Combined one-hitter sends top-seed Bridgewater-Raritan to SCT semis with 5-0 win over Immaculata

Immaculata led off Tuesday’s Somerset County Tournament quarterfinal game with a single, and when two walks followed – even after the leadoff man was caught stealing – things were looking a little iffy for top-seed Bridgewater-Raritan and starter Matt Fattore.

But Fattore got out of the inning with a fly out and a strikeout, and the Panthers ended up with a combined one-hitter to get them past No. 9 seed Immaculata, 5-0 – as heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio, presented by Zoned Sports Academy – and advance to Thursday’s 4 pm SCT Semifinal at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater.

Bridgewater (11-1) will play 12-seed Rutgers Prep, which beat upset 4-seed Somerville 3-2 at Torpey Field.

After a brief conversation with head coach Max Newill as he came off the mound – Fattore wanted to stay in – he got moved to first base due to some arm soreness, and Noah Matheson came in to pitch.

The senior – sporting a 1.40 ERA on the season – pitched four no-hit innings to get the win, while Corey Rible tossed the last four, also without allowing another hit.

The Panthers got what turned out to be the only run they would need in the fourth inning. Matt Fattore beat out an infield hit, then moved to second on a walk to his older brother, Michael. Kevin Lee hit a ball to short, and reached on a 4-6 fielder’s choice beating out the double-play ball at first.

With runners at the corners, Lee took off before the next pitch to the plate, pitcher Josh Thompson threw to second base where Jayson Labrador was covering, but when Matt Fattore took off from third, he realized he couldn’t make the throw to the plate; arm trouble sidelined him has a fielder for the first two weeks of the season, and after some time at first, this was his first game of the year at second base.

So, he conceded the run, and Bridgewater had a 1-0 lead.

They would then add four more in the fifth, thanks to a two-RBI single by Jimmy Turchi and an RBI single by Mike Fattore.

The win went to Matheson, who’s now 2-0 on the year. Starter Josh Thompson took the loss to fall to 0-3 for Immaculata, now 2-7.