Pitching and defense the key for Monroe ahead of GMCT semifinal

Ask fourth-year head coach Sean Field if there was an inflection point in his team’s season or any notable reason for the turnaround and you’ll get a pretty casual “not really.”

Monroe was 1-4 following a walk-off loss to East Brunswick on April 13. Since then, the Falcons have won 10-of-12 and will play for the school’s first GMC final appearance since 2017 on Saturday.

“I’ve always had a good feeling about this team,” Field said. “Even when we were 1-4, I kept telling the guys, ‘I’m really proud of you. Just keep punching, and eventually we’re going to break through.'”

Break through, they have.

Last Saturday, in their first GMC Tournament game, the fourth-seeded Falcons (11-6) handled Piscataway, 7-0, behind a 13-strikeout, 3-hit shutout from junior Harrison Lollin.

In the quarterfinals Wednesday, junior Lucas White tossed a no-hitter, striking out 10 in the 1-0 win over South Brunswick.

In 14 GMC Tournament innings, Monroe pitchers have allowed three hits, no runs, and struck out 23 opposing batters. Lollin, who has a 1.35 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 41.1 innings this season, will get the ball again for Monroe this Saturday.

WATCH: Here’s the final out of Lucas White’s no-hitter in the GMC Tournament semifinals

“You know you’re always in it,” Field said. “You know you’re always going to send somebody out there who is going to give you a quality start. Hitting will get you through the regular season, but come playoff time, it really comes down to pitching and defense.”

The Falcons will look to keep home plate untouched against top-seeded North Brunswick (13-5) at East Brunswick Magnet School’s Ray Cipperly Field in the second game of a doubleheader you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio, driven by Auto Lounge of Edison.

Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe will call all the action with first pitch set for 2:30. Click here to listen.