Tag: Mike Monaco

by Mike Pavlichko

Woodbridge has overcome obstacles to reach GMCT semifinals, so what’s one more?

Woodbridge has been a mainstay in the GMC White Division. The newcomers added this year were not a piece of cake.

Specifically, it was Metuchen and Middlesex who caused the Barrons fits, in that order.

Both up from the Blue Division, along with Spotswood, Woodbridge went 0-4 against the duo this year.

First, it was the boys from the Brainy Boro. the Bulldogs beat the Barrons handily in their two regular season games this year, winning 7-0 at home on April 13th, and 11-1 at Woodbridge the next day.

Those two losses would come back to haunt them, as they headed into their last two games before the GMC seeding meeting last Friday tied with newcomer Middlesex atop the White Division standings, with the Blue Jays standing in their way.

Middlesex won the opener under the lights at Woodbridge 1-0, claiming at least a share of the division title, then scored a 5-0 win to clinch it outright in a home game at Mountainview Park.

Those two losses potentially cost Woodbridge as high as a third-seed, meaning a path to the final without St. Joseph-Metuchen in the way. They ended up the five-seed, but now they’re only a win away, as the Barrons (19-4) get set to take on top-seed and defending champion St. Jo’s (19-6) in the GMC Tournament Semifinals Saturday at Ray Cipperly Field at East Brunswick Tech.

Central Jersey Sports Radio will have live coverage of the game – presented by Dayton Toyota Service, Route 130 in South Brunswick – which is scheduled for approximately 2:30 pm, or shortly after the conclusion of the opening game of the semifinals: North Brusnwick and East Brunswick, with first pitch scheduled for noon.

Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe will call all the action for you; click here to listen.

Due to pitch counts in the first two games of the tournament, strikeout machines Eddie Nunez and Josh Vazquez will be unavailable, so head coach Mike Monaco will throw Matt Troche on the hill against St. Joe’s standout Donovan Zsak.

And Troche is no slouch, not in the least. No one is when you’ve won 19 out of 23 games. But Woodbridge is 7-1 in games Troche has started.

Click above to learn more about how to be an umpire and join the NSJFU.

Woodbridge is seeking just its second trip to the GMC Tournament Final. In their only other appearance, it was an all-township affair, as the Barrons beat JFK 1-0 in the 2000 title game.

Click below to hear Woodbridge head coach Mike Monaco talk with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

by Mike Pavlichko

Barrons off to 5-0 start with veteran pitching, young hitting

The expectations inside the Woodbridge baseball program were higher than outside. The good teams always believe in themselves before anyone else does.

But the Barrons so far in 2022 have been able to walk the walk; they’re off to a 5-0 start and make their debut this week in the Bellamy & Son Paving High School Baseball rankings, entering at No. 6 this week.

Though six seniors graduated nearly a year ago, the pitching staff is by-and-large untouched, only graduating 16 innings of work from the 2021 squad.

In the first five games of the season, that’s led to one shutout and just 13 total runs allowed in the other four games.

But the Barrons also have been resilient at the plate, coming from behind on a couple of occasions as well.

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko speak with Woodbridge head coach Mike Monaco about the Barrons’ 5-0 start:

by Mike Pavlichko

Woodbridge takes four-game win streak into Colonia for twin-bill following rainout

Their aces were on the mound Thursday night, but Mother Nature had other plans.

Josh Vazquez of Woodbridge and Rutgers commit J.T. Kroner of Colonia were duking it out when the rains came, and stopped their game after 3 1/2 innings with the road Patriots ahead 4-3.

In the world of baseball, the stats don’t count, but at the high school level, the pitches do.

Since both eclipsed the 50 pitch mark, neither is available for what will now be a 10 am doubleheader Saturday at Colonia, which you can hear in its entirety on Central Jersey Sports radio by clicking here.

COLONIA PREVIEW: Colonia looks to stay unbeaten in GMC White in home doubleheader against cross-town rival Woodbridge

Coverage begins at 9:45 am with Mike Pavlichko calling all the action. The game is sponsored by Woodbridge Township.

The Barrons (4-2) enter the game on a four-game winning streak after two season-opening losses to Edison, while the Patriots (2-2) are looking to end a two-game skid, having dropped a pair of our-of-conference games to Sparta and Immaculata.

Click below to hear Woodbridge head coach Mike Monaco discuss the season so far, and preview Saturday’s doubleheader against in-town rival Colonia: