Tag: HS baseball

by Mike Pavlichko

And then there were six: A look at the undefeated teams left in the CJSR coverage area

We’re officially two weeks into the high school baseball season – though some haven’t quite managed two weeks’ worth with all the rain we’ve gotten – and there are a half-dozen teams who remain unbeaten.

Some have received a lot of attention, like Bridgewater-Raritan, No. 1 this week, taking the top spot in the Week 2 Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten. Others, like South Amboy (4-0) or Piscataway Magnet (2-0) have not.

So, here’s a look at all six teams without a blemish on their records so far.

Bridgewater-Raritan (6-0, #1 ranking)

The Panthers had high expectations coming into the season, and so far have delivered with aplomb. They had a big season-opening win over Rancocas Valley, and beat state-ranked North Hunterdon 7-1 back on Saturday, a win that – coupled with Old Bridge’s second loss of the season – elevated them to No. 1 this week in the Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten.

The Panthers are hitting .304 as a team, and have three home runs already. And they’re getting it from a mix of veterans – one each from Devin Goldberg and JR Rosado – as well as others like Matthew Lehberger, a junior who hit his first varsity homer against Hillsborough on April 9th.

The team ERA is 1.97, with Owen Crimmins, Corey Rible and others looking sharp.

The Panthers have a big test Tuesday afternoon when they travel out to Flemington to take on Hunterdon Central, a 4:00 start.

Spotswood (7-0, #5 ranking)

The Chargers won their seventh straight Monday afternoon, beating Somerville 7-3 on the road in the teams’ first meeting since 2007. That’s a nice feat, but it’s getting to be old hat around “The Swamp.” After all, Spotswood won its first nine games last season en route to a 21-8 season, and a trip to the Central Jersey Group 2 final.

Seton Hall commit Carter Cumiskey has been lights out. He’s 3-0, only allowing his first earned run of the season Monday afternoon, giving him a 0.39 ERA (in 17 and 2/3 innings pitched) with a 3-0 record. He struck out ten Pioneers in the win, and – oh yeah – also hit a solo home run that led Somerville to intentionally walk him his next two at bats.

Meanwhile, Glenny Fredricks – now in his 20th season with the Chargers – is sitting at 299 career wins after Monday’s victory.

Everyone in the lineup is hitting, and Spotswood continues to do the little things well, the definition of a Fredricks-coached team. The Blue Division-leading Chargers have scored more runs than anyone in the league (75) and are outscoring their opponents 75-16 through seven games, a +59 run differential that’s also the best in the GMC.

The Chargers are back in action at home Thursday at 4 pm against Marlboro, where Fredricks will go for win No. 300 in his coaching career.

Woodbridge (7-0, #6 ranking)

Like Bridgewater and Spotswood, the Barrons returned a veteran group and also had high expectations for this season. So far, it’s all gone according to plan for Woodbridge. At +53, they’re second in the GMC in run differential, giving up just eight runs all year, the lowest of any team that has played at least three games. (Edison, right behind them in the GMC White, has only given up nine in six games; the Eagles are 5-1.)

Woodbridge has swept home-and-homes from Colonia, Sayreville, and JP Stevens, while beating Middlesex in their first meeting of the year on the road Monday, 4-3.

Senior Eddy Nunez – who burst on the scene as a freshman in the “COVID comeback” season – has thrown 19 innings, more than anyone on the staff, and struck out 27 (1.4 per inning) on the season. His ERA is a slim 1.47, while senior Shawn Kish has also been solid. So has Drew Lukachyk, who didn’t pitch much last year due to arm issues, but has returned to form this season.

Lukachyk is hitting .409 this year as well, and that’s not even the best average on a team that’s hitting an excellent .357 overall. Sophomore Xavier Diaz is hitting .471 and Kish – also a senior – is batting .429.

The Barrons host Middlesex Tuesday afternoon at 4, then entertain North Brunswick Thursday.

Immaculata (7-0, #7 ranking)

What a turn for Kevin Cust’s ballclub, whose best year since the COVID shutdown in 2020 was a 14-13 record two seasons ago, sandwiched between 9-win, sub-.500 seasons. This year, the Spartans are back in top form.

While they didn’t win their first seven that year, in 2018 Immaculata started 1-1, but then won 17 straight to go 18-1 in their first 19. That year, they beat Montgomery for the Somerset County title, then fell in the Non-Public South B final to Gloucester Catholic.

This year’s team opened up with three out-of-state foes – all wins – and now has won four straight since beginning Skyland Conference play, with all coming against Somerset County Teams in Montgomery on the road, then Watchung Hills, Franklin and Pingry at home. In their first seven, they’ve tossed three shutouts, and allowed two or fewer runs in five of those games.

The Spartans are tearing the cover off the ball, hitting .369 as a team, and led by junior Colin Kassai, who’s hitting .600 on the year – 12 for 20 – while senior Troy Rabosky is hitting .571 on 12 for 21.

Pitching-wise, they’ve given up 13 runs all year, and by scoring 66, have the largest run differential in the CJSR coverage area, let alone the Skyland Conference, at +63 on the season. Senior Josh Thompson has thrown 17 innings so far, with a paltry 0.41 ERA.

Immaculata plays Rutgers Prep Tuesday at 4, then travels to Flemington for a big test Saturday morning at 11:00 against Hunterdon Central.

South Amboy (4-0)

With all their wins coming in the GMC Gold Division, the Governors have swept their home-and-homes with Carteret and New Brunswick. While the Zebras are just 1-3, Carteret is 4-2, with their only losses coming to South Amboy, and the Ramblers are right behind them in the division.

While the pitching has been hit or miss, their offense has been more hit than miss. The Guvs are batting .329, with three regulars at .300 or better, including Weslyn Morel-Sanchez (.429), Benjamin Hernandez (.444) and Benjamin Smith (.545), who already has eight runs batten in on the season, plus the team’s only home run.

After a 19-7 win over New Brunswick on Monday – the Governors outscored the Zebras 30-10 in that home-and-home series – South Amboy visits the pristine field at East Brunswick Magnet for a 4 pm first pitch on Wednesday.

Piscataway Magnet (2-0)

Sure, it’s earlier for the Raiders than anyone else, having played two games – both GMC Silver Division opponents – but why not give the Raiders some pub?

It took them over a week to play their first game of the season, a 17-0 whitewash of Wardlaw-Hartridge. Then it was another six days before they got back on the field Monday to win at Perth Amboy Magnet, 8-7 in eight innings. The Raiders got two in the top of the eighth to break a 6-6 tie, then held PA Magnet to a run in the bottom of the inning to pick up the win.

Albeit through two games, Piscataway Magnet is off to a good start, hitting .382 as a team with four extra base hits (3 doubles and a triple). Freshman Kyla Malchiodi leads the way, hitting .750 (4 for 8) through two games with a team-leading nine runs batted in.

Senior Matt Baez got the win in the opener, tossing a complete game of five scoreless, one-hit innings, striking out 15 while walking only two in a ten-run rule win.

Their biggest test yet will come Tuesday when they visit GMC Silver Division leader Highland Park (3-1, 3-0 in the division) at 4 pm.

by Mike Pavlichko

No. 5 Chargers win 7th straight, 7-3 over Somerville, while Fredricks wins No. 299

Seton Hall commit Carter Cumiskey pitched a complete game, striking out ten, for his third win in as many starts this season, while hitting a solo home run to help his cause, in a 7-3 non-conference win for No. 5 Spotswood over Somerville.

In a game heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio at Torpey Athletic Conference in Bridgewater, the Chargers continued their torrid start, now 7-0 on the year, after last year’s team began the 2023 campaign with nine straight wins.

Spotswood got on the board first, scoring a run in the top of the second. Brandon Rivera led off with a double, a groundout to first got him to third, and a groundout by Colin Pfeiffer to short scored him.

The Chargers added another run in the third when Cumiskey hit a solo homer to right center.

Somerville cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning. Jacob Nash singled with one out, and nine-hitter Chase Insabella scored him with a triple, but he and Chase Koplitz – who followed with a single – when Cumiskey struck out the next two hitters.

