Greg Tufaro ,
@GregTufaro
1. Woodbridge (15-3): The Barrons snapped a three-game losing streak with consecutive two-run victories over South Plainfield and Bishop Ahr, erasing a one-run deficit in the sixth inning against the latter on Harry Rutkowski’s three-run homer. Woodbridge can win the White Division title with a victory over North Brunswick on Monday.
2. East Brunswick (13-4): The Bears rebounded from a 10-4 loss to Old Bridge with a five-game winning streak. East Brunswick has blanked its last three opponents and its pitching staff has a string of 26 consecutive scoreless innings. East Brunswick split a series with St. Joseph. It has a key Red Division series with Monroe on Monday and Tuesday. The Bears can guarantee themselves at least a share of the Red Division title with a sweep of Monroe. The combination of a sweep of Monroe and St. Joseph splitting its series with South Brunswick would allow East Brunswick to win the title outright. The combination of South Brunswick sweeping St. Joseph and East Brunswick splitting with Monroe would also allow the Bears to win the title outright.
3. St. Joseph (14-8): St. Joseph, which has won seven of its last nine, going 7-0 in conference action during that stretch, had a four-game winning streak snapped in a 4-2 loss to Bayonne on Saturday night. St. Joseph still has the fewest conference losses (two) – the Falcons split with East Brunswick and Monroe – of any league member. Their five other losses are to perennial state powers St. Joseph of Montvale, Bergen Catholic, St. Peter’s Prep, Pope John and Paramus Catholic. St. Joseph can clinch at least a share of the Red Division title with a series sweep of South Brunswick. The Falcons can win the Red Division title outright with a sweep of the Vikings and if East Brunswick and Monroe split their series.
4. South Plainfield (13-6): The Tigers bounced back from a 4-2 loss to Woodbridge with a doubleheader sweep of J.F. Kennedy on Saturday. In doing so, South Plainfield kept alive its slim chances for a share of the White Division title. A combination of a North Brunswick win over Woodbridge and a series sweep by either Colonia or Sayreville in a two-game set between those schools would result in three teams – Woodbridge, South Plainfield and either Sayreville or Colonia – finishing with identical 8-4 division records, meaning all three schools would share the division crown. Should Sayreville and Colonia split their series, South Plainfield could share the title with Woodbridge if the Barrons lose to North Brunswick.
5. Spotswood (15-3): The reigning Blue Division champions have won 13 of their last 14 with the lone blemish a 3-0 setback to Middlesex, which Spotswood avenged with a 4-2 win over the Blue Jays to claim its first division title in a decade.
6. Monroe (10-5): The Falcons have won five straight, positioning themselves for a chance to win the Red Division title. Four of Monroe’s losses are by a single run. Monroe can win the Red Division title outright with a sweep of East Brunswick and a South Brunswick sweep of St. Joseph. Monroe would share the division title with St. Joseph if St. Joseph splits with South Brunswick and Monroe sweeps East Brunswick.
7. Middlesex (16-4): Middlesex has lost 6-5 to Piscataway, 8-7 to Metuchen, 6-4 to South Plainfield and 4-2 to Spotswood. The Blue Jays split their season series with Spotswood. Middlesex has out-of-division wins over Sayreville, South Brunswick, North Brunswick and J.P. Stevens.
8. Colonia (9-9): The Patriots have won five of their last six, sandwiching sweeps of Piscataway and North Brunswick around a series split with J.F. Kennedy.
9. South Brunswick (10-9): The Vikings look to snap a six-game losing streak on Monday against St. Joseph.
10T. Sayreville (7-8): After sweeping Woodbridge and wining the first of a two-game set with J.F. Kennedy, the Bombers fell to the Mustangs and St. Joseph.
10T. Old Bridge (7-11): The Knights have quality wins over East Brunswick and Monroe and quality arms in Jake Kodros and Joe Papeo, both of whom continue to keep Old Bridge in games. The Knights have lost three of their last five, sandwiching a great win over St. Augustine Prep between a series split with J.P. Stevens and getting swept by St. Joseph.
10T. Piscataway (10-8): The Chiefs have quality wins over South Plainfield, Sayreville and Middlesex.
On the bubble: Metuchen (11-5) has won 10 in a row including a victory over Middlesex.
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/sports/high-school/baseball/2017/05/06/gmc-baseball-top-10-rankings-may-6/101389222/
No comments:
Post a Comment