Category: Baseball

by Mike Pavlichko

INSTANT REPLAY – Non-Public Group B Final: Gloucester Catholic 10, St. Thomas Aquinas 0

Miami-bound senior Tate DeRias threw the second no-hitter of the season and his career, in a 10-0 win over St. Thomas Aquinas to give Gloucester Catholic the NJSIAA Non-Public Group B title, their second in a row. Note: The final play of the game was not a home run. It appeared from a distance as to clear the fence, but stayed in the park and was ruled a hit, making the final score 10-0, not 12-0.

Click below to listen to Mike Pavlichko call all the game action as heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio from Bob DeMeo Field at Veterans Park in Hamilton, NJ, on June 7, 2024:

by Mike Pavlichko

Group 4 Final Preview: Bridgewater-Raritan to battle Eastern for school’s first state ‘chip

Most teams never know when they will play their last game. Especially those who make the state playoffs.

In high school baseball, that’s about 300 teams. Only a dozen will know it’s their final game: those that make the state finals.

Saturday night, in the final game of the New Jersey high school baseball season, Bridgewater-Raritan will take on Eastern for the Group 4 state championship. The Panthers – in a historic season – will be looking for a fourth trophy for their case.

They already have the Skyland Delaware, Somerset County, and North 2, Group 4 trophies in hand. They want one more: for the state Group 4 championship.

Central Jersey Sports Radio will broadcast Saturday night’s title game. Scroll through this story for news, notes, stats, interview, links to past coverage and championship history:

GROUP 4 CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:

Bridgewater-Raritan Panthers

  • 29-3 overall (school record for wins)
  • 10-0, Skyland Conference Delaware Division champions
  • Somerset County Tournament champions
  • North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 champions
  • #4 ranking in New Jersey

Eastern Vikings

  • 25-6 overall
  • 5-3, Olympic Conference, American Division (2nd place)
  • Camden County Tournament Finalist
  • South Jersey Group 4 champions

Date and Time: Friday, June 8, 2024 – 7 pm
Location: Bob DeMeo Field, Veterans Park – Hamilton, NJ
Coverage: Live broadcast on Central Jersey Sports Radio (Click here to listen!)
Announcers: Mike Pavlichko and Vin Ebenau

Head Coaches:
Bridgewater-Raritan: Max Newill, 17th season (250-186)
Eastern: Rob Christ, 20th season (272-212-1)

Pitching Probables:
Bridgewater-Raritan: Owen Crimmins (7-0, 2.06 ERA)
Eastern: Logan Dawson (6-1, 1.93 ERA)

Previews:

HOW THEY GOT HERE:

Bridgewater-Raritan (#1 seed, North 2, Group 4):
First Round: def. (16) Union, 3-0
Quarterfinals: def. (9) Edison, 3-0
Semifinals: def. (4) Westfield, 10-0 (5 inn.) (RECAP)
Finals: def. (7) Hunterdon Central, 2-0 (RECAP)
Group 4 Semifinals: def. Livingston (North 1 champ), 8-1 (RECAP)

Eastern (#5 seed, South Group 4):
First Round: def. (12) Pennsauken, 7-0
Quarterfinals: def. (4) Cherokee, 6-0
Semifinals: def. (9) Washington Township, 10-4
Finals: def. (7) Egg Harbor Township, 4-2
Group 4 Semifinals: def. Jackson Memorial (South champ), 7-5

PLAYOFF STAT LEADERS:

Bridgewater-Raritan:
Batting Average – Matt Cichocki (.600, 6-for-10), Matt Fattore (.550, 6-for-12) Devin Goldberg (.385, 5-for-13)
RBIs: Matt Fattore (7), Matt Cichocki (4)
HR: Matt Fattore (1)
Stolen Bases: Devin Goldberg (6), Matt Cichocki (5), Matthew Lehberger (4)
Strikeouts (Pitching): Kellan Komline (11), Jack Lanum (5)
ERA: Five pitchers have given up zero earned runs, only Kellan Komline has allowed an earned run (1 vs. Livingston)

Eastern:
Batting Average: Sean Karback (.538, 7-for-13), Spencer Haldeman (.429, 6-for-14), Sam Winsett, Vinny Millillo (.400, 4-for-10)
RBIs: Sean Karbach (7), Spencer Haldeman, Anthony Cataldo (5)
HR: Sean Karbach (1)
Stolen Bases: Ryan Haldeman (5), Spencer Haldeman (3)
Strikeouts (Pitching): Logan Dawson (22)
ERA: Logan Dawson (0.70), Cade Michalski (1.40)

THE LOWDOWN:

Eastern head coach Rob Christ says his intel tells him Bridgewater-Raritan is “the class of Group 4.” The Panthers have been that the entire season.

They were a very good baseball team last year, as well, mind you, but this year’s team has been something special. They have come ready to play every game. To wit, in a 29-3 season, they have scored first 24 times and won 22 of those games. Even in the games where they haven’t scored first – eight of them – they are 7-1, the only loss being a 5-2 defeat to Lawrence.

The recipe for success has been everything you want from a team: solid starting pitching, timely hitting, good defense, and a rock-solid stopper/closer in Cory Rible, who has appeared in 16 games this year, exclusively out of the bullpen, with the Panthers winning all 16 of those games.

One example of how good he has been: in the Somerset County Tournament semifinals at Diamond Nation on May 20th, he came in the game to relieve Kellan Komline in the fourth with the bases loaded and just one out. He struck out the two batters he faced to get out of the inning, struck out the side in the fifth after an E6 and a single put two on with no one out, then pitched 1-2-3 sixth and seventh innings, allowing only one base runner in the seventh, who was erased on a 4-6-3 double play to end the game.

And while he was in, Matt Fattore slugged a solo homer in the fifth that turned out to be the game-winning run. That’s Bridgewater-Raritan baseball in a nutshell.

Even guys like Frankie Verano – who was hitting just .167, but has battled a “balky hamstring” all season long – had 14 runs batted in coming into the Group 4 semifinals. And what did Verano do in that game? He hit an RBI double in the first inning, then knocked in another with a single in the third. Sure, he still may be hitting .191, but he knocked in two of his team’s eight runs that day, and now has 16 RBIs, tied for fifth-best on the team. He’s found a way to contribute.

On the season, Matt Fattore has torn the cover off the ball all year long, hitting an eye-popping .430 on the year. He’s hit two home runs, including one against Livingston in the semifinals, the only homer the Panthers have all year. But going yard isn’t their specialty, and they’ve done just fine despite hitting only four home runs all year.

As for Eastern, they are led by senior Sam Winsett, who’s hitting a whopping .475 on the season with 25 runs batted in. Anthony Cataldo and Saturday’s starting pitcher Logan Dawson lead the team with 29 runs batted in apiece, while the Vikings have hit ten home runs on the season, though just one in the postseason so far.

Dawson and Cade Michalski are the top pitchers for Eastern. Dawson is 6-1 with a 1.93 ERA, while Michalski is 6-2, with an 0.95 ERA. Everyone is available except Will Martin, who started Wednesday’s group semi against Jackson and got the win. He’s 3-0 with a 2.27 ERA.

For Bridgewater, Kellan Komline will be the only pitcher unavailable, after getting the win Wednesday in the semis against Livingston. The Panthers have a deep staff of starters and guys who can come out of the ‘pen. But if there’s trouble, and it’s not too early, it’ll be Rible to slam the door shut if and when the Panthers need it.

NEWS AND NOTES:

Championship History…

Bridgewater-Raritan – in its current configuration – is in the state final for the very first time. The NJSIAA only began playing to group champions in 1971 – sectionals were the end of the road prior to that) – and Bridgewater East made the state Group 3 final that year, losing to West Orange. Bridgewater West made the Group 2 final in 1989, and beat Rutherford for the title.

Eastern is in its third state final. Both prior appearances have been fairly recent, and under head coach Rob Christ. In 2013, the Vikings went 29-4, winning the South Jersey Group 4 title with a 16-6 victory over Shawnee, then beating Hunterdon Central 2-1 in the Group 4 semis before topping Westfield 8-1 in the state title game. They finished 29-4.

They last time they made it in was their only other trip, coming in 2019. Eastern beat Cherry Hill for the South 4 title, 7-2, then edged Manalapan 1-0 in the semifinals. But they would lose to Ridgewood in the Group 4 title game, 2-1, finishing the season 23-9.

(Almost) Nothing but zeroes…

The one, ultimately inconsequential earned run Kellan Komline gave up in the 8-1 win over Livingston in the Group 4 semifinals was the first the Panthers have allowed in their entire state tournament run of five games and 33 innings. Of six pitchers used by Max Newill this postseason, five – Jack Lanum (9 1/3 IP), Michael Taylor (2 2/3), Cory Rible (3), Owen Crimmins (5) and Mike Lentini (2 against Livingston) have all tossed goose eggs so far.

They have outscored opponents in that stretch 36-1.

Common Opponents…

Eastern had not played anyone out of South Jersey this year – excluding their opening two games against Kentucky teams – until the Group 4 semifinals, where they beat Jackson Memorial. But Bridgewater-Raritan has played some South Jersey teams.

They beat Rancocas Valley, 5-3 in their April first opener, a team Eastern split with this year, winning 5-4 on April 26th, and falling 10-9 on May 15th, both regular season games.

The Panthers also beat Egg Harbor Township 10-3 on April 20th, rebounding off their first loss of the season, 11-7 to West Morris. Eastern beat Egg Harbor 4-2 to win the South Jersey Group 4 championship.

Bridgewater also beat Cherokee, 5-4, on April 29th. Eastern split two regular season games with the Chiefs, winning 4-3 on April 8th, then falling 3-2 in a regular season road rematch on May sixth. But the Vikings took the rubber match, a 6-0 win in the South Jersey Group 4 quarterfinals.

Recent Meetings…

These two teams haven’t met since at least before 2008, the most recent year for which results are readily available online.

Group 4 Championship History…

Eastern won the Group 4 state title in 2013, while Bridgewater-Raritan is seeking its first since the East-West merger in 1992.

Hillsborough won the Group 4 title in 2005, the only Somerset County team to do so since group champions were first crowned in 1971.

Hunterdon Central – the team the Panthers beat in the North 2, Group 4 title game this Wednesday – is the most recent Skyland Conference team to win a group 4 championship. The Red Devils have won it five times, including 1987, 2008, 2009, 2016, and 2018. No other Skyland team has won more state titles.

  • 1971: Cranford
  • 1972: Union
  • 1973: Bayonne
  • 1974: Union
  • 1975: Rancocas Valley
  • 1976: Livingston
  • 1977: Scotch Plains-Fanwood
  • 1978: Steinert
  • 1979: Linden
  • 1980: Livingston
  • 1981: Edison
  • 1982: Edison
  • 1983: Elizabeth
  • 1984: Lakewood
  • 1985: Cherokee
  • 1986: Elizabeth
  • 1987: Hunterdon Central
  • 1988: Memorial (West New York)
  • 1989: Cherry Hill West
  • 1990: Cherry Hill West
  • 1991: Edison
  • 1992: Cherry Hill West
  • 1993: Edison
  • 1994: Elizabeth
  • 1995: Hackensack
  • 1996: Middletown South
  • 1997: Hackensack
  • 1998: Steinert
  • 1999: Steinert
  • 2000: Steinert
  • 2001: Toms River East
  • 2002: Union
  • 2003: Shawnee
  • 2004: Morristown
  • 2005: Hillsborough
  • 2006: Steinert
  • 2007: Washington Twp.
  • 2008: Hunterdon Central
  • 2009: Hunterdon Central
  • 2010: Randolph
  • 2011: Manalapan
  • 2012: Manalapan
  • 2013: Eastern
  • 2014: Jackson Memorial
  • 2015: Millburn
  • 2016: Hunterdon Central
  • 2017: Millburn
  • 2018: Hunterdon Central
  • 2019: Ridgewood
  • 2020: Season Cancelled, COVID-19
  • 2021: Middletown South
  • 2022: Howell
  • 2023: Ridgewood
by Mike Pavlichko

Kilduff rides off into the sunset, calls last game as umpire in 2024 Non-Public Group A final

May 18th was his last Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament final, but this one was his last one, period.

