NJSIAA unveils state baseball tournament brackets; Old Bridge, Ridge get top seeds, as expected

The NJSIAA has seeded the state baseball tournament, and – as projected – Old Bridge got the top seed in Central Jersey Group 4, with GMC Red winner and GMCT finalist North Brunswick right behind at No. 2, while Ridge got the top-seed in North 2, Group 4; Bridgewater-Raritan took the second seed.

The Tournament begins Monday, May 22nd for Public schools, with the sectional quarterfinals on Thursday, May 25th, semis on Tuesday, May 30th, and sectional title games on Friday, June 2nd. For Non-Publics, everything follows a day later: the first round starts on Tuesday, May 23rd, followed by sectional quarterfinals on Friday, May 26th, semifinals on Wednesday, May 31, and sectional title games on Saturday, June 3rd.

All games are at higher seeds in the sectionals.

Public statewide semis are hosted by North 1 and Central champions on Monday, June 5th. Non-Public Group Finals are on Thursday, June 8th, with Public sectional finals on Saturday June 10th, all at Veterans’ Park in Hamilton.

A total of 38 area teams qualified, 25 from the GMC, 13 from the Skyland in Somerset County.

Below is the full schedule of first round games in sections involving Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area teams from the GMC and Somerset Counties. Those teams are in bold. Times TBA.

Central Group 4
(16) West Windsor-Plainsboro North at (1) Old Bridge
(9) West Windsor-Plainsboro South at (8) Montgomery
(12) Howell at (5) East Brunswick
(13) Manalapan at (4) Marlboro
(14) Freehold Township at (3) Jackson Memorial
(11) Hillsborough at (6) Monroe
(10) South Brunswick at (7) Sayreville
(15) Long Branch at (2) North Brunswick

North 2, Group 4
(16) Piscataway at (1) Ridge
(9) Franklin at (8) Westfield
(12) Union at (5) Bayonne
(13) Phillipsburg at (4) Elizabeth
(14) JP Stevens at (3) Woodbridge
(11) Watchung Hills at (6) Edison
(10) Scotch Plains-Fanwood at (7) Hunterdon Central
(15) Dickinson at (2) Bridgewater-Raritan

Central Group 3
(16) Neptune at (1) Steinert
(9) Matawan at (8) Hopewell Valley
(12) Robbinsville at (5) Burlington Township
(13) Colts Neck at (4) Lawrence
(14) Hamilton West at (3) Middletown North
(11) JFK at (6) Allentown
(10) Somerville at (7) Middletown South
(15) Northern Burlington at (2) Brick Memorial

North 2, Group 3
(16) Payne Tech at (1) Millburn
(9) Chatham at (8) West Morris
(12) Warren Hills at (5) Summit
(13) Colonia at (4) South Plainfield
(14) Nutley at (3) Randolph
(11) Mendham at (6) North Hunterdon
(10) Ferris at (7) Belleville
(15) Rahway at (2) Cranford

Central Group 2
(16) Nottingham at (1) Rumson-Fair Haven
(9) Delaware Valley at (8) Bordentown
(12) Ocean Township at (5) South River
(13) East Brunswick Magnet at (4) Carteret
(14) Monmouth at (3) Spotswood
(11) Wall at (6) Johnson
(10) Delran at (7) Raritan
(15) Manasquan at (2) Governor Livingston

North 2, Group 2
(16) McNair at (1) Hanover Park
(9) Becton at (8) Leonia
(12) Passaic Valley at (5) Bernards
(13) Voorhees at (140 Ridgefield Park
(14) Ridgefield at (3) Caldwell
(11) Hackettstown at (6) Parsippany
(10) Lyndhurst at (7) Madison
(15) Rutherford at (2) Technology

Central Group 1
(16) Perth Amboy Magnet at (1) Point Pleasant Beach
(9) Riverside at (8) Henry Hudson
(12) Florence at (5) Manville
(13) New Egypt at (4) Somerset Tech
(14) Burlington City at (3) Middlesex
(11) Dunellen at (6) Palmyra
(10) South Hunterdon at (7) South Amboy
(15) Keansburg at (2) Shore

Non-Public South A
(9) Union Catholic at (8) Pingry, winner at (1) Red Bank Catholic
(12) Camden Catholic at (5) Christian Brothers Academy, winner at (4) St. Augustine
(11) St. John Vianney at (6) Notre Dame, winner at (3) Donovan Catholic
(10) Immaculata at (7) Paul VI, winner at (2) St. Joseph-Metuchen

Non-Public North B
(9) Timothy Christian at (8) Hawthorne Christian, winner at (1) St. Mary-Rutherford
BYE: Second Round (5) Roselle Catholic at (4) Montclair-Kimberley
(11) Wardlaw-Hartridge at (6) Morris Catholic, winner at (3) Rutgers Prep
(10-Morristown-Beard at (7) Gill St. Bernard’s, winner at (2) St. Thomas Aquinas