Tag: Eddy Nunez

by Mike Pavlichko

Woodbridge bats explode, Barrons top Perth Amboy 14-1 to clinch share of second in GMC White

Sixth-ranked Woodbridge put up ten runs in a third inning where they sent 14 batters to the plate, en route to a mercy rule, 14-1 GMC White Division home win over Perth Amboy, as heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

The win puts the Barrons (11-4) at 8-3 in the division, clinching at least a share of second in the GMC White Division, with Edison a half game behind. Since Edison and Woodbridge split their two games this season, the Barrons would need to win their rematch game at Perth Amboy Thursday to clinch second outright, with the GMC Tournament seeding meeting Friday morning.

Perth Amboy actually struck first in the game against Eddy Nunez. Jose Neris dropped a ball down the right field line on the first pitch of the second for a leadoff double. After Victor Ari walked to put runners at first and second, Julian Collado hit a ball to third that Robert Bunten short-hopped to first, allowing Neris to score.

Nunez then hit DH Armando Lagomarsini, but refocused, and struck out the next two batters to end the inning, leaving the bases loaded, and giving him six strikeouts in his first two innings of work.

In the bottom of the third, Woodbridge blew the game open. Nine hitter Dean Fiore led off and got hit by Amboy starter Justin Foy. After A.J. Bosch flew out to center, Tyler Weber walked, and in came courtesy runner Derek Anderson. Ty Kobylakiewicz worked the count to 3-1 before Amboy decided to intentionally walk him to load the bases to try and get a force at home.

But Drew Lukachyk made sure that didn’t happen. He roped the first pitch into the outfield for a bases-clearing three-run triple to give Woodbridge a 3-1 lead they would build upon and never relinquish. Shawn Kish followed with an RBI triple of his own on the first pitch he saw to make it 4-1. Tim Diegnan drove in Kish with a sac fly to center to make it 6-1, and the rout was on.

Woodbridge added four more runs in the bottom of the fourth on just one hit to extend the lead to 14-1, then Nunez complete the game for the win getting Perth Amboy (0-13) out 1-2-3 in the fifth.

In fact, Nunez set down Amboy in order in every inning but the second, when they sent seven men to the plate.

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

Woodbridge second baseman Drew Lukachyk
Woodbridge pitcher Eddy Nunez
Woodbridge head coach Mike Monaco
by Mike Pavlichko

Audio: Listen to all of Woodbridge freshman Eddy Nunez’ 14 strikeouts against Colonia

Though he allowed six runs in six innings of work, Woodbridge freshman Eddy Nunez was on fire Saturday afternoon, striking out 14 batters in Game Two of a doubleheader won by Colonia 7-6.

That appears to be a record for a Barron freshman, topping what head coach Mike Monaco believes was the previous record: a 13-strikeout effort by now-Rutgers ace Harry Rutkowski back in 2014. Rutkowski fanned 13 in a 3-2 loss at Sayreville in his freshman debut.

Rutkowski graduated from Woodbridge in 2019 with 19 career double-digit strikeout games. His best effort in the “K” department came on Opening Day in 2015, when he fanned 16 Governors in a 2-0 win over South Amboy. That mark also is believed to be a single-game record for the Barrons.

Click below to listen to an audio montage of all 14 strikeouts by Woodbridge freshman Eddy Nunez, as called by Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

by Mike Pavlichko

Individual pitching highlights Woodbridge and Colonia split doubleheader in battle of cross-town rivals

It might sound counterintuitive to say that pitching highlighted a doubleheader in which a combined 23 runs were scored, but both Woodbridge and Colonia got some highlight efforts Saturday afternoon as they split a doubleheader in Colonia.

The twinbill – heard Saturday on Central Jersey Sports Radio and sponsored by Woodbridge Township – was made necessary when Thursday’s matchup under the lights at Woodbridge was called due to rain in the bottom of the fourth inning with the Patriots up 4-3.

In Game One, the Barrons won 6-4 to extend their winning streak to five games. Starting pitcher Matt Medvetz went five innings, allowing just 3 hits and 2 earned runs, striking out 9 Colonia batters. His performance was much-needed considering the Barrons’ ace, Josh Vazquez – like Pats’ ace J.T. Kroner – threw over 50 pitches in Thursdays’s rainout and was unavailable Saturday.

Click below to hear a replay of Game One. (Woodbridge 6, Colonia 4)

Due to technical issues, the game is joined in progress beginning with Woodbridge leadoff hitter A.J. Bosch at the plate in the top of the first inning.

In Game Two, Colonia’s Tyler Mendez – making his first varsity appearance – came on in relief of starter Harrison Brindley and pitched five solid innings out of the ‘pen. Though he allowed four runs, it was the length of the outing that was key, preventing head coach Mike Scialfo from having to go further into his bench.

But even in defeat, Woodbridge got a thrilling and gutsy performance from freshman Eddy Nunez, who struck out 14 in six innings of work. That’s at least a recent best for a freshman at Woodbridge, though whether it’s a record is unknown.

Current Rutgers ace Harry Rutkowski struck out a season-high 13 in his freshman debut on April 12, 2014 in a 3-2 loss at Sayreville.

The strikeouts were the thrilling part. The gutsy part came in the fourth inning when Nunez, already nine strikeouts into his day, was drilled on the right shoulder – his throwing arm – by a line drive off the bat of Colonia second baseman Benjie Pabon.

It caromed to first baseman Matt Medvetz, who stepped on the bag for the out, and after a brief delay, Nunez walked it off, stayed in the game, and struck out five more batters.

Click below to hear a replay of Game Two. (Colonia 7, Woodbridge 6)

Colonia snapped a three-game skid with the Game Two victory, improving to 3-3. Woodbridge had its five-game win streak snapped in the second game, and drops to 5-3.