Ridge players and coaches in the dugout at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater during the Somerset County Tournament final on May 9, 2023. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)
Players may be come and go, but one thing remains consistent for Ridge baseball, year after year: they expect to win.
And while that may be more of a challenge this year, don’t count the Red Devils out.
If we’re being honest, they lose a ton of talent from last year’s team that reached the Somerset County Tournament final, and were a favorite to win North 2, Group 4 until a pitch count violation got them booted from the state playoffs.
Head coach Tom Blackwell will have some serious holes to fill, losing outstanding pitchers like Connor Byrne, Brendan Callanan and Luke Somelofske, who combined for over 130 innings pitched last year, all with ERAs ranging from Byrne’s 0.72 to Somelofske’s 1.71 on the “high” end. Aidan Stieglitz will become the go-to, at least until the next young star asserts himself. And even he was solid a year ago, throwing 31 1/3 innings, pitching to a 1.79 ERA, striking out 47 and walking just 17.
On offense, only two players return with more than 40 at bats last season, including catcher Nick Rossi, who hit a solid .373 with a home run and seven RBIs. Outfielder/pitcher Nick Selitti hit .242 last year with six runs batted in and a home run.
Click below to hear Ridge head coach Tom Blackwell preview the Red Devils’ 2024 season:
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