Kellan Komline of Bridgewater-Raritan hits against Ridge on April 30, 2024. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)
Call it the Old Bridge model.
Well it’s not a model, per se, but at least a somewhat similar track on which Bridgewater-Raritan hopes they’re taking.
Last year, Old Bridge won the Central Jersey Group 4 title, but didn’t make the semifinals of the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament. This year – again considered a favorite in the section – they went all the way to become county champions.
A year ago, Bridgewater-Raritan earned the top seed in the Somerset County Tournament, and didn’t make it to the final, but they went all the way to the sectional title game, losing in the North 2, Group 4 final at home to Bayonne. With another year of experience, Max Newill’s squad is hoping not only to reach the SCT final, but bring home some hardware.
On the other side is Watchung Hills, a young squad hovering around .500 ball all season long. But they were awarded the fourth seed, and here they are, in the semis at TD Bank Park in Bridgewater Monday, with the final four of the county tournament all going to chalk.
You can hear Monday’s semifinal Between the Panthers and Warriors live on Central Jersey Sports Radio – presented by Zoned Sports Academy of Bridgewater – starting at 4 pm, immediately following the 1 pm semifinal featuring second-seed Immaculata and third-seed Ridge. Mike Pavlichko, Dom Savino and Vin Ebenau will be on the call; click here to listen.
Bridgewater-Raritan (21-3) is the only Skyland Conference team to reach 20 wins so far this season – though several others are within striking distance – and the Panthers have won five-in-a-row coming in. Their latest was an 11-0 victory over 8th-seed Montgomery in the SCT quarterfinals Thursday, a five-inning ten-run rule game in which starter Owen Crimmins pitched a no-hitter – striking out six and walking just one – while six different players drove in runs.
Kellen Komline will get the start for the Panthers, 3-0 with a microscopic 0.49 ERA. And there are plenty of options in the bullpen, including Cory Rible, who has made the transition in his senior year to closer. In 12 appearances, Bridgewater hos not lost a single one of the games where he’s been on the mound. His two wins have come in his longer outings, five innings in a 7-1, ten-inning win over Immaculata, and 4 2/3 against Cherokee in another ten-inning win at Trenton Thunder Ballpark.
On the season, Bridgewater is hitting .297, and has some key guys over .400, including senior Matthew Fattore, who leads the team at .409, with 24 runs batted in, and 15 HBPs on the season. Junior catcher JR Rosado is just a shade below at .403, with a team-leading six doubles and two home runs. He’s also a superb defensive catcher.
Click below to hear Dom Savino talk with Bridgewater-Raritan head coach Max Newill:
For Watchung Hills (13-12), it’s a young team, but qualifying for the finals might put the Warriors ahead of schedule.
They got a tremendous starting effort in the quarterfinals from Robert Centamore, who threw nine of the 11 innings in a walk-off 1-0 win over Franklin Thursday afternoon (and evening). He struck out nine, scattering three hits, and didn’t allow a single walk. Ethan Byrd closed it out, pitching two innings of one-hit ball, with four Ks and one walk, and got the win, his fourth of the season, tied for the team-lead with junior Max Eder. But the junior Byrd is expected to go Monday for the Warriors.
Hills is a lighter hitting team than Bridgewater, batting .246 on the year. Senior Michael DiSarno heads the team at .333, while junior Jake Kierstead is hitting .319 with 17 runs batted in and a team-high 10 doubles, along with a triple and home run. Senior Will Hunsinger leads the squad with 20 RBIs, three home runs, and 13 stolen bases.
Overall, its literally been an up-and-down season for Watchung Hills. They’ve been at or above .500 more of the season than they haven’t, and after a touch stretch where the lost four in a row in late April/Early May, they’ve now won four of their last five and two straight coming in, including a 4-1 regular season non-league victory over Middlesex Saturday.
Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk with Watchung Hills head coach Joseph Tremarco:
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