nj.com - Baseball: Middlesex County Season Review

Published: Friday, June 18, 2010, 12:04 AM
Josh Rosenfeld/For The Star-Ledger
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Brandon Downes of South Plainfield is the Middlesex County Player of the Year.

Player of the year: Brandon Downes is such a perfectionist that even a junior campaign in which he batted .484, drove in 47 runs and challenged the state record by hitting 15 home runs left him wanting more.

“I figure it was pretty good, but I always think I can do better than I did,” Downes said. “The home runs were a lot more (than I expected) and the RBI, but I wanted to hit well over .500 and I didn’t do it. I’ll try for that next year.”

Such is his commitment that Downes has been known to take extra batting practice after some of his better games just because he didn’t like something that may have happened on one swing. And it is for that work ethic, and the tremendous output that it produced, that makes Brandon Downes The Star-Ledger Middlesex County Player of the Year.

“He’s very coachable, he listens to your suggestions and works on it,” South Plainfield coach Anthony Guida said. “He’s a real tough critic of himself and he’s constantly making adjustments.”

Downes’ performance in the classroom is nearly as impressive. He has a 3.958 GPA, takes AP math and is a member of the National Honor Society.

“I don’t like to do bad in school. When I get a test back and I get a good grade it feels good,” Downes said.

Better than a home run?

“No, a home run is better,” he answered without hesitation.

With his grade-point average soaring at the same trajectory as his slugging percentage (a mere 1.063) Downes figures to have some options next year, whether it be attending whatever college he would desire or, perhaps, being drafted and pursuing a professional career.

But the outfielder has some unfinished business to attend to first.

“Our main goal was to win every single game,” said Downes, whose team was eliminated in the quarterfinal round of the Union County Tournament and in the sectional semifinal round of the state playoffs. “I really thought we could be county champions and state champions. I wanted to win it all, but unfortunately it didn’t happen that way.”

Downes is probably playing in a summer game or swinging in a batting cage at this very moment, trying to ensure that it doesn’t happen again.

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Team of the year: St. Joseph (21-8) faced such a competitive schedule this year --- including six Top 20 teams, four strong opponents in Florida and its usual rugged divisional schedule --- that by the time it reached the state tournament its schedule seemed to get a little easier.

“I don’t know if anybody has that schedule,” St. Joseph coach Paul Esposito said. “We really put a lot of demands on our kids and they’re ready for all occasions.”

St. Joseph outscored its first three state tournament foes by a 41-11 margin to reach the Non-Public A title game against Immaculata of Somerville. St. Joseph took a 5-1 lead into the bottom of the seventh, but Immaculata rallied to tie the score and won the game in the bottom of the eighth.

That loss may have caused St. Joseph a state title, but it did little to tarnish the respect it earned throughout the state.

“We knew we had a deep pitching staff and coming in we looked at that as our strength,” Esposito said. “But our offense came together and we had a great group of kids who committed to doing what we demand of them.”

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Coach of the year: South Plainfield figured to be improved from last year’s 13-14 squad, but a 25-3 campaign in which it held down the No. 1 spot in The Star-Ledger Top 20 for several weeks hardly seemed imaginable.

Anthony Guida, who was teaching in South Plainfield while he was coaching Dunellen before taking over the reins prior to last season, knew he was taking over a program in good condition.

“There’s a great tradition here and I know they have a great feeder program,” Guida said. “I had a pretty good idea this group was going to be something special.”

Guida resolved one early dilemma when he inserted sophomore Stephen Petriello behind the plate and moved veteran catcher Brandon Downes to the outfield. Both responded by having all-county caliber seasons.

“The way he coaches, he goes over stuff over and over again until you get it down,” said Downes, the Middlesex County Player of the Year.

Apparently, winning was one of the things Guida went over with his team, because it certainly got that down.

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Champions: South Brunswick rode a great late-season run to capture the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament title with a 9-2 victory over North Brunswick in the championship game. St. Joseph captured the loaded South Jersey, Non-Public A section but squandered a four-run lead in the bottom of the seventh before falling to Immaculata, 7-5, in eight innings for the state title. Spotswood had a .500 record at the cut-off but regrouped to capture the Central Jersey, Group 2 sectional title behind the efforts of Cody Pace. It is interesting to note that Edison, St. Joseph and Spotswood, which all stepped outside the county to play demanding schedules, were the last three teams still playing in Middlesex County.

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Game of the year: It was not pretty and it certainly was not fun for someone keeping score, but Carteret’s 31-15, five-inning victory at New Brunswick on April 5 was certainly the most memorable game. Carteret scored eight runs in the top of the first inning, seven in the top of the second and nine in the top of the fourth and received five home runs, three by Billy Merz. Victor Romero homered twice for New Brunswick, which lost despite scoring five runs in the first inning and six more in the sixth.

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Performance of the year (hitting): Most of Nick Marics’ heroics came on the mound for Edison this year. But the senior right-hander provided one of the most prolific offensive displays of the season when he drilled three home runs in a 7-5 victory over Linden in the quarterfinal round of the North 2, Group 4 playoffs. Jordan Carter of Middlesex provided several contenders for this honor, including a two-home run, eight-RBI barrage in a regular-season game against eventual Central Jersey Group 2 champion Spotswood.

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MVP: Brandon Downes may have been the best player in Middlesex county this spring but it’s doubtful if any player meant as much to his team as Cody Pace, who led a .500 Spotswood squad to the Central Jersey, Group 2 title. The senior shortstop-pitcher batted .551, slugged 1.058 and walked 36 times to lift his on-base percentage to .704. “He is unquestionably the most valuable player on our team and might be for any team in the state this past season,” Spotswood coach Glenn Fredricks wrote in an e-mail. “Without Pace, we have no chance. With him, we are sectional champions!”

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2011: South Plainfield (25-3) and Monroe (23-4) won 87 percent of their games between them and, with a host of slugging veterans returning, both should taste similar success next year. South Plainfield hails the return of first-team selections Brandon Downes and Stephen Petriello along with sophomore Mark Tomei (.342, four HRs) and junior Dan Hansen (9-1, 1.80). Monroe will counter with juniors Nick Dini, another first-team choice, and Jimmie Small (.484) as well as sophomores Frank D’Agostino (.390) and Victor Sorrento (.416). Perennial power St. Joseph loses most of its lineup but will reload around juniors Brandon Dolan (2-1, 2.88), Tom Antuofermo and Matt Hratko.

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Fourth Team: Nick Boyler, South River; Delio Coutinho, Colonia; Matt Heimall, East Brunswick Tech; Mike Maffia, Carteret; Ted Moke, Monroe; Anthony Parenti, St. Joseph; Dan Petro, Woodbridge; Victor Romero, New Brunswick; Anderson Rosa, Perth Amboy; Tyler Rossiter, Bishop Ahr; Frank Sichta, Carteret; Victor Sorrento, Monroe; Carl Thomore, East Brunswick; Sean Youngman, North Brunswick and Vinny Zanfordino, Edison.

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Top junior: South Plainfield’s Brandon Downes was selected as county player of the year and some of his stiffest competition for that honor came from Monroe’s Nick Dini, another junior. The junior battled through off-season Tommy John surgery that limited his play in the field but never let up at the plate, collecting an absurd 54 hits, 30 for extra bases: 13 doubles, seven triples and 10 home runs. He had 42 RBI, a .589 on-base percentage and a 1.133 slugging pct.***

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All-junior first team: Alejandro Diaz, Old Bridge; Nick Dini, Monroe; Brandon Dolan, St. Joseph; Brandon Downes, South Plainfield; Daniel Hansen, South Plainfield; Steven Hock, North Brunswick; Kevin Marte, New Brunswick; David Rondesko, South River; Anderson Rosa, Perth Amboy; Tyler Rossiter, Bishop Ahr; Jimmie Small, Monroe; Charles Thielman, Piscataway; Carl Thomore, East Brunswick; Sean Youngman, North Brunswick, and Vinny Zanfordino, Edison.

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All-junior second team: Emilio Calderon, Perth Amboy; Craig Cleffi, South Brunswick; Dustin DeVoe, South Amboy; John Guiliano, South Amboy; Awab Habib, East Brunswick; James Lyczkowski, Woodbridge; Roberto Ortiz, Piscataway Tech; Anthony Pena, Perth Amboy Tech; Rob Pepe, Bishop Ahr; Abner Rodriguez, Perth Amboy; Jake Rosenberg, North Brunswick; Kevin Savoia, Cardinal McCarrick; Ryan Smith, Cardinal McCarrick; Shawn Weeks, Spotswood, and Jon Young, Old Bridge.

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Top sophomore: Middlesex County’s top two sophomores could both be found behind the plate when they weren’t terrorizing foes from the batter’s box. South Plainfield’s Stephen Petriello, the first-team choice as catcher, batted .465 with 47 hits, five home runs and 33 RBI. South Brunswick’s Nick Muha, cousin of first-team choice Mike Muha, hit .352 with four home runs and 23 RBI for the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament champions.

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All-sophomore team: Kyle Anderson, Woodbridge; Franci Bueno, New Brunswick; Frank D’Agostino, Monroe; Anthony Feltre, Metuchen; Tim Hagerty, Bishop Ahr; Dylan Hayes, South River; Jose Hernandez, Perth Amboy; Matt Mangarella, Spotswood; Nick Muha, South Brunswick; Andrew Neich, Colonia; Chris Petiya, Middlesex; Stephen Petriello, South Plainfield; J.C. Rosario, New Brunswick; Victor Sorrento, Monroe; Mark Tomei, South Plainfield; Placido Torres, North Brunswick, and Santos Zabala, Piscataway Tech.

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Top frosh: Middlesex’s Tommy Marcinczyk had a terrific season as an outfielder/pitcher and was a major contributor to a team that sported a .362 batting average. He hit .493 (33-of-67) with eight doubles, seven home runs and 27 RBI and went 4-0 on the mound with a 1.35 ERA in eight appearances.

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All-freshman team: Corey Brown, Spotswood; Johnny Cabrera, East Brunswick Tech; Christian Campbell, Sayreville; Waldo Diaz, New Brunswick; Kyle Dotey, Middlesex; Justin Duran, Edison; Ariel Hernandez, New Brunswick; Jesse Lammers, Woodbridge; Chris Lee, J.P. Stevens; Tommy Marcinczyk, Middlesex; Kevin Martin, Spotswood; Jose Napoles, Cardinal McCarrick, and Juan Peralta, New Brunswick.

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http://www.nj.com/hssports/blog/baseball/index.ssf/2010/06/nj_baseball_brandon_downes_of_south_plainfield_is_the_middlesex_county_player_of_the_year.html

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NJ Baseball: All-State, All-County, All-Prep and All-Group selections

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ALL-STATE

FIRST TEAM

Brandon Downes South Plainfield

6-3 175 Jr.Outfielder had breakout year with 15 HR, batted .484 with 1.063 slugging and .570 OBP, 46 hits, 49 runs, 49 RBI, eight doubles, one triple and 10 stolen bases.

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ALL-GROUP 3

FIRST TEAM

Brandon Gonnella, Morristown

Kevin Comer, Seneca

Joe D’Annunzio, Scotch Plains

Brandon Downes, South Plainfield

Kevin Solomon, Wayne Hills

Zach Passerelle, Sparta

Alex Mottle, Hopewell Valley

Joey Gandolfo, Northern Highlands

Jon Reich, Pascack Valley

Josh Jensen, West Milford

Darren Fischer, Cumberland

Eric Walano, Cranford

Nick Cook, Cranford

Jake Kalish, Red Bank

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SECOND TEAM

P.J. Jennings, Morristown

Andres Vazquez, Iselin Kennedy

Brett Ashley, West Milford

Jon Smith, Hammonton

K.C. Abel, Wayne Valley

Gary Binkiewicz, Scotch Plains

Sean Keselica, Voorhees

Stephen Petriello, South Plainfield

Ryan Quinn, Sparta

Craig Sweeney, Midd South

Joe Casale, Morris Hills

Max Wassel, Passaic Valley

Mike Ridge, Scotch Plains

Greg Matlosz, Cranford

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ALL-MIDDLESEX

FIRST TEAM

Victor Diaz, St. Joseph (Met.)

Zack Hopf, Woodbridge

Nick Marics, Edison

Dario Santangelo, Bishop Ahr

Stephen Petriello, South Plainfield

Michael Muha, South Brunswick

Phil Gianakos, St. Joseph

Mike Heyer, South Brunswick

Cody Pace, Spotswood

Andres Vazquez, Iselin Kennedy

Shane Alvarez, St. Joseph

Jordan Carter, Middlesex

Nick Dini, Monroe

Brandon Downes, South Plainfield

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SECOND TEAM

Matt Cesare, South Plainfield

Daniel Hansen, South Plainfield

Ryan Phillips, South Brunswick

Alex Taylor, North Brunswick

Jay Stolz, Iselin Kennedy

Steven Hock, North Brunswick

Alex Weinstein, Iselin Kennedy

Billy Merz, Carteret

Kevin Olah, Middlesex

Juan Perdomo, South Brunswick

Joe Post, Bishop Ahr

Mike Merz, Carteret

Eric Perez, Woodbridge

Jimmie Small, Monroe

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THIRD TEAM

Zach Batchelor, Monroe

Charles Thielman, Piscataway

Tim Kurucz, East Brunswick

Joe D’Amico, Old Bridge

Bryan Gaeta, North Brunswick

Phil Granito, East Brunswick

Paul Nyitray, St. Joseph

Dom Vocisano, Piscataway

Conner Abreu, Piscataway

Frank D’Agostino, Monroe

Tommy Marcinczyk, Middlesex

Eric Peterson, St. Joseph

David Rondesko, South River

Carlos Ruiz, South Plainfield

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http://www.nj.com/hssports/blog/baseball/index.ssf/2010/06/nj_baseball_all-state_all-county_all-prep_and_all-group_selections.html

GMCSBL Result: Middlesex 5, South Plainfield 3

No newspaper coverage, so here's our best shot.

Charlie Huber pitched 5 strong innings but took a tough loss against a strong Middlesex team on Monday. Huber gave up 5 runs while striking out 4 and walking 3. He surrendered 6 hits but picked off 2 baserunners.

