South Plainfield’s 6-run seventh helps put Tigers in GMCT semis for first time since 2018 title season

For a while, South Plainfield was nickel-and-diming Old Bridge to death in their GMC Tournament quarterfinal game.

The seventh-seeded Tigers had scored a run each in the third, fourth and fifth innings, adding two in the sixth to take a 5-0 lead over the second-seeded Knights.

But after Old Bridge got a run in the sixth to make it 5-1, South Plainfield sent eleven men to the plate in the top of the seventh, scoring six runs on just four hits to take an 11-1 lead.

And while Knights made it interesting, the Tigers (10-10) prevailed 11-4 in the end, and move on the semifinals for the first time since they won the whole thing in 2018.

They’ll take on third-seed St. Joseph Metuchen at noon at Ray Cipperly Field at East Brunswick Magnet School, while the 2:30 semi will feature top-seed North Brunswick and fourth-seed Monroe. Both games can be heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio, presented by Auto Lounge of Edison.

The Tigers got on the board in the third when Aldo Pigna reached on a two base error by center fiielder Justin Meyer, who dropped a deep fly ball. After a groundout, Dan Kapsch knocked him in with a single.

In the fourth, Brandon Bickunas led off with a double, went to third on a groundout, and scored on an infield hit by Pigna.

In the fifth, Kapsch led off with a walk, then came in on a single three batters later by Ashton Donovan to make it 3-0.

Then, South Plainfield scored two more in the sixth when Brian Potts singled, moved to second o a wild pitch, and Dan Massaro singled him in. He stole second, went to third on a wild pitch, then was driven in on a single by Jay Alvarez.

The bottom of the inning, though, was when things got really interesting.

Old Bridge’s Mike Villani led off with a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and when Frank Papeo Singled to get the Knights on the board, Tigers’ coach Scott Gleichenhaus pulled starter Kevin Penny for first baseman Ashton Donovan. He walked Evan Smith, then induced a pop out and got a strikeout for the first two outs of the inning. He walked Justin Meyer to load the bases, but got Thomas Papeo looking to end the inning.

The last two strikes – both called – appeared low. Papeo was frustrated, and so were the fans. But Papeo came out to pitch the top of the seventh, replacing reliever Justin Meyer. And his frustration boiled over on the mound, affecting his control.

He gave up a walk, a single, and a walk to load the bases before getting Pigna to strikeout. But Dan Massaro drove in two with a single, advancing to second on a throw to third that didn’t get courtesy runner Dan Gonzalez. Kapsch hit a ball to short, but the thorw to first was in the dirt, and got away from the first baseman Frank Papeo, allowing two more runs to score. Then Robinson hit a fly ball to center that was dropped – Old Bridge’s fourth error of the game. And after a foul out down the right field line, Donovan drove in two more runs with a bloop single that dropped in, making it 11-1.

And yet, Old Bridge (14-7) wasn’t done. John Smith walked to lead off the bottom of the seventh, followed by Kyle McSorley, and Villani knocked in a run with an RBI double. After a strikeout, Evan Smith drove in a run on a groundout to short and Josh Martinez singled another run to make it 11-4, but eventually Donovan – who’d been relieved by Robinson, came in to get the final out on a force out to short.