tripled in a pair of runs, helping fuel fourth-seeded South Plainfield to a 5-2 victory over No. 13 seed Colonia in South Plainfield.

Dan Kapsch also went 3-for-4 with a double and run scored for the Tigers, who are now 14-13 and will host upstart Warren Hills in a quarterfinal clash on Thursday. Aldo Pigna pitched 5.2 innings of one-run ball for the winners.

Timmy Matten and Jake Harvatt both drove in runs for Colonia, which fell to 9-14.

Andy Mendlowitz
MyCentralJersey.com

North 2, Group 3

(4) South Plainfield 5, (13) Colonia 2

Aldo Pigna allowed one run in 5 2/3 innings and allowed just one hit and a walk with eight strikeouts as South Plainfield advanced.

The Tigers (14-13) will host Warren Hills in Thursday’s quarterfinals.

Ashton Donovan finished the final 1 1/3 innings and allowed a run. He also walked and scored.

Dan Kapsch went 3-for-4 and scored, while Zack Robinson tripled with two RBI and Kevin Penny singled and drove in two runs. Brandon Bickunas singled twice and scored and Dom Massaro (run), Jay Alvarez (double) and Brian Potts each had a hit.

NJ baseball: Results for GMC, Skyland, Union County (mycentraljersey.com)

The Tigers advance to round 2 after a 5-2 win over Colonia. Aldo Pigna earned the Win (5.2 ip 8 k 6 h r). The dogs who ate: Dan Kapsch (3-4 2b r), Brandon Bickunas (2-3 2b r), Zach Robinson (1-3 3b 2rbi), Kevin Penny (1-3 2rbi). Massaro (r) Alvarez & Potts also had hits.

Aldo Pigna left the Mean Street Office slightly early w/o a wrinkle in his Canali Suit, fully confident that his craftsmanship along w the support received from the supply and logistics unit, the team would advance & move a step closer to the achievement of their main objective.

Ridge, Old Bridge expected to get top seeds, Piscataway gets a must-win to qualify for state tournament; here are projected pairings ahead of Friday’s seeding meeting

May 18, 2023  Mike Pavlichko

Based on the official power point standings published on NJ.com, Ridge and Old Bridge are expected to get the top seeds in their respective Group 4 sections when the NJSIAA seeds the state tournament this Friday.

Piscataway beat St. Thomas Aquinas for the second time this season, a 14-4 win Wednesday at home that appears to have put the Chiefs in the playoffs. They entered the day in 17th, behind Newark East Side, but appear to have jumped them with the victory, which followed a 7-4 win over Aquinas in the opening round of the GMC Tournament, after having lost to the Trojans 11-4 just three days prior in their first meeting of the year.

There also appears to be one tiebreaker involving a local team, with Edison and Hunterdon Central tied with 439 power points. Having not played head-to-head, not having any common opponents, the tie would appear to go to the Eagles, with their .625 winning percentage (15-9) better than the Red Devils, who are .600 at 12-8 on the season.

We”ll take a closer look at all the matchups once the official brackets are released Friday. But for now, here are projected opening round matchups for all 38 teams from the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area that have appeared to qualify for the state tournament – 25 from the GMC and 13 from Somerset County – with area teams in bold:

North 2, Group 4:
(16) Piscataway at (1) Ridge
(15) Dicksonson at (2) Bridgewater-Raritan
(14) JP Stevens at (3) Woodbridge
(11) Watchung Hills at (6) Edison
(9) Franklin at (8) Westfield

North 2, Group 3
(13) Colonia at (4) South Plainfield

North 2, Group 2
(12) Passaic Valley at (5) Bernards

Central Group 4
(16) West Windsor-Plainsboro North at (1) Old Bridge
(15) Long Branch at (2) North Brunswick
(12) Howell at (5) East Brunswick
(11) Hillsborough at (6) Monroe
(10) South Brunswick at (7) Sayreville
(9) West Windsor-Plainsboro South at (8) Montgomery

Central Group 3
(11) JFK at (6) Allentown
(10) Somerville at (7) Middletown South

Central Group 2
(14) Monmouth at (3) Spotswood
(13) East Brunswick Magnet at (4) Carteret
(12) Johnson at (5) South River

Central Group 1
(14) Burlington City at (3) Middlesex
(13) Florence at (4) Somerset Tech
(12) New Egypt at (5) Manville
(11) Dunellen at (6) Palmyra
(10) South Hunterdon at (7) South Amboy

We won’t be posting projected matchups for Non-Public schools since some teams may have opted out; the NJSIAA does not typically make that information public. However, here are the projected seeds for CJSR-area teams:

Non-Public North B
(2) St. Thomas Aquinas
(3) Rutgers Prep
(7) Gill St. Bernard’s
(9) Timothy Christian
(12) Wardlaw-Hartridge

Non-Public South A
(2) St. Joseph-Metuchen
(8) Pingry
(10) Immaculata

Ridge, Old Bridge expected to get top seeds, Piscataway gets a must-win to qualify for state tournament; here are projected pairings ahead of Friday’s seeding meeting – Central Jersey Sports Radio (cjsportsradio.com)