South Plainfield Ready For Solid Baseball Season

 

TapintoSouth Plainfield

By Josh Lashley
Published March 30, 2024 at 12:00 AM

With a great deal of enthusiasm, well-earned confidence and determination, the South Plainfield High School baseball program is set to take the field for the 2024 regular season.

The Tigers are scheduled to open the regular season on April 2 at home versus North Brunswick.

“We want to compete for a Division, County and State championship,’’ South Plainfield head coach Scott Gleichenhaus said. “We want to establish a competitive environment and continue the Tiger baseball tradition and graduate all of our seniors and set them up for future success.’’

Key returning varsity level student athletes for the Tigers include Zach Robinson (senior, short stop), Jayden Alvarez (senior, third base), Brandon Bickunas (senior, designated hitter and utility player), Chase Donovan (senior, right handed pitcher), Aldo Pigna (senior, left handed pitcher and outfielder), Andrew Csordos (senior, right handed pitcher), Kevin Penny (junior, pitcher, first base and outfielder), Nick Irizarry (junior, catcher, outfielder and infielder), Dan Kapsch (junior, second base) and Dominic Massaro (sophomore, outfielder and pitcher).

Promising newcomers to the varsity roster include Mike Castagna (junior, right handed pitcher), Ryan Balent (junior, right handed pitcher), Steve Studlack (junior, catcher), Anthony Tomei (junior, first base) and

Aiden McCarthy (sophomore, left handed pitcher and first base).

Leadership will be a key to success for the Tigers this spring.

“Captains Jayden Alvarez and Dan Kapsch are both going to be looked upon as leaders,’’ Gleichenhaus said. “They both have an outstanding work ethic and are willing to do whatever it takes to help this team be successful. Both are great teammates and excel inside and outside of the classroom.

“I also expect the rest of the guys who played on the team last year (Robinson, Pigna, Penny, Massaro, Donovan and Csordos) to use their experience and demonstrate the necessary leadership skills and work ethic to show the younger guys how things are done and what it takes to be successful at the varsity level.’’

Last season, the Tigers posted a winning overall record of 15-14 and they had six victories in the always challenging Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) Red Division. They also advanced to the NJSIAA North 2 Group 3 Sectional Tournament before being defeated by one run by eventual Sectional champion Millburn. The Tigers topped Colonia (opening round) and Warren Hills (semifinal round) in the Sectionals in 2023.

This season, the Tigers compete in the GMC Red Division along with Monroe, East Brunswick, Old Bridge, North Brunswick and South Brunswick.

“I see us as a contender and expect to compete game in-game out,’’ Gleichenhaus said. “All of the teams in the Red Division will be tough to beat.’’

South Plainfield Ready For Solid Softball/Baseball Seasons | South Plainfield, NJ News TAPinto