Spotswood added three in a fourth inning where they sent nine men to the plate. Four-hitter Mason Bitalla led off with a single. After Rivera grounded out, Ryan Orth knocked him in with a single to make it 3-1. After Pfeiffer struck out, nine-hitter Seb Saracino singled to make it 4-1, and Breckyn DeAngelis followed with an RBI single of his own to make it 5-1. But Somerville limited the damage when starter Ryan Chiesla got Will Buchan to ground out to end the inning after intentionally walking Cumiskey.

From there, Cumiskey seemed to get stronger, at one point recording seven Ks out of eight outs spanning the third, fourth and fifth innings.

Spotswood added two more in the top of the sixth. Lubin and Saracino began the inning with back-to-back walks. Lubin advanced to third on a wild pitch, and later scored on another. Mason Bitalla singled home the seventh run.

Somerville got back two in the bottom of the inning, but that was as close as they would get. Ethan Flynn reached on a ball to short bobbled by Buchan, then Robbie Wright reached on a single. After Dylan Hornick lined out to first, Nash reached on a fielder’s choice that erased Wright at second, but Chase Insabella doubled to right driving in two.

At that point, Cumiskey bore down yet again and struck out Koplitz to end the threat, and he got Somerville (2-3) 1-2-3 in the seventh to close out the game.

The win was No. 299 for Spotswood head coach Glenny Fredricks, who has been the Chargers’ mentor since 2005. He’ll go for 300 Thursday when the Chargers host Marlboro.

Click below for postgame reaction from Spotswood junior Carter Cumiskey and head coach Glenny Fredricks, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

by Mike Pavlichko

Spotswood takes a trip to Torpey as Chargers and Somerville meet for first time in 17 years

The last time Spotswood and Somerville met on a baseball diamond, it was a thriller: a 1-0 game played in Branchburg that gave the Chargers the Central Jersey Group 2 championship. It was the best season in Spotswood history, and they had to beat the Pioneers’ ace, Nick McNamara to do it. Closer Mike Hohman finished it off on the mound.

Fast forward 17 years later, the Chargers are still coached by Glenny Fredricks, and Chris Banos is in his 10th season as coach of Somerville. The two know each other even longer than that, back to their days coaching American Legion ball for posts in Milltown (Fredricks) and Edison (Banos).

Spotswood (6-0) and Somerville (2-2) will meet up Monday afternoon at 4 pm at Torpey Athletic Complex in Bridgewater for a non-conference matchup that can be heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio. Mike Pavlichko has the call with pregame at 3:40. Click here to listen.

The Chargers are ranked No. 5 in this week’s Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten. They have a pair of wins each over Metuchen, North Plainfield and Piscataway, sweeping their Blue Division home-and-homes. They have scored ten runs or more in four of those games, outscoring their opponents 68-13, and pumping out 46 runs in the last three games.

Of players with at least ten at bats, junior and Seton Hall commit Carter Cumiskey is leading the team, hitting .556, knocking in 13 runs already. He had two home runs, but if you count preseason scrimmages? Coach Fredricks says he’s hit it out of the yard six times already. Cumiskey will be on the mound Monday, where he’s thrown 10 2/3 innings in two games, striking out 18, walking two, and giving up exactly zero earned runs.

Somerville, meanwhile, is still trying to get in a groove at the plate. Ajay Cray – who’s expected to be the DH today for starting pitcher Ryan Ciesla – leads the team with a .429 batting average, and the coach’s son, C.J. Banos, leads the team with for runs batted in, but no one else is hitting above .300 yet.

Chiesla won his first start, a going the distance in a 4-1 season opening win over Voorhees (Glen Gardner).

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk with both head coaches!

Spotswood head coach Glenny Fredricks
Somerville head coach Chris Banos
by Mike Pavlichko

A new No. 1 in Week 2 Bellamy & Son Paving HS Baseball Top Ten as Bridgewater claims top spot

With a perfect 6-0 record, Bridgewater-Raritan has taken over the top spot in the Bellamy & Son Paving High School Baseball Top Ten in Week Two. Meanwhile, three teams dropped out, including last year’s GMC Tournament champions, St. Joseph-Metuchen.

Bridgewater-Raritan went 4-0 this past week, beginning with a 14-3 win at Roxbury, then took three straight home games, 6-0 over Hillsborough on Tuesday, 8-4 over 2023 SCT runner-up Ridge Thursday, and over state-ranked North Hunterdon Saturday, 7-1. The Panthers are back in action Tuesday at 5-1 Hunterdon Central.

Old Bridge (6-2) drops down to second this week after splitting a pair with North Brunswick. The Knights began the week with a second straight shutout win over St. Joseph, 5-0 Monday (as heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio), then lost to North Brunswick Tuesday 6-2, getting revenge Friday with a 6-3 victory. They closed things out with a 7-2 win over East Brunswick.

Holding in third is Monroe (4-2), which went 2-2 this past week. After a loss at North Brunswick, 10-7, on Monday, the Falcons swept East Brunswick 10-4 and 11-1 in a Tuesday-Thursday home-and-home, then lost Saturday in a non-conference game at Hamilton West, 11-2.

North Brunswick (2-3) holds in fourth, going 2-2 this past week. They won their first two, 10-7 against Monroe Monday, then 6-2 at Old Bridge Tuesday, before losing their “home game” played at Old Bridge – due to poor field conditions in North Brunswick – 6-3. They followed it with a 4-2 loss at St. Joe’s on Saturday, the Falcons’ first win of the season.

Spotswood (6-0) is in fifth, one of four undefeated teams in the rankings. There Chargers finished off a home-and-home sweep of North Plainfield Tuesday with a 10-1 win, then took two from Piscataway, scoring 36 runs against the Chiefs in an 18-4 road win Thursday, and an 18-2 home win Saturday. Spotswood will play Somerville (2-2) Monday afternoon at Torpey Athletic Complex in Bridgewater, in a game you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio at 4 pm, with Mike Pavlichko on the pregame at 3:40. (Click here to listen.)

The third unbeaten team in the rankings is Woodbridge (6-0), which checks in at No. 6. The Barrons – like Spotswood – also piled on the runs this week. They won 9-1 at Sayreville Tuesday, then took a home-and-home from JP Stevens Thursday and Saturday, with a 20-0 road win followed by a 13-0 home victory.

At No. 7 is Immaculata (6-0), the fourth unbeaten team on the list, making its debut this season. After three wins against out-of-state opponents in their opening week, they went 3-0 back home in Somerset County, winning 3-0 at Montgomery Tuesday, 8-5 the next day at home against Watchung Hills, and again Thursday at home against Franklin, 13-5.

In eighth is Rutgers Prep (2-2), which split a pair this week. They won at Watchung Hills, 6-2, on Tuesday, then came back and lost to Gill St. Bernard’s Saturday, 8-7, after having Friday’s home game against Montgomery – which was scheduled to air on CJSR – cancelled due to field conditions.

The last two teams both make their season debuts in the rankings.

Edison (4-1) is in ninth. The Eagles went 2-1 this week after a 2-0 start, falling at Colonia 2-0 on Tuesday, before taking a Thursday-Saturday home-and-home from Sayreville, winning on the road 3-1, then winning at home, 7-6.

And in tenth is South Plainfield (3-1). The Tigers had a 2-1 week, dropping a Monday Red Division game at East Brunswick, 3-2, before taking a home-and-home from South Brunswick. They beat the Vikings Thursday on the road, 4-3, then came back with an 8-6 home win over South Brunswick.

by Mike Pavlichko

Two weeks in, GMC baseball looks wide open

There was this feeling in the off-season and the preseason that there could be a shift at the top of the Greater Middlesex Conference, and so far that may be coming to fruition.

We’re only two weeks into the regular season – and, when you think about it, three weeks from the GMC Tournament seeding meeting – and it’s been fun to watch it all play out.

Let’s start in the GMC Red Division, which generally has supplied the top-seed in the tourney over the years. Heading into Saturday play, Monroe sits atop the division at 4-1, with all of their games divisional games so far. Same for second-place South Plainfield, which is 3-1, also all in divisional play.

That’s two new faces at the top for this season, where last year it was North Brunswick and St. Joseph battling it out. Old Bridge – which finished third last year but won the Central Jersey Group 4 title and went all the way to the state final in Hamilton – is tied for second with the Tigers at 3-1 in the division, 5-2 overall.

Even the Raiders, who are 2-2 overall – and in the Red – earned a split with Old Bridge this week, beating the Knights 6-2, then falling 6-3 in the rematch. The two met in last year’s CJ4 final.

St. Joseph may be struggling at 0-5 overall, sitting at the bottom of the division, but they had probably the biggest roster turnover in at least the Red if not the whole league, graduating a ton of seniors. And the ones who sat behind them that last two years are struggling to find their groove at the plate. They’ll come around, and when they do, could be one of those scary seeds in the middle of the bracket. But for now, the Falcons have only scored in three of their first five games, and have been outscored 32-5.

The last time Joe’s started 0-5 was in 1996, when they began the year 0-13, then snapped the skid with a win over JP Stevens – which had beaten them earlier in the streak.

Over in the GMC White, Woodbridge leads the pack. One of the most veteran teams in the league, it’s no surprise the Barrons are 5-0, all in divisional play. Similarly, Edison is improved, and behind them at 3-1, with Sayreville next at 2-3. We’ll get a good look at Edison when the Eagles host Middlesex (2-3, 1-3 GMC White) this coming Thursday at 4 pm on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

No surprise in the Blue Division, either, where a solid Spotswood squad is 5-0, and has outscored its opponents 50-11 through the first two weeks of the season. The Chargers just beat a pretty good Piscataway team (3-2) by the score of 18-4 Thursday afternoon. To put that in perspective, and in football parlance, that’s a small Group 2 school beating a Group 5. There’s no fear in Spotswood, even if the Chiefs are a divisional opponent. JFK and St. Thomas Aquinas are behind Spotswood, both 3-1 overall, 2-1 in the Blue.

All this is to say, while it’s still early, the mold is being formed for the 2024 county tournament. It may be one of the most wide open in recent years, in terms of seeding, and the end result. That’s the feeling around the league when you talk to the coaches, and it looks like it’s bearing out, just two weeks in.

by Mike Pavlichko

No. 1 Old Bridge earns split with North Brunswick as Knights get 4-3 “road” win at home

With neither of North Brunswick’s home fields playable Friday afternoon, the Raiders packed up and traveled to Old Bridge for their second meeting this week. In the end, the venue probably didn’t matter.

Old Bridge senior JT Meyer pitched a complete game give-hitter, as the Knights – No. 1 in the Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten – came up with a 6-3 win at Fred Cole Field to sweep the season series.

Old Bridge scored in four of the first five innings and never trailed Friday. Michael Altman drove in John Smith – who led off the game with a walk – to make it 1-0 Knights in the first, then Brody Nugent scored from third on a balk in the second to make it 2-0.

The Raiders cut their deficit in half in the bottom of the third when Tim DeGaetano singled with two outs, and Yomar Carreras drove him in with a double to make it 2-1.

But Old Bridge got three across in the top of the fourth. Justin Hascup led off with a double, and after a sac bunt by Meyer, Brody Nugent hit a soft roller in front of the mound. North Brunswick starting pitcher Alejandro Jabar fielded it, looked Hascup back, but then threw wild to first, allowing Hascup to score. Christian Cavanaugh hit one back to Jabar, but his throw home to get Hascup was low. And after John Smith flew out to right, Frank Papeo knocked in Cavanaugh with a single to make it 5-1.

Once again, North Brunswick got a run back in the bottom of the inning. Connor Levine doubled with one out, and two batters later, a single by Danny Breheney cut the deficit to 5-2.

Old Bridge would pick up another insurance run in the fifth. Jabar walked Evan Smith to lead off the inning, then the next batter, Hascup. That ended Jabar’s day, but Justin Meyer’s groundout to first off reliever Aaron Wilhelm knocked in Smith to make it 6-3. Wilhelm allowed two more walks, loading the bases, but got out of it by inducing a fly ball to center by Smith.

Meyer only allowed one more run in the seventh, as courtesy runner Avery Price – running for Andrew Selover – scored on a double-play try thrown wide of first by shortstop John Smith. But he finished out the game, allowing just three runs in seven innings of work, with three strikeouts and just one walk.

Old Bridge improves to 5-2, with a 3-1 record in the GMC Red Division. North Brunswick is 2-2 overall, and in the Red.

by Mike Pavlichko

Rutgers Prep finding its way early, but faces a Montgomery team Friday that’s had its number

Rutgers Prep’s 2023 season didn’t get started the way they wanted. They began with three losses, and were 2-6 when they opened up play in the Somerset County Tournament.

And yet, by the time they figured it out? They won the Somerset County Tournament, beating second-seed Ridge 1-0.

This year, the Argonauts are off to a 2-1 start. despite losing some key players to graduation, and two bonafide stars to transfer, one to his home district, the other closer to home.

And it’s been the veterans who have helped.

There’s Max Treonze, a true pitcher who also plays first base, in order to get the most out of his athleticism. There’s Maddox Chu, who has established himself as the starting catcher. Evan Laub is hitting the ball hard. So is Ethan Nepomuceno.

That and some newcomers who are getting into their roles has Rutgers Prep off to a 2-1 start heading into Friday afternoon’s game against Montgomery. You can hear that game on Central Jersey Sports Radio with Mike Pavlichko calling all the action. Pregame is at 3:45; click here to listen.

The Cougars – a large school compared to Prep, a small non-public – have had the Argos’ number of late. Having not played at all from 2018 through 2021, Montgomery has taken three of four in the series the last two years, sweeping a pair of games from Rutgers Prep last season.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk with Rutgers Prep head coach Larry Santowasso:

by Mike Pavlichko

INSTANT REPLAY: #1 Old Bridge 5, #5 St. Joseph-Metuchen 0

The top-ranked Old Bridge Knights got a solid starting effort from pitcher Frank Papeo – who also knocked in three runs with a double in the sixth inning for insurance – in a 5-0 GMC Red Division home win over No. 5 St. Joseph of Metuchen on Monday, April 8, 2024.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko and Vin Ebenau call all the play-by-play from Fred Cole Field as heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio:

by Mike Pavlichko

No. 1 Old Bridge welcomes in No. 5 St. Joseph-Metuchen, after the solar eclipse

Whether it’s clear enough to see it or not, a decision was made a couple of weeks ago to push off the start time of Monday’s GMC Red Division game between Old Bridge and St. Joseph-Metuchen. But that meant moving the game to Old Bridge, since the Falcons’ home field doesn’t have lights.

And so, after a 4-0 Knights’ road win on Saturday – in a game played in Linden on turf after a week of rain across Central Jersey left puddles all over natural grass playing surfaces and dirt infields – the two teams will square off Monday at 6:30 at Fred Cole Field, in a game you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

Mike Pavlichko and Vin Ebenau will call all the action, with pregame at 6:15, and first pitch at 6:30 pm. Click here to listen to the live broadcast for free!

The Knights (3-1) are the defending Central Jersey Group 4 champions, and made it all the way to the state finals last season, falling to Ridgewood in the Group 4 final in Hamilton. They have a wealth of pitching back and are expected to contend for the division, county and state titles again this season.

St. Joe’s is off to an 0-2 start, with losses to one ranked team (North Brunswick) and one un-ranked team (Monroe) that now finds itself in the Top Ten, after they also knocked off the Raiders.

Click below to hear both head coaches talk about their first week of the season and Monday’s matchup:

Old Bridge head coach Matt Donaghue
St. Joseph-Metuchen head coach Mike Murray
by Mike Pavlichko

INSTANT REPLAY: No. 8 Woodbridge 4, No. 9 Sayreville 2

Drew Lukachyk drove in a run and scored another, while Shawn Kish allowed just two runs in 6 2/3 innings of work as the 8th-ranked Woodbridge Barrons beat the No. 9 Sayreville Bombers in a Greater Middlesex Conference White Division game, 4-2, as heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko and Dylan Allen call all the action live from Woodbridge High School on April 6, 2024: