When the Greater Middlesex Conference realigned its baseball divisions this year, with more emphasis on results and team strength than purely school size, conference leadership felt they had it right.
Well, here we are, Memorial Day weekend upon us, and the two teams that shared the Gold Division title are playing for the Ray Cipperly GMC Invitational title.
East Brunswick Magnet and New Brunswick both have had excellent seasons. The Tigers started the season 10-0, while the Zebras have taken just two losses all year.
Of course, one of those losses came to EB Magnet, but then again, the Tigers also lost to New Brunswick, splitting the series as evenly as possible. Yes, each team beat the other by identical 5-3 scores. How much more even can you get?
The rubber match will decide it on the field, Friday afternoon on the red turf of Edison High School
RAY CIPPERLY GMC INVITATIONAL FINAL AT-A-GLANCE
Teams:
(2) East Brunswick Magnet Tigers (20-4, 12-2, GMC Gold Division co-champions)
(5) New Brunswick Zebras (14-2, 12-2, GMC Gold Division co-champions)
Head Coaches:
East Brunswick Magnet: Sean Radu, 1st season (20-4)
New Brunswick: Nico Vargas, 2nd season (21-11)
Probable Starters:
East Brunswick Magnet: Anthony Bienvenue (9-1, 1.58 ERA)
New Brunswick: Yeuri Garcia (3-1, 5.60 ERA)
Date and Time: Friday, May 23
Location: Edison High School
Listen On: Central Jersey Sports Radio, Pregame 5:40 pm (Click here to listen live!)
Announcer: Mike Pavlichko
PREVIEW INTERVIEWS:
HOW THEY GOT HERE:
East Brunswick Magnet:
First round bye
Quarterfinals: def. (6) Dunellen, 9-4
Semifinals: Def. (2) North Brunswick, 8-7
New Brunswick:
First round bye
Quarterfinals: def. (4) Piscataway, 3-1
Semifinals: def. (1) JP Stevens, 4-2
TEAM LEADERS:
East Brunswick Magnet:
- Batting Average: Braeden Cullen (.429), Jack Clements, Tommy O’Neill (.395)
- RBI: Nomar Carreras (35), Stephan Zappola (26), Jack Clements (25)
- HR: Nomar Carreras (5), Jack Clements (4), Anthony Bienvenue (2)
- Walks: Joshua Carreras (19), Jack Clements, Anthony Bienvenue (17)
- Stolen Bases: Tommy O’Neill (28), Nomar Carreras (26), Jack Clements (25)
- Wins: Anthony Bienvenue (9), Nomar Carreras (5)
- ERA (min 12 innings): Charlie Misura (0.89), Tommy O’Neill (1.40)
- Strikeouts (Pitcher): Anthony Bienvenue (74), Nomar Carreras (62)
New Brunswick:
- Batting Average: Kelvin Heuston (.581), Joel Ramos (.389), Jose Omar Abreu (.385)
- RBI: Jacob Henderson (22), Jose Encarnacion (15), Jose Omar Abreu (14)
- HR: Jacob Henderson (1)
- Walks: Kelvin Heuston (18), Ronaldy Peralta (15), Jacob Henderson, Alex Rodriguez (14)
- Stolen Bases: Kelvin Heuston (33),Jose Omar Abreu (23), Devin Heuston, Ronaldy Peralta (13)
- Wins: Elkin Reyes (5), Jacob Henderson (4)
- ERA (min 12 innings): Jacob Henderson (0.97), Elkin Reyes (2.44)
- Strikeouts (Pitcher): Elkin Reyes (34), Jacob Henderson (16), Yeuri Garcia (15)
TEAM NUMBERS:
- Runs Scored: East Brunswick Magnet 239 (10 per game), New Brunswick 169 (10.6 per game)
- Runs Allowed: East Brunswick Magnet 88 (3.7 per game), New Brunswick 56 (3.5 per game)
- Batting Average: East Brunswick Magnet .329, New Brunswick .319
- Home Runs: East Brunswick Magnet 11, New Brunswick 1
- Stolen bases: East Brunswick Magnet 162 (6.75 per game), New Brunswick 114 (7.1 per game)
- ERA: East Brunswick Magnet 2.41, New Brunswick 2.67
PREVIOUS COVERAGE of the RAY CIPPERLY GMC INVITATIONAL
- East Brunswick Magnet, New Brunswick earn trips to Ray Cipperly GMC Invitational Final with Monday semifinal wins
- Piscataway Magnet, Somerset Tech win Ray Cipperly GMC Invitational First Round games, but rain continues to wreak havoc on schedule
- UPDATE: Rain forces GMC to move Jim Muldowney Championship quarterfinals to Thursday at local schools due to rain; Cipperly Invitational first round now Thursday as well
- Rain postpones opening of Ray Cipperly GMC Invitational, three first round games; havoc could loom with Championship schedule, too
- Red Division champion Woodbridge gets Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament’s top seed; JP Stevens gets top nod in Invitational Tourney
NOTES AND NUGGETS:
First timers…
Not only have East Brunswick Magnet and New Brunswick never won the GMC Invitational – which is only in its sixth season – or the main tournament, they’ve never been to a final in either event. So this is a new experience for both of these programs, and one will claim its first hardware ever.
Already a champ…
Ok, maybe it’s not a totally new experience for one of these teams. East Brunswick Magnet won three games to take the title in the New Jersey Technical Athletic Council (NJTAC) Tournament for Groups 1 and 2. Their first game – in the quarterfinals – was all the way back on April 10th, when they beat Piscataway Magnet, 10-3. From there it was a 2-0 win over Pennsauken Tech in the semifinals on May 12th, and this Tuesday they won the championship in dramatic fashion, beating Newark Tech 7-6, after trailing 6-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh. Stephen Zappola knocked in the tying and winning runs with a two-out, two-RBI single.
Both pitchers were winners…
In the Somerset County Tournament final on Wednesday, Ridge’s starter had lost to Immaculata in their regular season matchup, and the Spartans’ starter did the same against the Red Devils. In this one, it’s the opposite. East Brunswick Magnet and New Brunswick each beat the other team, 5-3, in splitting the season series. The Tigers took the opener, and Anthony Beinvenue got the win, allowing seven hits and three runs – all earned – while striking out nine and walking three. But when the Zebras got them back, Yeuri Garcia got the win, though he only pitched three innings. He gave up three runs, walked one, and struck out one.
Another Magnet?
In 2023, Perth Amboy Magnet became the first of the former Middlesex County Vo-Tech schools to win a GMC tournament title of any kind, taking the Invitational as a four-seed over the Tigers. Piscataway Magnet has never been to either final.
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