Andy Mendlowitz
MyCentralJersey.com

South Plainfield 8, South Brunswick 2:

Aiden McCarthy went the distance and Ryan Balent was 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs as South Plainfield won the GMC Red Division game.

The Tigers (9-3) scored twice in the top of the third to take a 2-0 lead. That was all that McCarthy needed. The junior lefty allowed two runs (1 ER) and gave up two hits and no walks with six strikeouts for the win. He also singled and scored.

Dan Kapsch (RBI, run), McCarthy (RBI) and Dylan Oller (double, 2 runs) each had two hits in the win. Dom Massaro (double) and Chris Loniewski (RBI, run) added hits.

Tyler Szakacs (RBI, run) and Peyton Lynch (run) had the hits for South Brunswick (2-10).

NJ Baseball April roundup for GMC and area Skyland and Union teams

South Plainfield Picks Up Fifth Consecutive Win

South Plainfield had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the six-run drubbing they dealt South Brunswick on Thursday. The Tigers put the hurt on the Vikings with a sharp 8-2 victory. The win was familiar territory for the Tigers, who have now won five games in a row.

Aiden McCarthy spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on two hits and racked up six Ks. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one walk in four consecutive appearances.

At the plate, Ryan Balent was excellent, going 3-for-4 with two runs and one RBI. Those three hits gave him a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Nick Irizarry, who went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and one RBI.

They weren't the only ones making solid contact: South Plainfield kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as South Brunswick only managed three hits.

South Plainfield's victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 9-3. Those road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 6.3 runs over those games. As for South Brunswick, they are on a three-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 1-11.

Coming up, South Plainfield will venture away from home to take on Red Bank Catholic at 11:00 a.m. on Friday. South Brunswick will be paying especially close attention to the Tigers' match: after the Tigers face off against the Caseys, they'll take on South Brunswick again at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday.

Baseball Recap: South Plainfield Picks Up Fifth Consecutive Win

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
South Plainfield (9-3)	0	0	2	0	1	3	2	8	14	0
South Brunswick (2-10)	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	2	2	3

WP: Aiden McCarthy
LP: Peyton Lawson

South Plainfield Batting

	AB	R	H	RBI	1B	2B	3B	HR	BB	HBP	SB	AVG	SLG
Aiden McCarthy	4	1	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.250	.250
Dom Massaro	4	1	1	1	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	.250	.500
Dan Kapsch	4	1	2	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.500	.500
Nick Irizarry	4	0	2	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	.500	.500
Kevin Penny	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000
Lorenzo Fuscoletti	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	.000	.000
Dave Butrico	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000
Dylan Oller	2	2	2	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	1.000	1.500
Ryan Balent	4	2	3	1	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	.750	.750
Chris Loniewski	2	1	1	1	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	.500	.500
Totals:	33	8	12	5	10	2	0	0	3	0	2	.364	.424