Tag: Peter Mueller

April 10, 2026April 10, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

Montgomery has been tested early, looking to heat up as weather gets warmer for Saturday battle with Pingry at TD Bank Park

Peter Mueller – the veteran skipper who has been the Montgomery baseball coach for a quarter century, racking up over 300 wins – knows a thing or two about getting a team ready for the season.

He felt really confident about his team heading into 2026 with a good mix of veterans and younger players, and he still does, despite a 2-4 start to the season against a challenging schedule that’s included the likes of Ridge – a Somerset County Tournament finalist from a year ago, as well as a Hillsborough team that won Central Jersey Group 4, and always-tough-to-beat North Hunterdon.

And well he should.

Saturday afternoon, the Cougars get a chance to move within a game of .500 when they play the home team against Pingry at TD Bank Park in Bridgewater. It’s a 2 pm game you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio with Mike Pavlichko and Chris Tsakonas. Pregame is set for 1:40, click here to listen.

One of the bright spots so far at the plate has been junior Alex Bender, who’s hitting .412 with five runs scored and three stolen bases. Sophomore Michael Englert, an “insanely athletic” left fielder who went 3-for-5 with a triple and five RBI in the season opener – a 13-1 win over Warren Hills – tweaked his knee in that game, and has missed the last five games, but could be back in the lineup against the Big Blue.

On the mound, the Cougars have gotten some good work, but just been on the wrong end of a couple of tough games. And it’s an experienced group, too. Senior Jake Hayes already has thrown a dozen innings, with a 2.84 ERA, but he’s 1-2 on the season, while fellow senior Liam McDonnell is 0-1, but with an ERA of just 1.91. He gave up just two earned runs in a 4-1 loss to Hightstown.

Click below to hear Montgomery head coach Peter Mueller talk about the early season and Saturday’s matchup against Pingry with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

May 7, 2025 by Mike Pavlichko

Hayes goes the distance as Montgomery tops Manville, 5-2, in crossover tune-up before SCT

Montgomery will open play in the Somerset County Tournament Thursday. Manville will do the same Monday.

But before that, the two squared off for a game on the big boys’ field, at TD Bank Park in Bridgewater, home of the Somerset Patriots, and the SCT semifinals and finals.

And Montgomery won at least its fourth straight against the Mustangs – in their first meeting in eleven years – 5-2, thanks in large part to a complete game effort from Cougars’ starter Jake Hayes.

The junior went seven innings, scattering six hits and two runs, while striking out seven.

Montogmery scored first, getting two across in the top of the second. After a leadoff strikeout, Liam McDonnell walked, Alex Bender singled, and Dominic Walker brought in McDonnell with a single. After a walk by Michael Englert loaded the bases, a grounder to third by Mason Neufield brought in the second run.

They would add another in the fourth. After a leadoff walk by Bender, he stole second, moved to third on a groundout.

Manville didn’t have many chances until the fourth, when they loaded the bases with one out on an infield hit by Aidan Johnson and singled by Brandon Shimp and Tyler Johnson. Collin Shimp knocked in Aidan Johnson with a sac fly to center, but a lineout to short stranded two and ended the inning.

The Mustangs got within one in the sixth, Brandon Shimp led off with a double – the only extra base hit of the game – and Evan Canica moved him to third with a single. After a groundout, Colin Shimp knocked in his brother with a single to make it 3-2, but that was as close as they would get.

Up one, Montgomery needed some insurance – and got it. Englert led off with a single, then after a pop up to third, Kenta Komatsu laid down a sac bunt to the pitcher that moved Englert to third. After an intentional walk to Donahue, Henry Maddox singled and drove in Englert, but the ball was bobbled in the outfield, bringing home Donahue to make it 5-3.

In the bottom of the seventh, Hayes found something extra, and sandwiched two groundouts to second around a strikeout to pitch a 1-2-3 inning and end the game, improving to 3-1 on the season. Evan Canica took the loss for Manville, falling to 2-2.

Montgomery – now 4-11 – is the 12-seed in the SCT and will play 13-seed Pingry at 4:30 pm Thursday at Diamond Nation in Flemington in the opening round. Manville travels to Whippany Park Thursday; the Mustangs fall to 9-6.

Click below for postgame reaction from Montgomery starting pitcher Jake Hayes and head coach Peter Mueller, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

May 7, 2025May 7, 2025 by Mike Pavlichko

Manville, Montgomery to play at TD Bank Park Wednesday in first meeting in over a decade

The last time Manville and Montgomery met on the baseball diamond, Barack Obama was president and David Letterman was still on TV every night.

The Cougars won that game 16-1. But this isn’t April 2014.

It’s eleven years later, and the two will meet for the first time in eleven years Wednesday when they square off at TD Bank Park in Bridgewater for a 6 pm game you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio. Mike Pavlichko and Alec Crouthamel will call all the action. Click here to listen.

Montgomery is just 3-11 with a very young team that is still finding its way, Head coach Peter Mueller says a lot of it is growing pains, and self-inflicted wounds.

Manville is 9-5, and earned a first round bye in the upcoming Somerset County Tournament, which actually begins Wednesday, though the Cougars will play their game Thursday at 4:30 at Diamond Nation against 13th-seed Pingry. The Mustangs will are the 10-seed and will visit seventh-seed Hillsborough at 4 pm Monday.

For Manville, they’re also young – there’s not a single senior on the roster – but they have been scrappy enough and gotten enough solid pitching from two key starters to sit four games above .500 coming into Wednesday’s matchup. Junior Evan Canica (2-1, 1.05 ERA) will get the start, but head coach Rob Snyder also will have fellow junior Josh D’Ambrosio available to pitch if he needs to. While he’s 1-2, he’s got the best ERA on the team at 0.91, having thrown 15 1/3 innings, third most on the team this year.

Monty is struggling at the plate, hitting just .206, but is led by John Donahue, who’s hitting .417 with five runs batted in and five extra base hits – a team best – including a home run. Manville’s top hitter is Brandon Shimp, who’s also 4-1 on the mound. He’s batting .441 with a home run and a team-leading 15 walks.

Snyder says the old adage “throw the records out the window” applies here, as he’s not looking at Montgomery’s 3-11 resume. They’re still a small school, a Group 1 going up against a Group 4 that has much more depth.

Click below to hear pregame interviews with both head coaches: