Author: Alec Crouthamel

June 5, 2026 by Alec Crouthamel

St. Thomas Aquinas falls to top-seeded St. Mary in Non-Public North B final for Gaels’ first title since 2023

Each coach had a similar message heading into Friday’s Non-Public B final.

If we take care of our own business, we’ll be in a good spot.

Top-seeded St. Mary of Rutherford did so at a higher level than third-seeded St. Thomas Aquinas, winning its first sectional title since 2023, 11-7, at Tamblyn Field in Rutherford.

The Gaels (17-11-1) built up a 7-2 lead after just three innings of play, and even after a late rally from the Trojans (14-15), sealed the win in seven full innings.

Two freshmen faced off on the mound, a tough task for both sides. But St. Mary southpaw Ayden Vargas was ready for the challenge and then some, earning the win with 6 1/3 strong innings.

St. Thomas Aquinas freshman Justin Monterosso got the start for the visitors, but only recorded four outs before the Trojans went with junior Nikash Patel out of the bullpen.

Aquinas never backed down, scoring six runs in the final two innings and raising some blood pressures on the home side, but in the end ran out of innings and time to fully make a comeback.

The Trojans left the bases loaded in the top half of the first, and the Gaels responded with a run in the bottom half, as right fielder Andres Bracho singled home centerfielder Jakhi Gale to open the scoring. Gale reached base in all five plate appearances, and scored three runs on the afternoon.

St. Thomas Aquinas tied the game up in the top of the second, as they loaded the bases for the second straight inning. Catcher Adrian Sanchez got the Trojans on the board with a bases-loaded walk, but Vargas worked two consecutive strikeouts in the heart of the order to leave the bases loaded for the second straight inning.

St. Mary started to take full control in the bottom of the second with four runs to take a 5-1 lead. Five straight batters reached after the first was retired, with Patel replacing Monterosso on the mound in the middle of that stretch. Patel walked in two runs with the bases loaded for his first two batters faced, and even after a strikeout of first baseman Jeffrey Paulino, the Gaels added more.

Bracho stepped up once again, and singled into right field to bring home two more runs to make it a four-spot in the inning.

The Trojans added another run of their own in the top of the third, a sacrifice fly from right fielder Aiden Alberto, but St. Mary got right back to its mojo in the bottom half. The Gaels worked two more runs off a two-RBI double from shortstop Roysell Rivera, taking a commanding 7-2 lead early on.

Each team threw a shutout fourth, but in the bottom of the fifth, St. Mary fully broke the game wide open.

The Gaels worked four straight hits with one out, including RBI base hits by Gale and Rivera, before Paulino mashed a long home run up the left-field hill. By that point, St. Mary worked an 11-2 run, and with a runner on second, came close to ending the game in five innings.

Courtesy runner, Logan Bartley rounded third with a full head of steam after a single by catcher Joshua Figueroa, but Trojans right fielder Justin Brown launched a long throw from the outfield to throw Bartley out at the plate, and keep the game alive.

From there, St. Thomas Aquinas fought to the very last pitch.

The Trojans added a run in the top of the sixth on an RBI single from Brown to score senior Louis Rizzolo, cutting the deficit to eight runs. Reliever Chris Gutaukas threw a shutout bottom half of the inning, setting up the Gaels to win the game in the top half of the seventh.

But as a wise man once said on ESPN, “Not so fast, my friends.”

St. Thomas Aquinas refused to go down without a fight, putting up four runs in the final frame to make things interesting. Designated hitter Harrison Eng reached on a full-count walk with one out, prompting St. Mary to go to the bullpen, as Vargas earned a round of applause for his efforts.

Designated hitter Demir Giddens replaced Vargas on the mound, but the Trojans kept fighting. Giddens struck out pinch-hitter Vic Burgos, setting the Gaels up one out away from a title, but it took a bit longer than anticipated. Monterosso worked a walk of his own, flipping the lineup back to the top one last time. Rizzolo worked another walk on four pitches, then catcher Adrian Sanchez brought home pinch-runner Andrew Scaff with a scorching RBI single. Patel came up and brought two more home with another single up the middle, and Brown made it three straight, going station-to-station with an RBI single of his own, as St. Mary made another pitching change during that stretch, putting Xavier Vargas on the bump.

All of a sudden, it was 11-7 with two runners on.

Vargas didn’t waver, though, facing third baseman Tyler Coello, the ninth batter of the inning. Even in a full count, Vargas trusted his stuff and froze Coello looking to seal the title.

Monterosso took the loss in 1 1/3 innings pitched, allowing four runs on five hits and a walk. Patel pitched four innings, allowing six earned runs, while Gutaukas allowed none in an inning and two thirds of his own.

Ayden Vargas earned the win with 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball.

In the end, the Gaels took advantage of their chances. Their top five hitters reached base 18 times, accounting for nine of the 11 runs on the scoreboard.

St. Mary won its 16th sectional championship – 13th in Non-Public North B – and will move on to the Non-Public B final against South champion Gloucester Catholic on Wednesday at Rutgers. St. Thomas Aquinas’ season comes to a close.

Click below to hear postgame reaction from both head coaches with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel, presented by the Sportsplex at Metuchen:

St. Thomas Aquinas head coach Tom D’Agostino

St. Mary head coach Nigel Archibald

June 4, 2026June 4, 2026 by Alec Crouthamel

Third seed St. Thomas Aquinas, top seed St. Mary, battle for Non-Public North B crown, in matchup between two of the last three sectional champs

It would be an understatement to say St. Thomas Aquinas – particularly its seniors – have had an eventful week or so.

Tuesday, the third-seeded Trojans (14-14) defeated second-seeded Rutgers Prep in the Non-Public North B semifinals, advancing to the sectional final for the second time in three years.

Thursday, the school held its graduation, meaning the aforementioned title game was moved to Friday.

On Friday, St. Thomas Aquinas will head up to Tamblyn Field to battle top-seeded St. Mary (Ruth.) for its third sectional title in program history.

The Gaels (16-11-1) and Trojans represent two of the last three sectional champions, with St. Mary hoisting the championship trophy in 2023, the first year under head coach Nigel Archibald.

First pitch is set for 4 pm in Rutherford, and you can hear the game live on Central Jersey Sports Radio, with Alec Crouthamel on the call. Pregame begins at 3:45 pm.

***Click the above link to listen LIVE to***
***the Non-Public North B final between***
***St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Mary!!***

The two teams each bring some similarities and differences to the field.

The Gaels are coming off back-to-back 12-1 victories over eighth-seeded Montclair Kimberley and fifth-seeded Morristown-Beard, and the Trojans won each of their two playoff games 7-0 over sixth-seeded Morris Catholic, and 7-3 over the Argonauts.

They each bring a core top of the lineup to the table, led by veterans such as Louis Rizzolo for St. Thomas Aquinas, and Sebastian Santana and Jeffrey Paulino for the Gaels, with the bottom of the order featuring developing talent, getting invaluable experience along the way.

One of the main differences comes in the history. St. Mary has long been a non-public power on the diamond, looking for its 16th sectional championship dating back to 1958.

But none of that history will matter once the two teams take the field. They’re both battled-tested, the Gaels playing a tough NJIC and out-of-conference schedule, and the Trojans in a rugged GMC Red Division.

With the season on the line, all hands are on deck, as each team looks to make it two sectional titles in the decade.

Click below to hear both head coaches preview Friday’s Non-Public North B sectional final, with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel:

St. Mary head coach Nigel Archibald

St. Thomas Aquinas head coach Tom D’Agostino

Championship History

St. Thomas Aquinas: The Trojans won their second sectional title in 2024, and their first in 18 years at the time. They defeated Rutgers Prep in the final, the first of three straight years with victories over the Argonauts in postseason play.

Non-Public South A
- 2006 (Then Bishop Ahr), lost to Seton Hall Prep in Non-Public A Final
Non-Public North B
- 2024, lost to Gloucester Catholic in Non-Public B Final

St. Mary: The Gaels have a long history of dominance in their program’s history, racking up 15 sectional titles, including eight since the turn of the century. Their best stretch was a run of six titles in 11 years from 1998 to 2008. St. Mary’s most recent championship came in 2023 over Rutgers Prep, in Archibald’s first year at the helm.

Non-Public North B
- 1956
- 1962
- 1968
- 1998
- 2000
- 2001
- 2003
- 2006
- 2008
- 2016
- 2019
- 2023
Non-Public North C (Discontinued in 1979)
- 1974
- 1976
- 1977

List of previous Non-Public North B Sectional Champions

1948: Holy Family/Union City/Our Lady of the Valley/St. Patrick’s (Elizabeth)
1949: St. Mary’s (Elizabeth)
1951: Our Lady of the Valley
1953: St. Luke’s (Ho-Ho-Kus)/St. Michael’s (Jersey City)
1954: St. Luke’s (Ho-Ho-Kus)/Don Bosco Prep
1955: Pope Pius XII
1956: St. Mary’s (Rutherford)
1957: Pope Pius XII
1958: Immaculate Conception (Montclair)
1959: Bayley-Ellard
1960: Don Bosco Tech (Paterson)
1961: St. Luke’s (Ho-Ho-Kus)
1962: St. Mary’s (Rutherford)
1963: St. Mary’s (Elizabeth)
1964: St. Mary’s (Jersey City)
1965: St. Mary’s (Elizabeth)
1966: St. Michael’s (Jersey City)
1967: Don Bosco Tech (Paterson)
1968: St. Mary’s (Rutherford)
1969: Bayley-Ellard
1970: Bayley-Ellard
1971: Morris Catholic
1972: Pope Pius XII
1973: Paterson Catholic
1974: Paul VI (Clifton)
1975: St. Cecilia’s (Englewood)
1976: Don Bosco Tech (Paterson)
1977: Our Lady of the Valley
1978: Paul VI (Clifton)
1979: Don Bosco Prep
1980: St. Mary’s (Jersey City)
1981: St. Mary’s (Jersey City)
1982: St. Mary’s (Elizabeth)
1983: St. Mary’s (Elizabeth)
1984: Bayley-Ellard
1985: Immaculata
1986: Phillipsburg Catholic
1987: St. Anthony’s (Jersey City)
1988: Pope John XXIII
1989: Marist
1990: St. Anthony’s (Jersey City)
1991: Marist
1992: Essex Catholic
1993: Marist
1994: Pingry
1995: Immaculata
1996: Pope John XXIII
1997: Montclair Kimberley
1998: St. Mary’s (Rutherford)
1999: Paterson Catholic
2000: St. Mary’s (Rutherford)
2001: St. Mary’s (Rutherford)
2002: Montclair Kimberley
2003: St. Mary’s (Rutherford)
2004: Newark Academy
2005: Morristown-Beard
2006: St. Mary’s (Rutherford)
2007: Newark Academy
2008: St. Mary’s (Rutherford)
2009: Montclair Kimberley
2010: Morristown-Beard
2011: Newark Academy
2012: Newark Academy
2013: Morris Catholic
2014: Hudson Catholic
2015: Newark Academy
2016: St. Mary’s (Rutherford)
2017: Newark Academy
2018: DePaul Catholic
2019: St. Mary’s (Rutherford)
2021: Morristown-Beard
2022: Immaculata
2023: St. Mary’s (Rutherford)
2024: St. Thomas Aquinas
2025: Pope John XXIII

