Tag: Jaxon Appelman

May 6, 2024May 6, 2024 by Mike Pavlichko

Appelman goes the distance, knocks in go-ahead run to send Edison to GMCT quarters with 2-1 win over Piscataway

The pitchers’ duel lived up to all expectations.

Edison’s Jaxon Appelman was just a little bit better than Piscataway’s Bobby Bressler Monday afternoon, pitching a complete game four-hitter to give the 5th-seeded Eagles a 2-1 Greater Milddlesex Conference Tournamen first-round win over visiting 12th-seed Piscataway.

Appelman also helped his cause at the plate, and in the field.

After Dom Innocenti hit a leadoff triple in the fifth with the game tied 2-1 – his second of two on the day – Appelman slugged one of his own two batters later to drive him in and put his team ahead.

Then, pushing his pitch count limit, with one out and runners on first and second for Piscataway in the top of the sixth, he came off the mound to field a popped-up bunt by Dom Summonte, then doubled off courtesy runner Braydan Irovadno on first to end the inning.

That allowed Appelman nine pitches for the seventh. And he only needed seven to complete a 1-2-3 inning, getting two groundouts to third to bookend his tenth strikeout of the day.

Both teams scored their runs in the first. Appelman had some trouble finding the plate and walked Piscataway leadoff man Jaden Peace on four pitches. He stole second, a sac fly moved him to third, and, after a strikeout, Kenny Barksdale drove him in with a single to make it 1-0 Chiefs.

But Edison got the equalizer in their at bat. Appelman lead off with a single, then after a flyout and groundout, Brody Ferrer singled him home to tie the game at one.

Edison moves on to play the winner of 4th-seed Spotswood and 13th-seed Middlesex in Wednesday’s GMCT quarterfinals at North Brunswick Community Park. Game times and fields will be set later Monday night after all the first round games have been played.

Click below for postgame reaction from Edison starting pitcher Jaxon Appelman:

May 25, 2021March 28, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

Edison reaches first GMT semifinal since 2008 with upset win over South Plainfield

It’s not like Edison hadn’t beaten South Plainfield in years. In fact, their last win over the Tigers was in their first meeting in 2019.

But Tuesday night’s 7-2 win at North Brunswick Community Park over their White Division foes was monumental, in that it sent the third-seeded Eagles to the GMC Tournament semifinals for the first time since 2008, when they lost to Old Bridge 2-1.

In a game heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio, powered by Bellamy & Son Paving, freshman pitcher Jaxon Appelman held third-seed South Plainfield (17-3-1) to just one hit through 6 1/3 innings, allowing two unearned runs in the seventh.

But the Edison bats did a job as well, scoring seven runs against a South Plainfield team that entered the game with a 0.86 team ERA. The run total was the second highest allowed all season by the Tigers (Woodbridge scored nine in a 12-9 South Plainfield win on May 13th), and they had surrendered fewer than five runs in all but five games before Tuesday night.

Senior centerfielder Evrin Virola knocked in three runs on a 2-for-4 night, including a two-run double in the third that made it 3-0 Edison.

The win pits third-seeded Edison (15-6) against second seed St. Joseph of Metuchen (16-8), which beat 10th-seed Spotswood 14-3 in five innings Tuesday night. The Eagles and Falcons will play in Saturday’s 2:30 semifinal at East Brunswick Tech, a game you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

Click below to hear postgame reaction from Dom Savino on Edison’s 7-2 GMCT quarterfinal win over South Plainfield:

Jaxon Appelman

Evrin Virola

Head Coach Vinnie Abene

May 10, 2021May 10, 2021 by Mike Pavlichko

Colonia wins pitchers duel, as Kroner outlasts Appleman, and helps his cause at the plate

We said it before, and we’ll say it again: J.T. Kroner is getting it done on the mound and at the plate for Colonia.

It’s been true all year, and it was true Monday afternoon as the Patriots blanked Edison at home 1-0 on Pat Barbato Way.

Kroner threw 109 pitches and got the win, fanning 10 batters in a two-hit shutout. His RBI triple in the third inning scored Harriosn Brindley, and wound up being the difference.

Edison freshmanJaxon Appelman wasn’t far off Kroner’s pace on the mound though. He allowed just one run and only four hits, while striking out 11, and walking only two.

Both pitchers went the distance.

The teams will rematch Tuesday on Central Jersey Sports Radio, as the home-and-home series shifts to Edison. Mike Pavlichko and Dom Savino will call all the action, with pre-game set for 3:45 from Boulevard of the Eagles, and first pitch set for 4 pm.

You can hear the game by clicking here.

May 10, 2021March 28, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

Edison looks to right ship in home-and-home with Colonia

After winning five straight to start the season, Edison has dropped four of its last six, but the opponents have been tough.

They’ve dropped two to South Plainfield, the GMC White Division leader whose only blemish was a tie this weekend against North Brunswick. Another loss came to Middlesex, the Blue Division’s top team. And they split with North Brunswick, a literal tough out in the division.

Pitching has been a part of it, as has defense, according to head coach Vinnie Abene. But the bats have cooled a bit, too.

The Eagles scored an average of 11 runs a game in their first five, but have only plated 11 runs total in their last six games.

Of course, three runs in the sixth to beat in-town rival JP Stevens this weekend was no slouch of an effort, and the Eagles hope to maintain that timely hitting when they face divisional foe Colonia in a home-and-home series that starts on the road this afternoon at 4 pm.

Freshman Jaxon Appelman is scheduled to get the start in Monday’s series opener.

The teams will play in Edison tomorrow at 4 pm, in a game that can be heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio by clicking here. Mike Pavlichko and Dom Savino will have the call, with pregame starting at 3:45.

The game will be sponsored locally by Ideal Tire of Edison, the Edison Boys’ Baseball League, and NIck’s Meat Depot.

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko talk with Edison head coach Vinnie Abene about the series with Colonia: