Battle of Route Nine will open GMC Tournament semifinals as Old Bridge, Sayreville tussle

One one side, the Old Bridge baseball team had to be one of the preseason favorites to win the Greater Middlesex Conference baseball tournament this year.

Considering they had a good core of the offense back and a solid pitching trio of Frank Papeo, Justin Hascup and JT Meyer, they should have at least had a shot at it. Especially with the departure of the dominant Zack Konstantinovsky from North Brunswick, and St. Joseph graduating a slew of players.

On the other side, is it any surprise that Sayreville – as a ten-seed – is a win away from the championship game?

Head coach Tim Ballard – who took over this season at his alma mater from his mentor, Mike Novak – is no stranger to getting teams to perform above expectations. In 2021, he was at JFK when his Mustangs were the 16-seed in the GMC Tournament, and booted top-seed Monroe in the opening round. the next year, as a 15-seed, they ousted second-seed Brick Memorial from the Central Jersey Group 3 sectional playoffs.

Saturday, they’ll face each other for the first time this season in the GMC Tournament semifinals at Ray Cipperly Field in East Brunswick. It’s the opening game of a doubleheader you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio, with Edison and South Plainfield to follow at 2:30.

Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe will call all the play-by-play; click here to listen.

Here’s a closer look at the first semifinal game of the day:

(3) Old Bridge (16-9) vs (10) Sayreville (6-6)
12 noon on Central Jersey Sports Radio (LISTEN LIVE)

PROBABLE PITCHERS:
Old Bridge: JT Meyer (5-1, 1.05 ERA)
Sayreville: Thomas Schlaline (2-3, 1.93 ERA)

PREVIEW INTERVIEWS:

Old Bridge head coach Matt Donaghue

Sayreville head coach Tim Ballard

HOW THEY GOT HERE:

Old Bridge: The Knights beat 14th-seed and defending champion St. Joseph of Metuchen, 6-4, in Monday’s opening round. Frank Papeo knocked in two runs, while JT Meyer – who’ll go Saturday – struck out six, allowing five hits through 6 1/3 to get the win. Justin Hascup picked up the save. In Wednesday’s quarterfinals, Old Bridge had to come from behind to beat 11th-seed North Brunswick, 8-5. Papeo hit a two-run home run and knocked in three runs in the game as Justin Hascup got the win, scattering just five hits through five innings of work.

Sayreville: The Bombers have beaten two higher-seeded teams en route to the semifinals. Their first round win could be considered a minor upset, a 1-0 win over seventh-seed Colonia. Thomas Schlaline was brilliant, allowing just two hits, striking out seven and walking just one in a complete game shutout. In the quarters, Sayreville edged past second-seed Woodbridge 4-3. If they can knock off Old Bridge, they won’t be one of the lowest seeds to ever make the title game, but it would be proof just how wide open a tournament this really was this year.

TOP HITTERS:

Old Bridge: Akhil Penkala is hitting .370 for the Knights, the best average among regulars on the team, but one thing that won’t show in the box score is the diving catch he made to end Wednesday’s game and preserve the win over North Brunswick. John Smith is hitting .367 with 12 runs batted in. And Frank Papeo and JT Meyer are tied with 13 RBIs apiece, with Papeo hitting two home runs and batting .365 on the year.

Sayreville: Jake Romanello is stroking the ball to the tune of a .375 batting average, while Michael Robinson is hitting .375 on the year. Those two, along with Moe Hedderman, each have five doubles on the season to lead the team, while Jaydon Stio has the Tigers’ only home run.

LAST FINALS BERTH:

Old Bridge was in the title game in 2019, the last GMC Tournament before the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the 202 baseball season. They were the top-seed that year and beat third-seed South Brunswick, 2-1. All-time, Old Bridge is 2-1 in the finals, winning in 2011, but losing their first appearance in 2008. However, the pre-merger high schools also each won a title. Cedar Ridge and Madison Central merged in 1994 to form Old Bridge High School. Madison won it in 1989, beating in-town rival Cedar Ridge 8-7 in eight innings, the first extra inning game in GMCT history (the first was in 1986). Cedar Ridge won it in 1987 over Colonia, and Madison Central was in the first GMC final in 1986, losing 14-3 to East Brunswick.

Sayreville last made the finals in 2015, losing in extra innings. They were the top-seed, but lost to second-seed Monroe 1-0 in eight. Their only other appearance also was a loss, in 2012. They were the top-seed, and lost to third-seed Middlesex, 10-4, the Blue Jays’ only appearance in the GMC finals.