On the offensive side, the Tigers combined for 10 hits, but only 3 runs. 4 different players had 2 hits in the game. Mark Tomei had 2 singles and 2 RBIs, Stephen Petriello doubled and singled with 1 run scored, Dan Hansen had 2 singles and an RBI, and Ryan Marcoux hit a double and a single with a run scored. Nick DeMarco and Quinn Cochrane each singled once. Ryan Hutchinson scored the 3rd run after reaching base on a walk.

GMCSBL Results: South Plainfield 4, Holmdel 2

Friday's GMC Summer Baseball League
STAFF REPORT •
June 11, 2010
SOUTH PLAINFIELD 4, HOLMDEL 2:

First baseman Danny Hansen went 1-for-2 with two RBIs, and catcher Stephen Petriello went 2-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI for South Plainfield (3-0).

Right-hander Tommy Bowden threw four innings and allowed one run on two hits with a walk and three strikeouts for the victory. Lefty A.J. Celantano picked up the save with two innings of one-hit and one-run ball.

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20100611/SPORTS0103/6110344/1109?GID=n0ysz/M681GqarCvLQzcA3aNZdBdmpr3s0oBewECx3Q%3D

GMC All-Star Game re-cap

NJ Baseball: GMC All-Star Game
Thursday, June 10, 2010, 10:55 PM
Josh Rosenfeld/For The Star-Ledger

Hitting usually trumps pitching in All-Star baseball games, at least at the high school level.

But that certainly wasn't the case Thursday night as South Amboy's Mario Batista, South Plainfield's Matt Cesare, North Brunswick's Alex Taylor, Cardinal McCarrick's Joe Lunger, Monroe's Zack Batchelor, South Amboy's Craig Warzecha and South Plainfield's Dylan Papa combined to toss a two-hitter as the all-stars from the GMC White and Gold Divisions defeated their Red-Blue counterparts, 8-2, at East Brunswick High School.

St. Joseph's Eric Peterson continued his torrid late-season hitting with a two-run homer in the first inning for the Red-Blue squad. The Red-Blue did not get another hit until another Falcon, Paul Nyitray, led off the ninth with a single up the middle.

At one juncture starting in the first inning and ending in the sixth, Batista, Cesare, Taylor, Lunger and Batchelor joined forces to retire 15 consecutive batters.

The White-Gold had plenty of contributors on offense. Carteret's Mike Merz drove in three runs, two on a second-inning single that put the White-Gold on top to stay at 3-2. New Brunswick's Victor Romero and Sayreville's Brian Truchan each doubled twice in two at-bats and scored once.

The Red-Blue had its share of strong efforts on the mound as well. Starter Nick Marics of Edison struck out five over the first two innings and St. Joseph's Anthony Parenti whiffed six over two innings, though one reached first on a dropped third strike.

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http://www.nj.com/hssports/blog/baseball/index.ssf/2010/06/nj_baseball_gmc_all-star_game.html

GMCSBL Result: South Plainfield 4, St. Joseph's Metuchen 3 (8 Innings)

GREATER MIDDLESEX CONFERENCE SUMMER BASEBALL LEAGUE:
SOUTH PLAINFIELD 4, ST. JOSEPH 3 (8 innings):

Stephen Petriello was 3-for-4, Dan Hansen had two hits and three RBIs and Mark Tomei delivered the game-winning RBI single in the eighth inning.
Hansen pitched the first seven innings, recording five strikeouts, and Tommy Bowden registered the win pitching the eighth.

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http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20100610/SPORTS0103/6100362/1109

GMC Senior All-Star Game: Tonight, 5 p.m. at East Brunswick Tech

Gold Division players get chance to show their stuff

By GREG TUFARO •

STAFF WRITER •

June 9, 2010

The Greater Middlesex Conference Senior All-Star Game, which will take place 5 p.m. today at East Brunswick Tech, has always been an opportunity for baseball players, especially from the Gold Division, to shine.

Since South Amboy reached the conference tournament finals in 2006, becoming the first division member to do so, the Gold Division gained a new level of respect.

Players representing the division in today's game will try to continue to prove that they deserve to be considered among the conference's elite.

"The game gives the Gold Division boys an opportunity for other players in the county to see that there are players that could compete," Cardinal McCarrick coach Frank Notaro said. "There are several that could play up in other divisions.

"No players from the Gold Division, which will be paired with the White Division to face a squad of seniors from the Red and Blue Divisions in today's all-star game, were named to the all-conference team.

Gold Division champion South Amboy has the most representatives in the game with four. They include pitchers Craig Warzecha and Mario Batista and outfielders Joe Charmello and Christian Geant.

Crosstown rival Cardinal McCarrick will showcase pitcher Joe Lunger and outfielder Carlos Napoles in the game, while designated hitter Matt Heimall and infielder Nick Rivera will represent host East Brunswick Tech.

All proceeds from the event will benefit Bristol Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick.

South Plainfield's Anthony Guida, the GMC's 2010 Coach of the Year who spent the 2007-08 seasons as Dunellen's head coach, said he looks forward to seeing the Gold Division players in today's game.

"There are a lot of good athletes there as we've seen in the last couple years," Guida said. "There are a lot of good players, and when they get out in that (all-star) type of atmosphere, it's nice for them to get that experience."

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Players representing South Plainfield in the Senior All-Star Game will be:

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Dylan Papa - Pitcher

Matt Cesare - Pitcher

Mark Benak - Infield

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http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20100609/SPORTS0103/6090373/1109?GID=rO6+7/tpoNP9aU/19fPAS3O5tuuXEo3TfOQJIJPiR4w%3D

GMCSBL Result: South Plainfield 10, Colonia 4

Monday June 7, 2010
South Plainfield 10, Colonia 4:

Mark Tomei went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer and four RBIs, and Danny Hansen went 2-for-4 with two RBIs for South Plainfield (1-0).

Winning Pitcher: Nick DeMarco
Save: Ryan Hutchinson


http://www.eteamz.com/gmcsbl/

Baseball Dinner - June 17th at 7:oo p.m.

Mark your calendars.
2010 South Plainfield Baseball Dinner:
Thursday, June 17th at 7:00 p.m.

The Pines Manor
2085 Route 27 (Lincoln Highway)
Edison, NJ 08817
732-287-2222

$35.00 per person.

Contact:
Sherry Marcoux or John Papa

Morristown 5 South Plainfield 3

Morristown 5, South Plainfield 3
(High school Baseball scores and results)
The Star Ledger, May 25, 2010 9:32 p.m.
By Bob Behre

Great state tournament games can have outstanding plays, clutch hits, gritty pitching efforts and game-ending dramatics.

Morristown and South Plainfield somehow packed all of the above into seven full innings of baseball nirvana yesterday in the NJSIAA/Star-Ledger North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 semifinals in South Plainfield.

While one big moment followed another throughout this fantastic contest, both teams will be stirred awake for years by the memory of Morristown’s Brandon Gonnella chasing down the game’s final out at the top of the center field fence as three South Plainfield base runners scampered toward home with the potential tying and winning runs.

