Troublesome forecast, scheduling conflicts force changes to Somerset County, GMC Invitational schedules

Weather forecasts and scheduling issues have now resulted in two of the three baseball county championship games in the Central Jersey Sports Radio Coverage area being moved, and a third could be on the way.

The first of those – the Somerset County Tournament championship game between top-seed and defending champion Immaculata and second-seed Watchung Hills – has been postponed due to the threat of thunderstorms tonight. The Somerset Patriots, who play at TD Bank Park in Bridgewater, the site for tonight’s final, told CJSR the final has now been moved to its pre-determined rain date, this Friday at 4 pm.

Central Jersey Sports Radio will have live coverage of the game, with an audio feed here, and a video stream as well on our YouTube channel. Both are free, and not behind a paywall.

Friday was supposed to be the Ray Cipperly GMC Invitational title game, originally scheduled for 2 pm, featuring second-seed Piscataway and fifth-seed Dunellen. But due to a scheduling conflict at Edison High School, which was hosting the game, the GMC announced today it would pushed two hours later to 4 pm.

CJSR was supposed to broadcast that game as well, but with it falling in direct conflict with the new date and time for the SCT final in Bridgewater, we will no longer be able to bring you a live broadcast of the game.

According to AccuWeather, the 6 pm (original game time) forecast for Wednesday night is 85 degrees, with a 47 percent chance of rain, and slightly higher in the 7 pm hour, with a chance of thunderstorms around 51 percent, all the way up through the 9:00 hour. And at 2 pm, the National Weather Service issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch effective immediately through 9 pm, along with a Heat Advisory through 8 pm. A “Watch” means severe thunderstorms are possible, but not necessarily imminent.

The current Friday forecast at 4 pm is a lot cooler, with temps in the mid- to low-60s, mostly sunny skies, and just a two percent chance of rain, good for both title games.

Meanwhile, Saturday’s Jim Muldowney GMC Championship game set for 2 pm at Rutgers University’s Bainton Field in Piscataway between third-seed Old Bridge and nine-seed Monroe, also could be affected.

Saturday’s forecast is for a 75 percent chance of rain most of the day, with temps in the mid 50s. Sunday doesn’t look much better either: 59 with a 91% chance of rain throughout the day.

This Sunday had always been the rain date when the game was scheduled for Ray Cipperly Field at East Brunswick Magnet School, which has natural grass. Rutgers has turf, but with the final now there, the University has told the league that Bainton Field is not available Sunday. The forecast might make have made that a moot point anyhow.

GMC President Mike Pede – tournament co-chair with Middlesex Athletic Director Mike O’Donnell – said Wednesday afternoon that if the finals can’t be played this Saturday, they will be held a week later on Saturday, May 30 at Ray Cipperly Field at East Brunswick Magnet School at noon.

While playing a county final in the middle of the state tournament is not without precedent, that would be the day after a potential state sectional semifinal game for both teams. The NJSIAA state tournament starts next Wednesday for public schools with sectional quarterfinals, and the semis would be Friday.

Old Bridge is the top-seed in Central Jersey Group 4, and will host 16-seed East Brunswick in the opening round, while fifth-seed Monroe is in the same section, and hosts 12th-seed Montgomery. Both would be considered favorites to move on to Friday, meaning they may have to choose which tournament to prioritize: winning a county championship, or advancing in the states.