Bold and italics represent CJSR-area teams

June 3, 2026 by Alec Crouthamel

Piscataway Magnet’s surprise season comes to a close, 14-2, to Point Pleasant Beach in Central Jersey Group 1 semifinals

Even as the second seed in the Central Jersey Group 1 section, Piscataway Magnet’s season has been somewhat of a Cinderella run.

But the clock struck midnight for the Raiders (25-4) in the sectional semifinals, falling to third-seeded Point Pleasant Beach 14-2 in five innings.

The battle-tested Garnet Gulls (17-6) piled on runs early and often, including an eight-run third inning, to send them to their sixth consecutive sectional final appearance.

Point Pleasant Beach opened up the game with two runs and plenty of pressure on the basepaths, as the first two pitches of the game were swung on and resulted with a batter on base.

Centerfielder Brody Powers brought both of them home with a rare two-RBI sacrifice fly, after the ball was slow to come back into the infield. Raiders starter Jack Garrison got out of any further trouble with a groundout to end the inning.

Piscataway Magnet threatened in its half of the first, as shortstop Trey Lyerly made it to second base on an error in the outfield. But Garnet Gulls starter Tommy Conroy worked a groundout of his own to keep the Raiders off the board.

Conroy helped his own case with an RBI single in the top half of the second, after right fielder Davin Marquez got plunked with two outs. He once again worked around some trouble on the basepaths in the second, with a hit-by-pitch and a fielder’s choice, before striking out designated hitter Tristen Miller to end the second.

Then the floodgates opened in the top of the third.

Point Pleasant Beach broke the game open with eight runs, turning a three-run lead into an 11-0 ballgame. Catcher Danny Lubach – who recorded his 150th career hit in the game – reached on an error to lead it off. Powers then put runners on second and third with a double, prompting a Piscataway Magnet pitching change. Brody Guthrie replaced Garrison, but the change didn’t faze the Garnet Gulls.

Third baseman Carson Pfeifer brought home Lubach’s courtesy runner, Jalen Kreiger, on a sacrifice fly, recorded after a diving catch by centerfielder Vincent Canavan. It appeared the third-base umpire called Kreiger out for leaving early, but the call was reversed, and Kreiger was safe at home.

After another hit-by-pitch, designated hitter Thomas Slobiski brought in two runs with a single. Those two plays cycled once again, with another hit-by-pitch and then an RBI single from Marquez to make it four runs in the inning and seven on the game.

But Point Pleasant Beach still wasn’t done.

The Raiders made another pitching change after just one out was recorded. Third baseman Colton Lyerly made the move to the mound to face the top of the order for Point Pleasant Beach’s third time through. Conroy walked on five pitches, then second baseman Mason Sesny flew out to right field to record the second out.

But Lubach came back up to bat for the second time in the inning, and took full advantage of the opportunity. He crushed a fastball, sending it over the fence to make it 11-0.

Powers struck out to end the inning, but not before the Garnet Gulls put up eight runs with ten batters, on four hits, two walks, and an error.

With the big lead, Point Pleasant Beach opted to make a pitching change of its own, relieving Conroy after two shutout innings on 38 pitches, saving his potential pitch count for Friday’s sectional final.

Slobiski came in to relieve Conroy, and continued the strong pitching. He threw two shutout innings, allowing just one two baserunners on a single and error.

In the top half of the fourth, the Garnet Gulls added three more runs for good measure. First baseman Dylan Ryan singled to bring home shortstop Antonio Acevedo, Marquez walked, and with the lineup card flipped over and two outs, Conroy added his second and third RBIs of the game with a double into the outfield to make it 14-0.

After two shutout halves in the bottom of the fourth and top of the fifth, Piscataway Magnet had one final shot.

Senior Michael Schimpf – the lone senior on the entire Raiders’ roster – worked a full-count walk in his final game. The next two batters were retired, and with two outs, Piscatway Magnet got on the board with the top of the lineup. Canavan lined a triple into right field to score the first run, and Lyerly brought him in with a flared single to left field.

The Raiders’ magical season comes to a close, with a 25-4 record and sparkling 12-0 mark in the GMC Gold division. They won their first two playoff games in (what we think is) program history, both in walk-off fashion.

And with a young team after a playoff run, the future is bright for Piscatway Magnet.

Point Pleasant Beach will move on to the Central Jersey Group 1 final for the sixth straight year, and the Garnet Gulls will host fifth-seeded Shore, who knocked off top-seeded Middlesex 2-0 in the opposite semifinal. This marks the first year Point Pleasant Beach will not face the Blue Jays in the sectional tournament since 2016.

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel talk with Piscataway Magnet head coach Greg Sampson about the Raiders’ season and loss to Point Pleasant Beach in the Central Jersey Group 1 semifinals, presented by the Sportsplex at Metuchen:

June 2, 2026June 3, 2026 by Alec Crouthamel

Rizzolo, Patel power St. Thomas Aquinas to 7-3 win over Rutgers Prep for third postseason year in Non-Public North B semifinals

Three straight years Louis Rizzolo got the ball against Rutgers Prep in the Non-Public North B sectional tournament.

And three straight years, the senior southpaw helped guide St. Thomas Aquinas to a playoff victory.

The third-seeded Trojans (13-14) went on the road to defeat second-seeded Rutgers Prep 7-3 in the semifinals, advancing to their second sectional final appearance in three years. The Argonauts (17-7) saw their season come to a close after another strong campaign.

Rizzolo and junior Nikash Patel applied much of the damage, with both of them going the distance on the mound and accounting for all seven runs on two homers.

Both came with runners on, as Rizzolo mashed a two-out three-run blast on the first pitch to open St. Thomas Aquinas’ scoring in the second inning, and Patel launched a grand slam to extend a one-run lead to five. The seven earned runs were the most all season for Rutgers Prep ace Li Perez, and just the second outing all year he allowed any earned runs.

The Argonauts struck first in the game, as Perez worked a shutout top half of the first to set up his offense well. Second baseman Matt Bilmes reached on an infield single and advanced on an error, before designated hitter Maddox Chu lined an RBI double to bring him home.

But the Trojans responded immediately.

Perez retired two of the first three batters, but freshman Justin Monterosso – one of four first-years in the lineup – worked a key walk on four pitches to flip the lineup card over and bring Rizzolo up in a big spot.

The senior came through, as a fast-moving fastball from Perez left the yard even faster off the bat of Rizzolo, instantly putting St. Thomas Aquinas ahead with a 3-1 lead.

Rutgers Prep brought a response of their own after that, as Bilmes scored his second run of the day on a sacrifice fly from Perez, but Rizzolo limited the damage to just a run after loading the bases, striking out first baseman Mason Cimini looking to end the trouble. Perez struck out the side and retired seven straight after allowing the home run, and it looked like the veteran-laden Argonauts were setting themselves up to get right back into the game.

But in the top of the fifth, the Trojans’ veteran power struck again.

Monterosso worked his second important walk of the afternoon, reaching to lead off the inning on a full count, and Rizzolo singled to set up another big inning. Catcher Adrian Sanchez worked a full-count walk himself to load the bases with nobody out. Then came Patel. Perez got off to a solid start, working a 1-2 count, but Patel got a breaking ball he liked and powered it the opposite way, sending the ball over the right-centerfield fence to take a commanding 7-2 lead.

Perez retired the next three batters to get out of the inning, but the damage had been done.

Argonauts catcher Ethan Nepomuceno launched a solo home run off Rizzolo to lead off the bottom half of the inning, but Rizzolo didn’t let another baserunner on in the inning, keeping the lead at four runs.

Senior reliever Peter Wheeler pitched the final two frames for Rutgers Prep, working around a hit-by-pitch to Monterosso and an intentional walk to Rizzolo to keep the score at 7-3.

Rutgers Prep had one final shot in the bottom half of the seventh. With Rizzolo up against his pitch count, he struck out Bilmes on four pitches, then shortstop Alex Perez on three. But Perez reached on a dropped third strike and wide throw from Sanchez for pitch 111.

But as the two have so many times, Patel picked up his starter, ending the game in just three pitches as Nepomuceno grounded into a 2-0, 4-6-3 double play to seal the win.

Rizzolo earned the win in 6 1/3 innings pitched, with three earned runs on six hits, with just one walk and 12 strikeouts. Perez was given the loss with seven earned runs in five innings, with five hits, four walks, and six strikeouts.

The Trojans will advance to the Non-Public North B semifinals for the second time in three years – they won it over the Argonauts in 2024 – and will face top-seeded St. Mary in Rutherford on Friday at 4 pm.

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel talk with St. Thomas Aquinas senior Louis Rizzolo, junior Nikash Patel, and freshman Justin Monterosso, as well as head coach Tom D’Agostino, about the Trojans’ semifinal victory over Rutgers Prep, presented by the Sportsplex at Metuchen:

June 2, 2026June 1, 2026 by Alec Crouthamel

Rutgers Prep and St. Thomas Aquinas face off for third straight year with Non-Public North B final berth on the line

Three things have been certain over the last three high school baseball seasons.

Death, taxes, and a playoff battle between St. Thomas Aquinas and Rutgers Prep.

This year marks the third iteration of the two teams facing off in the North Jersey, Non-Public B sectional tournament in Tuesday’s semifinal round.

The third-seeded Trojans (13-14) won the first two, taking the sectional title in 2024 and winning in the quarterfinals in 2025, but it’s a whole new season, with two very different teams. The second-seeded Argonauts (17-7) bring a lot of veteran experience to the table – including those losses in each of the last two seasons – and are battle-tested. St. Thomas Aquinas brings some of its own veterans, but also young talent that has progressed with more exposure to the big-game environment.

Will the third time be the charm for Rutgers Prep? Or will the Trojans end the Argonauts’ season for the third straight time? It all gets started with first pitch at 4:30 pm from Rutgers Prep, in a game you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio. Pregame starts at 4:15 with Alec Crouthamel on the call; click here to listen.

Eight of the combined projected starters – including both pitchers – faced off in the 2024 game, and 12 in 2025, so there’s not a lot of unfamiliarity, even in a GMC/Skyland Conference crossover.

But these are different teams from those that took the field 368 days ago. They’ve both overcome some bumps along the way, but have found themselves in recent weeks to make it within a game of a sectional final appearance.

The Trojans got off to a bit of a bumpy start, breaking in multiple newcomers to the lineup and getting the youth movement as much experience as possible. But since the calendar flipped to May, St. Thomas Aquinas has gone 7-4, including a 7-0 quarterfinal win over sixth-seeded Morris Catholic. Senior Louis Rizzolo and junior Nikash Patel – a dangerous pitching duo on their third year of postseason action together – combined for a one-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts in just 75 pitches, while four different hitters recorded at least one RBI.

The Argonauts have blazed a bit of a different trail in 2026, but still have overcome some obstacles. They won 11 straight games over a month-long span, but dealt with a 2-3 stretch over the next nine days, including an extra-inning loss to Bridgewater-Raritan, where the Panthers overcame a four-run deficit and outscored Rutgers Prep 10-1 after the second inning.

From there, though, the Argonauts re-found their focus, including a five-inning, 16-0 victory over tenth-seeded Pope John in the sectional quarterfinals. Star pitcher Li Perez was nothing short of spectacular, allowing just one baserunner and recording all 15 outs via strikeout, while the offense got contributions from all over, including two home runs and five RBIs from senior Maddox Chu.

Both aces – Rizzolo and Perez – will take the ball for the second straight year (Rizzolo also started the 2024 game while Perez played the field) and if both have their best stuff as they did in the quarterfinals, runs will be at a premium.

But with a trip to the sectional final on the line – each team’s first since that 2024 matchup – nothing in the past matters once Perez throws that first pitch of the game.

Click below to hear Central jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel talk with both head coaches about their respective seasons and the upcoming matchup in the Non-Public North B semifinal:

St. Thomas Aquinas head coach Tom D’Agostino

Rutgers Prep head coach Larry Santowasso

May 29, 2026 by Alec Crouthamel

Bridgewater-Raritan run-rules for second straight game, advances to North 2, Group 4 semifinals, 10-0, over JP Stevens

You don’t usually see back-to-back run-rule victories in the state tournament. Especially as the lower seed in one of those games.

But Bridgewater-Raritan is white-hot at just the right time, and did just that.

The fifth-seeded Panthers (13-16) tacked on runs early and often en route to a 10-0, six-inning victory over fourth-seeded JP Stevens in the North 2, Group 4 quarterfinals, to advance to their second sectional semifinal in three years. The Hawks’ (18-9) season came to a close, finishing up their best campaign since 2019.

It was obvious from the first pitch of the game that Bridgewater-Raritan was locked in on its approach, a three-pronged message from the top: Throw strikes, make plays, and get quality at-bats.

The Panthers did all three to near-perfection on Friday, winning by double-digits for the second straight game after an 11-0 win over 12th-seeded Plainfield in the first round

On the mound, Nico Moore went the distance with six shutout innings in just 89 pitches, allowing four hits.

Bridgewater-Raritan got started early with a run in the first inning, as second baseman Nick Spirra grounded into a bases-loaded double play with nobody out to strike first. Though JP Stevens starter Nolan Overmeyer got out of the inning with just the one run after the jam, it was clear the Panthers were ready for anything the Hawks could throw at them.

Moore worked two shutout innings, allowing just one baserunner, as Bridgewater-Raritan’s offense broke the game open in between.

First baseman Stephen Pikulin and right fielder Josh Moore reached with one out on a walk and hit-by-pitch – Moore’s fourth in the last two games – respectively, before shortstop Cody Rible sent a fly ball into the left-centerfield gap for a double to bring home Pikulin.

Centerfielder Kellan Komline added an RBI single to bring home Moore, and stole second to put runners on second and third with one out. Left fielder Andrew Schmieder poked a single into right field to bring home both runners and made it a four-run inning and a 5-0 lead. But the Panthers weren’t done yet.

Catcher Michael Lobosco singled to put Schmieder on third, and courtesy runner Matt DeLucia worked a pickoff rundown to allow Schmieder to come home easily. By the time the inning ended, Bridgewater-Raritan led 6-0 and chased Overmeyer out of the game, as his replacement, right fielder Aarush Patel, recorded the final two outs.

Moore continued his dominance on the mound, coupling his fast pace between pitches with a nasty fastball and curveball combination to keep the Hawks off balance all afternoon.

Patel and Moore each recorded shutout sides of the third inning, and in the top of the fourth, it looked like Patel was headed for another solid frame after retiring the first two batters.

But the Panthers stuck to their approach, and grew the lead because of it. Five straight hitters reached base after Schmieder struck out to record the second out, as they tacked on three more insurance runs to expand the lead to 9-0. Within that stretch, Bridgewater-Raritan faced several two-strike counts, but the Panthers just kept battling and refused to go down. Pinch-hitter Joey Confalone ripped an RBI single down the first-base line to bring home DeLucia, third baseman Connor Price brought in another with an RBI single of his own, and Pikulin scored another with an infield single.

By that point, Bridgewater-Raritan put its stamp on another postseason victory.

Both teams were shut out in the fifth, but the Panthers scored the pivotal tenth run in the top of the sixth inning. Lobosco sent a fly ball down the left-field line for a double – reaching base for the fourth time – and DeLucia came around to score from third on a sacrifice fly by Price two batters later.

With the end of the game in sight, Moore worked three straight groundouts in the bottom half to send Bridgewater-Raritan home happy an inning early.

Moore earned the win with six shutout innings, allowing four hits and no walks with four strikeouts. Overmeyer was given the loss with six earned runs in an inning and a third, allowing five hits with a walk and hit batter. Patel was solid in relief, going four and two-thirds innings of four-run ball, with two strikeouts four walks, allowing five hits.

The Panthers will move on to face Skyland Delaware division foe and top-seeded Ridge in the North 2, Group 4 semifinals on Wednesday, after the Red Devils defeated eighth-seeded Phillipsburg with a six-inning, 10-0 of their own in the opposite quarterfinal on Friday.

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel talk with Bridgewater-Raritan pitcher Nico Moore, catcher Michael Lobosco, and head coach Max Newill after the Panthers’ 10-0 win over JP Stevens in the North 2, Group 4 quarterfinals, presented by the Sportsplex at Metuchen:

May 29, 2026May 29, 2026 by Alec Crouthamel

Fourth-seed JP Stevens, fifth-seed Bridgewater-Raritan vie for North 2, Group 4 semifinal bid

Some of the most fun postseason matchups come between adjacent seeds, regardless of the sport.

Another high-power matchup will come to North Edison on Friday in the North 2, Group 4 quarterfinals between the fourth seed, JP Stevens, and the fifth seed, Bridgewater-Raritan, in a GMC/Skyland Conference crossover.

In a battle between two ascending teams over the course of the season, one will earn a bid to the sectional semifinals, with the Panthers (12-16) looking for their second in three years after a Group 4 title in 2024, while the Hawks (18-8) look for their first appearance in the semifinals since 2008, where they lost to eventual Group 4 state runner-up North Hunterdon.

It all gets started at 4 pm at JP Stevens, in a game you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio. Pregame starts at 3:45 with Alec Crouthamel on the call; click here to listen.

Both teams are coming off resounding first-round victories against their double-digit seed counterparts.

Bridgewater-Raritan played strong all-around baseball to take down 12th-seeded Plainfield 11-0 in five innings. The Panthers put up three runs in the first inning, six in the third, and two in the fourth to seal the run-rule victory, along with a near-perfect outing for starter Jack Braswell. He allowed just one baserunner – a fourth-inning single with two outs – while striking out eight.

JP Stevens put up double-digit runs as well, defeating 13th-seeded Ferris out of Jersey City 11-2. In their first playoff victory since 2019, the Hawks got another gem from starter Soham Prajapati, who struck out 13 in a complete game effort, giving him 102 on the year and 247 in his career. The bats also came alive as the game went on, with three runs in the third inning, two in the fifth, and six in the bottom of the sixth to break the game open after the Bulldogs cut their deficit to 5-2 in the top half.

Both teams have been tested to date, Bridgewater-Raritan playing in the Skyland Delaware division, and JP Stevens finishing in an 11-3 three-way tie atop the GMC Blue division.

They bring another similarity in that the experiences this year have built true development to put both teams in a better spot than they started in late March.

But only one can come away victorious in the sectional playoffs. Each team will take the lessons they’ve learned and their high-level developments into the do-or-die showdown to keep their seasons alive come the month of June.

Click below to hear both head coaches talk with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel about their teams’ first-round victories and upcoming matchups in the North 2, Group 4 quarterfinals:

JP Stevens head coach Tyler Jackow

Bridgewater-Raritan head coach Max Newill

May 27, 2026May 27, 2026 by Alec Crouthamel

15-seed Franklin stuns two-seed Edison 5-4 in Central Jersey Group 4 first round

Wednesday’s NJSIAA sectional tournament saw plenty of first-round action, and plenty of drama to boot.

By far, the biggest of those instances came in the Central Jersey Group 4 bracket, where 15th-seeded Franklin knocked off second-seeded Edison to move on to the quarterfinals.

The Warriors (8-11) have shown flashes under first-year head coach Grant Neary, and put it all together at just the right time. This also marks the second straight year Franklin has pulled an upset as a double-digit seed, after defeating sixth-seeded East Brunswick in the CJ4 first round as the 11 seed last season under former head coach Derrick Castillo.

Those two victories were the Warriors’ first in the sectional tournament since the 2021 season.

Neary came to Franklin after a 17-year run in the college ranks, including six years as an assistant at NJIT and a three-year run as the head coach at Saint Peter’s. But with three kids and plenty of activities for all of them, Neary wanted to find a gig that kept him in the coaching game while allowing him to be even more involved with his family.

He’s no stranger to Somerset County baseball, either. Neary starred on the diamond for Bridgewater-Raritan and got his baseball coaching start at Watchung Hills in 2005, helping lead the Warriors to the Group 4 state championship game as an assistant coach under head coach Mario Diez.

The Warriors (of Franklin) are also no strangers to upsets this year. The tenth seed in the Somerset County Tournament, Franklin defeated seventh-seeded Somerville 10-8 in the first round, and fell 9-5 to eventual champion Watchung Hills.