But Gonnella caught Matt Cesare’s rocket for the third out and Morristown, No. 20 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, survived to defeat No. 1 South Plainfield, 5-3, and advance to the sectional final. Fifth-seeded Morristown (22-9) will travel to third-seeded Cranford on Friday.

Brandon Theriault had broken up a tense 1-1 game for Morristown when he blasted a two-out grand slam in the top of the seventh that staked his team to a seemingly insurmountable 5-1 lead.

But Gonnella, who had limited South Plainfield to a single, unearned, run on four hits over the first six innings, ran out of gas in the bottom of the seventh against the dangerous South Plainfield lineup.

Carlos Ruiz started South Plainfield’s rally with a leadoff single and Dan Hansen, who had surrendered the grand slam to Theriault, rocked a shot over the fence in right-center field for a two-run home run that shaved the deficit to 5-3. With that, Morristown coach Josh Ury lifted Gonnella, sending him to center field, and asked closer Mark Palumbo to get him three outs.

Mark Tomei, the No. 9 hitter, doubled with one out and Palumbo then walked leadoff batter Rob Pasternak to put the tying run on base. He then got Mark Benak on a bouncer to first base that moved the runners over and brought up Brandon Downes, who entered the game with a state-leading 15 home runs.

Ury wasn’t going to mess with Downes, intentionally walking the slugger to face Cesare. That may have been a better option for Morristown, but certainly not a comfortable one. Cesare, who had held Morristown to one run on six hits in six innings of work, had hit six home runs this season.

Cesare smacked Palumbo’s 1-1 offering deep to straightaway center field as every fan in the crowd jumped to his or her feet. Gonnella raced back and, with his back to the infield, took one last long stride to snare the ball above the fence.

“I think it may have hit the top of the fence or went over,” Gonnella said. “I thought the fence was closer than it was when I took that last step.”

Gonnella’s outstanding catch may not have been the best one in the game. Ruiz, caught a blast by Chad Fu for the last out of the second inning with a runner aboard as he crashed into and fell over the right field fence.

Gonnella (8-1) was able to navigate the minefield that is the South Plainfield lineup on three days rest. Though, he admitted, he tired at the end.

“I wasn’t hurting, but I was a little tired,” he said. “I wanted to close it out myself but I left a curveball up to (Hansen).”

South Plainfield scored an unearned run in the fifth when Ruiz walked with one out, stole second and scored on a fielding error by Theriault. But Morristown evened the score with two outs in the top of the sixth. Cleanup hitter P.J. Jennings hit an absolute missile into the trees beyond the left field fence for a solo home run.

Hansen, relieving Cesare, struck out Ray Shupe to start the top of the seventh, but then walked Alex Ramirez and surrendered a single to Fu. Andrew Bariantaris’ sacrifice bunt moved the runners over. After Hansen went to 2-0 on the leadoff hitter, Palumbo, South Plainfield coach Anthony Guida ordered him intentionally walked to load the bases and set up a force.

That set up Theriault’s heroics.

“I was just trying to stay calm and get a good swing on it,” Theriault said. Hansen then delivered an 0-1 fastball. “It was outside and a little high and I just went that way. It was a very emotional feeling.”

The loss was a tough one for a South Plainfield team that had been ranked No. 1 in the past three polls.

“I told our guys, no matter the score, we still had outs left,” said Guida about his team’s approach in its last at-bat. “It’s a team with unbelievable resilience. They are comfortable as long as they have one out left and they battle to the very end.”


BOX SCORE:
http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/-1936374345374506671/morristown-5-south-plainfield-3-high-school-baseball-scores-and-results/
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North 2 Group III
MORRISTOWN 5, SOUTH PLAINFIELD 3:

Morristown scored four runs in the top of the seventh to take a 5-1 lead over South Plainfield. The Tigers scored twice in the bottom of the inning, but it was not enough.
Daniel Hansen hit a home run for South Plainfield (24-3) and Carlos Ruiz finished with a hit and two runs scored.

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20100525/SPORTS0103/5250368/1109?GID=zLU0qZnxg+5Gv6aegP/Ws/NgH4IPDtQWeMEjfr9XUkg%3D

NJ.COM: Bob Behre & Matt Stanmyre Preview This Week in NJ Baseball

South Plainfield Analysis

South Plainfield, Don Bosco Prep, West Essex stand firm at 1-2-3 in Baseball Top 20

South Plainfield, Don Bosco Prep, West Essex stand firm at 1-2-3 in Baseball Top 20
By Bob Behre/For The Star-Ledger
May 24, 2010, 11:02PM

South Plainfield, Don Bosco Prep and West Essex have remained in the top three spots in The Star-Ledger Top 20 as the pressure-packed portion of the baseball schedule begins on Tuesday.
The 16 public sections (the four groups in each of four sections) will have their semifinals as the non-publics move to the quarterfinals (groups A and B in North Jersey and South Jersey).
This is the most fun part of the schedule as teams throw their aces at each other and attempt to survive and advance in the NJSIAA tournament.

Eighteen of the 20 teams in the Top 20 are still playing for a sectional and, perhaps, a group championship. We welcome No. 12 Manalapan to the Top 20 for the first time this season. This does not mean, in any shape or form, that we haven't been all over Manalapan this season. We've just been waiting for the perfect time to spring this outstanding team on you.

Also entering the Top 20, at No. 16, for the first time this season is perennial stronghold Cranford. Returning to the 20 are No. 17 Scotch Plains-Fanwood and No. 20 Morristown.
The other big mover is Pope John, which jumped from No. 18 to No. 10. That can happen when a team just keeps winning and there is attrition ahead of it. It is also a reminder to focus on the winning and the rankings will take care of themselves, right coach?

One of the hottest teams in the state is Seton Hall Prep, which bounces from No. 19 to No. 14. Seton Hall, which won today to improve to 22-6, has won nine straight and 17 out of 19. Yes it is wonderful to have great athletes come to your school because you have a great reputation in baseball, but it is always wonderful to have Mike Sheppard, Jr. there to turn your boys into men and ever-improving baseball players.

Speaking of coaches who are getting it done and probably don't get enough attention for their efforts; South Plainfield's Anthony Guida and Morristown's Josh Ury come to mind. Okay, okay, I'm covering them both tomorrow in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 semifinals and I want to make sure I'm greeted with smiling faces. Hey, we all know what it feels like to be unwelcome in some places. Seriously, who wouldn't want to play for these guys? My hand is up.

I had the pleasure of covering the Hillsborough at Westfield game on Saturday. The Section 2, Group 4 quarterfinal was moved a day due to proms at both schools. What a pleasure it was. The game pitted two quality teams and two gentlemanly coaches, Hillsborough's Norm Hewitt and Westfield's Bob Brewster, who I think couldn't pick me out of a lineup. A police lineup, I mean. I don't think I could bat higher than fifth in that lineup.

Westfield won, 7-6, in 12 innings, scoring three runs in the bottom of the 12th to pull out the victory. Just an unbelievable game. I enjoyed chatting with a parent of one of the Hillsborough players during part of the game. I was reminded what a grinder it is for the parents watching the poor guy watch his kid put in one huge spot after another. This makes me crazier than a room-full of monkeys when I think about the things some people say about high school kids on open forums.

With that thought in mind, I tip my hat to all you parents who can't eat after watching your kids put through the meat-grinder high school sports can sometimes be. And shame on you people who criticize these athletes.

Now drop and give me 20 -- ALL OF YOU!

THE STAR-LEDGER BASEBALL TOP 20
1-South Plainfield (24-2)

2-Don Bosco Prep (23-3)

3-West Essex (23-3)

4-Jackson (21-5)

5-Monroe (22-3)

6-Delbarton (24-5)

7-Randolph (24-3)

8-Lenape (21-4)

9-St. Joseph (Mont.) (21-4)

10-Pope John (23-4)

11-Toms River South (21-4)

12-Manalapan (20-6)

13-St. Joseph (Met.) (18-7)

14-Seton Hall Prep (21-6)

15-Immaculata (18-3)

16-Cranford (22-5)

17-Scotch Plains-Fanwood (24-5)

18-Wall (22-5)

19-Paramus (22-6)

20-Morristown (21-9)

http://www.nj.com/hssports/blog/baseball/index.ssf/2010/05/south_plainfield_don_bosco_prep_west_essex_stand_firm_at_1-2-3_in_baseball_top_20.html

The Week Ahead

A Busy Week Ahead; A Great Game Behind
Posted By Harry Frezza

On May 24, 2010 @ 12:20 am

Just a few more words on Saturday’s North 2 IV 12-inning epic between Hillsborough and Westfield won by the Blue Devils 7-6.

Westfield coach Bob Brewster made a point about how well both teams played defensively. Hillsborough senior center fielder Bobby Peck and left fielder Dylan Zebrow were very good. Hillsborough senior lefty Ryan Lukach picked off three, leading several Blue Devils to try to mimic just how Lukach pulled it off. If Hillsborough had won that would have been one of the main points. Raiders’ second baseman Rick Devlin also had a strong game as did Westfield second baseman Max Fusaro and back-up third baseman Matt Rivera, who moved in after Anderson went from third to the mound.Westfield starter and senior righty Aiden Scanlon went 10 outstanding innings and deserves much credit. He struck out five, gave up eight hits, hit two batters and walked one. Unfortunately, Scanlon didn’t get the win.Hillsborough left seven on base. Westfield left 13.

Tuesday’s sectional semifinals brings a challenge to those who cover or follow high school baseball around here. Where to go?

Governor Livingston, beaten in last year’s CJ II final by Shore, will play host to Summit in a North 2 II semifinal. The Highlanders, the No. 4 seed, beat eighth-seed Summit 13-3 and 9-6 in the regular season.Westfield, the No. 3 seed, plays at No. 2 Bridgewater-Raritan in a North II IV semifinal. Westfield hasn’t won a sectional title since 1988. Bridgewater-Raritan hasn’t won one in years, though the Panthers lost to North Hunterdon two years ago in the North II IV final. Bridgewater-Raritan beat Westfield 7-5 last month. Westfield will start Robbie Anderson, who earned the win with two relief innings Saturday. Bridgewater-Raritan can choose from four pitchers, including senior Alex Stark, who beat Phillipsburg in the sectional quarterfinal Friday.

A Union County Tournament semifinal rematch will be held in the North 2 III semifinal. Union County Tournament champ Cranford, the No. 3 seed, goes to No. 2 Scotch Plains-Fanwood. The Raiders lost to John F. Kennedy in last year’s sectional fina and lost to Cranford 10-7 in the county semifinal last month. No. 1 seed South Plainfield will play host to No. 5 Morristown in the other N 2 III semifinal. A Scotch Plains-Fanwood-South Plainfield final Friday? Could be.

Immaculata has at three games left — the Spartans are scheduled to play at Hunterdon Central Monday, then will play host Tuesday to Roselle Catholic in a North Non-Public A quarterfinal. Immaculata may play host to South Plainfield Wednesday and then to Hillsborough Thursday in the final regular seaosn game. The Spartans have already clinched the Skyland Conference East Division title.

Third-seed Gill St. Bernards will play host to No. 6 Dwight Englewood Monday in a Non-Public B North Tournament quarterfinal. Gill celebrated its first year in the Skyland Conference by earning the Raritan Division title.

A get well shoutout to Union Catholic’s Dave Schanz, who broke his jaw sliding into second base in a game against New Providence last week.

http://blogs.mycentraljersey.com/baseball/2010/05/24/a-busy-week-ahead-a-great-game-behind/

South Plainfield (24-2), No. 1 in The Star-Ledger Top 20 for a third straight week,

NJ Baseball:
South Plainfield vs. Morristown highlights Tuesday's state tournament action
BOB BEHRE, May 24, 2010 7:07 p.m.

Brandon Downes of South Plainfield has 15 home runs this season. Brandon Gonnella of Morristown is coming off a two-hitter and a one-hitter in which he struck out a combined 27 batters.Perhaps because someone or something above has shined down good fortune on New Jersey baseball fans, the two meet Tuesday in South Plainfield in a monumental sectional semifinal that has the potential to be unforgettable.South Plainfield (24-2), No. 1 in The Star-Ledger Top 20 for a third straight week, and No. 20 Morristown (21-9) are actually very similar. Both teams mash and both can roll out a quality pitcher in any given round of the state tournament. The winner may become the favorite to win the NJSIAA Group 3 championship a week from Saturday.

The four public school and two non-public state championships will be contested on June 5.

First, South Plainfield and Morristown will attempt to survive Tuesday and advance to the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 final on Friday where the winner of a Union County squabble pitting No. 16 Cranford (22-5) and No. 17 Scotch Plains-Fanwood (24-5) will be waiting.“Their record speaks for itself,” said Morristown coach Josh Ury of South Plainfield. “I know they’re the real deal. They can swing it, play good defense and have pretty good pitching. We’ll have to throw strikes and do the little things to come out on top. My kids are excited to play the No. 1 team in the state.”Gonnella two-hit No. 6 Delbarton in the Morris County Tournament championship game on May 15 then one-hit a potent Nutley lineup in the sectional quarterfinals last Friday.

Plenty of intriguing matchups are featured on the sectional plate throughout the state and chances are you won’t have to go far to find a great game.Jackson (21-5), ranked No. 4, takes the power bats of its three and four hitters, Bryan Soloman (12 HRs) and Brandon Adams, to No. 5 Monroe (22-3) for an outstanding semifinal in Central Jersey, Group 4. That winner will face either No. 12 Manalapan (20-6) or the defending champion, Toms River North (12-11) in the sectional final.The North Jersey, Non-Public A North quarterfinals are stocked with big names and big games, as usual, but the marquee matchup in this round has No. 10 Pope John (23-4) traveling to No. 6 Delbarton (24-5). Pope John edged Delbarton, 4-3, on April 16. That game was also at Delbarton. Delbarton’s Nick Donatiello is expected to pitch against Pope John’s Brendan Mayers, who threw a five-hitter in the first encounter.That’s not to say the collision on the other side of the bracket pitting No. 14 Seton Hall Prep (21-6) at No. 9 St. Joseph (21-4) in Montvale should be ignored. Those two schools have a long and entertaining history in sectional competition. St. Joseph is trying to rebound from a shockingly early departure from the Bergen County Tournament, an event it won in 2009. Seton Hall is red hot with a cast that features just one senior in the lineup. Seton Hall has won eight straight and 16 of its last 18 games.St. Joseph will have the upper hand with Artie Lewicki (6-1) on the mound, while Seton Hall answers with the potent bats of center fielder John Norwood, catcher Stephan Halibej and first baseman Rob Fonseca.Meanwhile, Westfield (18-8) visits Bridgewater-Raritan (16-10) in North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4. Bridgewater edged Westfield, 7-5, on April 23 and both teams are playing very well at the optimum moment.Unranked Montclair (18-10) visits No. 7 Randolph (24-3) in North Jersey, Section 1, Group 4 in what is surely the biggest baseball game ever between the two schools. The schools have had some epic playoff battles in football over the years.

BASEBALL TOP 20
1-South Plainfield (24-2)
2-Don Bosco Prep (23-3)
3-West Essex (23-3)
4-Jackson (21-5)
5-Monroe (22-3)
6-Delbarton (24-5)
7-Randolph (24-3)
8-Lenape (21-4)
9-St. Joseph (Mont.) (21-4)
10-Pope John (23-4)
11-Toms River South (21-4)
12-Manalapan (20-6)
13-St. Joseph (Met.) (18-7)
14-Seton Hall Prep (21-6)
15-Immaculata (18-3)
16-Cranford (22-5)
17-Scotch Plains-Fanwood (24-5)
18-Wall (22-5)
19-Paramus (22-6)
20-Morristown (21-9)


http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/-3536593308256240885/nj-baseball-south-plainfield-vs-morristown-highlights-tuesdays-state-tournament-action/

South Plainfield 12 Carteret 2

SOUTH PLAINFIELD 12, CARTERET 2 (five innings):

Sophomore catcher Steven Petriello went 3-for-4 with a solo home run, and senior shortstop Mark Benak went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and a solo homer as South Plainfield improved to 25-2.
Junior center fielder Brandon Downes went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs for the Tigers.

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20100524/SPORTS0103/5240358/1109

South Plainfield 12, Carteret 2
(High school Baseball scores and results)
The Star Ledger, May 24, 2010 9:59 p.m.

Mark Benak, Matt Cesare and Stephen Petriello all homered to power South Plainfield (25-2), No. 1 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, to the five-inning victory in South Plainfield. Dylan Papa (4-1) tossed three shutout innings, striking out six without issuing a walk, to claim the victory. John Nigro collected two of the six hits for Carteret (10-16).

BOX SCORE:
http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/-936364345376506722/south-plainfield-12-carteret-2-high-school-baseball-scores-and-results/

Final score - South Plainfield 12, Carteret 2 (5 innings)

South Plainfield 11 West Morris Central 2

North II, Group III - TOURNAMENT BRACKETS:

http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=363292&tclass=North%20II%2C%20Group%20III

NJSIAA Baseball: South Plainfield rolls into sectional semifinals

By PAUL FRANKLIN •

STAFF WRITER • May 21, 2010

SOUTH PLAINFIELD :

Friday afternoon was pretty much business as usual for the South Plainfield High School baseball team. Good pitching, good hitting, home runs and, well, have a nice day.

The Tigers (24-2) exploded in the middle innings and took out West Morris 11-2 in an NJSIAA North 2 Group III quarterfinal game. West Morris fell to 13-12.

Eight South Plainfield batters had at least one hit. The visiting Wolfpack managed only three.

"We're playing great right now," South Plainfield senior right fielder Carlos Ruiz said. "We're consistently hitting; our pitching's doing great. One through nine is solid. Every hitter has at least one home run.

"Ruiz hit his sixth during the sixth inning, a three-run shot to left that put the envelope into the sectional semifinal mailbox. Though hitting around .450, all the numbers will be meaningless if this collection of talent doesn't win its final game.

At least that's how they feel right now.

"If we don't get a state championship, our season is nothing but a good record. That's all we want," Ruiz said. "We want a state championship or else this season means nothing.

"That's quite a contrast from a team that just last year finished below .500.

Junior left-hander Dan Hansen went five innings Thursday for the win. His fastball was keeping his team in the game until the Tigers started doing what they do. His record now 9-0, Hansen handed over the ball to senior Dylan Papa, who went the final two innings without a worry.

The Tigers might have been a little concerned when they fell behind 2-0 coming to bat in the second inning. Not to worry. Hansen took things into his own hands by smacking a grounds-rule double to right with two outs, scoring Stephen Petriello with his team's first run. Kyle Hughes followed with an RBI single.

The Tigers took the lead in the third on a single by Mark Benak, a double to left by junior Brandon Downes, then, with the bases loaded, a hit batsman and an infield single put them ahead 4-2.

Downes loosened everybody's belts with a shot over the left-field fence, a 350-foot blast that blew down leaves like it was October.

It was his 15th home run of the season.

"He rips. It's crazy," sophomore catcher Stephen Petriello said.

Personal accomplishments aside, Downes agreed that the only number that matters is No. 1.

"We like to put pressure on each other, because we know we can win and we think we can win it all," Downes said. "I don't want to sound cocky like that, but when we face those big teams we feel like underdogs and we have to come out and do what we gotta do."

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20100521/SPORTS0103/5210359/1109

South Plainfield 11, West Morris 2 (High school Baseball scores and results)
The Star Ledger, May 21, 2010 10:55 p.m.
Brandon Downes cracked a two-run homer, his 15th of the season, and Carlos Ruiz added a three-run shot and four RBI as No. 1 South Plainfield (24-2) prevailed in the quarterfinal round of the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 playoffs in South Plainfield. Dan Hansen held West Morris (13-12) to three hits over five innings to run his record to 9-0. Michael Vecchio went 2-for-3 with a double and two stolen bases, scoring the run that gave West Morris a 1-0 edge in the top of the first. South Plainfield will be the host to Morristown in the semifinals on Tuesday.

BOX SCORE:

http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/-936366345383506722/south-plainfield-11-west-morris-2-high-school-baseball-scores-and-results/

Some prominent South Plainfield fans show everyone who the #1 rated baseball team in the state is.

South Plainfield 15 Montgomery Township 6

SOUTH PLAINFIELD 15, MONTGOMERY 6:
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Robert Pasternak and Kyle Hughes each homered for South Plainfield (23-2). Hughes posted a team-high four RBIs, while teammate Stephen Petriello drove in three runs.
Kyle Wernicki homered, scored three runs and drove in four for the Cougars (15-7), who trailed 11-2 in the fourth inning.
.
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20100520/SPORTS0103/5200365/1109

BOX SCORE:

http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/63641654635493265/south-plainfield-15-montgomery-6-high-school-baseball-scores-and-results/

ROB PASTERNAK LEAD OFF HOMERUN

MARK McCULLEN ROUNDING SECOND HEADING FOR THIRD.

KYLE HUGHES LOADS UP FOR THE BIG ONE!

STATE PLAYOFF SCHEDULE - Friday May 21, 2010

NORTH 2, GROUP 3

1) South Plainfield vs 8) West Morris Central
2) Scotch Plains vs 7) Millburn
3) Cranford vs 6) JFK-Iselin
4) Nutley vs 5) Morristown

South Plainfield - 2nd Week at Star Ledger # 1

NJ Baseball: South Plainfield remains at No. 1 in statewide rankings
THE STAR-LEDGER, May 17, 2010 5:50 p.m
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THE STAR-LEDGER TOP 20
1-South Plainfield (21-2)
2-Don Bosco Prep (20-3)
3-West Essex (19-3)
4-Toms River South (19-3)
5-Jackson (18-5)
6-Paramus (21-4)
7-St. Joseph (Met.) (17-6)
8-Monroe (20-3)
9-Delbarton (20-5)
10-Randolph (21-3)
11-Steinert (22-4)
12-Wall (20-3)
13-Lenape (19-4)
14-Millville (19-4)
15-St. Joseph (Mont.) (20-4)
16-Montgomery (15-6)
17-Immaculata (15-2)
18-Pope John (19-4)
19-Seton Hall Prep (17-6)
20-Gloucester Catholic (17-6)


GROUP 3
1-South Plainfield (21-2)
2-Paramus (21-4)
3-Wall (20-3)
4-Cranford (20-5)
5-Scotch Plains (19-5)
6-Morristown (18-8)
7-Ocean Twp. (17-4-1)
8-West Milford (17-6-1)
9-Pascack Valley (17-6)
10-Sparta (18-8)


MIDDLESEX
1-South Plainfield (21-2)
2-St. Joseph (17-6)
3-Monroe (20-3)
4-South Brunswick (13-8)
5-North Brunswick (15-11)
6-Bishop Ahr (13-5)
7-Middlesex (17-4)
8-East Brunswick (11-10)
9-Iselin Kennedy (15-9)
10-Edison (13-12)


http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/-7930761441871037487/nj-baseball-south-plainfield-remains-at-no-1-in-statewide-rankings/

South Plainfield 8 Mendham 2

SOUTH PLAINFIELD 8, MENDHAM 2:
STAFF REPORT • May 17, 2010
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Brandon Downes went 2-for-4 with a three-run, first-inning homer, five RBI and two runs scored as the top-seeded Tigers will host eighth-seeded West-Morris Central on Friday. The homer was Downes' 14th of the year.
Matt Cesare added two hits and an RBI for South Plainfield (22-2). Dan Hansen (8-0) allowed seven hits, two earned runs with two walks and six strikeouts over six innings for the victory.
.
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20100517/SPORTS0103/5170387/1109
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South Plainfield 8, Mendham 2 (High school Baseball scores and results)
The Star Ledger, May 17, 2010 10:12 p.m.
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Brandon Downes drove in five runs and cracked his 14th home run of the season as South Plainfield (22-2), No. 1 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, advanced to the quarterfinal round of the North Jersey, Group 3 tournament in South Plainfield. Daniel Hansen (8-0) limited Mendham (7-15) to seven hits over six innings, striking out six and walking one.

BOX SCORE:

http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/2063631654519493080/south-plainfield-8-mendham-2-high-school-baseball-scores-and-results/

South Plainfield 10, Watchung Hills 6

HNT Regular-Season Baseball

Ruiz lifts South Plainfield

STAFF REPORT •

May 15, 2010

Designated hitter Carlos Ruiz went 3-for-4, including a home run, and scored three runs scored to lead the South Plainfield High School baseball team to a 10-6 win over Watchung Hills Saturday.Second baseman Rob Pasternak finished 3-for-4 with a double, RBI and a run scored for the Tigers (21-2). Mark Tomei went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and an RBI for South Plainfield.Kyle Hughes (2-0) picked up the win, allowing one run in five innings and striking out five.

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20100515/SPORTS0103/5150327/1109

BOX SCORE:

The Star Ledger, May 15, 2010 7:42 p.m.

Carlos Ruiz went 3-for-4 with a solo home run and Mark Tomei went 2-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored for South Plainfield (21-2), No. 1 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, in Warren. Ruiz returned to action after being forced out of Thursday's Greater Middlesex Conference quarterfinal-round loss to Bishop Ahr when he was struck by a ball in the face during infield practice, as South Plainfield had its 18-game winning streak snapped. Kyle Taylor drove in two runs and joined Richard Hart in going 2-for-3 for Watchung Hills (7-15).

http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/3063634654549493123/south-plainfield-10-watchung-hills-6-high-school-baseball-scores-and-results/

USATODAY 2010 Baseball Regional Rankings

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USATODAY

2010 Baseball Regional Rankings

East
1. James Monroe, Bronx, N.Y. (36-1)
2. Neumann-Goretti, Philadelphia (16-1)
3. Norman Thomas, New York (19-1)
4. Germantown Academy, Fort Washington, Pa. (22-1)
5. Wright, Bel Air, Md. (18-0)
6. St. John's, Washington, D.C. (22-3)
7. State College, Pa. (11-1)
8. Lawrence, Mass. (11-1)
9. South Plainfield, N.J. (19-1)
10. Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, N.J. (18-3)

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/preps/baseball/regionalrankings.htm

State Tournament Brackets Online

State Tournament Brackets can be found at:

http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=363292&tclass=North%20II%2C%20Group%20III

The NJSIAA yesterday announced the pairings for the state baseball tournament that will begin Monday 5/17. Games wil be played the sites of the higher-seeded teams. Seedings precede the teams.

GROUP III, NORTH 2:

16-Warren Hills at 1-South Plainfield
9-Ferris at 8-West Morris
12-Colonia at 5-Morristown
13-Carteret at 4-Nutley
14-Voorhees at 3-Cranford
11-Somerville at 6-J.F. Kennedy
10-Belleville at 7-Millburn
15-West Side at 2-Scotch Plains-Fanwood

GMCT Final Score: Bishop Ahr 9 South Plainfield 1

Bishop Ahr beats South Plainfield
May 13, 2010 • 9:09 pm

By GREG TUFARO
STAFF WRITER

NORTH BRUNSWICK — As the Bishop Ahr High School baseball team was getting ready to step off the bus for its Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament quarterfinal showdown with South Plainfield, ace Dario Santangelo made a deal with his teammates.
The senior right-hander, headed to East Carolina University on a partial baseball scholarship, told the 10th-seeded Trojans to get him three runs. In return, he promised to make the lead stand.
Junior second baseman Rob Pepe fulfilled the request with one swing of the bat in the third inning.
His first career homer, a three-run blast, proved more than enough for Santangelo, who tied a school record with his 19th career victory, a 9-1 upset of second-seeded South Plainfield.
Bishop Ahr will face sixth-seeded South Brunswick, a 13-3 mercy-rule winner over 14th-seeded Edison, in Saturday’s semifinals at East Brunswick Tech.
The Tigers (20-2), who entered the contest batting a conference-high .398 and who had scored 10 or more runs in each of their last eight games, had a state-best 18-game winning streak snapped.
South Plainfield lost two of its best players … right fielder Carlos Ruiz (.424) and starting pitcher Matt Cesare (.404), who combined for 51 hits and 41 RBIs this season … before the third inning to freak injuries.
Ruiz had two front teeth knocked loose and both of his lips split open on a bad-hop during infield-outfield practice. Mark McCullen replaced him in the starting lineup. Cesare, the team’s cleanup hitter, pinched a nerve in his neck during his first at-bat and was unable to continue on the mound after throwing two scoreless innings.
“”I have to say that did hurt us a bit, but I think we have 13 guys we could put in the lineup who could hit the baseball,” South Plainfield coach Anthony Guida said. “”I was pretty confident that we were going to be able to score some runs.”
It was Bishop Ahr that got production from its order, as six players combined for nine hits. No.‚9 batter Tim Hagerty went 2-for-2 with a walk and three runs scored. Shortstop Joe Post, who doubled twice, and Pepe scored two runs apiece off reliever Dylan Papa.
McCullen’s run-scoring groundout in the fourth inning closed the deficit to 3-1. Bishop Ahr got the run back in the fourth on Post’s RBI double.
Bishop Ahr (13-4) rallied for five runs in the seventh to put the game out of reach. The Trojans parlayed three walks … one intentional … an error and two hits, including an infield single, into a 9-1 lead. Post belted his second double, Kyle Harsh had a two-run single and Santangelo added a sacrifice fly during the outburst.
“”It was huge,” Bishop Ahr coach Scott Runkel said of the rally. “”Against a team like South Plainfield … one of the best offensive teams in the state … to be quite honest, I wasn’t completely comfortable eight runs up.”
Santangelo (6-0, 1.12 ERA) appeared to get stronger as the game progressed. After walking the bases loaded with two away in the second, Santangelo did not issue a free pass until Rob Pasternak walked on four pitches in the seventh.
“”I think he pitched like a bulldog and did a fabulous job,” Guida said. “”He put himself in a good position. He got ahead early. He didn’t get rattled anytime we did get a few (runners).”
Santangelo, who tied 1996 graduate Kevin Lawrence’s school record for wins, yielded one hit over the final 3 2/3 innings. Ten of the last 12 outs came via strikeout or groundout.
“”I know they can all hit,” Santangelo said of South Plainfield’s lineup. “”I had to pitch carefully to every single guy. I told them on the bus right before we got off, “Hey. I need three runs, and I’ll do the job.’
“”When (Pepe) got that three-run shot, I said thank you and I’m going to take the rest from here.”

http://blogs.mycentraljersey.com/baseball/2010/05/13/bishop-ahr-beats-south-plainfield/

or:

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20100513/SPORTS0103/5130381/1109

Bishop Ahr 9, South Plainfield 1 (High school Baseball scores and results)
The Star Ledger, May 13, 2010 10:27 p.m.
By Josh Rosenfeld

Thursday the 13th proved to be an unlucky day for South Plainfield.
Before it even took the field for the first time as the No. 1 team in The Star-Ledger Top 20 it lost one of its better hitters, Carlos Ruiz, who was struck in the face with a ground ball during infield practice and had to be scratched from the lineup.
Its starting pitcher, Matt Cesare (6-0), was forced out of the game due to twinges in his neck while he was warming up to start the third inning.
And worst of all, it ran into Dario Santangelo, who strengthened his claim as Middlesex County’s best pitcher in silencing one of the state’s most potent lineups as 10th-seeded Bishop Ahr rolled to a 9-1 victory in the quarterfinal round of the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament yesterday at North Brunswick Community Park.
The victory sent Bishop Ahr (13-4) into tomorrow’s semifinal round against sixth-seeded South Brunswick, a 13-3 winner over Edison.
It also snapped second-seeded South Plainfield’s 18-game winning streak along with its run of 10 consecutive games scoring 10 or more runs. The outcome also insured that none of the tournament’s top four seeds will reach the semifinals, after six of the top eight seeds, including three of the top four, fell in the first round Monday.
Santangelo (7-0) limited South Plainfield (20-2) to four hits, striking out five and walking four, while keeping his earned run average hovering around the 1.00 mark.
“The challenge is that they hit one through nine,” Santangelo said. “You have to pitch to the last guy like you pitch the first guy.”
Bishop Ahr greeted Dylan Papa (3-1), Cesare’s replacement, with three runs in the top of the third and never relinquished the lead. The runs came from an unlikely source as junior Rob Pepe drilled a three-run homer to left center, the first home run of his varsity career.
“We really needed to score runs early and help Dario out,” Pepe said. “Their defense is really good, but Dario really shut them down. That’s all that matters.”
As far as Santangelo was concerned, that was all the support he needed.
“I said that all I need is three runs, get me three runs,” Santangelo said. “I knew it was going to happen because he (Pepe) has been getting close the past two games.”
The East Carolina-bound senior walked three batters in the second but got himself out of that jam with a strikeout. He yielded back-to-back singles to Dan Hansen and Kyle Hughes in the fourth and, after a wild pitch, Hansen scored on a grounder by Mark McCullen for what proved to be its only run.
“He just built confidence every inning,” South Plainfield coach Anthony Guida said of Santangelo. “He threw his off-speed pitches for strikes. We tried to be very patient with him, but if he was getting his off-speed stuff over for strikes we knew that we were in for a tough game.”
Bishop Ahr added a run in the fifth on a double by Joe Post and tacked on five more in the seventh, keyed by a two-run single by Kyle Harsh for a 9-1 cushion.
An eight-run deficit, with Santangelo on the hill, proved to be the worst fate of all for South Plainfield.

BOX SCORE:

http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/4063647654537492999/bishop-ahr-9-south-plainfield-1-high-school-baseball-scores-and-results/

GMCT Quarterfinals Postponed Due To Weather

GMC baseball tournament quarterfinals postponed due to weather
STAFF REPORT • May 12, 2010

CENTRAL JERSEY — Today's Greater Middlesex Conference Baseball Tournament quarterfinals have been postponed until Thursday due to inclement weather.Thursday's schedule for all quarterfinals games, which will be played at North Brunswick's Community Park, is:

• Edison vs. South Brunswick: 4 p.m.
• North Brunswick vs. Old Bridge: 7 p.m.
• Bishop Ahr vs. South Plainfield: 4 p.m.
• Carteret vs. J.F. Kennedy: 7 p.m.

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20100512/SPORTS0103/100512021/GMC+baseball+tournament+quarterfinals+postponed+due+to+weather

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NJ Baseball: Revised GMC Schedule
By Josh Rosenfeld/For The Star-Ledger

May 12, 2010, 9:47AM

Today's quarterfinal round of the GMC Baseball Tournament has been postponed until Thursday. The games will still be held at North Brunswick Community Park.

In addition, the schedule has been revised so that the games in each half of the bracket will be played at the same time to prevent any teams from receiving an advantage pitching-wise if the night games are affected by the weather.

Here is the revised schedule, with field assignments:

Field 1

Edison vs South Brunswick, 4

North Brunswick vs. Old Bridge, 7

Field 2

Bishop Ahr vs. South Plainfield, 4

Carteret vs. Iselin Kennedy, 7

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http://www.nj.com/hssports/blog/baseball/index.ssf/2010/05/nj_baseball_gmc_quarterfinals_postponed_until_thursday.html