WILL HE OR WON’T HE?? Will Stephen Young (pictured) get the start in the Group 1 semis? Or could it be sophomore Aidan Kozak? Middlesex head coach Justin Nastasi isn’t saying yet.
It’s anything but ho hum, but here comes anther Middlesex baseball team, just a win away from another berth in the group finals.
They’ve done this three times in the first five seasons under head coach Justin Nastasi, but it’s relatively new for this year’s group, considering there was no season last year, and the 2019 squad lost to South Jersey Group 1 champ Glassboro in the group semifinals.
They have been as outstanding as they need to be, and sometimes a little more in this postseason, winning two games in the sectional playoffs by the ten-run rule, and winning a 2-1 game in the title tilt over Point Pleasant Beach in the final at bat, and a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded and the infield in.
No one every said it would be easy, but sometimes Middlesex makes it look that way.
That’s mostly because of their pitching. Yet, Nastasi was not ready to reveal who his starter would be for Monday’s Group 1 semifinal with South 1 champ Woodstown, with first pitch scheduled for 4 pm at Worowski Field in Mounatinview Park.
You can hear the game live on Central Jersey Sports Radio, with Mike Pavlichko and Dom Savino on the pregame show at 3:30. Click here to listen.
Nastasi could very well go with Stephen Young, who was only thrown eight innings in the tournament so far, including one start. He’s allowed no runs, just three hits, three walks, and struck out nine.
Or he could put Aidan Kozak out there, the sophomore who struck out ten and allowed only two hits and a walk (plus one hit batsman) in five innings of a mercy rule win over Florence in the CJ1 semis.
Either way, Nastasi would have a winner on the mound.
Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk with Justin Nastasi about the CJ1 title game win, and Monday’s Group 1 semifinal against Woodstown: