Bernards’ “Mounties of the Game” James Ferrante and Casey Hoeckele and after a 3-0 win at Gill St. Bernard’s on April 10, 2025. In a North 2, Group 2 playoff loss Monday, Hoeckele had six strikeouts, finishing his career with 100. (Source: @BernrdsBaseball on Twitter)
Playing a day earlier than everyone else because Mendham had a conflict with its prom Tuesday night – and bidding for its first sectional final appearance since 2015 – 10th-seed Bernards fell to the 11th-seeded Minutemen, 4-3 in 8 innings, Monday afternoon at home in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2 semifinals.
Matt Brennan’s two-out, pinch-hit line drive to center field in the top of the eighth gave Mendham its first lead of the game, capping a four-run comeback where they had tied the game at three in the fifth after Bernards took a 3-0 lead in the third.
Starter Casey Hockele – who went five innings and allowed three earned runs – finished the game with six Ks, and his career with an even 100.
The loss went to James Ferrante in relief. Bernards’ season ends at 13-13, making it to the sectional semifinals after a 4-8 start, going 9-5 the rest of the way, including 2-1 in the state tournament.
State tournament continues Tuesday…
The loss by Bernards leaves 11 teams from the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area in the state tournament: eight from the GMC – including five of the seven teams from the GMC Red Division – and three from Somerset County.
Nine of them – the public schools – play Tuesday, and the two non-publics left play Wednesday.
Central Jersey Sports Radio will have live coverage of Tuesday’s Central Jersey Group 4 semifinal game, featuring third-seed Edison at second-seed Old Bridge at 5 pm, with Mike Pavlichko on the call. Click here to listen. We’ll also have coverage of the other semifinal in that section, with 12-seed Montgomery visiting neighbor and 9th-seed Hillsborough. Follow Alec Crouthamel on Twitter for updates, and he’ll have a game story later on this site.
Additionally, Dom Savino will have coverage on Twitter of the North 2, Group 3 semifinal between top-seed Colonia and fourth-seed North Hunterdon in a GMC-Skyland Conference matchup.
Of course, you can read a full roundup of all the games, with audio, in the evening on cjsportsradio.com.
Scroll down for this week’s upcoming schedule in the state tournament.
TUESDAY SCHEDULE
Central Jersey Group 4 Semifinals
(12) Montgomery at (9) Hillsborough, 4 pm (Follow Alec Crouthamel on Twitter for updates)
(3) Edison at (2) Old Bridge, 5 pm (LISTEN LIVE)
North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 Semifinals
(4) Elizabeth at (1) Ridge, 4 pm
(3) Westfield at (2) Woodbridge, 4 pm
North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2 Semifinals
(4) North Hunterdon at (1) Colonia, 4 pm (Follow Dom Savino on Twitter for updates)
(3) South Plainfield at (2) Millburn, 4 pm
Central Jersey Group 1 Semifinals
(1) Middlesex vs. (4)Shore winner, 4 pm
(6) Delaware Valley at (2) Point Pleasant Beach, 3 pm
WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE
Non-Public South A Semifinals
(4) St. Joseph-Metuchen at (1) Christian Brothers Academy, 4 pm
(3) St. Augustine at (2) Red Bank Catholic, 3 pm
Non-Public North B Semifinals
(4) St. Thomas Aquinas at (1) Montclair Kimberley, 4 pm
(6) Pope John at (2) Morristown-Beard, 2 pm
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