Tuesday, May 30, 2023

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)

Thursday, May 25, 2023

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.

Tuesday, May 23, 2023

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)

Monday, May 22, 2023

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.

Friday, May 19, 2023

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)

Thursday, May 18, 2023

2023 - Game # 26 Ridge 15, South Plainfield 4 (5 Innings)


Byrne, nine-run fifth power Ridge over South Plainfield


Connor Byrne homered and drove in four runs, part of a nine-run fourth inning that vaulted Ridge to a 15-4 victory over South Plainfield in South Plainfield.

Now 22-3 on the season, the Red Devils also received three RBI’s and two doubles from Julian Kielb in this one. Ezra Sadowsky also launched a solo homer in this one for Ridge.

Ashton Donovan singled in a pair of runs for South Plainfield, which fell to 13-13 on the year.

Byrne, nine-run fifth power Ridge over South Plainfield - Baseball recap - nj.com

Andy Mendlowitz
MyCentralJersey.com

Ridge 15, South Plainfield 4

Connor Byrne homered and drove in four runs and Ezra Sadowsky had a solo home run to lead Ridge.

The visiting Red Devils (22-3) led 6-3 and broke it open with nine runs in the fifth inning.

Byrne and Sadowsky each had two hits. Also adding two hits were Nick  Sellitti (2 RBI, 2 runs), Brendan Callanan (RBI, 2 runs, double), Julian Kielb (3 RBI, run, 2 doubles) and Matt Shawah (2 runs). Luke Somelofske and Nick Rossi each singled and drove in a run.

Callanan earned the win on the mound by allowing four runs in three innings.

For South Plainfield (13-13), Jay Alvarez doubled twice and scored and Ashton Donovan singled and drove in two runs. Dom Massaro also had two hits and Dan Kapsch (run), Zack Robinson (run) and Nick Irizarry each singled.

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

Revisiting baseball power points before Wednesday’s final games before the cutoff

May 17, 2023 by Mike Pavlichko

Today – Wednesday – is the cutoff for the NJSIAA state tournament. Seeding will take place Friday with the top 16 power point teams in each section qualifying. The best 16 power point values on a team’s schedule count toward their power point total, but residuals only come from an opponent’s first 16 games.

Remember, a win today, doesn’t automatically add that value onto the total. If a team has 500 power points, and gets a win over a 16-win Group 4 school for 58 points (6 quality points for the win + 4 for the group + 48 residuals – three for each win) they don’t just get 58. You have to drop the lowest score among their top 16. So, if that lowest score is a 20, the net gain is 38. Since wins are worth much more than losses, teams with fewer than 16 wins heading into today (where their best loss might be worth 12 points) and playing a moderate opponent stand to gain more than a team with 17 wins (where their worst win may be worth 15 points). (See how it works in real life below with Woodbridge.)

Ultimately, we project 36-37 area teams will qualify for the state playoffs, with 36 already in, and Piscataway being the lone bubble team to make it 37. Of those, 12 are from Somerset County, and 24 (or 25) from the GMC.

With this being the final day for games to count toward the best 16, here’s a more focused look at each Central Jersey Sports Radio-area team’s positions, based on official standings and today’s schedule as published on NJ.com as of 1 pm Wednesday, May 17th:

North 2, Group 4

As expected, it looks like Ridge will get the top seed here at 20-3 with a power point total of 580.5. There’s too much ground for Bridgewater-Raritan (17-5, 526 points) to make up. And the Panthers should be in second, with a 30 point lead over Woodbridge (17-5, 496). They would gain 29 points for a win over Metuchen today, but dropping their lowest score – an 11 – only have a net gain of 18. The Barrons should be safely in third, ahead of Bayonne (10-5, 470.5), which doesn’t play today.

Edison (14-9, 416) currently sits in sixth, and probably can’t go higher, but they do play Robbinsville today, and might need a win to avoid dropping behind Hunterdon Central (11-8, 413) and/or Westfield (11-8, 406) All three teams play today.

Franklin (10-10, 353) probably can’t finish higher than ninth, where it stands right now, but three teams behind them are within 13 points: Scotch Plains-Fanwood (9-13, 350), Watchung Hills (8-12, 344) and Union (8-14, 340).

And then there’s Watchung Hills (8-12, 344), which could pick up 30 net points with a win over Marlboro today, and pass Franklin if the Warriors lose.

JP Stevens should make it (6-16, 249); the Hawks currently sit in 14th. But Piscataway likely faces a must-win game against St. Thomas Aquinas today – yes, a rematch of their first-round GMC game, which the Chiefs won 7-4. That would be worth 43 points, minus their lowest score of six for a net gain of 37. That could get them in alone regardless of what 16th place Newark East Side (7-13, 217) does, since a win over East Orange would only be worth 19, and a net gain of 13. The Chiefs also could pass Dickinson – which is off today, according to the NJ.com schedule – and end up in 15th.

Central Group 4:

We say Old Bridge (16-8, 605.5) is a lock as the No. 1 seed since the Knights can’t be caught by North Brunswick (17-5, 569). The Raiders play Colonia today but would only net five points with a win. And the Raiders should be locked in as a two-seed because the closest team to them is Jackson Memorial (16-6) with 495 points, 74 behind North Brunswick.

However, things are a bit unsettled for the three GMC teams in fifth, sixth and seventh. Monroe is fifth at 12-8, with 417 points, followed by Sayreville (13-9, 413) and East Brunswick (10-11, 401). The Bears are the only one of the three to play today, against Notre Dame, a game that’s worth 50 points, and a net of 41 (nine is EB’s lowest power point value right now).

South Brunswick (9-12, 343) has a big game against Lawrenceville today that could push them past idle West Windsor-Plainsboro South, which they trail by 11.5 points if they come up with a win.

Hillsborough (8-14, 310) sits in 13th, and visits Nottingham today at 5 pm. That game is worth 35 points with a win, for a net of 26, which could push them as high as tenth place, but at least eleventh.

North 2, Group 3:

Since the weekend, South Plainfield (13-12, 526) vaulted all the way up to third place from seventh, with quality wins over a pair of GMC division champions: Spotswood of the Blue and Sayreville of the White. The Tigers – idle today – could slide back a bit. Randolph (13-9, 525.5) is just a half-point behind South Plainfield.

Colonia (9-12, 291) would be hard-pressed to move up from 13th place, and may be locked in, with Nutley (5-13, 282.5) idle.

Central Group 3:

Somerville (12-8, 388) and JFK (12-10, 382) moved down a spot each to tenth and eleventh. The Pioneers visit Ridge today, while the Mustangs host Ocean Township, so they could swap places, but they appear to be locked into those two positions.

North 2, Group 2:

Bernards (14-8, 410) dropped two games this week, and dropped from third to fourth since the weekend. They’re idle Wednesday, but could drop further, behind Parsippany (13-6, 405) and/or Caldwell (12-2, 404). Both play one more game before the cutoff: Parsippany at Morristown-Beard, and Caldwell at Montclair, so it’s scoreboard watching time for the Mountaineers.

Central Group 2:

Since the weekend, South River (13-7,437) has jumped Spotswood (16-6, 434) into third place. Neither can take first or second, currently held by Rumson-Fair Haven (17-4, 637) and Governor Livingston (16-6, 512), but the Chargers could leapfrog the Rams again with a home win over Rahway today, which would be worth 30, and a net gain of 19. A win avoids the top-seed until the sectional final, but Governor Livingston was the Union County Tournament runner-up, losing 1-0 Monday to Cranford in the title game.

But the Chargers also may need to win to keep Carteret (15-6, 417) at bay. The Ramblers play Plainfield today, and a win may be just enough to boost them into third over not only Spotswood, but also South River.

East Brunswick Magnet (11-6, 347.5) should be in the field, 41.5 points ahead of Point Pleasant Boro.

Central Group 1:

Middlesex (12-7, 351) fell to third since the weekend, 19 points behind second-place Shore (11-10), with Point Pleasant Beach (17-5, 386) in first. The Blue Jays play Rutgers Prep today, a 31 point win, with a net gain of 20. There might be a slim chance they can catch Shore, if they lose at Manchester Twp. (8-9-1) today. Somerset Tech (11-6, 330) may fall just short of catching Middlesex even with a win today over Bound Brook; they currently sit in fourth., and likely won’t fall.

That’s because South Amboy (12-6, 306) in fifth is idle, and sixth-place Palmyra (10-6, 298) has STEM Civics today.

Yet, seventh-place Manville (11-7, 290.5) plays at 11th-place Dunellen (9-6, 213.5) today, and that’s worth 24 net points, so they could pass both Palmyra and the Governors, moving into fifth, with a win. The Destroyers could move up to ninth, though, with a win, worth 37 points – their lowest value is a loss to North Plainfield, worth zero points, so it would be a clean gain.

Non-Public North B:

St. Thomas Aquinas (14-8, 440) remains in second, healthily behind first-place St. Mary-Rutherford (16-8, 479) and likely won’t catch them even with a win over Piscataway today. And they shouldn’t be caught from behind by Rutgers Prep (11-13, 393), which plays Middlesex; a win leaves them well short.

Idle Gill St. Bernard’s (6-14, 268) will probably hold there, with Hawthorne Christian (10-8, 260) well behind them, and idle. Timothy Christian (5-10, 184.5) won’t go any higher than ninth, but an unlikely win today by Morristown-Beard (2-14, 177) over Parsippany could bump them down. Wardlaw-Hartridge (1-13-1, 99) is in last place, in 12th.

Non-Public South A:

St. Joseph-Metuchen sits in second at 17-7, with 565 points, 22 behind Red Bank Catholic (18-4, 587). The Caseys play Millburn (21-2) today while St. Joe’s has a doubleheader against separate teams: North Hunterdon at 4 pm and Cranford at 8 pm. A sweep by the Falcons and a loss by RBC might get Joe’s the top-seed.

Pingry (10-8, 372) likely can’t jump out of eighth over Paul VI, even with a win today over Hun, while Union Catholic (10-13, 367) behind them is idle. So, the Big Blue probably stay there. Immaculata (7-12, 321) likely also remains in tenth, 46 points out of ninth, and 84 points ahead of 11th place St. John Vianney (6-14).

Revisiting baseball power points before Wednesday’s final games before the cutoff – Central Jersey Sports Radio (cjsportsradio.com)

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

2023 - Game # 25 South Plainfield 6, Sayreville 2

 



NO MEDIA COVERAGE OF THIS GAME BY ANY NEWS OUTLETS


The Tigers won 6-2 vs Slayerville on Senior Day. Mike Sbailo dealt & gets his 2nd W in less than a week- allowing 2 r 6k 6h in 6.1 innings of work. Dogs who ate: Mike Sbailo (3-4 rbi) Jay Alvarez (2-3 2 r bb rbi) and 5 other Tigers made it into the hit column.


Just when it seemed Mike Sbailo was up to his old self, handling company business, he decided to take things to another level. Not only was he the center stage at the office, but he was seen afterwards, celebrating his W by stage diving & crowd surfing it up at a Slayer show.

Greater Middlesex Conference rankings for Week 6



Andy Mendlowitz MyCentralJersey.com

1. North Brunswick (16-5) last week No. 1 – The Raiders have just about seen it all over the past three seasons. Remember in last year’s Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament when they won back-to-back games by scores of 14-13 and 1-0 in 12 innings. No, not much frazzles this group, the bulk of which were members of the 2022 GMCT champions and 2021 GMCT semifinal teams. So they didn’t panic after falling behind 1-0 in the first inning against Monroe and its ace Harrison Lollin in Saturday’s GMCT semifinals. North Brunswick simply stayed cool and prevailed 2-1 fueled by Omar Carreras’ two-run homer in the third inning. Zack Konstantinovsky retired 17 straight to end the game. North Brunswick is a complete team with a balanced lineup and have won 13 of its last 14 games and eight in a row. They topped Somerset County Tournament champions Rutgers Prep 12-6 last week. They’ll meet St. Joseph in a rematch of last year’s GMCT Saturday at 2 p.m. at East Brunswick Magnet School.

2. St. Joseph (16-7)– last week No. 4 – The hot team stayed hot. That’s the way you want to be playing come mid-May. The Falcons reached their third-straight GMCT final with a 7-0 win over Spotswood in the quarterfinals and a 2-1 win over South Plainfield in the semifinals. That set up a rematch with North Brunswick in Saturday’s final. St. Joseph has now won 12 of its last 13 and nine in a row. Leadoff hitter Mark Gialluisi, a catcher, sets the tone (44 hits, 8 BB, .537 BA) and it’s a pesky lineup throughout the order. No. 8 hitter Will Ramsay homered against Spotswood and No. 9 hitter Bobby Christensen had the presence to draw a bases loaded walk in the GMCT semis for the winning run in the sixth inning.

3. Monroe (11-8)– last week No. 3 – The pitching couldn’t have been much better. Monroe allowed two runs and six hits in its three GMCT games. Last Wednesday, Lucas White threw a no-hitter with one walk in the Falcons’ 1-0 win over South Brunswick in the quarterfinals. Monroe dropped the semifinal 2-1 to North Brunswick as Harrison Lollin gave up three hits in the wrong side of a pitching duel. The junior twirled a three-hitter with 13 strikeouts in the 7-0 second-round win over Piscataway. Zack Wallace gives Monroe three top starters and the Falcons should be a fun team to follow in the NJSIAA sectional playoffs. The pairings are released on Friday.

4. Old Bridge (15-8)– last week No. 2 – When two Red Division teams meet, you never know which way the runs will fall. The second-seeded Knights lost to seventh-seeded South Plainfield 11-4 in Wednesday’s quarterfinals after splitting in the regular season. The Knights then lost to non-conference Manalapan and scored an impressive win over White Division champion Sayreville on Monday. Old Bridge’s tough schedule – non-conference games included Millburn (21-2), Red Bank Catholic (18-4) and St. Augustine (15-6) – should help prepare them for the sectionals.

5. South Plainfield (12-12)– last week No. 7 – One can’t go by South Plainfield’s record. The Tigers always have a legit chance to win and have splits with our No. 1 North Brunswick, No. 2 St. Joseph and No. 4 Old Bridge. That’s why the seventh-seeded Tigers win over second-seeded Old Bridge in the GMCT quarterfinals wasn’t all that shocking. They almost got it done against St. Joseph in the semifinals, but the third-seeded Falcons rallied for the 2-1 win.

6. Spotswood (16-6)– last week No. 5 – The Chargers ran into a couple of tough Red Division teams last week, falling to St. Joseph in the GMCT quarterfinals and South Plainfield on Monday. But remember, Spotswood exceeded their No. 11 seed by reaching the final eight via an upset over sixth-seeded Woodbridge in the second round. Senior Casey Cumiskey became the program’s career hit leader by doubling in the second inning against South Plainfield to break Spotswood’s record of 135 career hits. It was also his 50th hit of the season, which surpassed the program’s single-season hit mark that he set last season.  

7.Sayreville (13-8) – last week No. 6 – While the Bombers are on a bit of a slide, their fans shouldn’t be all that concerned with the sectionals coming up. Sayreville continues to play good teams tight. Their current 2-7 stretch includes four games decided by three runs or less. Junior Jake Romanello is continuing his breakout season by hitting .492 (30-of-61).

8. Edison (13-9)– last week No. 8 – The Eagles, too, are on a down stretch with losses against quality teams. Edison has dropped six of their last eight with four of them by three runs or less. The Eagles’ bats came alive with an impressive 11-5 win over Somerset County Tournament champions Rutgers Prep on Monday.

9. Woodbridge (17-5) – last week No. 9 – The Barrons continue to pile up wins. Woodbridge has taken four straight following its loss to Spotswood in the GMCT second round on May 8. This month they’re 8-1 – the type of consistency a team strives for in the stretch run. The latest win was a 7-6 walk-off against Linden from the bat of Derek Anderson.

10. (tie) South Brunswick (9-12)– last week No. 10 – The Vikings came close, but couldn’t conquer Monroe in their third try this season. They fell 1-0 in the GMCT quarterfinals as Monroe’s Lucas White threw a no-hitter. What could you do, that’s baseball. Fans should be encouraged by the team’s improving play as of late. After a six-game slide, the Vikings are 4-1 from May 5 on.

East Brunswick (9-11)– last week No. 10 – The Bears have scored 27 runs in their last two wins. Dustin McGuinness, Jack Gerould and Ryan Schultz each drove in four runs apiece. East Brunswick hopes that kind of hitting stays contagious as they gain momentum for the sectionals.

(Records through Monday, May 15) 

NJ baseball: Greater Middlesex Conference Top 10 for Week 6 (mycentraljersey.com)

Monday, May 15, 2023

2023 - Game # 24. South Plainfield 10, Spotswood 4


South Plainfield tops Spotswood, spoils Cumiskey’s record-setting day

By Jason Bernstein | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com


The South Plainfield dugout celebrates after Jayden Alvarez (2) scored the first run of the game during the Greater Middlesex County Tournament semifinal baseball game between St. Joseph (Met.) and South Plainfield at Easst Brunswick Magnet High School in East Brunswick, NJ on Saturday, May 13, 2023.Scott Faytok | NJ Advance Media

Jayden Alvarez’s grand slam, was the big blow in a six-run top of the fourth inning that propelled South Plainfield to a 10-4 victory over Spotswood in Spotswood.
In defeat, Casey Cumiskey became Spotswood’s career hits leader, setting the mark with a bases-clearing double that gave Spotswood a 3-1 lead. Cumiskey, a Seton Hall commit who now has 137 career hits, also broke his own single-season hits record with 51.

Kevin Penny was 3-for-3 with two runs for South Plainfield (12-12) and Dom Massaro scored three runs, going 1-for-4 with a walk, RBI and a stolen base. Zack Robinson and Aldo Pigna had two RBI apiece and Nick Irizarry scored two runs. Winning pitcher Andrew Csordos allowed four runs, eight hits and four walks with two strikeouts in seven innings.

Cumiskey finished the day 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run for his 15th multi-hit game of the season for Spotswood (16-6).

South Plainfield tops Spotswood, spoils Cumiskey’s record-setting day - Baseball recap - nj.com


South Plainfield 10, Spotswood 4

Spotswood senior Casey Cumiskey became the program’s career hit leader by doubling in the second inning against South Plainfield to break the school’s record of 135 career hits.

It was also his 50th hit of the season, which surpassed the program’s single-season hit mark that he set last season. The Seton Hall-commit has 15 multi-hit games with three or more hits in 10 of those games.

South Plainfield (12-12), though, claimed the win with a six-run fourth inning highlighted by Jay Alvarez’s grand slam. Kevin Penny went 3-for-3 with a double and Zack Robinson had a triple and two RBI on the day. Dom Massaro also doubled and scored three times in the win.

Spotswood fell to 16-6.

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


The Tigers won 10-4 today. Andrew Csordos went the distance & picked up the Win. Dogs who ate : Kevin Penny (3-3 2b bb sb 2r) Dom Massaro (3-4 2 2b bb 2rbi sb 3r) Zach Robinson(1-2 3b 2rbi r) and Jay Alvarez (2-4 GS 4rbi)


Andrew Csordos was given an assignment on Monday that required him to work on location in one of the toughest environments known to man. Delayed, but not deterred, w/ case in hand, double Windsor knot & Armani suit on back, Andrew was all business.

Saturday, May 13, 2023

2023 - Game # 23 Johnathan Dayton Springfield 6, South Plainfield 4 (TD Bank Park)

 


No published re-caps of this game by any print media.


2023 - Game # 22 St. Joseph's Metuchen 2, South Plainfield 1 (GMC Semi-Final)

 


St. Joseph (Met.) surges late to top South Plainfield in GMCT semis
By Mak Ojutiku | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Third-seeded St. Joseph (Met.) scored a pair of late runs to push past seventh-seeded South Plainfield for a 2-1 victory in the semifinals of the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament, hosted at East Brunswick Magnet.

St. Joe’s will face top-seeded North Brunswick in the championship game next Saturday, May 20, at East Brunswick Magnet.

North Brunswick has handed St. Joe’s two losses this season.

After a scoreless start to the game, the Tigers (11-11) struck first with a fifth-inning run.

Matt Kosuda produced an RBI single in the sixth inning to tie the game 1-1 for St. Joe’s, and Bobby Christensen drew a bases-loaded walk to make it a 2-1 lead.

Ashton Donovan drove in South Plainfield’s run.

Andy Mendlowitz
MyCentralJersey.com


EAST BRUNSWICK – Jimmy Mulvaney knew his mission – keep it close. Really, that’s all you could do in a pitching duel. So after South Plainfield scored in the fourth inning, the St. Joseph right-hander went back to work.

“I’m beating myself up, but at that point you just got to put it behind you,” the senior said. “Keep it there and trust the bats.”

And why wouldn’t he believe? The Falcons have been rolling in all facets after a slow start.

Saturday, St. Joseph scored twice in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead and held on for the 2-1 win in the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament semifinal.

The rally didn’t have a dramatic extra base hit. Rather, constant pressure and composed at-bats with two singles and three walks to bring home the two runs.

Matthew Kosuda’s RBI single tied it and Bobby Christensen’s walk with the bases loaded gave St. Joseph the 2-1 lead.

Mulvaney went 6 2/3 innings and left with two outs and runners on first and second after 102 pitches. Senior reliever Bryan Rios got a fly out to right field on his first pitch to seal the win at host East Brunswick Magnet School.

The Falcons have now won eight in a row and 11 of their last 12.

“I was confident today we were going to win even when we were down,” Mulvaney said. “I know our lineup. I knew we were going to score. And once we got those two runs across, I knew I had a job to do. I got those two outs. I was tired there at the end. Lost it a little, but Bryan came in, got those last two outs for me. It was huge.”

The third-seeded Falcons (15-7) reached their third-straight GMCT final and will have a rematch with top-seeded North Brunswick in next Saturday’s 2 p.m. final at EB Magnet School. St. Joseph won the title in 2021.

Seventh-seeded South Plainfield (11-11) had a nice run to reach the semifinals highlighted by an 11-4 upset over second-seeded Old Bridge in the quarterfinals last Wednesday. The Tigers also beat 10th-seeded Middlesex 6-4 last Monday.

Key plays for St. Joseph

In the sixth down 1-0, the Falcons went to work. Josiah Brown led off with a single up the middle. Tyler Delvecchio walked and Kosuda ripped a single into left field that scored Brown to tie it 1-1.

Joseph Zammitti walked to load the bases. The Tigers' Aldo Pigna got two outs, but faced sophomore No. 9 hitter Bobby Christensen., who drew a walk on four pitches for the lead.

Key plays for South Plainfield

South Plainfield junior lefty Aldo Pigna battled on the mound, going the distance. St. Joseph coach Mike Murray Jr. said, “Aldo was great.”

The Tigers seized a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning on two swings. Jay Alvarez doubled on a 2-2 count over the left fielder’s head. Ashton Donovan followed by dropping a single into center field on the first pitch that scored Alvarez.

St. Joseph seemed to have a rally going in the second when Kosuda’s single fell in center field with one out. Joseph Zammitti followed up with a single to left.

South Plainfield catcher Brian Potts threw Kosuda out at third base trying to steal for the second out. Pigna allowed a walk to Christian Azcona. However, he got a strikeout to end the inning as the scored remained 0-0.

In the top of the seventh, Donovan led off with a single to left center and Kevin Penny singled in the hole past the shortstop with one out. South Plainfield, though, couldn’t get any closer.

Nightcap for South Plainfield

The Tigers packed up after the game and boarded the bus, but they weren’t done playing baseball on the day.

They were slated to play Dayton High School at TD Bank Ballpark for a 6 p.m. contest

The game supported Ava Theresa Dercole’s fight against cancer and remember the lives of Matteo Anthony Nappe and Laney Grace Stoeckel.

Some of the proceeds of each ticket sale went to a $5 donation toward providing gift cards, meal tickets and support to the families at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital.

Ava Theresa Dercole is the daughter of a member of Dayton’s coaching staff.

Matteo Anthony Nappe passed away on Oct. 21, 2022, at 19 months with a congenital heart defect.

Laney Grace Stoeckel was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and had two open-heart surgeries and an experimental procedure. She passed away in October 2020, shortly she turned five months old. Laney’s parents Dave and Jenn Stoeckel of South Plainfield, started Team Laney Bug, a charity that supports families of cardiac patients.

“We do whatever we can,” said South Plainfield coach Scott Gleichenhaus, whose family is good friends with the Stoeckels. “Even though it pales in comparison to what they went through, we just try to provide them with a support system constantly and just be there for them and help out anyway we can.”

Mulvaney pitching in the elimination game atmosphere, “Anytime it’s a GMC game, it feels like a playoff game we always say during the regular season. Especially once you get on this field, it’s real and pressure’s on every pitch. It’s stressful, but we were able to get a dub today. I’m super happy.”

Bobby Christensen on his game-winning walk, “It was a 2-0 and I got the take sign because he threw a lot of balls in a row and he was kind of getting later into his outing. So it was just like, make him come to me first. And once I got to 3-0, obviously that’s auto take. We weren’t going to swing. It ended up working out and I’m glad I got it done for the team.”

St. Joseph coach Mike Murray Jr. noted a key in the comeback was having the hitters not try to do too much offensively and “having those simple at-bats and stacking those together is better than trying to hit the three-run homer. So we were able to do that at the end. We just needed a couple baserunners and something good to happen.”

Baseball: St. Joseph rallies for win to reach the GMCT final (mycentraljersey.com)