Bill Kilduff – after nearly 50 years calling high school baseball in New Jersey – has officially called it a year.

His final game spanned two days, the Non-Public Group A final, which started Thursday at Bob DeMeo Field in Hamilton’s Veterans’ Park, and continued Friday after a deluge of rain in the fourth inning left the field unplayable, forcing St. Augustine and Delbarton to finish about 22 hours later.

READ MORE: Umpire Bill Kilduff has seen it all as he wraps up 45 years of calling balls, strikes and outs with one last GMC Tournament title game

The game was a 12-5 win for St. Augustine, unranked in the state top 20, over the state’s top team as of last week, Delbarton. The Hermits scored eleven runs in the third inning Thursday, including a grand slam, and a few more runs that came on pitches that went to the backstop.

But even Kilduff’s final inning was interesting: he called a balk with a runner on third against the St. Augustine pitcher in the bottom of the seventh that allowed a Delbarton run to score.

We got a chance to catch up with Kilduff after the game, and even got video of the final out with him on the field, working behind the plate. You can see and hear both below:

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko talk with retiring umpire Bill Killduff, as he came off the field following his final game, the Non-Public Group A final:

by Mike Pavlichko

DeRias no-hitter, first-inning outburst give Gloucester Catholic 21st state title with 10-0 win over St. Thomas Aquinas in Non-Public B final

And just like that, it was over.

St. Thomas Aquinas – the last Greater Middlesex Conference team standing in the state playoffs – lost 10-0 in a five-inning Non-Public North B title game, with Miami-bound Tate DeRias throwing a no-hitter for victorious Gloucester Catholic, which won by the mercy rule in walk-off fashion.

For the Rams, it was their record 21st state title – the closest teams to them have only eight – and they did it in style, scoring seven runs in the first inning, then punching across three more in the fifth to end the game, as DH Gavin Franchetti tagged a ball to left that scored Jason Bogart.

St. Thomas starter Gavin Sansone allowed six runs of the seven first-inning runs, facing seven batters, recording only one out. But it wasn’t sloppy. There was one hit batter, there were no errors; the Rams just hit the ball where the fielders weren’t – between infielders, and in the gaps.

Luis Rizzolo came in to face the No. 8 hitter, and he stopped the bleeding, allowing one run, and escaping much more damage. He the Rams off the board until the fifth, trying to give his team a chance.

But against the velocity, movement, and placement of DeRias – who threw his second career no-hitter, both five-inning games, and both coming this year – it was too much for Aquinas.

DeRias allowed only two baserunners, both on walks, and matched a career high with 13 strikeouts, all of which came before allowing a ball to be put in play. The first 13 outs he recorded were Ks, with Jack Valenzuela’s bunt in the top of the fifth with one out the only ball St. Thomas put between the foul lines. That was the second out of the fifth, then Louis Cassino flew out to first.

And Aquinas wouldn’t get to bat again as the Rams walked it off.

Gloucester Catholic finishes 27-2, winners of the Group B crown two straight years now. Aquinas finishes 19-9.

Click below for postgame reaction, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

Miami-bound Gloucester Catholic pitcher Tate DeRia. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)
Gloucester Catholic starting pitcher Tate DeRias
St. Thomas Aquinas coach Tom D’Agostino. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)
St. Thomas Aquinas head coach Tom D’Agostino
by Mike Pavlichko

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it: Bridgewater-Raritan will stick to the script in Group 4 Final vs. Eastern

The recipe for success has been much the same for the Bridgewater-Raritan baseball team the entire season, which is the main reason they’ve been able to run the table so far: Skyland Conference Delaware Division championship, Somerset County Tournament Championship, and North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 Championship.

And if they are to win the state Group 4 title for the first time in the merged Bridgewater-Raritan High School’s history, there will be no new Coke here, no tinkering with the formula. It’ll be Panthers Classic, thank you very much.

For the uninitiated, that’s solid pitching, timely hitting – some small ball mixed with power – and sound gloves in the field. It’s worked so far to the tune of a program record 29 wins. But 30 would be the biggest.

Saturday night at 7, Bridgewater (29-3) will face South Jersey Group 4 champ Eastern (25-6), in the NJSIAA Group 4 state title game down at Bob DeMeo Field at Veterans’ park in Hamilton. Pregame is set for 6:40 pm with Mike Pavlichko on the call. Click here to listen.

The Panthers are sectional champs for the first time since 2010, and were especially hungry for one after losing in last year’s North 2, Group 4 final to Bayonne. Everyone has contributed.

In the Group 4 semis against Livingston, an 8-1 win Monday for the Panthers, Matt Fattore hit a two-run homer to open the scoring. Frankie Verano, hitting just .167 battling an injury – but somehow with 14 RBIs – knocked in the third run, and, later, a fourth, to be a major contributor in the game.

And the early lead staked to Kellan Komline took any pressure off, and kept head coach Max Newill – who earned his 250th coaching victory in the game – from having to use his excellent stopper/closer Cory Rible, keeping him fresh for Saturday night.

Everyone contributing: another part of the Panthers’ success in 2024.

Click below to hear Bridegwater-Raritan head coach Max Newill talk about the Panthers’ and their Group 4 title game matchup against Eastern:

by Mike Pavlichko

Adversity? Eastern has overcome it to reach Group 4 state final vs. Bridgewater-Raritan

Every team has a few bumps in the road on the way to a championship. For Bridgewater-Raritan it has been a fairly smooth ride. They’ve lost three games, sure, but for the most part, they have taken care of business all year.

They haven’t had multiple injuries, or any long losing streaks.

Eastern, on the other hand, has had more than it’s share, maybe even more than a league’s share.

Junior Jack Bauer was going to be the Vikings’ DH this year, but he’s been out all season after being injured in an auto accident.

Left fielder Matt Capriotti dislocated his shoulder May 4th in a 3-2 loss to Rancocas Valley. He dove for a ball with two out and a runner on second, caught it, injured his shoulder, his glove fell off, and it was ruled “no catch,” allowing two runs to score, including the winning run.

One of their best baserunners, Brendan Galante, sprained his ankle this week in the sectional quarterfinals against Cherokee, and is out. And current DH Sean Karbach recently had an aunt killed in a car accident.

That’s not to mention a “personal tragedy” one of his assistants had to go through, and his very own father-in-law passing away earlier in the year.

And yet, here are the Eastern Vikings: 25-6 despite it all, South Jersey Group 4 champions.

And Saturday night at 7, they’ll be playing for their first-ever Group 4 state title when they take on Bridgewater-Raritan at Bob DeMeo Field at Veterans’ Park in Hamilton. Pregame starts at 6:40 pm, and you can hear Mike Pavlichko call all the action on Central Jersey Sports Radio by clicking here.

The Panthers come in with a record of 29-3, after beating Livingston 8-1 Wednesday for Bridgewater-Raritan’s first sectional title since 2010, their second under head coach Max Newill, for which the victory also was his 250th as a head coach.

Click below to hear Eastern head coach Rob Christ talk about the Vikings’ season, and Saturday’s matchup with Bridgewater-Raritan for the Group 4 title:

by Mike Pavlichko

INSTANT REPLAY – Group 4 Semifinals: Bridgewater-Raritan 8, Livingston 1

North 2, Group 4 champion Bridgewater-Raritan clinched a berth in the state final for the first time ever with an 8-1 win over North 2 champion Livingston at home on Wednesday June 5, 2024. The Panthers will play Eastern – the South 4 champion – on Saturday, June 8 in Hamilton for the NJSIAA state Group 4 title.

Click below to listen to the full game broadcast, as heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio, with Mike Pavlichko and Alec Crouthamel on the call:

by Mike Pavlichko

Non-Public Group B Preview: St. Thomas Aquinas treks to Hamilton to challenge juggernaut Gloucester Catholic for state title

The year was 2006, and it was the last time St. Thomas Aquinas (then called Bishop Ahr) won a sectional title, that is until this year.

It was their only piece of state hardware in baseball, again, until this season.

And then they go for their first ever state title Thursday night, they will be going up against one of the all-time great baseball programs in New Jersey scholastic history. Gloucester Catholic, the defending Non-Public B champion, has won 20 state titles, more than any other program in the Garden State, and it’s not even close.

Next on the list is Bishop Eustace, the team the Rams beat in the Non-Public South B title game this year, with a paltry eight by comparison, along with Don Bosco and Seton Hall Prep.

But Aquinas is used to the underdog role. They finished second in the GMC Blue this year, coming right down to the wire against Spotswood, which swept them in the final week to claim the division title.

Thursday night, they will be huge underdogs, as the Trojans (19-8) take on Gloucester Catholic (26-2) for the Non-Public Group B Championship down at Bob DeMeo Field at Veterans’ Park in Hamilton. Game time is set for 7 pm, with pregame at 6:40 on Central Jersey Sports Radio. Mike Pavlichko has the call; click here to listen.

Scroll through the article for stats, news, notes, interviews and more on both teams.

NON-PUBLIC GROUP B FINAL:

St. Thomas Aquinas Trojans

  • 19-8 overall
  • 8-4, GMC Blue Division (2nd place)
  • Non-Public North B Champions

Gloucester Catholic Rams

  • 26-2 overall
  • 10-0, Tri-County Conference Royal Division Champions
  • Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic semifinalist
  • Non-Public South B Champions

Date and Time: Thursday, June 6, 2024 – 7 pm
Location: Bob DeMeo Field at Veterans’ Park, Hamilton, NJ
Coverage: Live broadcast on Central Jersey Sports Radio (Click here to listen!)

Head Coaches:
St. Thomas Aquinas: Tom D’Agostino, 7th season (82-93)
Gloucester Catholic: Dennis Barth, 23rd season (578-117-1)

Pitching Probables:
St. Thomas Aquinas: Gavin Sansone (6-0, 1.17 ERA)
Gloucester Catholic: Tate DeRias (5-2, 0.72 ERA)

Interviews:

St. Thomas Aquinas head coach Tom D’Agostino
Gloucester Catholic head coach Dennis Barth

HOW THEY GOT HERE:

St. Thomas Aquinas (#2 seed, Non-Public North B):
First Round: bye
Quarterfinals: def. (10) Timothy Christian, 10-0
Semifinals: def. (3) Gill St. Bernard’s, 7-5
Finals: def. (5) Rutgers Prep, 5-3 (RECAP)

Gloucester Catholic (#1 seed, Non-Public South B):
First Round: bye
Quarterfinals: def. (8) Princeton Day, 8-2
Semifinals: def. (4) St. Rose, 7-2
Finals: def. (2) Bishop Eustace, 2-1

PLAYOFF STAT LEADERS:

St. Thomas Aquinas:
Batting Average – Will Bethea (.833, 5-for-6), Jack Valenzuela (.600), Nikash Patel (.500)
RBIs: Gavin Sansone (5), Will Bethea (4)
HR: Will Bethea, Gavin Sansone (1)
Stolen Bases: Gavin Sansone (3), Jack Valenzuela, Declan DiCarlo (2)
Strikeouts (Pitching): Louis Rizzolo (13)
ERA: Louis Rizzolo (0.96)

Gloucester Catholic:
Batting Average: Jake Terranova (.571), Tate DeRias (.444), Noah Danza (.364)
RBIs: Jake Terranova, Tate DeRias (4) (three others with 3)
HR: None
Stolen Bases: Jake Terranova, Tate DeRias, Noah Danza (3)
Strikeouts (Pitching): Joe Vaccarella (12)
ERA: Jack Mustaro, Sal Marziana, Evan Brasberger, Tate DeRias (0.00)

THE LOWDOWN:

It wouldn’t be going out on a limb to say this will be a huge challenge for Aquinas, going up against the No. 3 team in the state. The only teams ahead of Gloucester Catholic in the statewide rankings are Delbarton at No. 1, followed by Cherry Hill West, one of the Rams’ two losses this year, coming in the 50th annual Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic, their league’s postseason tournament.

The Trojans are having their best season in the eight years (seven seasons) led by alum Tom D’Agostino. His first three years saw a total of 20 wins, the three years before the missed COVID season. But since then, it has been a steady progression for the program, from 13-15 the year after COVID to 15-8, 15-11 and now 19-8 this season.

Will Bethea has been a big part of it. He’s 5-for-6 in three state tourney games so far with a home run and three walks, plus four runs batted in. He was having a fine season overall, hitting .293 in 27 games, with a team-best 33 RBIs, but he has upped his game in the postseason.

With a 2.64 team ERA, their pitchers give them a chance. Gavin Sansone gets the nod for this one, with a 6-0 record and a 1.17 ERA. He’s appeared in eight games this year, and the Trojans have won seven of them. The only loss in a game he started was a 3-2 defeat in the first round of the GMC Tournament to South Brunswick. But he threw nine innings, allowing no-earned runs, and the Trojans lost in 14 innings.

Gloucester Catholic has a lot of history, none of which really matters with current players other than they fact that they’re the defending Non-Public Group B champions. The title they won last year was their 20th overall, more than any other school in New Jersey.

They hit very well, batting .342 on the season, though that’s down a bit in the state tournament to .312, while Aquinas is hitting .295 overall, but .333 in the states. The Rams are a little more balanced throughout the lineup, led by Jake Terranova, who’s 4-for-7 in NJSIAA state play. On the season, he’s hitting .419, while Noah Danza leads the team at .430 with 27 runs batted in, second only to Guy Lynam, with 30 RBIs.

On the mound, it’ll be Miami-bound senior Tate DeRias, who’s 5-2 with an 0.72 ERA, his two losses coming to Cherry Hill West and Delbarton, ranked Nos. 2 and 1, respectively, in the state. He’s struck out 78 and walked 20, allowing just five earned runs all year in 48 1/3 innings pitched.

NEWS AND NOTES:

Championship History…

St. Thomas Aquinas is in the state final for just the second time ever. They lost in 2006, when they were in the Non-Public A title game, to Seton Hall Prep.

Meanwhile, defending Non-Public B champion Gloucester Catholic is 16-5 in the Non-Public B final, and before that, 4-0 in the A final. They won Group A titles in 1999, 2000, 2012 and 2013.

Group B titles came in 1973 and ’74, 1980 – a team head coach Dennis Barth was a part of as a student at Gloucester Catholic – 1984 through 1986, 1993, 1996, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2010 and 2011, 2017 and 2018, and again last season. Barth has won 11 titles as a coach at GC, and one as a player.

First repeat…

Tate DeRias will be the first Gloucester Catholic pitcher to make a second appearance in the state tournament. The first three wins went to Evan Brasberger, Joe Vaccarella, and DeRias, with Jack Mustaro and Sal Marziani also seeing action. But all five pitchers have appeared in only one game, at least until today.

No Common Opponents or Recent Meetings…

There are no common opponents between the two, nor have they played anyone from their opponents’ league. And they haven’t played each other in a while. Their last meeting was in 2014, in the state tournament, with Gloucester Catholic winning 15-5. They also won their matchup the year prior, 10-0, also in the state tournament.

Non-Public Group B Championship History…

  • 1971: Morris Catholic
  • 1972: Bishop Eustace
  • 1973: Gloucester Catholic
  • 1974: Gloucester Catholic
  • 1975: St. Cecilia’s (Englewood)
  • 1976: Don Bosco Tech (Paterson)
  • 1977: Our Lady of the Valley
  • 1978: Bishop Eustace
  • 1979: Paul VI (Clifton)
  • 1980: Gloucester Catholic
  • 1981: St. Mary’s (Jersey City)
  • 1982: Bishop Eustace
  • 1983: St. Mary’s (Elizabeth)
  • 1984: Gloucester Catholic
  • 1985: Gloucester Catholic
  • 1986: Gloucester Catholic
  • 1987: St. Anthony (Jersey City)
  • 1988: St. James (Carney’s Point)
  • 1989: Marist
  • 1990: Bishop Eustace
  • 1991: Marist
  • 1992: St. Rose
  • 1993: Gloucester Catholic
  • 1994: Pingry
  • 1995: Immaculata
  • 1996: Gloucester Catholic
  • 1997: Red Bank Catholic
  • 1998: St. Mary-Rutherford
  • 1999: Sacred Heart
  • 2000: Sacred Heart
  • 2001: Gloucester Catholic
  • 2002: Bishop Esutace
  • 2003: Gloucester Catholic
  • 2004: Bishop Eustace
  • 2005: St. Rose
  • 2006: Bishop Eustace
  • 2007: Gloucester Catholic
  • 2008: St. Rose
  • 2009: St. Rose
  • 2010: Gloucester Catholic
  • 2011: Gloucester Catholic
  • 2012: Marist
  • 2013: Rutgers Prep
  • 2014: Hudson Catholic
  • 2015: Holy Spirit
  • 2016: Holy Cross
  • 2017: Gloucester Catholic
  • 2018: Gloucester Catholic
  • 2019: St. Mary-Rutherford
  • 2020: No season, COVID-19
  • 2021: Holy Spirit
  • 2022: Ranney
  • 2023: Gloucester Catholic

by Mike Pavlichko

Panthers make the finals! Bridgewater-Raritan tops Livingston 8-1 in Group 4 semis behind Komline’s pitching, Fattore’s dinger

Bridgewater-Raritan East made a Group 3 final in 1971, and Bridgewater-Raritan West won a Group 2 title in 1989.

But for the first time since the 1992 merger of those two schools, the Panthers are headed to the state finals.

They are there because of solid pitching by Kellen Komline, who wasn’t overpowering, but stranded seven runners on base in the first four innings and pitched a 1-2-3 fifth, while his team built up a 7-0 lead over the first three.

They are there because of a lot of things, but also Matt Fattore’s two-run homer in the first that was part of a four-run inning that left Komline comfortable enough to pitch out of jams.

The end result was an 8-1 win over visiting Livingston to clinch a trip to the Group 4 finals.

Bridgewater-Raritan (29-3) will travel down to Bob DeMeo Field at Veterans’ Park in Hamilton Saturday night for the state Group 4 final at 7 pm against Eastern. The Vikings (25-6) beat Jackson Memorial 7-5 Wednesday in their Group 4 semifinal.

Fattore’s home run started things off in the first after Devin Goldberg flew out but Matthew Lehberger reached on a single. Komline hit a grounder to second that made it 3-0, and Frankie Verano drove in the fourth run with a double.

The Panthers got three more in the third on an RBI single by Verano and a two-RBI single by Joe Spirra.

Livingston got its only run in the fourth, on a pair of doubles. Alex Yang reached with one out, then Julian Schultz knocked him in.

But Bridgewater got it right back in the bottom of the inning. Goldberg reached on an infield hit, stole second on catchers’ indifference, then came home after he tried to steal third but the throw from catcher John Marco Maiello deflected off the third baseman’s glove to the vacant shortstop position.

Komline got the win to improve to 3-0. Mike Lentini pitched the last two innings to close it out. The loss went to Livingston’s Tyler Chen, who fell to 3-1.

Bridgewater improves to 29-3, while head coach Max Newill picked up a milestone win. He’s now 250-186 in his 17 seasons with the Panthers.

The winner will play Saturday at 7 pm at Veterans’ Park in Hamilton in the state Group 4 final, against the winner of Wednesday’s other Group 4 semi between Central champion Jackson Memorial (18-10) and South champion Eastern (24-6), which was eliminated last year in the semis by Old Bridge.

Click below for postgame reaction, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

Bridgewater-Raritan first baseman Matt Fattore, pitcher Kellan Komline
Bridgewater-Raritan head coach Max Newill
by Mike Pavlichko

INSTANT REPLAY – North 2, Group 3 Final: (2) Randolph 8, (1) South Plainfield 3

The second-seeded Randolph Rams scored seven runs in the final two innings to come from behind and rally to win at top-seed South Plainfield, 8-3, in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 championship game.

Click below to hear all the play-by-play as broadcast live by Mike Pavlichko on Central Jersey Sports Radio from South Plainfield, NJ, on June 3, 2024: