Bridgewater-Raritan junior Matt Lehberger hit his first varsity home run on April 9 in a 6-0 win over Hillsborough. (Source: @brbaseball on Twitter)
We’re officially two weeks into the high school baseball season – though some haven’t quite managed two weeks’ worth with all the rain we’ve gotten – and there are a half-dozen teams who remain unbeaten.
Some have received a lot of attention, like Bridgewater-Raritan, No. 1 this week, taking the top spot in the Week 2 Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten. Others, like South Amboy (4-0) or Piscataway Magnet (2-0) have not.
So, here’s a look at all six teams without a blemish on their records so far.
Bridgewater-Raritan (6-0, #1 ranking)
The Panthers had high expectations coming into the season, and so far have delivered with aplomb. They had a big season-opening win over Rancocas Valley, and beat state-ranked North Hunterdon 7-1 back on Saturday, a win that – coupled with Old Bridge’s second loss of the season – elevated them to No. 1 this week in the Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten.
The Panthers are hitting .304 as a team, and have three home runs already. And they’re getting it from a mix of veterans – one each from Devin Goldberg and JR Rosado – as well as others like Matthew Lehberger, a junior who hit his first varsity homer against Hillsborough on April 9th.
The team ERA is 1.97, with Owen Crimmins, Corey Rible and others looking sharp.
The Panthers have a big test Tuesday afternoon when they travel out to Flemington to take on Hunterdon Central, a 4:00 start.
Spotswood (7-0, #5 ranking)
The Chargers won their seventh straight Monday afternoon, beating Somerville 7-3 on the road in the teams’ first meeting since 2007. That’s a nice feat, but it’s getting to be old hat around “The Swamp.” After all, Spotswood won its first nine games last season en route to a 21-8 season, and a trip to the Central Jersey Group 2 final.
Seton Hall commit Carter Cumiskey has been lights out. He’s 3-0, only allowing his first earned run of the season Monday afternoon, giving him a 0.39 ERA (in 17 and 2/3 innings pitched) with a 3-0 record. He struck out ten Pioneers in the win, and – oh yeah – also hit a solo home run that led Somerville to intentionally walk him his next two at bats.
Meanwhile, Glenny Fredricks – now in his 20th season with the Chargers – is sitting at 299 career wins after Monday’s victory.
Everyone in the lineup is hitting, and Spotswood continues to do the little things well, the definition of a Fredricks-coached team. The Blue Division-leading Chargers have scored more runs than anyone in the league (75) and are outscoring their opponents 75-16 through seven games, a +59 run differential that’s also the best in the GMC.
The Chargers are back in action at home Thursday at 4 pm against Marlboro, where Fredricks will go for win No. 300 in his coaching career.
Woodbridge (7-0, #6 ranking)
Like Bridgewater and Spotswood, the Barrons returned a veteran group and also had high expectations for this season. So far, it’s all gone according to plan for Woodbridge. At +53, they’re second in the GMC in run differential, giving up just eight runs all year, the lowest of any team that has played at least three games. (Edison, right behind them in the GMC White, has only given up nine in six games; the Eagles are 5-1.)
Woodbridge has swept home-and-homes from Colonia, Sayreville, and JP Stevens, while beating Middlesex in their first meeting of the year on the road Monday, 4-3.
Senior Eddy Nunez – who burst on the scene as a freshman in the “COVID comeback” season – has thrown 19 innings, more than anyone on the staff, and struck out 27 (1.4 per inning) on the season. His ERA is a slim 1.47, while senior Shawn Kish has also been solid. So has Drew Lukachyk, who didn’t pitch much last year due to arm issues, but has returned to form this season.
Lukachyk is hitting .409 this year as well, and that’s not even the best average on a team that’s hitting an excellent .357 overall. Sophomore Xavier Diaz is hitting .471 and Kish – also a senior – is batting .429.
The Barrons host Middlesex Tuesday afternoon at 4, then entertain North Brunswick Thursday.
Immaculata (7-0, #7 ranking)
What a turn for Kevin Cust’s ballclub, whose best year since the COVID shutdown in 2020 was a 14-13 record two seasons ago, sandwiched between 9-win, sub-.500 seasons. This year, the Spartans are back in top form.
While they didn’t win their first seven that year, in 2018 Immaculata started 1-1, but then won 17 straight to go 18-1 in their first 19. That year, they beat Montgomery for the Somerset County title, then fell in the Non-Public South B final to Gloucester Catholic.
This year’s team opened up with three out-of-state foes – all wins – and now has won four straight since beginning Skyland Conference play, with all coming against Somerset County Teams in Montgomery on the road, then Watchung Hills, Franklin and Pingry at home. In their first seven, they’ve tossed three shutouts, and allowed two or fewer runs in five of those games.
The Spartans are tearing the cover off the ball, hitting .369 as a team, and led by junior Colin Kassai, who’s hitting .600 on the year – 12 for 20 – while senior Troy Rabosky is hitting .571 on 12 for 21.
Pitching-wise, they’ve given up 13 runs all year, and by scoring 66, have the largest run differential in the CJSR coverage area, let alone the Skyland Conference, at +63 on the season. Senior Josh Thompson has thrown 17 innings so far, with a paltry 0.41 ERA.
Immaculata plays Rutgers Prep Tuesday at 4, then travels to Flemington for a big test Saturday morning at 11:00 against Hunterdon Central.
South Amboy (4-0)
With all their wins coming in the GMC Gold Division, the Governors have swept their home-and-homes with Carteret and New Brunswick. While the Zebras are just 1-3, Carteret is 4-2, with their only losses coming to South Amboy, and the Ramblers are right behind them in the division.
While the pitching has been hit or miss, their offense has been more hit than miss. The Guvs are batting .329, with three regulars at .300 or better, including Weslyn Morel-Sanchez (.429), Benjamin Hernandez (.444) and Benjamin Smith (.545), who already has eight runs batten in on the season, plus the team’s only home run.
After a 19-7 win over New Brunswick on Monday – the Governors outscored the Zebras 30-10 in that home-and-home series – South Amboy visits the pristine field at East Brunswick Magnet for a 4 pm first pitch on Wednesday.
Piscataway Magnet (2-0)
Sure, it’s earlier for the Raiders than anyone else, having played two games – both GMC Silver Division opponents – but why not give the Raiders some pub?
It took them over a week to play their first game of the season, a 17-0 whitewash of Wardlaw-Hartridge. Then it was another six days before they got back on the field Monday to win at Perth Amboy Magnet, 8-7 in eight innings. The Raiders got two in the top of the eighth to break a 6-6 tie, then held PA Magnet to a run in the bottom of the inning to pick up the win.
Albeit through two games, Piscataway Magnet is off to a good start, hitting .382 as a team with four extra base hits (3 doubles and a triple). Freshman Kyla Malchiodi leads the way, hitting .750 (4 for 8) through two games with a team-leading nine runs batted in.
Senior Matt Baez got the win in the opener, tossing a complete game of five scoreless, one-hit innings, striking out 15 while walking only two in a ten-run rule win.
Their biggest test yet will come Tuesday when they visit GMC Silver Division leader Highland Park (3-1, 3-0 in the division) at 4 pm.