Middlesex outlasts South Plainfield, pulls 5-4 upset in GMC Tournament quarterfinals

As the old adage in sports – and life – goes, “it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.”

A good start certainly helps, however.

That is exactly what 10th-seeded Middlesex got, using a four-run second inning to take a lead it never relinquished to upset second-seeded South Plainfield 5-4 in the GMC Tournament quarterfinals at North Plainfield High School.

The Blue Jays also got a vintage performance from top pitcher Dominic Long, as he threw all seven innings and helped secure the win.

They got the scoring started to open the game in the first inning, with leadoff batter Dom Parenti reaching second base off an error in left field after a fly ball Parenti rocketed near the fence. A sacrifice bunt and another ground ball later, Parenti had scored on an RBI fielder’s choice from first baseman Owen Reynolds.

Long allowed two baserunners in the bottom half of the inning with a walk and a single with two outs, but got out of the frame clean.

Then the floodgates opened.

Middlesex ripped off four straight hits, followed by two consecutive walks from the bottom half of the lineup, scoring three runs before an out was even recorded. The Tigers prevented a run throwing home with the bases loaded on a ground ball to record the first out, but the Blue Jays added another the very next batter after the throw bounced to the plate and past the catcher.

Middlesex left the bases loaded after a lineout and groundout, but the damage had already been done.

Two more scoreless innings followed, before South Plainfield took its shot in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Similar to the Blue Jays’ scoring outburst, the Tigers kick-started their rally with production from the bottom of the order. Four consecutive batters smacked a hit before an out was recorded, and all of a sudden, South Plainfield had drawn to within two runs after an RBI groundout from leadoff batter Nick Irizarry.

The ensuing batter caught the courtesy runner for catcher Stephen Studlack, who had laced a double into the right-center gap to bring in a run, in a rundown to get a much-needed second out after a multitude of defensive errors from Middlesex. Dom Massaro flew out to right field to end the inning.

From there, it was a battle of defenses.

Long retired the side in order in the fifth and sixth innings – the first 1-2-3 inning for either team at that point – while South Plainfield pitcher Kevin Penny continued his strong stretch of pitching after the second. Standout reliever Jay Jimenez replaced Penny for the seventh inning, after the starter recorded six innings, allowing five runs (three earned) with five hits, two strikeouts, and seven walks.

Jimenez retired the side in order with two groundouts and a strikeout to give the Tigers one last chance in the bottom of the seventh, with the top of the order due up down 5-3.

Irizarry crushed a 1-1 fastball from Long, putting it in the right-center gap for a leadoff triple. Shortstop Dan Kapsch reached on an error, holding Irizarry at third to put runners on the corners with nobody out, and Massaro as the go-ahead run. He lined a single right in front of left fielder James Matula to score a run, putting runners at first and second down 5-4 and nobody out.

Aiden McCarthy nearly put one in the seats, but the ball harmlessly fell in the glove of centerfielder Chris Kozak for the first out.

South Plainfield left fielder Dave Butrico stood in next, and lined a fastball towards right fielder Dylan Ianiero. It looked like it was about to drop in for another hit, but Ianiero squeezed the ball in his glove and, noticing Massaro had gotten off the bag, fired a laser to Reynolds at first base, doubling up the Tigers and ending the game to secure the upset.

Long finished his complete game, throwing seven innings with five strikeouts and three walks while allowing seven hits and four runs. He battled the Tigers – and a rising pitch count – to keep the tournament run alive.

The Blue Jays (15-4) will face off against 11th-seeded Edison in the semifinals, after the Eagles upset third-seeded St. Thomas Aquinas 9-1 in the opposite quarterfinal, on Saturday at East Brunswick Magnet High School in a game you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio. Alec Crouthamel and Mike Pavlichko will be on the call.

South Plainfield drops to 13-9.

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel speak with Middlesex pitcher Dominic Long and head coach Blaze Iannetti talk about the win, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen!