North Brunswick’s Zack Konstantinovsky went the distance in a 2-1 win over Monroe to gain the Raiders’ second straight trip to the GMC Tournament finals, where they will get a chance to defend last year’s title in a rematch against St. Joseph-Metuchen. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)
It was the pitchers’ duel everyone expected.
Back on May 11th, North Brunswick’s Rutgers-bound ace Zack Konstantinovsky bested Monroe’s Oregon-bound ace Harrison Lollin 1-0.
Saturday, in a GMCT Tournament semifinal game heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio presented by Auto Lounge of Edison, the result was the same, just a different score: 2-1 Raiders, thanks in large part also to a two-run homer by Omar Carreras.
North Brunswick – the top-seed and defending champ – now moves on to play third-seed St. Joseph-Metuchen in next Saturday’s GMC Tournament final at 2 pm at East Brunswick Magnet School. It’ll be their second straight meeting in the finals.
Monroe falls to 11-7.
“Zack K” didn’t get off to the greatest of starts. Having not given up more than three hits in a game all season, he allowed three in the first inning alone. Aidan Lane hit a one-out double, then after Harrison Lollin struck out for the second out of the inning, Trevor Wallace drove him in with an RBI single.
Lucas White followed with another single, then a Kyle McCauley bunt down the third base line was so good, there was no play at any base. But with the bags full, Konstantinovsky readers back and got Jake LoBue to strike out on three pitches to end the inning.
And that’s really all the Falcons did to threaten. They got a baserunner via walk in the second but stranded him. Lollin got on base after getting hit by a pitch in the second, but Konstantinovsky got the next three batters.
North Brunswick got its runs in the third on a no-doubt home run by Carreras. EJ Accetura beat out an infield hit on a hard ground ball to third. After a pop-up and fly out, Carreras came up with two down and Accetura on second and blasted a home run over the left field wall.
Konstantinovsky pitched seven innings, walked one, hit a batter, and allowed just four hits, striking out ten for the win to improve to 7-0 on the season. Lollin dropped to 5-2 with the loss.
Now, North Brunswick will try and win its second straight GMC title. Last year, they won their first, beating St. Joseph. Now the teams will rematch.
Click below for postgame reaction presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:
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