North Plainfield after recording its first state tournament win in 15 years Wednesday with a 2-1 win over Matawan. (Source: @CoachBenDonaghy on Twitter)
The first round of the NJSIAA state baseball playoffs had a number of intriguing matchups, but there were probably more surprises than anyone bargained for.
Starting with the top-seeds, Middlesex and Ridge rolled, but Jim Muldowney GMC Championship Tournament finalist Old Bridge – the top-seed in Central Jersey Group 4 – survived with a 1-0- win, as did their opponent in this Saturday’s county final, Monroe.
Meanwhile, second-seed Edison – still reeling from injury issues with its starters – got upset in the first round by 15-seed Franklin, 5-4, while North Plainfield won its first playoff game in 15 years, and JP Stevens won its first in seven, in its first home game since 2019 as well.
Piscataway Magnet also got its first playoff win in at least a quarter century, maybe more. (More on that later.)
Here’s a rundown of every section in which Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area teams played – although one, Hillsborough at Jackson in CJ4 was postponed to Thursday due to rain – along with the upcoming schedule for Thursday’s non-public sectional quarterfinals, and Friday’s public sectional quarters.
Central Jersey Group 4:
The big story here was second-seed Edison (19-8) going down, 5-4, to 15-seed Franklin (8-11). The Eagles came into the season with three Division 1 starting pitchers: Connor Murphy (Monmouth) and Dom Innocenti and Rob Roma (Wagner). Those last two, however, have been limited over the last month or so, with Roma limited to under 40 pitches a game most of the year and Innocenti having not pitched in a month. Ray Tavarez took the first round start, and gave up five runs – though only two were earned – and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings, and took the hard-luck loss as the defense committed three errors. As big a loss as it was for the Eagles, it was a huge win for Franklin, and you can read more about that game from Alec Crouthamel, who also talked with first-year head coach Grant Neary after the game.
GMCT finalist and CJ4 top-seed Old Bridge (19-8) escaped with a 1-0 home win over 16-seed East Brunswick, taking the rubber match of three meetings this year. Chris Crosta’s single in the third inning drove in the lone run of the game. And the other of Saturday’s GMCT finalists – CJ4 fifth-seed Monroe (14-13) – also escaped with a 1-0 win, this one over 12-seed Montgomery, and on a walk-off. After a single by Tyler Bacon to start the home seventh, a sac bunt by Rob Profaci, another single from Justin Mangano, and an intentional walk to Ben Faigin loaded the bases, Alex Marcus got hit on the very next pitch, bringing home Bacon with the winning run.
Of note were the starting pitchers. Old Bridge went with Blake Dunleavy, who threw 6 2/3 innings of four-hit shutout ball. Brady Meyer finished it off, but just threw eight pitches, so he would have 110 in the tank for either Friday’s quarterfinal home game against eight-seed Freehold Twp., or Saturday’s noon GMCT title game against Monroe. The Falcons mixed it up with their two aces. Ben Faigin started and went three innings, throwing 45 pitches and striking out six. Andre Love finished it off and allowed just one hit, also striking out six, throwing just 54 pitches. That means Faigin could come back Friday – in the quarterfinals at four-seed Hightstown – or Saturday in the GMCT final, and throw 105 either day (but not both), while Love would have to rest Friday, but could come back Saturday in the GMCT title game and would have 96 pitches available.
- (1) Old Bridge def. (16) East Brunswick, 1-0
- (8) Freehold Twp. def. (9) South Brunswick, 4-3
- (5) Monroe def. (12) Montgomery, 1-0
- (4) Hightstown def. (13) Sayreville, 5-4
- (3) Hunterdon Central def. (14) Princeton, 6-2
- (6) Manalapan def. (11) Marlboro, 4-2
- (10) Hillsborough at (7) Jackson Twp. (PPD to Thursday, 2 pm)
- (15) Franklin def. (2) Edison, 5-4
Central Jersey Group 2:
Sixth-seed South River (17-10) fell before 4-0 before they could even get on the board, scoring their lone run in the bottom of the second on a Travis Maloney ground ball to third, with an error on the play allowing Noah Barrero to score. But that was all they’d get, as the Ravens scored no more than two runs in any inning, but did so in every inning but the third. The Rams were held to just three hits.
And ninth-seed Spotswood (14-13) saw its season end with a 4-1 loss at eight-seed Allentown. Brady DeStefano had a 3-for-4 day and drove in the lone run for the Chargers, who committed four errors, although only one of the four runs allowed by losing pitcher Jack Korneski was unearned.
Those were the only two CJSR-area teams in the section.