But the confidence was up heading on the road to a GMC staple in Edison. The Eagles (19-8) dealt with some injuries throughout the year, but boasted some of the area’s top talent and earned the top seed in the Jim Muldowney GMC Championship Tournament.

It started as a low-scoring pitcher’s duel on Wednesday. The Warriors struck first in the top of the third with a bases-loaded RBI double play by freshman left fielder Mason Bonds, the younger brother of Rutgers star outfielder Peyton Bonds, to open the scoring. But Edison pitcher Ray Tavarez got out of the jam with the double play and another bases-loaded groundout to keep the Warriors at a run.

The Eagles equalized an inning and a half later with a sacrifice fly by sophomore catcher Damien Calandra. But Franklin immediately responded with two runs in the top of the fifth, on RBI doubles by Bonds and senior Elijah Zavatsky.

Senior pitcher Dylan Shah did his job as well, keeping Edison at bay for much of the game, even after the Eagles pulled to within a run on a sacrifice fly by senior first baseman Robert Roma. Shah lived up to the billing as Franklin’s top arm on the bump, with six innings of two-run ball.

A full scoreless frame later, and the Warriors went into the seventh and final frame with a slim 3-2 lead.

The offense picked back up in the top half, as Zavatsky recorded his second RBI of the day on a single, and senior third baseman Stanley Madera scored on a double steal to make it 5-2.

Bonds came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh with a three-run cushion, but Edison wouldn’t go away quietly.

Senior right fielder Sam Kentos singled, and Roma walked to put the tying run at the plate with nobody out. Tavarez doubled to score Kentos and pull within two, putting the tying run at second base. Madera recorded the first out with a heady play to throw Roma out at the plate attempting to score, but senior centerfielder Darren Tirado brought the deficit back to a single run with a sacrifice fly. Second baseman Tyler Shuck loaded the bases on a hit-by-pitch, bringing up Calandra with the game on the line for either side.

On a 2-0 count, Calandra lined a fastball safely into the glove of Franklin second baseman Kelvin Heuston to secure the upset and send the Warriors to the quarterfinals. Shah earned the win with 100 pitches flat for his team-leading fifth win of the year, allowing two runs on six hits, with two strikeouts and four walks.

Their quarterfinal opponent is TBD. Franklin will face the winner of seventh-seed Jackson Township and tenth-seed Hillsborough, a game postponed to Thursday after rain hit South Jersey hard on Wednesday. Either way, the 15 seed will be ready for the challenge after putting together one of its top performances of the year.

Click below to listen to Franklin’s first-year head coach Grant Neary talk about the Warriors’ season and their first-round upset of Edison with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel:

May 27, 2026 by Alec Crouthamel

Fifth-seeded Bridgewater-Raritan stays hot, rolls over 12-seed Plainfield 11-0 in North 2, Group 4 first round

There’s an all-too-familiar adage in postseason sports: When the brackets come out, throw the win-loss records out the window.

Bridgewater-Raritan is the latest example.

The Panthers (12-16) earned the fifth seed in the North Jersey Section 2, Group 4 bracket after a tough start to the year, dealing with a rugged Skyland Delaware division, giving their young group a bit of trial by fire against some of the top teams in the area.

Now? Bridgewater-Raritan is playing its best baseball at the right time, as the Panthers – winners of six of their last eight – knocked off 12th-seeded Plainfield 11-0 in five innings to advance to the North 2 Group 4 quarterfinals for the fifth straight year.

With another run in the sectional tournament a week after making it to the Somerset County Tournament semifinals – where they almost knocked off top-seeded Immaculata – the group is finding its stride and could be a dangerous dark-horse as the tournament moves along.

Junior pitcher Jack Braswell got the ball on Wednesday and set the tone immediately. He struck out the first two Plainfield batters on the way to a 1-2-3 inning to open the game, then Bridgewater-Raritan’s red-hot bats got their chance in the bottom half.

The Panthers plated three runs in the first, with the first four batters reaching base before an out was recorded. Junior second baseman Nick Spirra put a line drive into right field with the bases loaded to score two. Then, with two outs and the bases re-loaded, right fielder Josh Moore got plunked to bring in another.

The two teams traded scoreless frames — as Braswell retired all nine Cardinals the first time through the order — until the bottom of the third inning, where Bridgewater-Raritan got its big inning.

It looked like another quiet inning through two batters, with a strikeout and lineout, but the Panthers put together some two-out magic to break the game wide open. They loaded the bases in three batters — including another hit-by-pitch for Moore — before leadoff left fielder Andrew Schmieder put another line drive into right field to score two runs.

Senior Kellan Komline brought in another with an infield RBI single. Schmieder stole home to score on the ensuing at-bat, before senior catcher Michael Lobosco powered a double into centerfield to score Komline. Spirra brought in another with an RBI single back into centerfield.

All of a sudden, Bridgewater-Raritan built a commanding 9-0 lead after three.

Braswell worked another shutout inning — though he did lose his perfect game bid thanks to a two-out single by Plainfield left fielder Franyer Genao — to send the lineup back to the plate.

The Panthers got the job done again with two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to put the game in run-rule territory. Junior Stephen Pikulin reached on a one-out infield single, and Moore got hit by a pitch for the third time to put runners on first and second.

Sophomore shortstop Cody Rible singled to left field to score Pikulin and give Bridgewater-Raritan double digits on the day. Skipper Max Newill started to empty his bench from there, and sophomore Matt DeLucia registered his second RBI of the season with a sacrifice fly to make it 11-0.

Braswell retired the side in order for the fourth time to secure the dominant victory. He earned the win on the mound with five shutout innings, striking out eight while only allowing one hit.

Now, after a full regular season, the Panthers have taken their lumps and found their footing to become a threat in the section. They’ll have another challenge at hand on Friday, heading on the road to Edison to face fourth-seeded JP Stevens in the quarterfinals. The Hawks (18-8) finished in a three-way tie atop the GMC Blue division at 11-3, and defeated 13th-seeded Ferris 11-2 for their first playoff win since 2019.

A challenge, to be sure, but Bridgewater-Raritan has shown in the last month it’s ready for anything the bracket can throw at it.

Click below to hear Bridgewater-Raritan head coach Max Newill talk about the Panthers’ 11-0 win over Plainfield in the North 2 Group 4 first round with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel:

May 22, 2026May 21, 2026 by Alec Crouthamel

Ray Cipperly GMC Invitational Finals Preview: Dunellen, Piscataway looking to scrap their way to a title

A Championship Friday is descending upon New Jersey baseball this weekend.

One of them, the Ray Cipperly GMC Invitational, will have its final on Friday at 4pm at Edison High School, between second-seeded Piscataway and fifth-seeded Dunellen.

Both teams have taken different paths to reach the meeting point. After respective first-round byes, the Chiefs defeated the seven-seed South Amboy, aided by a seven-run sixth inning, including a grand slam from Dominick Summonte. The Destroyers put up big-time runs across the board in a 14-3 win over four-seed East Brunswick Magnet.

In the semifinals, Dunellen kept its offensive attack at a ten in a wild 22-17 win over top-seeded Perth Amboy that took four hours, while Piscataway once again got some clutch hitting in a 5-4 walk-off victory over third-seeded North Brunswick.

But both have the same goal in mind, winning a title on Friday.

Each team brings its best to the bump. For the Chiefs, they have two, top junior Sumedh Shingala — the team’s leader in wins and strikeouts — will start, with No. 2 arm Jared Butler ready and waiting, who head coach Rob Stoddard described as “a bulldog” in both starting and high-leverage relief spots. For the Destroyers, Joe Reyes will get the ball as the leader in wins and ERA among the main rotation arms.

They both have battled through respective stretches of up-and-down play — as nearly every team does — but they’re playing their best ball as of late, and will do battle for the GMC Invitational title in Edison.

RAY CIPPERLY GMC INVITATIONAL FINAL AT-A-GLANCE

Teams:
(2) Piscataway Chiefs (10-10, 6-8, GMC Blue)
(5) Dunellen Destroyers (18-6, 9-2, GMC Gold)

Head Coaches:
Piscataway: Rob Stoddard (6th season, 46-81)
Dunellen: Connor Lindsay (3rd season, 45-31)

Probable Starters
Piscataway: Sumedh Shingala (4-2, 3.73 ERA)
Dunellen: Joseph Reyes (6-0, 2.65 ERA)

Date and Time: Friday, May 22, at 4 pm
Location: Edison High School

PREVIEW INTERVIEWS:

Dunellen head coach Connor Lindsay

Piscataway head coach Rob Stoddard

HOW THEY GOT HERE:

Piscataway:
First round bye
Quarterfinals: def. (7) South Amboy, 11-5
Semifinals: def. (3) North Brunswick, 5-4

Dunellen:
First round bye
Quarterfinals: def. (4) East Brunswick Magnet, 14-3
Semifinals: def. (1) Perth Amboy, 22-17

TEAM LEADERS:

Dunellen:

Batting Average: Juan Luis Rodriguez (.425), Michael Dow (.417), Joseph Reyes (.397)
RBI: Kristian Roman Lopez (34), Colin Reynolds (26), Joseph Reyes (25)
HR: Cesar Andres Fermin Alarcon (1), Kristian Roman Lopez (1)
Walks: Kristian Roman Lopez (24), Jackson Portik (18), Joseph Reyes (14), Juan Luis Rodriguez (14)
Stolen Bases: Juan Luis Rodriguez (38), Michael Dow (22), David Torres (17)
Wins: Joseph Reyes (6), Cole Mayer (5), David Torres (4)
ERA (min 12 innings): David Torres (2.12), Joseph Reyes (2.65), Colin Reynolds (4.77)
Strikeouts (Pitcher): David Torres (53), Cole Mayer (49), Joseph Reyes (28)

Piscataway:

Batting Average: Jason Mann (.444), Dominick Summonte (.423), Patrick Novak (.370)
RBI: Patrick Novak (15), Dominick Summonte (14), Kevin Kovach (13)
HR: Dominick Summonte (3), Jason Mann (1)
Walks: Kevin Kovach (20), Sumedh Shingala (12), Jason Mann (8)
Stolen Bases: Jason Mann (17), Bryce Payne (14), Dominick Summonte (7)
Wins: Sumedh Shingala (4), Jared Butler (3), Brady Gallogly (2)
ERA (min 12 innings): Brady Gallogly (2.51), Jared Butler (3.35), Sumedh Shingala (3.73)
Strikeouts (Pitcher): Sumedh Shingala (72), Jared Butler (46), Brady Gallogly (29)