Bridgewater-Raritan’s Matthew Lehberger hits a single in the third inning on Opening Day against Immaculata at Diamond Nation in Flemington on April 1, 2025. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)
Sometimes, the cyclical nature of public school high school sports is more powerful than any coaching or skill level can overcome.
That was the case in 2025 for the Bridgewater-Raritan baseball team, which was dominant en route to winning the state Group 4 title the year prior with a veteran group that had played together for years.
But so many key players graduated from that squad, and that – coupled with a ton of close losses and some injuries – resulted in a 7-18 campaign in last season, after going 30-3 in 2024.
Gone were big hitters like Matt Fattore, Michael Taylor and Frankie Verano, along with closer Corey Rible, who allowed just just six runs all season over four games out of a total 17 appearances, never taking a loss.
And then, there was the hard luck. The 2025 opener turned out to be a microcosm of things to come. They had their chances against Immaculata at Diamond Nation, but lost 2-1 in a 13-inning game that took over four hours. It was their first of 13 losses – out of a total of 18 – that came by three runs or less. Nine came by two or less, and five were by a single run.
It’s a fine line.
But head coach Max Newill is looking forward to the 2026 season. On the mound, he’ll get back Kellan Komline for his senior season, after throwing 41 innings last year, going 3-1 with a 0.68 earned run average.
At the plate, the Panthers will miss a JR Rosado and a Matthew Lehberger, among others, but Newill trusts there’s enough talent – with another year under their belts – to make an impact in the rough-and-tumble Skyland Conference Delaware Division.
Click below to hear Bridgewater-Raritan baseball coach Max Newill talk about the Panthers’ upcoming 2026 season:
Discover more from Central Jersey Sports Radio
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.