Tag: Dominic Long

by Mike Pavlichko

Perfection!  Middlesex soph Dominic Long goes 12-0, with four state tourney wins, is named CJSR’s 2025 GMC Player of the Year

Last year, it was Cory Rible, the Bridgewater-Raritan closer – whose team won all 17 games he appeared in – taking home Player of the Year honors from Central Jersey Sports Radio.

This year – as we honor two winners – one in the Greater Middlesex Conference and one from Somerset County – it’s Dominic Long of Middlesex, who also was perfect this year. The uncommitted sophomore – though he won’t be for much longer – went 12-0 this season, winning four of his club’s six games in the state tournament, en route to a GMC record seventh state title for the Blue Jays.

Though he admits he issued too many walks for his taste, Long was still incredibly efficient, even if he wasn’t always overpowering.

Dominic Long pitches against Midland Park in the NJSIAA Group 1 title game at Wood-Ridge Athletic Complex on June 16, 2025. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

Part of that is the pace at which he pitches. Long is of a mind to throw as soon as he gets the ball back, much to the chagrin of opponents, who often will call time to seemingly just catch their breath in between tosses.

He’s also a complete game machine. Of his 13 appearances this season, Middlesex only lost one of those games. He threw 2/3 of an inning in relief in their season opener against St. Thomas Aquinas, and gave up no earned runs, and also closed out the Schalick game in the NJSIAA Group 1 semifinals, throwing the last 2/3 of an inning, and got the win.

But otherwise, he threw complete games in ten of his eleven starts, only missing the last two-thirds of an inning in a 5-3 win at Delbarton on May 8th, where he had to come out after reaching the daily pitch limit of 110.

Even more impressive, he went the distance in the Central Jersey Group 1 final over Point Pleasant Beach on just 76 pitches, and threw 92 against Midland Park in the Group 1 title game.

Long is just a junior, so he’ll be back next year along with junior Chris Kozak, the only other Blue Jay pitcher to start a state game this postseason. While Long has no college offers yet, that will most assuredly change after this season’s performance.

He threw 76 2/3 innings, 1,159 pitches, and finished the year with a 1.37 ERA, allowing just 15 earned runs all season, striking out 72.

Click below for our conversation with 2025 GMC Baseball Player of the Year Dominic Long:

by Mike Pavlichko

Finally! Two days after they started, Middlesex finishes off Midland Park, 3-2, in NJSIAA Group 1 final to give Blue Jays GMC record 7th state title

It took them three days, but it was well worth it for the Middlesex baseball team.

The Blue Jays won their GMC-record seventh NJSIAA state championship Monday afternoon, beating Midland Park in the state Group 1 Final at the Wood-Ridge Athletic Complex in Bergen County, as heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

The Blue Jays got three runs in the third, and needed all of them, hanging on for a 3-2 win.

The game was a continuation from Saturday, where the final was called after the top of the first due to heavy rain at Hamilton’s Veterans’ Park. But the game was moved from there to North Jersey after a full Saturday and Sunday of rain left Bob DeMeo Field unplayable.

Starter Dominic Long had thrown 15 pitches and faced four batters in the first, and picked up right where he left off Saturday, getting though his first (next) four innings of work without giving up a run.

And he was given a 3-0 lead in the third, thanks in part to two walks – and an intentional base on balls – from Midland Park starter Connor Detrick.

With two-out, Dylan Ianiero reached with a walk, and so did Long. The Panthers intentionally walked Owen Reynolds to get a force at any base – and to avoid pitching to one of the Jays’ best hitters – but DH Luke Jones made them pay with a single to right field, making it 2-0. Then, Marcus Lavornia hit a hopper to short that Ryan Fleming could only barehand. With no throw, Reynolds scored from third on the play making it 3-0.

And Middlesex would need every run they got, when Long got into some trouble in the sixth, loading the bases on an infield hit from nine hitter Jason Vivino, a single from Fleming, and a walk to Chase Shortway. A sac fly brought in Vivino to make it 1-0, then a flyout to right by Connor Shortway brought up Anthony Correa.

He lined a ball that Chris Kozak couldn’t get on a dive in short centerfield, but he recovered. And though Fleming came home from third – after tagging on the Shortway flyout – Chase Shortway’s courtesy runner Logan Russell was thrown out trying to advance to third on the play.

With Long out of the inning, he was sharp coming out for the seventh, getting a groundout to first, allowing a walk, but then getting a K and a flyout to right to win it, and set off a wild celebration.

Middlesex celebrates with the NJSIAA Group 1 championship trophy after a 3-1 win over Midland Park at the Wood-Ridge Athletic Complex on June 16, 2025. (Photo: Alec Crouthamel)

The win was the seventh state title for Middlesex (23-5), which has won more than any other program in the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area, including the GMC and Skyland Conference.

They join Audubon, Steinert and Pennsville with seven titles, the most among public schools in the state. Bishop Eustace and Seton Hall Prep each have eight, while Don Bosco Prep – which beat CBA Wednesday for the Non-Public A title – has nine. Gloucester Catholic has a state record 22 titles after their Non-Public B win last week.

Long went the distance and got the win, improving to 12-0, tying a school record for wins, with four of those coming in the state tournament. He gave up just four hits, walked three and struck out five, allowing two earned runs in seven innings pitched.

Detrick took the loss for Midland Park (21-9-1) to fall to 8-4.

Click below for postgame reaction with winning pitcher Dominic Long and head coach Blaze Iannetti, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

by Alec Crouthamel

Middlesex outlasts South Plainfield, pulls 5-4 upset in GMC Tournament quarterfinals

As the old adage in sports – and life – goes, “it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.”

A good start certainly helps, however.

That is exactly what 10th-seeded Middlesex got, using a four-run second inning to take a lead it never relinquished to upset second-seeded South Plainfield 5-4 in the GMC Tournament quarterfinals at North Plainfield High School.

The Blue Jays also got a vintage performance from top pitcher Dominic Long, as he threw all seven innings and helped secure the win.

They got the scoring started to open the game in the first inning, with leadoff batter Dom Parenti reaching second base off an error in left field after a fly ball Parenti rocketed near the fence. A sacrifice bunt and another ground ball later, Parenti had scored on an RBI fielder’s choice from first baseman Owen Reynolds.

Long allowed two baserunners in the bottom half of the inning with a walk and a single with two outs, but got out of the frame clean.

Then the floodgates opened.

Middlesex ripped off four straight hits, followed by two consecutive walks from the bottom half of the lineup, scoring three runs before an out was even recorded. The Tigers prevented a run throwing home with the bases loaded on a ground ball to record the first out, but the Blue Jays added another the very next batter after the throw bounced to the plate and past the catcher.

Middlesex left the bases loaded after a lineout and groundout, but the damage had already been done.

Two more scoreless innings followed, before South Plainfield took its shot in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Similar to the Blue Jays’ scoring outburst, the Tigers kick-started their rally with production from the bottom of the order. Four consecutive batters smacked a hit before an out was recorded, and all of a sudden, South Plainfield had drawn to within two runs after an RBI groundout from leadoff batter Nick Irizarry.

The ensuing batter caught the courtesy runner for catcher Stephen Studlack, who had laced a double into the right-center gap to bring in a run, in a rundown to get a much-needed second out after a multitude of defensive errors from Middlesex. Dom Massaro flew out to right field to end the inning.

From there, it was a battle of defenses.

Long retired the side in order in the fifth and sixth innings – the first 1-2-3 inning for either team at that point – while South Plainfield pitcher Kevin Penny continued his strong stretch of pitching after the second. Standout reliever Jay Jimenez replaced Penny for the seventh inning, after the starter recorded six innings, allowing five runs (three earned) with five hits, two strikeouts, and seven walks.

Jimenez retired the side in order with two groundouts and a strikeout to give the Tigers one last chance in the bottom of the seventh, with the top of the order due up down 5-3.

Irizarry crushed a 1-1 fastball from Long, putting it in the right-center gap for a leadoff triple. Shortstop Dan Kapsch reached on an error, holding Irizarry at third to put runners on the corners with nobody out, and Massaro as the go-ahead run. He lined a single right in front of left fielder James Matula to score a run, putting runners at first and second down 5-4 and nobody out.

Aiden McCarthy nearly put one in the seats, but the ball harmlessly fell in the glove of centerfielder Chris Kozak for the first out.

South Plainfield left fielder Dave Butrico stood in next, and lined a fastball towards right fielder Dylan Ianiero. It looked like it was about to drop in for another hit, but Ianiero squeezed the ball in his glove and, noticing Massaro had gotten off the bag, fired a laser to Reynolds at first base, doubling up the Tigers and ending the game to secure the upset.

Long finished his complete game, throwing seven innings with five strikeouts and three walks while allowing seven hits and four runs. He battled the Tigers – and a rising pitch count – to keep the tournament run alive.

The Blue Jays (15-4) will face off against 11th-seeded Edison in the semifinals, after the Eagles upset third-seeded St. Thomas Aquinas 9-1 in the opposite quarterfinal, on Saturday at East Brunswick Magnet High School in a game you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio. Alec Crouthamel and Mike Pavlichko will be on the call.

South Plainfield drops to 13-9.

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel speak with Middlesex pitcher Dominic Long and head coach Blaze Iannetti talk about the win, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen!