Tag: HS Baseball

by Mike Pavlichko

Skyland Conference 2026 All-Division baseball honorees unveiled

The coaches from the Skyland Conference have unveiled their 2026 All-Division teams, honoring 139 players from across its four divisions, including the 14 Somerset County schools in the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area.

Here’s the full list of players honored, by division, with teams in alphabetical order:

SKYLAND CONFERENCE – DELAWARE DIVISION

First Team

  • Bridgewater-Raritan: Kellan Komline (P/OF), Michael Lobosco (C)
  • Hillsborough: Elijah Dawes (SS)
  • Hunterdon Central: Dany Contillano (OF), Nick Holot (OF)
  • Immaculata: Luca Catanzarite (2B), Owen Schilling (C), Ryan Auten (P), Cole Raymond (P)
  • Ridge: Jake Dolan (CF), Kieran Callanan (SS), Casey Kucerka (C)
  • Watchung Hills: Robert Centamore (P/DH), Jacob Jaconski (C), Lucas Sheehan (P)
Immaculata senior Ryan Auten threw a complete-game two-hit shutout in a 6-0 win over Ridge at Diamond Nation in Flemington, NJ, on April 22, 2026. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

Second Team:

  • Bridgewater-Raritan: Kevin Kelly (3B/P), Andrew Schmeider (OF), Nick Spirra (2B/P)
  • Hillsborough: Tommy Kester (OF), Gavin Glazewski (P/1B), Jon Feltre (P)
  • Hunterdon Central: Jack Edwards (P), Liam Goyette (P)
  • Immaculata: Bryson Auten (P/3B), Justin Labrador (SS)
  • Ridge: Sawyer Paul (1B), Dimitri Romer (P/3B)
  • Watchung Hills: Brady Simo (3B), Stefano DiGeronimo (SS)

Honorable Mention:

  • Bridgewater-Raritan: Stephen Pikulin (1B/DH)
  • Hillsborough: Anthony Guerrero (OF)
  • Hunterdon Central: Cola Jacobs (P)
  • Immaculata: Jackson Lewis (OF)
  • Ridge: Lucas Grob (2B)
  • Watchung Hills: Landon Pudlak (2B)

SKYLAND CONFERENCE – RARITAN DIVISION

First Team:

  • Franklin: Stanley Madera, Mason Bonds
  • Montgomery: Ian Quinn, Henry Maddox
  • North Hunterdon: Hunter Brown, Alex Famolari, Brooks Lunger, Graham Berry
  • Phillipsburg: Nick Yaccarino, Chase Passmore, Mike Bracco
  • Rutgers Prep: Li Perez, Alex Perez, Maddox Chu, Ethan Nepomuceno
  • Somerville: Justin Snow, Michael Meyers
Rutgers Prep’s Li Perez pitches in the Somerset County Tournament quarterfinals against Bridgewater-Raritan in Somerset, NJ, on May 14, 2026. (Photo: Alec Crouthamel)

Second Team:

  • Franklin: Dylan Shah, Shayne Rooney
  • Montgomery: Jake Hayes, Alex Bender, Mason Neufeld
  • North Hunterdon: Ty Kane, Jason Krisanda, Zach Linzer
  • Phillipsburg: Wyatt Garrison, Kevin Buonocole
  • Rutgers Prep: Peter Wheeler, Mason Cimini, Okasha Asrar
  • Somerville: Matty Brong, Jordan Snow, Michael Murphy

Honorable Mention:

  • Montgomery: Liam McDonnell
  • North Hunterdon: Evan Doty
  • Phillipsburg: Brent Ottw
  • Rutgers Prep: Micah Krugar-Serrano
  • Somerville: Dalton Carman

SKYLAND CONFERENCE – VALLEY DIVISION:

First Team:

  • Bernards: Casey Hoeckele, Sean Arcelay, James Ferrante
  • Gill St. Bernards: Gavin Bucceri, Niko West, Joey Fava, Jack Markovich, Trip Hogarty
  • Pingry: Langston McDonald, Aaron Wu
  • Voorhees: Alexander Dyevich, Matteo Tramutola
  • Warren Hills: Cohl Stevens, Owen Spender
Pingry’s Zach Zaslow pitches against Montgomery at TD Bank Park on April 11, 2026. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

Second Team:

  • Bernards: Tyce Hanratty, James Gallagher
  • Gill St. Bernards: Andersen Eide, Noah Schultz, Jude Walters, Steve McRae
  • Pingry: Andrew Crowley, Zach Zaslow, Connor Lahay
  • Voorhees: Dylan Vernick, Jack Schlaudecker
  • Warren Hills: Reece Schott, Ryan Everett

Honorable Mention:

  • Bernards: Alex Frankfelder
  • Gill St. Bernards: A.J. Kolenski
  • Pingry: Michael Cardona
  • Voorhees: Turner Toombs
  • Warren Hills: Kyle Kucharski

SKYLAND CONFERENCE – MOUNTAIN DIVISION

First Team:

  • Belvidere: Jake Ackerman, Chris Knight
  • Bound Brook: Aiden Boehm, Ryan Cunha
  • Delaware Valley: Dylan Rasimowicz, Gabriel Miller, Cooper Fransen, David Hudock, Brooks Brunner, Carter Glacken
  • Manville: Collin Shimp, Brandon Shimp, Evan Canica, Josh D’Ambrosio
  • South Hunterdon: Trevor Lingerfield, Jack Budrewicz
Manville (in white) and Montgomery square off at TD Bank Park in Bridgewater on May 7, 2025. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

Second Team:

  • Belvidere: Justin Hummel, Troy Boehm, Carter Crow
  • Bound Brook: Gabriel Valentin, Jayden Cruz
  • Delaware Valley: Chris Cialone, Matt Feeney, Danny Cialone
  • Manville: Aidan Johnson, Ben Canuso, Bobby Petrone
  • South Hunterdon: Trevor Sinkus, Landon Katz, Michael Budrewicz

Note: The Mountain Division coaches did not choose any Honorable Mentions.

by Mike Pavlichko

Back in Red (Scarlet): Edison alum Jaxon Appelman leaves Coastal Carolina, commits to Rutgers baseball

When Jaxon Appelman puts on his baseball jersey again, it will have a familiar color.

The Edison alum who graduated in 2024 after a four-year varsity career – with 296 strikeouts and a career ERA of 1.95 – spent the last two years at Coastal Carolina, but this spring entered the NCAA transfer portal, and now has found a new home.

He’s committed to play for Rutgers baseball.

Appelman saw limited action for the Chanticleers his freshman year, but this spring as a sophomore, he made 17 appearances, starting four games. He ended the season 0-3 with a 6.39 ERA, but logged 39 Ks, and only allowed opposing hitters a highly-respectable .224 batting average.

And he’ll be on a staff with another former GMC standout, the dominating Zack Konstantinovsky, who played at North Brunswick, as well as former Raider and shortstop Yomar Carreras, who was on Appelman’s travel ball teams back in the day.

In the end, that and the chance to play at home around family and friends at Rutgers – the first school to offer him a scholarship when he was still with the Eagles – was too much to pass up for his final two years of eligibility.

Click below to hear Edison alum Jaxon Appelman talk with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko about committing to Rutgers:

by Mike Pavlichko

New No. 1 highlights final 2026 Bellamy & Son Paving H.S. Baseball Top Ten as Ridge takes top spot

It’s not where you start, but where you finish.

But, to be honest, the Ridge baseball team didn’t have very far to go.

The Red Devils – the only Central Jersey Sports Radio-area team to win an NJSIAA sectional title this season – finish the year at No. 1 in the final Bellamy & Son Paving High School Baseball rankings, and are the Central Jersey Sports Radio Team of the Year.

The Skyland Conference Delaware Division was a beast this year. Immaculata won the division, second-place Watchung Hills won the Somerset County Tournament, and Ridge beat the Warriors to win the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 title last Friday. The Red Devils’ season came to an end, however, in dramatic fashion Monday afternoon, in an 8-7 loss to Ridgewood on a walk-off, leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the eighth. They finish the year at 19-11.

Watchung Hills (18-9) – which lost two of three to Ridge this season – finishes second. In the past week, they beat second-seed Bayonne by run-rule, 10-0 in five innings, in the North 2, Group 4 semifinals before falling to Ridge Friday in the title game.

Jim Muldowney GMC Tournament champion Monroe (15-14) comes in third. The Falcons were the tournament’s nine-seed, but beat five-seed Old Bridge to win the title two Saturdays ago in their season finale, after getting knocked out of the state tournament the day before the GMC final.

In fourth is Immaculata (22-6), which was knocked out of the state tournament in the Non-Public South A semifinals by CBA, 1-0 in eight innings. The Spartans won the Skyland Conference Delaware Division at 9-1, their lone regular season division loss coming to Watchung Hills, and they lost to the Warriors in the SCT title game as well.

At five is GMC Tournament finalist Old Bridge (21-10), which won last Wednesday in the Central Jersey Group 4 semifinals, 10-0 over Hightstown in five innings, but then lost in the title game, 14-1, at home to Hunterdon Central on Friday.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 finalist South Plainfield (17-12) finishes sixth. They got the the title game with a 4-2 semifinal win at top-seed Chatham last Wednesday, but fell Friday to Cranford in the final, 10-5.

GMC White Division champion Middlesex (22-6) comes in at seven. The Blue Jays fell in the Central Jersey Group 1 semifinals last Wednesday to Shore, 2-0 at home, preventing them from having a chance to repeat as CJ1 and state Group 1 champions.

At eight is Edison (19-8). The Eagles – beset by pitching injuries later in the season – got knocked out of the stats in the first round, and the GMC Tournament in the quarterfinals by eventual champion Monroe, but won the GMC’s top division, the GMC Red, with an 11-3 mark, finishing two full games ahead of second-place Old Bridge

Checking in ninth is St. Thomas Aquinas (14-15) – ranked for the first time this season. STA reached the finals in Non-Public North B for the second time in three years with a 7-3 road win at second-seed Rutgers Prep in the semifinals. But the third-seeded Trojans lost at top-seed St. Mary-Rutherford in the title game last Friday, 11-7.

And in tenth, it’s Rutgers Prep (17-8). The Argonauts were Skyland Conference Raritan Division Co-Champions with North Hunterdon – who they split with in the regular season – finishing 8-2 in divisional play, and were knocked out of the states in the Non-Public North B semis last Wednesday by St. Thomas Aquinas, with a 7-3 loss.

Below is the complete and final Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten for the 2026 season:

by Mike Pavlichko

INSTANT REPLAY – NJSIAA Tournament – Group 4 Semifinal: Ridgewood 8, Ridge 7 (8 inn.)

In a back-and-forth affair, Ridge scored a run ion the top of the seventh to force extra innings, but Hudson Feeney’s solo home run to lead off the bottom of the eighth won it in walk-off fashion for Ridgewood, as the Maroons advanced to the state Group 4 final for the second time in four years with an 8-7 win in the Group 4 semifinals.

READ THE FULL GAME STORY HERE!

Click below to listen to Mike Pavlichko and Alec Crouthamel call all the play-by-play live from Veterans’ Park in Ridgewood, NJ, on June 8, 2026:

by Mike Pavlichko

Feeney’s solo home run gives Ridgewood 8-7 win in 8 over Ridge in state Group 4 semis

They say all good things must come to an end, and in this case, it applies not just to the game, but to the Ridge baseball team’s season.

The only team from the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area to win a sectional title this season saw its 2026 campaign come to an end in dramatic fashion Monday afternoon in Bergen County, as Ridgewood senior Hudson Feeney led off the bottom of the eighth with a solo home run to give the Maroons an 8-7 win over Ridge in the state Group 4 semifinals at Veterans’ park in Ridgewood.

In a game heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio, each team had plenty of chances, but didn’t always capitalize. Ridge left 13 runners on base, Ridgewood left a dozen. And the Red Devils had the bases loaded in the top of the eighth with two outs, but failed to score.

They almost didn’t get there. Ridgewood led 7-6 going into the top of the seventh, when DH Matt Pypcznske led off with a groundball to third that was booted. Then Toby Nicholson singled to left, but the left fielder Brody Perrapato saw it go off his glove, allowing Pypcznske to score the tying run. Then, on a line drive out to second baseman Justin Loffredo, he nearly got doubled off, but an errant throw – the third miscue of the inning – allowed him to go third. But he was stranded after Kieran Callanan struck out and Lucas Grob flied out to right.

Ridgewood took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second, but Ridge jumped ahead 3-1 in the top of the third. Callanan hit a fly ball to left that was dropped, turning it into a two-base error, and Lucas Grob reached on a throwing error to tie the game at one. Jake Dolan doubled, Casey Kucerka drove in the second run with a groundout to short, and Sawyer Paul reached on a 1-2 fielder’s choice that saw Dolan slide in safely to make it 3-1.

The Maroons added a run in the third, then got four in the top of the fourth – an inning that saw starter Lucas Liston hit three straight batters – but Ridge hung tough and got back in it. They wiped out a 6-3 deficit with three more in the top of the fifth. Kucerka was plunked to lead off the inning, and Sawyer Paul singled. Dimitri Romer doubled to cut it to 6-5, and after two strikeouts, Colin Newcomb singled to tie the game at 6-6.

Ridgewood would take the lead again in the bottom half, getting an RBI single from Alex DeAngelo.

Ridge saw its season end at 17-11, while Ridgewood improved to 24-7, and will face South Jersey Group 4 champion Kingsway in the state Group 4 title game at Rutgers, Sunday at 1 pm. Kingsway was a 9-1 home winner over Hunterdon Central in the other Group 4 semifinal Monday.

The win went to the Maroons’ Brady Ross (4-1) in relief. He threw four innings and allowed four hits, one unearned run, striking out three. Dolan (2-1) took the loss in a three-inning relief effort, his longest of the year in nine appearances.

Click below for postgame reaction from Ridge head coach Tom Blackwell with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko

by Mike Pavlichko

From a familiar opponent to a complete stranger, North 2, Group 4 champ Ridge travels to Ridgewood for state semis, trip to Group 4 title game

The last Somerset County baseball team to win a state championship was only two years ago, when Bridgewater-Raritan ran the table and won the Skyland Conference Delaware Division, went undefeated in league play, then won the Somerset County Tournament, North 2, Group 4 title, and the state Group 4 championship in the last high school baseball game of the year down in Hamilton.

The road hasn’t been that smooth for the Ridge baseball team, but with a sectional trophy in hand after Friday’s 3-2, come-from-behind win over neighbor Watchung Hills, it’s been one of the more rewarding titles the program has earned over the years.

Ridge players celebrate with their fans along the right field wall after a 3-1 win over Watchung Hills in the North 2, Group 4 final in Basking Ridge on June 5, 2026. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

While Immaculata was the Delaware champ, Watchung Hills won the county tournament, and Ridge (17-10) beat them in last Friday’s North 2, Group 4 sectional final, a testament to how challenging that group of six teams was this season.

But now, the focus is on the next opponent: North 1, Group 4 champion Ridgewood in the state Group 4 semifinals. And you can hear that game Monday afternoon at 4 pm – with pregame at 3:45 – as Mike Pavlichko and Alec Crouthamel call all the action live from Bergen County. Click here to listen.

The Maroons (23-7) are a solid-hitting team with very good pitching. And like Ridge, they have had some unsung heroes this year. Consider the North 1, Group 4 final against Passaic Tech, the top-seed. Third-seed Ridgewood jumped on the Bulldogs early. Despite falling behind 1-0 in the bottom of the first, they got three in the second and two in the third to take a 5-1 lead that they would never relinquish.

One big reason: Kotaro Kim, a senior right fielder who hit a huge three-run homer in the fourth, after PCTI had cut the deficit to 5-2. He was also the hero in the semifinals, belting a go-ahead two-run homer in the top of the eighth at second-seed Mount Olive, a team that earlier in the year had taken out state-ranked No. 1 Delbarton in the Morris County Tournament championship game.

So, this Ridgewood team is no joke. But then again, neither is Ridge.

In the sectional title game, Jake Dolan – who had not even thrown eight innings in relief all season coming in – got an inning-ending double play to end the top of the sixth, then shut down Watchung Hills 1-2-3 in the seventh after the Red Devils scratched across a run in the bottom of the sixth for a 3-2 lead.

Others, like senior Matt Pypcznski, have stepped in at key moments due to injury, while fellow senior Sawyer Paul seems to keep getting big hits at the plate, and also plays a solid first base.

Rigde had had a lot of contributions from everyone in the lineup this year. And if they can do that in one more game, they’ll get a chance to play for a state title.

This will be the first meeting between the schools in at least Ridge head coach Tom Blackwell’s 20-plus year tenure as head coach.

Click here to listen to Ridge head coach Tom Blackwell talk about the Red Devils’ and their Group 4 semifinal matchup at Ridgewood with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko.

Who’s next?

The winner of the Ridge-Ridgewood game moves on to the state Group 4 final, scheduled as part of a quadruple-header next Sunday afternoon at 1 pm at Rutgers University’s Bainton Field on the Livingston Campus in Piscataway – across from Jersey Mike’s Arena.

They will face the winner of the other Group 4 semifinal. That features Central 4 champion third-seed and fellow Skyland Delaware foe Hunterdon Central (18-13) and South 4 champion and top-seed Kingsway 23-5).

Hunterdon Central and Ridge – they’re both the Red Devils, of course – split a pair this year. Central won the first meeting, 12-7, at Ridge on April 7th, putting up a five-spot in the second inning. Ridge had cut the deficit to 6-4 by the fourth, but Hunterdon added another six in the sixth.

But Ridge returned the favor two days later with a 9-5 win out in Flemington. Aiden Kerrigan had a 2-for-4 day with four runs batted in, while Toby Nicholson had two RBI, Lucas Liston got the start, and Jake Dolan got the win in relief.

Somerset County in the State Playoffs

Teams from Somerset County have won eleven state titles since the NJSIAA began playing to an overall state champion in each group in 1971. Here’s a full list of the 21 appearances in the state finals by Somerset County schools:

  • 1971 – Bridgewater-Raritan East lost to West Orange (Group 3)
  • 1974 – Franklin lost to Ridgefield Park (Group 3)
  • 1975 – Manville lost to Glen Ridge (Group 1)
  • 1976 – Ridge lost to Lakeland (Group 2); Bound Brook lost to Palisades Park (Group 1)
  • 1987 – Ridge beat Hackettstown (Group 2)
  • 1989 – Bridgewater-Raritan West beat Rutherford (Group 2)
  • 1994 – Pingry beat St. Augustine (Non-Public B)
  • 1995 – Immaculata beat Gloucester Catholic (Non-Public B)
  • 1997 – Immaculata lost to Bishop Eustace (Non-Public A)
  • 2000 – Ridge beat West Morris-Mendham (Group 2)
  • 2002 – Ridge Ridge beat Dumont (Group 2)
  • 2005 – Hillsborough beat Watchung Hills (Group 4)
  • 2010 – Immaculata beat St. Joseph-Metuchen (Non-Public A)
  • 2012 – Hillsborough lost to Manalapan (Group 4)
  • 2013 – Rutgers Prep beat Morris Catholic (Non-Public B)
  • 2014 – Bernards lost to Buena (Group 2)
  • 2015 – Bernards lost to Governor Livingston (Group 2)
  • 2018 – Somerville beat Allentown (Group 3)
  • 2022 – Immaculata lost to Ranney (Non-Public B)
  • 2024 – Bridgewater-Raritan beat Eastern (Group 4)
by Mike Pavlichko

INSTANT REPLAY – NJSIAA Tournament – North 2, Group 4 Final: (1) Ridge 3, (3) Watchung Hills 2

Top-seed Ridge erased a 2-0 deficit with two runs in the fifth, then scored one on an error in the bottom of the sixth, while Jake Dolan closed out third-seed Watchung Hills in relief to earn the Red Devils a 3-2 win in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 final. It’s Ridge’s second title since the COVID pandemic and tenth sectional championship overall.

READ THE FULL GAME STORY HERE!

Click below to listen to Mike Pavlichko call all the play-by-play live from Pete Hall Field in Basking Ridge, NJ, on June 5, 2026:

by Mike Pavlichko

INSTANT REPLAY – NJSIAA Tournament – Non-Public North B Final: (1) St. Mary-Rutherford 11, (3) St. Thomas Aquinas 7

An early 7-2 deficit was too much for St. Thomas Aquinas to recover from, as the third-seeded Trojans lost 11-7 at top-seed St. Mary of Rutherford in the Non-Public North B championship game, ending STA’s season at 14-15.

READ THE FULL GAME STORY HERE!

Click below to listen to Alec Crouthamel call all the play-by-play live from Tamblyn Field in Rutherford, NJ, on June 5, 2026:

by Mike Pavlichko

WATCH: See the final out of the North 2, Group 4 title game, as Ridge beats Watchung Hills 3-2

Top-seed Ridge defeated third-seed Watchung Hills on Friday, June 5, 3-2 at Pete Hall Field in Basking Ridge as the Red Devils won their second sectional title in North 2, Group 4 in the last six years, and their tenth overall.

Watch the video of the final out below, with Mike Pavlichko on the call – and working the camera!

by Mike Pavlichko

South Plainfield, Old Bridge fall in sectional title games Friday, ending GMC’s run in state playoffs

Losses by South Plainfield and Old Bridge in sectional titles games – coupled with St. Thomas Aquinas’ loss to St. Mary-Rutherford in the Non-Public North B final – have officially ended the run for the Greater Middlesex Conference in the NJSIAA state baseball tournament.

All that remains is Ridge out of Somerset County and the Skyland Conference, with the Red Devils coming from behind to beat Watchung Hills in the North 2, Group 4 title game, to win their tenth sectional championship as a program. they’ll visit North 1, Group 4 winner Ridgewood Monday in the state Group 4 semifinals, in a game you can hear live on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

North 2, Group 3 Final – (3) Cranford 10, (4) South Plainfield 5: Two days after going on the road and knocking off top-seed Chatham in the North 2, Group 3 semifinals, the Tigers’ season came to an end with a 10-5 loss at Cranford.

South Plainfield (17-12) got on the board in the top of the first, taking a 1-0 lead on a groundout by starting pitcher Andrew Bena, driving in Dom Masaro, who had doubled to lead off the game.

But Cranford got the lead back in the bottom of the inning. After the first two batters were hit by a pitch, and Michael Tripodi singled to load the bases, a sac fly from Adam Kielczynski scored one. A walk reloaded the bases, and a single by David Rosa made it 2-1, then a Evan Ketschke walked to bring in another, making it 3-1.

The Cougars added one in the third, on a sac fly by Brayden Fry with the bases loaded to make it 4-1, and that would be all for Bena. But South Plainfield tacked one in the top of the fourth on a double by Joe Stanzione to keep it a two-run game, 4-2. But Cranford again got the first two hitters in the home half of the inning on base the painful way, then got a walk to load the bases. Following a strikeout, Ketschke picked up his second RBI of the day on a double to right to make it 5-2.

But the Tigers still wouldn’t go away. In the top of the fifth, Aiden McCarthy singled to lead off the inning, and Bena doubled to cut it to 5-3. After stealing third, Bena scored on a passed ball with Chris Loniewksi at the plate to make it 5-4. A sac bunt got him to second, but two groundouts ended the inning.

Cranford answered in the second, getting a two-run homer from Patrick Bendert – his sixth of the year – after a leadoff single by Fry, making it 7-4.

And yet, the Tigers still weren’t done, cutting it to 7-5 on a two-out double by Aiden McCarthy, but as Massaro scored, he tried to get to third and was thrown out to end the inning. But Cranford put the game out of reach in the bottom of the sixth, when – after two singles to lead the inning, and a fielder’s choice – Fry hit his tenth homer of the season, clearing the fence in left field to make it 10-5, with South Plainfield going out 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh.

Bena took the loss to drop to 4-3, while Patrick Berry got the win in relief to improve to 3-0. Cranford, now 22-9, will visit Old Tappan on Monday. The top-seed in North 1, Group 3, they beat second-seed Ramapo at home Friday, 9-4, to win the sectional title.

Central Jersey Group 4 Final – (3) Hunterdon Central 14, (1) Old Bridge 1: Despite pumping out ten hits, Old Bridge simply couldn’t cash in against the Red Devils, dropping their second straight Central Jersey Group 4 title game, following a loss to Hillsborough a year ago.

Central got four in the top of the first off starter Blake Dunleavy, who came out after two innings of work, giving up seven runs – six earned – on eight hits. After a single sandwiched between the first two outs, Trevor Wallace doubled for the first run, and Chase Reinhard followed with an inside-the-park home run down the left field line to make it 3-0. And after a JP Santos single, he went to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a ground ball to third by Matty Dalfonzo that resulted in an error.

Old Bridge got one back in the bottom of the inning. After two fly outs, Jared Volpe singled, and scored on a single by Erich Schikschneit, but he was thrown out trying to advance to second on the play.

Then Hunterdon Central buried Old Bridge in the third, with a six-run inning. After a single, hit batter and another single loaded the bases, Brady Meyer came on in relief, but he walked Dalfonzo walked to drive in one, then Trey Garutti walked to make it 6-1. A dingle by Ryan Ganguzza drove in two to make it 8-1, a single by Contiliano scored another run, and a Nik Holot sac fly made it 10-1 before Old Bridge could get out of the inning.

Hunterdon Central added another four runs in the top of the seventh, further putting the game out of reach. The Red Devils (18-13) now move on to the Group 4 state semifinals on Monday, where they will play at South Jersey Group 4 champion Kingsway, with the top seeded Dragons taking the title with a 12-2 win over third-seed Eastern.