Bena, South Plainfield blank North Plainfield in N2G3 quarters
- Reed Becker | NJ.com
Andrew Bena struck out 10 batters over six innings as fourth-seeded South Plainfield defeated fifth-seeded North Plainfield, 7-0, in the quarterfinals of the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 Tournament in South Plainfield.
Bena allowed four hits, three walks and no runs. Jayden Jimenez pitched the seventh inning, recording two strikeouts and no walks to preserve the shutout.
Joe Stanzione led South Plainfield’s offensive attack, going 2-for-2 with three runs scored and three RBIs. Aiden McCarthy added two hits and drove in two runs, while Ed Budzinski went 2-for-2. Bena also contributed at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
Bennie Sokolowski paced North Plainfield (18-9) with two hits. Mark Fultz and Jake Zotollo each added a hit for the Canucks.
South Plainfield (16-11), seeking back-to-back sectional titles, will visit top-seeded Chatham in the semifinals. Chatham defeated ninth-seeded Middletown North, 3-0, in the quarterfinals.
Bena, South Plainfield blank North Plainfield in N2G3 quarters - Baseball recap - nj.com
Bena's strong start, quality defense lifts South Plainfield baseball
Harry Frezza Jr.CorrespondentSOUTH PLAINFIELD — Defending North 2 Group 3 baseball champion South Plainfield is a No. 4 seed in this year’s section but is playing like a team intent on a repeat title. The Tigers have made the final four and now are two wins away.
They scored their second tournament shutout with a 7-0 win over No. 5 North Plainfield in a quarterfinal on Friday, May 29. South Plainfield (16-11) will play at top seed Chatham (20-6) on Wednesday, June 3, in a section semifinal.
The Tigers got to the semis on the strength of 6-foot-5 sophomore lefty Andrew Bena, a four-run second inning and outstanding defense.
Bena (4-2) threw six shutout innings for the win. He followed senior ace Aiden McCarthy’s complete-game three-hit shutout against John F. Kennedy in a 5-0 first round win on Wednesday, May 27.“As long as (Bena) is around the zone throwing strikes, he is tough on hitters," Tigers coach Scott Gleichenhaus said. "He has been doing it for us all year,”
Bena allowed three hits and three walks and struck out 10 before senior righty Jaden Jimenez threw a scoreless seventh inning.
“(Bena) got ahead early in the count, his fastball was moving and he threw his breaking ball inside and out,” North Plainfield coach Ben Donaghy said. “You have to tip your hat to the kid. He was excellent.”
South Plainfield was also outstanding on defense as it turned two double plays. One in the third where centerfielder Dom Massaro dove to make a terrific catch off Jake Zotollo’s line drive, then threw to second baseman Gabe Garcia who threw to first baseman McCarthy to double off Mark Fultz, who’d singled.
“He has been one of the best center fielders in the county since his freshman year,” Gleichenhaus said. “He does that all the time and that is why we are a tough out. Our outfielders can get it, and our infield is solid as they were today.”
The Tigers scored four runs in the second inning to get going. Second baseman Joe Stanzione, hitting ninth in the order, slapped an opposite field bases-clearing double to left. That was followed by McCarthy’s RBI hit that made it 4-0.
McCarthy was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Stanzione went 2-for-2 with three runs scored, the three-run double and a walk.
North Plainfield senior Bennie Sokolowski has been outstanding throughout the season on the mound for the Canucks. He played shortstop Friday and had had two of the team’s hits and also walked.
He struck out nine and allowed two hits in North Plainfield’s 2-1 victory over 12th-seeded Matawan in the first round. The playoff victory was the Canucks’ first since 2011. The Canucks finished with an 18-9 record, the most wins since the 1996 team won the Central 2 title and finished 20-5.
North and South Plainfield met regularly in the early 2000s, usually in the defunct Greater North Plainfield Tournament. The quarterfinal game was believed to be the first between the two teams since then.
NJ Baseball South Plainfield tops North Plainfield in North 2 Group 3
South Plainfield ousts North Plainfield
(4) South Plainfield 7, (5) North Plainfield 0: Andrew Bena – the second half of a formidable 1-2 starting pitcher punch for the Tigers (16-11) was outstanding, allowing just four hits while striking out ten in a six-inning effort. Jayden Jiminez closed it out.
South Plainfield got on the board with four runs in the bottom of the second. Andrew Cicenia and Ed Bundzinski opened with back-to-back singles, and after a strikeout, Andrew Burns walked, and Joe Stanzione cleared the bases with a double to make it 3-0. Stanzione scored after a second strikeout when Aiden McCarthy hit the ball to second and reached on an error.
The defending North 2, Group 3 champion Tigers – who added another run in the fourth and two more int he sixth for insurance – move on to play at top-seed Chatham (20-6) Wednesday in the sectional semifinals.
Click here to listen to South Plainfield head coach Scott Gleichenhaus talk about the Tigers’ quarterfinal win over North Plainfield with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko.
Friday NJSIAA Public State Playoff Roundup: Top-seed Old Bridge advances, but fellow GMC finalist Monroe is knocked out; Watchung Hills, No. 1 seeds Ridge, Middlesex move on; South Plainfield ousts North; Piscataway Magnet walks off again
WP: Andrew Bena LP: Ian Lameira1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
North Plainfield (18-9)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
1
South Plainfield (16-11)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
7
11
0
South Plainfield Batting
AB
R
H
RBI
1B
2B
HR
BB
SB
AVG
SLG
Dom Massaro #6
4
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
1
.250
.250
Aiden McCarthy #12
4
0
2
2
2
0
0
0
0
.500
.500
Andrew Bena #19
3
1
1
1
0
1
0
1
0
.333
.667
Chris Loniewski #15
4
0
2
1
1
1
0
0
0
.500
.750
Anthony Cicenia #11
3
1
1
0
1
0
0
1
0
.333
.333
Ed Budzinski #3
2
1
2
0
1
1
0
0
0
1.000
1.500
Gabriel Garcia #16
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
.000
.000
Sean Griswald #30
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
.000
.000
Andrew Burns #7
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
.000
.000
2
3
2
3
1
1
0
1
0
1.000
1.500
Totals:
27
7
11
7
7
4
0
4
1
.407
.556
South Plainfield Pitching
W
L
PIT
IP
H
R
ER
BB
K
HB
PO
ERA
Andrew Bena #19 (WP)
1
0
94
6
4
0
0
3
10
0
0
0.00
Jayden Jimenez #23
0
0
9
1
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0.00
Totals:
1
0
103
7
4
0
0
3
12
0
0
0.00
The Tigers will face the #1 seed Chatham in the semis on Wednesday after defeating the North Plainfield Canucks 7-0. Andrew Bena was superb - tossing a 4 hit / 10 k shutout in the 6 frames he worked for his 4th Win of the season & also had an rbi double. Joe Stanzione (2-2, 2b, 3rbi, bb) opened up the scoring for the Tigers in the 2nd with a base clearing double. Aiden McCarthy, Chris Loniewski, & Ed Budzinski led the offense 2 hits apiece.
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