The Middlesex baseball team may be the Cinderella of the GMC Tournament in 2024.
The 13th-seeded Blue Jays – just 5-12 entering the tourney – knocked off 4th-seed Spotswood on the road Monday afternoon 8-0, to advance to play 5th-seed Edison Wednesday in the quarterfinals at North Brunswick Community Park.
Meanwhile, 11th-seed North Brunswick knocked off 6th-seed Monroe on the road, thanks to a no-hitter from Kyle Anderson. And 10th-seed Sayreville blanked 7-seed Colonia 1-0 on the road on a two-hitter from Thomas Schlaline
(13) Middlesex 8, (4) Spotswood 0
It was the first time Middlesex – now 7-15 – won back-to-back games all season long, following a 7-0 win over 20th-seed Metuchen in the play-in round.
The Blue Jays scored got to Spotswood’s starter, Seton Hall commit Carter Cumiskey, for six earned runs, the most he’s given up all season, and chased him after 4 2/3 innings.
Click below to hear from Middlesex head coach Justin Nastasi:
(11) North Brunswick 2, (6) Monroe 1
The Raiders pulled off the other upset of the day, and did it in style.
The 2022 GMC Tournament champions – and runner up last year to St. Joseph-Metuchen – got a no-hitter from Kyle Anderson, despite giving up a run to Monroe. It was the Raiders’ first no-no in GMC Tournament play.
Monroe got its run in the first inning, when Lucas White – who ironically pitched a no-hitter in last year’s GMCT quarterfinals – hit a sac fly to score Kyle McCauley, who had reached on a walk.
North Brunswick tied it at one in the fourth when Avery Price knocked in Chris Roasario on a fielder’s choice.
The decisive run came in the fifth inning, when Danny Breheney scored on a double by Chris Rosario.
King James Radio Network’s Korbid Thompson contributed to this report.
Click below to hear North Brunswick’s Kyle Anderson talk about his no-hitter against the Falcons:
(10) Sayreville 1, (7) Colonia 0
Thomas Schlaline was masterful for the Bombers, who avenged two regular season losses to Colonia – 1-0 and 11-2 – with a 1-0 victory Monday.
Schlaline went the distance, allowing just two hits and striking out seven, while walking just one, and hitting one batter. He only allowed one runner to reach scoring position the entire game.
And it was Schlaline himself who drove in the game’s only run in the third inning, a grounder to first that drove in Jake Romanello, who led off with a double over the center fielder’s head, and moved to third on a textbook sac bunt by Jack Zapoticzny.
Click below to hear Sayreville first-year head coach Tim Ballard talk about the win:
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