Watchung Hills – shown here against Somerville on April 15th – went 2-1 against the Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten this week, and moves up a notch. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)
Hearken back to the “old days” of the Big Ten when they had just eleven teams. It was silly then, and it’s even sillier now.
But there’s nothing silly about the Week Six Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten, which saw an 11th team join the fray with two schools sharing the ten spot.
Otherwise, there was little change this week, as the top half stayed the same, led by Ridge (14-4). The Red Devils had a 1-1 week, starting with a 3-0 win at Somerville on Tuesday. On Thursday, Seton Hall Prep came down from South Orange, and it was a pitchers’ duel type game, with Aidan Stieglitz allowing just an RBI double in third inning. Unfortunately, Ridge’s bid for an upset fell short when the game was called due to torrential downpours just a few pitches into the bottom of the sixth, and the Red Devils were left with a 1-0, five-inning defeat.
Immaculata (11-5) holds in second after a 2-1 week. They opened with a Tuesday 10-1 win at home against Warren Hills, then a 5-1 win over Phillipsburg on Thursday. Saturday, they lost a Skyland crossover game at Watchung Hills, 4-3.
South Plainfield (12-8) stays third, despite an 0-2 week. They lost a GMC Red game at St. Joseph, 2-0, on Wednesday, then dropped a non-conference game to Watchung Hills, 7-6. The Tigers open up play in the GMC Jim Muldowney Championship Tournament Monday as the two-seed, taking on 15-seed Perth Amboy in the first round.
Woodbridge (13-4) remains in fourth after a 1-1 week, with neither game in GMC play. The Barrons beat Elizabeth 11-4 on Wednesday, then lost at A.L. Johnson Friday, 5-2. That morning, Woodbridge was awarded the top-seed in the county tournament, and will host 16-seed South River Monday afternoon in the first round.
Holding at No. 5 is Colonia (14-3), the only team in the top ten that didn’t lose a game this week. The Patriots beat JFK 12-0 at home Wednesday, JP Stevens at home 7-0 on Thursday, then beat Ferris out of Jersey City at home, 15-5 on Saturday afternoon. Colonia is the 7-seed in the GMC Tournament, and will host 10-seed Middlesex in the first round Monday.
Up one spot to six is Watchung Hills (11-7) after a 2-2 week, but 2-1 against Top Ten teams. After a 9-8 loss Monday at North Hunterdon, the Warriors won at No. 3 South Plainfield 7-0 on Thursday, then lost Friday at No. 10 East Brunswick, but came back with a 4-3 home win over No. 2 Immaculata on Saturday.
Dropping down to seven is Rutgers Prep (10-6). The Argonauts lost Thursday at Pennington in the Prep B quarterfinals, 4-3, then fell to Somerville at home, 8-7.
Holding in eighth is St. Thomas Aquinas (12-6), which only played one game this week. The Trojans lost at Old Bridge, 8-5, Wednesday. They’re the third-seed in the GMCT, and will host 14-seed North Plainfield Monday in the first round.
Staying put at No. 9 is Spotswood (12-8). The Chargers opened the week in fine fashion, with an 8-0 home win against Rahway, but took two tough losses after that: 1-0 at Florence Wednesday, and 2-1 at Allentown Saturday morning.
East Brunswick (11-7) holds at ten, tied with Middlesex (13-4), which is back in the rankings. The Bears went 2-1 this week, with a 16-3 win over Trenton on Tuesday, then a 10-0 loss at home to Brick Memorial Thursday. They rebounded with a 4-3 win Friday over Watchung Hills. The Blue Jays earned their way back in with two non-league wins, but both impressive: 4-3 over North Hunterdon on Tuesday, and 5-3 at Delbarton – the No. 5 team in the state – on Thursday.
East Brunswick is the four-seed in the County tournament, and will host 13-seed Metuchen Monday in the first round, while 10th-seed Middlesex will play at 7-seed Colonia; those two teams split their regular season series this year.
Below is the complete Week 6 Bellamy & Son Paving High School Baseball Top Ten:
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