Central Jersey Group 1:
Top-seed Middlesex (21-5) rebounded from a 7-1 regular season tune-up loss to South Plainfield with a first-round laugher, scoring 21 runs in their 21st win of the season to defeat 16-seed Highland Park (5-17) by the final of 21-1. Sean Hughes led the offensive onslaught with a 4-for-5 day and four RBI and three runs scored, while Luke Jones scored four times and Lucas Blanco was 2-for-2 with three runs batted in. The Blue Jays also worked out nine walks, while senior Chris Kozak got the start and threw 50 pitches in four innings, striking out seven, walking one in a two-hit effort. The Blue Jays get eight-seed South Hunterdon (12-10) in Friday’s quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, fourth-seed Metuchen (19-7) advanced with a 12-2 five-inning win over 13-seed Somerset Tech (11-10). Lucas Malamung and Jon Nugent – who got the win – combined on a two-hitter in the win; Malamung gave up both runs, but they were unearned. Nugent, Sean Dereka and Mason Messina each knocked in three runs for the Bulldogs, who will host five-seed Shore Friday in the quarterfinals.
And on the other side of the bracket, two-seed Piscataway Magnet topped 15-seed Henry Hudson, 5-4, in what is believed to be its first playoff win since at least the 1990s, according to head coach Greg Sampson – who tells CJSR he’s still researching it at press time! And they almost didn’t get it, as the Raiders (24-3) trailed the Admirals (8-11) 4-1 heading into the final inning. But they got four runs in the seventh. After getting within a run, Colton Lyerly hit a sac fly to score his brother, Trey, and tie the game at 4-4. That left runners at the corners after an Elvis Rodriguez single moved Kyle Malchiodi to third, and an infield error on a grounder by Rodhen Santos brought home Malchiodi for a 5-4 win, and the first walk-off victory of the season for Piscataway Magnet, which now will host 10-seed Delaware Valley (12-8) Friday afternoon in the quarterfinals.
In other games, 12-seed Manville (9-14) was shutout at five-seed Shore, 4-0, while 14th-seed South Amboy (9-11) got walked-off in five by third-seed Point Pleasant Beach, 10-0, and sixth-seed Dunellen (18-8) lost 11-1 at home to 11-seed Florence.
- (1) Middlesex def. (16) Highland Park, 21-1 (5 inn.)
- (8) South Hunterdon def. (9) New Egypt, 2-1
- (5) Shore def. (12) Manville, 4-0
- (4) Metuchen def. (13) Somerset Tech, 12-2 (5 inn.)
- (3) Point Pleasant Boro def. (14) South Amboy, 10-0 (5 inn.)
- (11) Florence def. (6) Dunellen, 11-1 (7 inn.)
- (10) Delaware Valley def. (7) Keyport, 2-0
- (2) Piscataway Magnet def. (15) Henry Hudson, 5-4
North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4:
All went to chalk here except for one game, with 10-seed Woodbridge (16-10) getting past seven-seed Scotch Plains-Fanwood (14-12) on the road, 8-5. The Barrons led 1-0 after one, but then exploded for a six-spot in the third, and held off the Raiders the rest of the way. Senior Gavin Slicner was 3-for-4 in the win, driving in three, scoring three, and hitting a blast of a home run. He now has 45 hits on the season, setting a new school record, and got his 100th career hit in the win. Nick Lukachyk also homered, hitting a solo shot. The Barrons will travel to second-seed Bayonne Friday afternoon at 4:30 for a quarterfinal game; the Bees (20-8) beat 15-seed Piscataway 5-2 in the opening round.
Top-seed Ridge (16-10) advanced with a 13-3 five-inning win over 16-seed Barringer (5-14) out of Newark. Sawyer Paul drove in a game-high three runs on a 4-for-4 day – all singles – while Casey Kucerka, Toby Nicholson and Colin Newcomb each drove in two runs. Lucas Listen went the distance, scattering six hits and three earned runs over five innings, striking out six. The Red Devils face Skyland Conference foe and eight-seed Phillipsburg (14-9) at home Friday in the quarterfinals.
Five-seed Bridgewater-Raritan – who were 6-14 just three weeks ago – now has won six of its last eight games after blitzing 12-seed Plainfield (14-5) by an 11-0 score in five innings. Starter Jack Braswell got the win, and flirted with a perfect game through 3 2/3 before giving up a two-out single in the fourth. He finished out five innings, allowing just that one hit, striking out eight, and doing it all in just 56 pitches. Read more about the Panthers’ win and hear from head coach Max Newill at the link. The Panthers will visit four-seed JP Stevens (18-8) in the quarterfinals, after the Hawks were 11-2 winners over 13-seed Ferris at home Wednesday. It was their first home playoff game in the states since they hosted Barringer in the first round in 2019, a game they won, and it was their first state playoff win since then, as well. Read more about the Hawks’ big win and hear from head coach Tyler Jackow at the link.
And third-seed and 2026 Somerset County Tournament champion Watchung Hills (16-8) also advanced, picking up a 10-0 five-inning win over Elizabeth (8-17). Landon Pudlak was 5-for-5 with a walk-off three-run homer in the fifth that ended the game with the mercy rule. He also plated runs with a walk in the third and a sac fly in the first. Rob Centamore scattered two hits and struck out nine in five innings to improve to 7-0, and the Hustlin’ Warriors will host six-seed Westfield (14-11-1) Friday in the second round.
- (1) Ridge def. (16) Barringer, 13-3 (5 inn.)
- (8) Phillipsburg def. (9) Columbia, 2-1
- (5) Bridgewater-Raritan def. (12) Plainfield, 11-0 (5 inn.)
- (4) JP Stevens def. (13) Ferris, 11-2 (5 inn.)
- (3) Watchung Hills def. (14) Elizabeth, 10-0 (5 inn.)
- (6) Westfield def. (11) Union, 6-3
- (10) Woodbridge def. (7) Scotch Plains-Fanwood, 8-5
- (3) Bayonne def. (15) Piscataway, 5-2
North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3:
We’re going to get an all-Plainfield surburb quarterfinal matchup in this one Friday, as both fourth-seed South Plainfield and fifth-seed North Plainfield were the only two area teams to advance. The Tigers (15-11) blanked 13-seed JFK (18-8) by a score of 5-0, behind a complete-game, 89-pitch effort from Aiden “The Bull” McCarthy, who allowed just three hits and struck out 12. The Tigers scored in each of the first four innings – one each in the first three, two in the fourth – as Andrew Bena knocked in two runs, while Dom Massaro and McCarthy each scored twice. As for the Canucks, it was their first playoff win in 15 years, a 2-1 win over 12-seed Matawan (9-13-1). Both runs came in the fourth, and it started with Jake Zotollo getting plunked, then a single by Victor Ceda, putting runners at the corners. Ian Lamiera grounded out to short, scoring the first run of the game, and after another groundout, Victor Ceda stole home on a 2-2 pitch to make it 2-0. In the top of the seventh, the Huskies got to within 2-1 after a leadoff single, a couple of stolen bases and a groundout to third, but Bennie Sokolowski – who went the distance, allowing just two hits, fanning nine – got two strikeouts to end the game.
Elsewhere, 8th-seed Colonia (14-10) lost 5-1 at home to nine-seed Middletown North (15-10), cutting a 2-0 deficit in half in the bottom of the sixth only to see the Lions get three in the top of the seventh to take a 5-1 lead they’d hold on to. Sixth-seed Carteret (17-7) was upset at home, 9-6, by 11-seed Summit (9-15-1). And ten-seed Somerville (9-17) was beaten on the road by seven-seed Millburn (13-14), 4-1.
- (1) Chatham def. (16) Orange, 10-0 (5 inn.)
- (9) Middletown North def. (8) Colonia, 5-1
- (5) North Plainfield def. (12) Matawan, 2-1
- (4) South Plainfield def. (13) JFK, 5-0-
- (3) Cranford def. (14) Rahway, 14-2
- (11) Summit def. (6) Carteret, 9-6
- (7) Millburn def. (10) Somerville, 4-1
- (2) North Hunterdon def. (15) Payne Tech, 6-0 (Tuesday)
North Jersey, Section 2, Group 1:
The only area team in this section was 11-seed Bernards and the Mountaineers (13-11) were beaten 4-1 by six-seed Lyndhurst on a four-hitter by Tyler Herman, who struck out ten and scattered four hits over seven innings.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE:
Thursday, May 28 – Non-Public Sectional Quarterfinals (all games 4pm unless otherwise noted)
Non-Public South A
- (8) Montclair-Kimberley at (1) St. Mary-Rutherford, 3 pm
- (5) Morristown-Beard at (4) Newark Academy
- (6) Morris Catholic at (3) St. Thomas Aquinas
- (10) Pope John at (2) Rutgers Prep
Non-Public North B
- (8) Paul VI at (1) Immaculata, 4 pm (at Diamond Nation, Flemington)
- (5) Christian Brothers at (4) Union Catholic
- (6) St. John Vianney at (3) Red Bank Catholic, 3 pm
- (10) Pingry at (2) St. Augustine
Friday, May 29- Non-Public Sectional Quarterfinals (all games 4pm unless otherwise noted)
Central Jersey Group 4
- (8) Freehold Twp. at (1) Old Bridge
- (5) Monroe at (4) Hightstown
- (6) Manalapan at (3) Hunterdon Central
- (15) Franklin at (10) Hillsborough or (7) Jackson Twp.
Central Jersey Group 1
- (4) Metuchen at (1) Middlesex
- (5) Shore at (4) Metuchen
- (11) Florence at (3) Point Pleasant Beach
- (10) Delaware Valley at (2) Piscataway Magnet
North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4
- (8) Phillipsburg at (1) Ridge
- (5) Bridgewater-Raritan at (4) JP Stevens
- (6) Westfield at (3) Watchung Hills
- (10) Woodbridge at (2) Bayonne, 4:30 pm
North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3
- (9) Middletown North at (1) Chatham
- (5) North Plainfield at (4) South Plainfield
- (11) Summit at (3) Cranford
- (7) Millburn at (2) North Hunterdon
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