Old Bridge starter JT Meyer gets the final out, as North Brunswick’s Yomar Carreras grounds into a double-play to finish off a 6-3 win at Fred Cole Field in Old Bridge on April 12, 2024. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)
With neither of North Brunswick’s home fields playable Friday afternoon, the Raiders packed up and traveled to Old Bridge for their second meeting this week. In the end, the venue probably didn’t matter.
Old Bridge senior JT Meyer pitched a complete game give-hitter, as the Knights – No. 1 in the Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten – came up with a 6-3 win at Fred Cole Field to sweep the season series.
Old Bridge scored in four of the first five innings and never trailed Friday. Michael Altman drove in John Smith – who led off the game with a walk – to make it 1-0 Knights in the first, then Brody Nugent scored from third on a balk in the second to make it 2-0.
The Raiders cut their deficit in half in the bottom of the third when Tim DeGaetano singled with two outs, and Yomar Carreras drove him in with a double to make it 2-1.
But Old Bridge got three across in the top of the fourth. Justin Hascup led off with a double, and after a sac bunt by Meyer, Brody Nugent hit a soft roller in front of the mound. North Brunswick starting pitcher Alejandro Jabar fielded it, looked Hascup back, but then threw wild to first, allowing Hascup to score. Christian Cavanaugh hit one back to Jabar, but his throw home to get Hascup was low. And after John Smith flew out to right, Frank Papeo knocked in Cavanaugh with a single to make it 5-1.
Once again, North Brunswick got a run back in the bottom of the inning. Connor Levine doubled with one out, and two batters later, a single by Danny Breheney cut the deficit to 5-2.
Old Bridge would pick up another insurance run in the fifth. Jabar walked Evan Smith to lead off the inning, then the next batter, Hascup. That ended Jabar’s day, but Justin Meyer’s groundout to first off reliever Aaron Wilhelm knocked in Smith to make it 6-3. Wilhelm allowed two more walks, loading the bases, but got out of it by inducing a fly ball to center by Smith.
Meyer only allowed one more run in the seventh, as courtesy runner Avery Price – running for Andrew Selover – scored on a double-play try thrown wide of first by shortstop John Smith. But he finished out the game, allowing just three runs in seven innings of work, with three strikeouts and just one walk.
Old Bridge improves to 5-2, with a 3-1 record in the GMC Red Division. North Brunswick is 2-2 overall, and in the Red.
Discover more from Central Jersey Sports Radio
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.