Justin Batts gets ready to round third after his walk-off grand slam to beat South Brunswick 5-1 in the Central Jersey Group 4 quarterfinals on May 25, 2023 at North Brunswick Community Park. (Screenshot of video from @NB_RaiderNation on Twitter)
As if anyone needed any more evidence the Greater Middlesex Conference Red Division may be one of the toughest in the entire state, one of its teams is guaranteed to be the state sectional champion in Central Jersey Group 4.
That’s because sixth-seed Monroe upset third-seed Jackson Memorial on the road, 9-8 Thursday, and second-seed North Brunswick got a walk-of grand slam from Justin Batts to beat 10-seed South Brunswick, 5-1, while fifth-seed East Brunswick and top-seed Old Bridge also won.
That makes it all four teams in the semifinals of CJ4 from the GMC Red Division, with Monroe playing at North Brunswick Tuesday in one game, while Old Bridge hosts East Brunswick on the other, with the winners meeting for a sectional title next Friday at the higher seed.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL STORY ON EAST BRUNSWICK’S 7-1 WIN OVER MANALPAN
North Brunswick 5, South Brunswick 1
Zack Konstantinovsky pitched into the sixth, with a 60-pitch limit based on NJSIAA rules. But after Alejandro Jabar gave up a home run to tie the game, North Brunswick won in its final at bat. Yomar Carreras led off with a walk, and Konstantinovsky did the same. Omar Carreras singled on a line drive to left field that was too hard a hit to drive in a run from second. Then, Justin Batts – a transfer from Bergen Catholic who has played youth ball with many of the Raiders since he was eight years old – smacked a grand slam to right field to win the game.
Click below to hear Justin Batts talk about the exciting walkoff win with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:
Monroe 9, Jackson Memorial 8
The Falcons rallied to come from behind in a slugfest, the only upset win of the day in CJ4.
Each team scored a run in the first, but Jackson got four in the bottom of the second to take a 5-2 lead. Monroe answered, however, with a six-run third that put them up 7-5. Jackson got three more back with a Falcons run in between to make it 8-8 heading into the sixth where Monroe scored the deciding run, on a 5-3 fielder’s choice.
Click below to hear Monroe head coach Sean Field talk with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko about the win:
Below are Thursday’s results, followed by the upcoming schedule in all sections with CJSR-area teams remaining:
THURSDAY RESULTS:
Central Group 4
(1) Old Bridge def. (9) West Windsor-Plainsboro North, 10-0 (5)
(5) East Brunswick def. (13) Manalapan, 7-1
(6) Monroe def. (3) Jackson Memorial, 9-8
(2) North Brunswick def. (10) South Brunswick, 5-1
North 2, Group 4
(1) Ridge def. (8) Westfield, 8-1
(5) Bayonne def. (13) Phillipsburg, 3-2
(3) Woodbridge def. (11) Watchung Hills, 3-2
(2) Bridgewater-Raritan def. (7) Hunterdon Central, 19-8 (5)
North 2, Group 3
(1) Millburn def. (9) Chatham, 9-8
(4) South Plainfield def. (12) Warren Hills, 10-0 (5)
(6) North Hunterdon def. (3) Randolph, 6-1
(2) Cranford def. (10) Ferris, 8-0
Central Group 2
(1) Rumson-Fair Haven def. (8) Bordentown, 7-2
(12) Ocean Township def. (4) Carteret, 9-2
(3) Spotswood def. (11) Wall, 4-3
(10) Delran def. (15) Manasquan, 2-1
Central Group 1
(1) Point Pleasant Beach def. (9) Riverside, 10-0
(5) Manville def. (13) New Egypt, 2-1
(2) Shore def. (7) South Amboy, 2-1
FRIDAY SCHEDULE
Non-Public South A
(8) Hawthorne Christian at (1) St. Mary-Rutherford
(5) Roselle Catholic at (4) Montclair-Kimberley
(6) Morris Catholic at (3) Rutgers Prep, 3 pm
(7) Gill St. Bernard’s at (2) St. Thomas Aquinas, 4 pm
Non-Public North B
(8) Pingry at (1) Red Bank Catholic
(5) Christian Brothers at (4) St. Augustine
(6) Notre Dame at (3) Donovan Catholic
(7) Paul VI at (2) St. Joseph-Metuchen, 4 pm
TUESDAY SCHEDULE (Some times TBA)
Central Group 4
(5) East Brunswick at (1) Old Bridge, 6 pm (live on CJSR)
(6) Monroe at (2) North Brunswick
North 2, Group 4
(5) Bayonne at (1) Ridge
(3) Woodbridge at (2) Bridgewater-Raritan
North 2, Group 3
(4) South Plainfield at (1) Millburn
(3) Randolph at (2) Cranford
Central Group 2
(12) Ocean Township at (1) Rumson-Fair Haven
(10) Delran at (3) Spotswood
Central Group 1
(5) Manville at (1) Point Pleasant Beach
(3) Middlesex at (2) Shore