NJSIA – Central Jersey Sports Radio

Last year, they met in the quarterfinals, two years ago for a sectional title in Non-Public North B.

St. Thomas Aquinas and Rutgers Prep will play for a trip back to that title game on Tuesday afternoon, while Immaculata will host Christian Brothers Academy out of Lincroft in the South B semifinals, with all three Central Jersey Sports Radio area teams looking to punch their ticket to a sectional title game.

And Central Jersey Sports Radio has you covered for all three as the state playoffs heat up.

Alec Crouthamel will be in Somerset to bring you live play-by-play of St. Thomas and Rutgers Prep (listen here), while Sean Newcomb will be reporting via Twitter on Immaculata out at Diamond Nation in Flemington. You can find game stories from both – along with postgame reaction – later in the evening at cjsportsradio.com.

Read through for capsules and links for more on Tuesday’s action, followed by Wednesday’s public semifinal schedule.

(3) St. Thomas Aquinas (13-4, 6-8 GMC Red) at (2) Rutgers Prep (17-7, 8-2 Skyland Raritan), 4:30 pm: The Trojans have ended the Argonauts’ season each of the last two years. In 2024, St. Thomas won 5-4 to claim its first sectional title in 18 years. Louis Rizzolo – one of their top pitchers now, but then just a sophomore – came on in relief to get a big out then tied the game with an RBI double as the Trojans had to come from behind for the win. STA would eventually fall to powerhouse Gloucester Catholic in the Group B final in Hamilton.

Last year, the two met in the quarterfinals – playing at Fred Cole Field in Old Bridge – with Rizzolo getting the W in a 6-1 victory over Rutgers Prep, before falling to Montclair-Kimberley in the semis.

Read Alec Crouthamel’s game preview here, including interviews with both head coaches.

Click here to listen to the game live on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

(5) CBA (17-8, 7-3 Shore North A) at (1) Immaculata (22-5, 9-1 Skyland Delaware), 4 pm (at Diamond Nation, Flemington): This will be the first meeting between the schools since 2015, when CBA took a 14-4 win in the semifinals of this section. But that year, the records were basically flipped. CBA went 27-5 and finished the season on a 14-game win streak, taking the Shore Conference Tournament title and the Non-Public South A and State Group A title. Immaculata was just 15-3.

The Spartans will have everyone available for this one, pitching-wise, but the question is: who will head coach Kevin Cust go with? Cole Raymond got the start Tuesday in Immaculata’s regular season finale, a 7-0 win over Rutgers Prep, and pitched very well, allowing just three hits in six innings of work, striking out eight, and not issuing a single walk. We figure Raymond goes here, with Ryan Auten penciled in for a potential title game on Thursday, where they would face the winner of Tuesday’s other semifinal between third-seed Red Bank Catholic (18-8) and second-seed St. Augustine (20-7).

The Spartans have an incredibly balanced lineup, which is hitting .313, with all but one regular hitting .281 or higher. Sophomore Luca Catanzarite is leading the pack, hitting .424 with 19 RBIs and two home runs, while senior Owen Schilling is also tearing it up. hitting .342 with 19 RBI and three home runs.

CBA has won ten straight since a May first, 4-2 loss to Ranney in the Monmouth County Tournament, which left the Colts 7-8 on the year. Luke Grbic won the opener in the first round, 9-2 over 12-seed Camden Catholic, while Danny DiTullio got the W in a 9-2 road win at fourth-seed Union Catholic on Thursday. It should be Grbic back on the mound in the semis, which would line DiDtullio up for the final, should they beat Immaculata.

The Colts also can hit, batting .336 as a team, led by junior first baseman Michael Knox among the regulars, hitting .411 with 12 RBI and two home runs. Senior Jayden Matecjicka is hitting .407 with a team best 21 RBI and three homers. And overall, they’re about as balanced as the Spartans.

Follow Sean Newcomb on Twitter for updates.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3

Central Jersey Group 4 Semifinals

(4) Hightstown (18-7) at (1) Old Bridge (20-9), 5 pm
(7) Jackson Twp. (12-15) at (3) Hunterdon Central (16-13), 2:30 pm

Central Jersey Group 1 Semifinals

(5) Shore (19-8) at (1) Middlesex (22-5), 4 pm
(3) Point Pleasant Beach (16-6) at (2) Piscataway Magnet (25-3), 4 pm (Follow Alec Crouthamel on Twitter for updates)

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4