Tag: South Plainfield

by Mike Pavlichko

County tournaments wreak havoc on Top Ten, but not at the top; Immaculata still reigns heading into SCT semis Monday

A week of relative stability in the Bellamy & Son Paving High School Baseball rankings was short-lived.

While Immaculata remained the No. 1 team this week, nearly everyone else shuffled around, much of it centered around upsets and surprises in the GMC Tournament, which saw top-seed Edison get knocked out in the quarterfinals, and second-seed Middlesex eliminated in the semifinals, with finalists Old Bridge and Monroe rising in the rankings.

Immaculata (18-4) was one of just two teams to have a perfect Week 7, going 4-0. They opened with a 17-3 win at DePaul on Tuesday, then won their opener in the Somerset County Tournament, beating eight-seed Montgomery 11-1 in six innings in the quarterfinals on Thursday. They then won two Skyland Conference games, beating Voorhees 8-0 on Friday, and winning 7-2 at Phillipsburg on Saturday. The Spartans will host five-seed Bridgewater Monday afternoon at 4 pm in the SCT semis at TD Bank Park in Bridgewater. Listen to the game here, or watch it on our YouTube channel.

Climbing from No. 6 to No. 2 is GMC Tournament finalist Old Bridge (17-8). The Knights may the hottest team in the area, having won eight straight, going 4-0 each of the past two weeks, and it even looks like it earned them a top seed in Central Jersey Group 4. (Brackets will be announced by the NJSIAA on Tuesday.) Old Bridge opened the week with a 1-0 win over 14-seed Sayreville in the GMCT first round on Monday. After a non-conference win over Manalapan, 12-3, on Tuesday, the Knights beat six-seed Woodbridge 1-0 in eight innings at home in the GMC quarterfinals on Wednesday, then knocked off No. 2 seed Middlesex, 9-3 in eight innings on Saturday afternoon in the semis. Old Bridge will face Monroe in the title game Saturday at 2 pm at Rutgers’ Bainton Field in Piscataway.

Watchung Hills (13-7) moves up from five to No. 4, going 2-2 in the past week. The Hustlin’ Warriors fell 9-2 at home to Holmdel on Wednesday, but won their Somerset County Tournament opener over ten-seed Franklin, 9-5, on Thursday afternoon in the quarterfinals. They won 6-5 at Madison Friday, but fell at home to Livingston 5-4 on Saturday afternoon. Monday, they’re in the SCT semis at TD Bank Park in Bridgewater against third-seed Ridge. Listen to the game here, or watch it on our YouTube channel.

Ridge (14-8) holds at No. 4, after a 1-2 week, but they won the most important one. After a 6-3 loss at Seton Hall Prep on Monday, and a 7-4 home loss to Mendham on Tuesday, the Red Devils beat six-seed Hillsborough in the Somerset County Tournament quarterfinals, 7-0, on Thursday afternoon. Ridge will seek a sixth straight trip to the SCT title game Monday when they play second-seed Watchung Hills in the semis at 1 pm. You can hear the game here, or watch it live on our YouTube channel.

At five, it’s Middlesex (20-3), down two spots after falling in the GMC Tournament semifinals Saturday afternoon, 9-3 to Old Bridge, a game in which they erased a 3-0 deficit over the final two innings, but saw the Knights explode for six in the top of the eighth. But the Blue Jays did go 2-1 last week, beating 12-seed South River Monday in the first round, 12-2, then seven-seed St. Thomas Aquinas in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, 3-0.

Edison (17-6) drops down from three to No. 6. The Eagles were 3-1 last week, opening on Monday with a 10-0 win over 17-seed Piscataway Magnet in the GMC Tournament’s first round. But they got knocked off by nine-seed and eventual finalist Monroe, falling 9-1 Wednesday afternoon. The Eagles rebounded, though, with a 5-2 win over South Brunswick on Thursday, and a 7-2 non-conference home win over Nottingham on Saturday.

Monroe (12-12) re-enters the rankings after a two-week hiatus at No. 6. The Falcons went 4-0 in the past week, starting with a win Monday at eight-seed Colonia, 9-2 in the GMC Tournament’s first round. Wednesday, in the quarters, they won at top-seed Edison, 9-1, then took a break with an 8-1 win over Manasquan at home on Thursday, before knocking off five-seed South Plainfield, 1-0, in Saturday’s GMCT semifinals. That puts Monroe in the championship game this Saturday at 2 pm at Rutgers’ Bainton Field in Piscataway.

Rutgers Prep (13-5) falls one spot to No. 8, after a 1-1 week. They beat eight-seed Newark Academy in the opening round of the Prep B Tournament on Wednesday, 6-1, sending them to the semifinals on Tuesday at 4 pm at home against Princeton Day. But they lost Thursday in the Somerset County Tournament quarterfinals, falling 10-5 in eight innings to fifth-seed Bridgewater-Raritan, which will face Immaculata in Monday’s second semifinal, with first pitch set for 4 pm.

Holding at No. 9 is South Plainfield (13-11), which had a 2-1 week, all in the GMC Tournament. They won their first-round game Monday, 2-1, over 12-seed St. Joseph-Metuchen, then topped four-seed Metuchen, 7-6, in Wednesday’s quarterfinals, before falling Saturday, 1-0, to nine-seed Monroe.

Dropping out is Metuchen (18-6), which had a 4-1 week, knocked out of the GMC Tournament in the quarterfinals by five-seed South Plainfield on Wednesday, 7-6.

Below is the complete Bellamy & Son Paving H.S. Baseball Top Ten for Week Seven:

by Mike Pavlichko

INSTANT REPLAY – GMC Tournament Semifinals: (9) Monroe 1, (5) South Plainfield 0

Catcher Justin Mangano drove in the lone run of the game, while Ben Faigin threw a complete game, one-hitter, striking out 13 in a 1-0 win for ninth-seed Monroe over fifth-seed South Plainfield in the Jim Muldowney GMC Tournament Semifinals. It’ll be Monroe’s first time in the GMC title game since 2017.

READ THE FULL GAME STORY HERE!

Click below to watch the full game as Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe call all the play-by-play live from Ray Cipperly Field in East Brunswick on May 16, 2026.

by Mike Pavlichko

Faigin’s one-hit gem, Mangano’s double in 7th send Monroe past South Plainfield in GMCT semifinals

When the last swing-and-a-miss on Monroe starting pitcher Ben Faigin’s 13th strikeout Saturday ended the GMC Tournament’s first semifinial of the day, he threw his glove up in the air, partying like it was 2017, or maybe 2015.

2015 was the last time the Falcons won the GMC Tournament , and 2017 was the last time they made it to the title game.

Now, they’re back in it, and will play next Saturday at 2 pm in the GMC’s Jim Muldowney Tournament final at Rutgers’ Bainton Field in Piscataway against the winner of today’s second semifinal between two-seed Middlesex and third-seed Old Bridge.

And the win was not just thanks to Faigin, but also to his catcher James Mangano, who besides calling and backstopping a fantastic game for his senior, Rutgers-bound starter, delivered a two-out double in the top of the seventh inning to drive in center fielder Tyler Bacon, who’d reached on a one-out single.

A pitchers’ duel all the way, Faigin and South Plainfield’s Aiden McCarthy were cruising, even though McCarthy nearly gave Monroe a lead in the top of the first. Mangano led off with a second-pitch single, and McCarthy walked – maybe pitched around? – Fagin, hitting .522 enteritng the game. But he got a strikeout, pop out and fly out to end the inning, the biggest threat by either team until the seventh.

And after Monroe took the 1-0 lead, South Plainfield still had a chance in its final at bat, with Faigin only having 15 pitches to work with before hitting the 110 limit. With two out, Anhtony CIcenia walked, bringing up freshman second baseman Gabe Garcia.

He worked a 3-2 count, and during that, Cicenia stole second on a pitch that went to the backstop, but came quickly back to Mangano. Cicenia beat the throw, overslid the base, but it was ruiled he got back in time to avoid another tag.

But Faigin bore down and got the strikeout, sending Monroe to the GMC title game.

Click below to hear postgame reaction from Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Justin Sontupe with Monroe’s Ben Faigin, Justin Mangano, and head coach Sean Fiels, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

by Mike Pavlichko

Battle-tested GMC Red foes South Plainfield, Monroe set to go in first GMCT semifinal Saturday

It’s almost like the standings don’t matter.

Sure, we hear that all the time, but the GMC Red Division is a gauntlet, and just about any team could come out of there and win the GMC Tournament. That’s the general consensus.

And at least one of these teams will have a crack at it, as fifth-seed South Plainfield and ninth-seed Monroe will do battle Saturday in the first of two semifinals in the Jim Muldowney GMC Tournament at East Brunswick Magnet School.

Central Jersey Sports Radio will have live coverage, followed by Middlesex and Old Bridge in the second game at 2:30 pm.

Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe will call all the play-by-play; click here to listen or watch here on our YouTube channel.

Here’s a closer look at the first semifinal game of the day:

(5) South Plainfield (13-10) vs. (9) Monroe (11-12)
at East Brunswick Magnet School
12 noon on Central Jersey Sports Radio
Audio Stream: (LISTEN LIVE)
Video Stream: (WATCH LIVE)

PROBABLE PITCHERS:
South Plainfield: Aiden McCarthy (6-1, 2.67 ERA)
Monroe: Ben Faigin (5-1, 1.55 ERA)

PREVIEW STORIES:

HOW THEY GOT HERE:

South Plainfield: The Tigers have had a series of streaks this season. They won two, lost three, won three, lost two, won two, and so on. But the only streak that mattes now is the two straight they’ve won coming into Saturday’s game, both in the GMC Tournament. In Monday’s first round, they Ninth-seed Monroe seeks its highest point of rollercoaster season, trip to title game in GMC Tourney semifinals, picking up a 2-1 victory. In the quarterfinals on Wednesday, they won another squeaker, 7-6 over Metuchen, getting out of a first-and-third two-out jam in the bottom of the seventh with a 1-6-3-4-5 pickoff of the potential tying baserunner on third.

Monroe: The Falcons have been on a bit of a rollercoaster, too, and came into the GMC Tournament having lost eight of their last nine games. But they’ve been hot in the county event, scoring nine runs in both games, and allowing only three runs total. First, they knocked off eight-seed Colonia 9-2 on Monday in the first round, then bounced top-seed Edison 9-1 in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

TOP HITTERS:

South Plainfield: The Tigers’ all-time hits leader, Dom Massaro – with 150 over four seasons – almost can’t get out. He’s hitting a whopping .571 this season with 25 runs batted in, and leads the team in those categories, as well as hits (48), doubles (17) and stolen bases (19). But others like Andrew Bena and Aiden McCarthy – who’ll be on the mound Saturday, can hit as well. McCarthy is batting .315 with 22 RBIs and two home runs. (Massaro has a pair, as well.)

Monroe: The Falcons’ starting pitcher is tearing the cover off the ball as well, hitting .522 with 16 runs batted in and two homers. That’s Ben Faigin, while his battery mate, senior catcher Justin Mangano, is hitting .387 with nine runs batted in. Their llineip is a little more top heavy than the Tigers. Faigin also leads the team in stolen bases with 20, and they’ve swiped 49 this year, more than any of the other three teams vying for a trip to the finals this weekend.

LAST FINALS BERTH:

South Plainfield: The Tigers were in the finals two years ago as the top-seed, but lost to third-seed Old Bridge, 6-5. We could see that matchup again, with the Knights taking on Middlesex in the second semifinal Saturday afternoon. South Plainfield has been to six finals, but won their only one in 2018 as the 14th-seed, topping 12-seed Perth Amboy 2-1 in 12 innings. They’ve also had finals appearances in 2014, 2011, 1991, and 1990, and are 5-1 in GMC title games.

Monroe: The Falcons last made the GMC Finals in 2017, when they were the sixth-seed and lost to top-seed St. Joseph-Metuchen, 1-0. Two years prior they won their first trophy as the second, seed, blanking eight-seed Sayreville, 1-0, in eight innings. At 1-3 in finals, they also reached the title game in 2013 and 1994

PAST COVERAGE:

South Plainfield

Monroe

by justinsontupe

Ninth-seed Monroe seeks its highest point of rollercoaster season, trip to title game in GMC Tourney semifinals

Are the ninth-seeded Monroe Falcons, at 11-12 and a win away from a trip to the county title game a Cinderella?

It’s tough to say.

The lows have been low: losses in eight of nine entering the Jim Muldowney GMC Championship Tournament. But the highs have been very high: a 5-1 start and a mid-April upset win over perennial state power Red Bank Catholic. To date, it’s the only victory by a GMC team over a club currently ranked in the state Top 20 all season long.

“I told the guys we’ve just got to stay consistent,” said Monroe head coach Sean Field. “We’re built for the playoffs. The games that we’ve lost, we’ve been right in them right till the very end. Once the playoffs come, we’ve got to start playing our best baseball, and that’s what we’ve been doing.”

The Falcons took down 8th-seeded Colonia, 9-2, in the tournament’s first round on Monday. Ben Faigin, who is penciled in as Monroe’s semifinal starter, struck out 13 batters in a complete game effort.

Monroe followed that by taking care of top-seeded Edison, 9-1, in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. Faigin launched a two-run home run and Andre Love struck out 11 Eagles in a complete game of his own.

Senior catcher Justin Mangano has been the catalyst at the top of the lineup. He has 6 hits and 3 RBIs over the two GMC tournament games.

In what has been a season of ups and downs, the Falcons find themselves in position to do something the school hasn’t done since 2017: play in a GMC final. South Plainfield (13-10) – which has already beaten Monroe twice this season – stands in the way at East Brunswick Magnet School on Saturday afternoon.

First pitch is set for 12:00 and coverage begins on Central Jersey Sports Radio at 11:40 with Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe on the call.  That’s the first of a doubleheader, with the second game featuring second-seed Middlesex and third-seed Old Bridge. Both games can be heard live by clicking this link, and can also be seen here, with a video stream on our YouTube channel.

Click below to hear Monroe head coach Sean Field with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Justin Sontupe:

by Mike Pavlichko

How has GMC Tourney first round, quarterfinals affected playoff race?  And there’s more to come Saturday

It’s the last week of play in New Jersey high school baseball before the NJSIAA cutoff, which is this Saturday.

All games played through Saturday, whether regular season or in county tournaments, are considered for qualification, with the top 16 power point values included in the formula.

Some teams will pick up extra games this week to try and improve their standing, but others are locked in to county Tournament play, like in the GMC, which had its first round on Monday, quarterfinals Wednesday, and will play its semifinals Saturday afternoon at East Brunswick Magnet School. 

You can hear those games live on Central Jersey Sports Radio by clicking here.

So, how did some of those games affect the top teams?  We take a look.

Edison, Monroe, Old Bridge in Central Jersey Group 4:  The Eagles had been atop the section for the past few weeks, but dropped to third last week while Old Bridge claimed the top spot partly on the strength of a 4-0 week.  But Edison took it back after Monday’s 10-0 first round win in the GMCT over then 20-1 Piscataway Magnet, giving them the maximum power points you could get (48) and netting 40 after their 8-point loss to Columbia (its lowest value among the best 16) dropped off as a result.  But with Monroe knocking off the Eagles Wednesday, and Old Bridge beating Metuchen, the Knights are back on top as of Thursday morning, at 16-8 (29.746).  Edison fell to second (15-6, 28.611), and now they may not be able to make up that ground, since Old Bridge will play Middlesex in the GMCT semifinals Saturday at 2:30 pm.  A Knights’ loss may not even do it, depending how other games go.

Monroe (10-12, 23.596) climbed a bit, from seventh to sixth, since our last update Sunday, but at a little more than three full points behind fourth-place Hightstown (15-5, 27.088), the Falcons probably can’t get that high, but have a good shot to finish in the top with, guaranteeing them home field at least through the sectional semis.

Middlesex, Piscataway Magnet in Central Jersey Group 1:  The Blue Jays (20-2, 32.482) remain in first – though it’s slightly narrower than before – over second-place Piscataway Magnet (21-2, 29.079), and we think they’re going to hold on regardless what happens Saturday against Old Bridge.  The Raiders weren’t hurt place-wise by their loss to Edison Monday on the GMCT first round, but they’re lead over third-place Point Pleasant Beach (13-4, 28.572) is down from over one point to 0.505.  the Garnet Gulls have 16-win Colts Neck Saturday in the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals Saturday.

South Plainfield in North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3:  The Tigers (13-10, 24.708) pulled ahead of North Plainfield (16.8, 23.373) since Sunday, no doubt helped by a 7-6 win Wednesday in the GMC Tournament quarterfinals over Metuchen, which was worth 41 points, their highest value for any game. Saturday, in the semifinals, a win over Monroe would be worth about 27 points, and a net gain of 16 (their lowest game is an 11-point defeat at the hands of Red Bank Catholic, which Monroe beat earlier this season). And with North Plainfield only having one more game before the cutoff against eight-win Warren Hills, and Middletown North (10-10, 21.842) almost three points back, we think South Plainfield should be able to hold on to the No. 4 spot.

by Mike Pavlichko

GMCT Quarterfinal Roundup: Monroe ousts top-seed Edison, Old Bridge wins pitchers duel, Middlesex tops Aquinas, South Plainfield holds off Metuchen

The Jim Muldowney GMC Championship Tournament semifinals are set for Saturday after a wild quarterfinal round on Wednesday.

The biggest story line of the night was top-seed Edison getting eliminated by nine-seed Monroe, which now appears to be the tournament’s Cinderella, having beaten two higher-seeded teams to make it to Saturday’s semis at East Brunswick Magnet School.

Scroll through for full recaps of all games, including links to separate game stories on Edison-Monroe and Middlesex-St. Thomas Aquinas, including postgame interviews and a look ahead to Saturday’s matchups, which can be heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio, with Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe on the call:

(9) Monroe 9, (1) Edison 0: Coming into the season, the Eagles had three starting pitchers headed to Division 1 schools, a nice luxury to have. And while Mounmouth-bound Connor Murphy has been outstanding, Robert Roma and Dom Innocenti – both of whom will play at Wagner – have been beset by injuries of late. Innocenti hasn’t taken the mound since a 14-0 loss to Woodbridge on April 23, and Roma – though his team won all four games – had only thrown five times for the Eagles, never going more than three innings in each of his last four appearances.

But he had trouble early on Wednesday, facing just four batters and giving up a single, two doubles and a walk, and two runs before being pulled by head coach Vinnie Abene. And Monroe did more damage with three int he second, one in the fourth, and three in the third.

The Falcons pounded out eleven hits, with Alex Marcus picking up four RBIs, while Justin Mangano went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI.

Click here to read Nick Hart’s game story, with postgame reaction from starter Andre Love, catcher Justin Mangano and head coach Sean Field, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen!

(5) South Plainfield 7, (4) Metuchen 6: The Tigers (13-10) saw a 3-0 lead slip away early, and nearly saw a 7-3 lead go by the boards, but hung on in the end to pull off the upset at Metuchen (16-6).

Dom Massaro went 3-for-5, scoring twice, as did Aiden McCarthy and Andrew Bena, and South Plainfield also capitalized on five Bulldog errors. Bena went 5 2/3 innings and got the win, allowing six runs on eight hits, striking out five, while Jayden Jiminez closed it out.

Massaro led off the game with a double, and after a walk to McCarthy, Bena drove in a run with a double. A sac bunt and a strikeout followed, but a single by Anthony Cicenia to center drove in two to make it 3-0.

But Metuchen clawed right back. James Fenton hit a one-out two-run homer in the bottom of the inning to cut it to 3-2, and Matt Jelleme had an RBI single in the second to even things up.

The two played the next three innings scoreless before South Plainfield burst out with four runs in the top of the sixth. Alex Pigna reached on an error, and Dom Massaro replaced him, reaching on a fielder’s choice to second. McCarthy then followed with a single to right to give the Tigers a 4-3 lead.

But South Plainfield wanted more, and they got it. Bena hit a ball to second and reached on an error, bringing in McCarthy to make it 5-3. Chris Loniewski reached on an error by the shortstop. After Ed Budzinski struck out, Cicenia hit a ball to third, and yet another error allowed him to reach, scored Bena, and gave the Tigers a 6-3 lead. The seventh run came in on a line drive single to left by Gabriel Garcia.

Now, it was Metuchen’s turn to keep things interesting. After a fly ball out, Sean Dereka walked, Ryan Alessi singled, and Mason Messina was plunked by Bena. Joseph Tamburello popped out to short center, leaving the bases loaded with two outs. Jelleme got hit to cut it to 7-4, then James Fenton drove in two with a single to left to make it 7-6, before Cooper Crawford grounded into a fielder’s choice, with Cicenia tossing to second for the force.

South Plainfield had two on with two out in the top of the seventh, but failed to get an insurance run. Then, Metuchen got back to business. After a ground out, Lucas Malamug and Sean Dereka hit back-to-back singles. A line out to right by Alessi made the second out.

Then, with an 0-2 count on the next hitter, Jiminez – who came on in relief with two out in the sixth – stepped off the rubber. Dereka on first took off, and Jiminez threw to the shortstop covering. Now in a rundown, the Tigers saw Malamug off third base, and they threw to the third-baseman Pigna, who tagged Malamug for the final out.

Click here for postgame reaction from South Plainfield head coach Scott Gleichenhaus with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko.

(2) Middlesex 3, (7) St. Thomas Aquinas 0: The Blue Jays are back in the semifinals for a second straight year, thanks in large part to yet another outstanding performance from Chris Kozak, who scattered three hits in a complete-game shutout, taking only 89 pitches to do it.

Scoreless through three, Middlesex broke through in the third with Sean Hughes scoring on a wild pitch, and pinch-hitter extraordinaire Dalton Michael driving in two with a single to left field; all three runs came with two outs, and it was all Middlesex needed.

Click here to read Alec Crouthamel’s game story, with postgame reaction from seniors Chris Kozak, Marcus Lavornia and head coach Blaze Iannetti, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen.

(3) Old Bridge 1, (6) Woodbridge 0: For the second straight game, the Knights (16-8) won a 1-0 game, but this time it was in extra innings, on a walkoff single by Erich Schickschneit. Hits were at a premium, as Old Bridge outhit the Barrons 6-3. And they almost broke the game open in the bottom of the first.

After a one, two, three top of the inning, Chris Crosta led off the home half getting hit by a pitch. Matt Chin struck out, Jared Volpe singled, Rocco Pluchino struck out, and Schickschneit was intentionally walked to load the bases. But Michael Chiarella struck out to end the inning.

All the while, the starting pitchers were dealing. Woodbridge’s Michael Gurovich pitched into the eighth, allowing just three more hits the rest of the game, striking out ten. Blake Dunleavy allowed just three hits and struck out four.

Tied at the end of seven, the game went to extras. Dunleavey threw a solid eighth, getting three groundouts. In the bottom of the inning for Old Bridge, Jared Volpe singled to center with one out. Diego Colon struck out, and Schnickschneit came up. Jared Volpe stole second – his second steal of the game – and on a 1-1 pitch, Schickschneit got the game-winning hit.

It’ll be a second trip to the GMC Tournament semifinals in three years for Old Bridge, which won it all back in 2024.

Click here for postgame reaction from Old Bridge head coach Matt Donaghue with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

Jim Muldowney GMC Championship Tournament Semifinals
Saturday, May 16, at East Brunswick Magnet School

  • 12 pm: (5) South Plainfield (13-10) vs. (9) Monroe (10-12)
  • 2:30 pm: (3) Old Bridge (16-8) vs. (2) Middlesex (20-2)

You can hear both games live on Central Jersey Sports Radio with Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe on the call by clicking here.

Jim Muldowney GMC Championship Tournament Final
Saturday, May 23, at East Brunswick Magnet School (2 pm – LIVE on CJSR)

by Mike Pavlichko

GMCT Recap:  Monroe knocks off Colonia in only first round upset, as seven other higher seeds advance

Top-seed Edison and the rest of the top seven seeds advanced Monday in the GMC’s Jim Muldowney Championship Tournament, with only eight-seed Colonia getting upset.

It was a chalk Monday in the tournament, which has been fairly lucky in the first two rounds with weather. Rain had been in the forecast at one point or another for the first three days of the event, including Saturday’s preliminary round.

But all those games got off without a hitch – even if a few raindrops fell, it was nothing major – and Monday turned out to be a gorgeous day, with temps in the low 60s under mostly cloudy skies until about an hour into the 4 pm games, when the sun shone for the rest of the later afternoon.

Here’s a recap of all eight games, followed by the schedule for Wednesday’s quarterfinals, which – as of 11 pm Monday – has a round a 50 percent chance of showers between the hours of 4 and 6 pm. Any games not played Wednesday likely move to Thursday, with temperatures around 67 degrees, showers in the morning, but a mix of sun and clouds by afternoon.

(1) Edison 10, (17) Piscataway Magnet 5: The Eagles (15-5) scored early and often, getting five in the first and five in the second, more than enough runs for senior Connor Murphy, who struck out 13 and allowed just one infield hit and three baserunners in the game.

Read a full recap of the contest here, along with postgame reaction from sophomore Sam Kentos (2 triples, 4 RBI), Murphy, and head coach Vinnie Abene, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen.

Piscataway Magnet took just its second loss of the season to drop to 20-2.

The Eagles – a GMCT finalist last season – will host nine-seed Monroe in Wednesday’s quarterfinals. They split their two-game set in early April, with Edison winning the opener 7-1 on the at home, and Monroe getting a 2-0 shutout in the rematch at home.

(9) Monroe 9, (8) Colonia 2: With ace Colin Kroner sidelined due to injury, the Falcons (9-12) jumped out to a 3-0 lead, then added six more in the middle three innings to take a 9-1 lead, and allowed one sixth-inning run to the Patriots (10-7), who used four pitchers to get through the game. Starter Ryan Totin, who went 3 1/3 innings, took the loss, allowing five earned runs.

Matt Linke, Justin Mangamo and Michael Cinque drove in two runs apiece for the Falcons, who had dropped eight of nine coming in after a 7-4 start. Starting pitcher Ben Fagin was solid, scattering two hits and allowing just one unearned run, striking out 13 in a complete game effort.

Click here to listen to Monroe head coach Sean Field talk with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko about the Falcons’ win over the Patriots.

In the quarterfinals, Monroe will be at Edison on Wednesday. The teams split this season.

(5) South Plainfield 2, (12) St. Joseph-Metuchen 1: For the Tigers (12-10), they don’t come up bigger than Aiden McCarthy in big spots. The senior pitcher scattered five hits in a complete game effort, allowing one earned run, striking out ten, to improve to 6-1 on the season.

South Plainfield got out to a 1-0 lead in the botom of the first on a sac fly to right by Chris Loniewski. St. Joseph (5-15) – the defending tournament champs – tied it in the top of the fourth with a single by Logan ring, but the Tigers got the lead back in the home half of the inning when Dom Massaro was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, scoring Ed Budzinski.

The win puts the Tigers in Wednesday’s quarterfinals at fourth-seed Metuchen (15-5), a team they have not faced since 2018.

(4) Metuchen 3, (13) Spotswood 0: Starter James Fenton went 6 1/3 innings, allowing just three hits while striking out 15, and Matt Jelleme closed out the final two-thirds for the win. The Bulldogs (15-5) got an RBI from Matt Jelleme in ousting the Chargers (11-2), a GMCT semifinalist a year ago.

Metuchen will host 5th-seed South Plainfield (12-10) in Wednesday’s quarterfinals, the first meeting between the teams since 2018.

(3) Old Bridge 1, (14) Sayreville 0:  In a pitchers’ duel, the Knights (14-8) got a four-hit shutout from Brady Meyer, and got the only run they needed in the bottom of the fourth inning – when Jared Volpe scored on a passed ball with Erich Schikchneit at the plate – in taking the tight victory over the Bombers (9-11).

Both starting pitchers went the distance in this one. Meyer walked four but struck out seven, while Jack Martyn of Sayreville allowed one earned run on five hits in six innings of of work. He threw just 70 pitches; while Meyer threw only 85.

In the quarterfinals on Wednesday, the Knights will host sixth-seed Woodbridge (12-7), a team they beat twice this year, but both by slim margins: 2-1 at home on April 2nd, and 9-7 on the road two days later.

(6) Woodbridge 7, (11) East Brunswick 1: The Bears (6-13) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth, opening the scoring in the game, but it was all Barrons (12-7) from there on out, as they tied it in the bottom of the inning, then blew it open with five in the fifth before adding a seventh run in the sixth.

Jaidon Coello got East Brunswick on the board with a single in the fourth, but the lead was short-lived, as Xavier Diaz hit a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the inning, tying the game at one.

In the fifth, Woodbridge got another homer, this time a leadoff blast from Nate Langon to make it 2-1. Then, after a walk to Hogan Boyd, a single by Kevin Arroyo, and another walk to Jack Kobylakiewicz, a third walk – this time to Gavin Slicner – made it 3-1. Diaz singled to make it 4-1, Nick Lukachyk followed with one of his own to make it 6-1, more than enough to give the Barrons the win.

Arroyo got the win, scattering three hits across seven innings, needing just 98 pitches to finish, also recording seven strikeouts.

Next up, Woodbridge visits Old Bridge in Wednesday’s quarterfinals. The Knights took both games from the Barrons this season, 2-1 and 9-7.

(7) St. Thomas Aquinas 3, (10) South Brunswick 2: After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the first, the Trojans (9-12) got three in the home half to take a 3-1 lead they’d never relinquish in beating the Vikings (9-8).

Louis Rizzolo was masterful, improving to 6-0 on the season thanks to a two-hit complete game in which he struck out 13 and allowed two runs, one earned.

The first came in South Brunswick’s first at bat after Ayden Antigua – who reached on an error – scored with two outs. Starting pitcher Collin Perna drove in the other run with a single in the third.

But Aquinas got all three of its runs in the bottom of the first. Nikash Patel singled to drive in Adrian Sanchez, who had reached on a one-out double, then after a single by Tyler Coello, Justin Brown drove in Patel and Coello with a single.

Perna took the loss for South Brunswick, throwing 5 1/3, striking out six and walking one. All three runs were earned.

St. Thomas will visit second-seed Middlesex (19-2) – a GMC semifinalist last year – in Wednesday’s quarterfinals. The teams haven’t met this year, but split two games last season.

(2) Middlesex 12, (15) South River 2: The Blue Jays (19-2) won their fourth straight – and 15th in their last 16 games dating back exactly one month to April 11 – as they topped the Rams (16-6) in a five-inning, ten-run rule victory.

After getting a run in the first on a Luke Jones sacrifice fly that scored Marcus Lavornia – who’d stolen third after he reached on an error and sac bunt got him to second – Middlesex broke it open with five runs in the second. With the bases loaded and one out, Lavornia singled to make it 2-0, Dylan Ianiero walked to bring in Chris Kozak, Jones flied out to right to bring in Lavornia, and Sean Hughes drove in two with a double to left to make it 6-0.

And after the Rams got on the board in the top of the third on an RBI double by Hunter Krainski and a sac fly by Noah Barrero, Middlesex simply added six more in the bottom of the inning, then held the Rams the rest of the way. Jones, who finished with four runs batted in, was key in that inning with a two-run double.

Dom long got the win for Middlesex, going four innings, striking out six, and allowing two earned runs. Dalton Michael closed it out in the fifth, allowing just a two out single.

The Jays will host St. Thomas Aquinas (9-12) in Wednesday’s quarterfinals.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13 – GMC JIM MULDOWNEY CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTERFINALS

  • (9) Monroe at (1) Edison (follow Nick Hart on Twitter for updates and a game recap)
  • (5) South Plainfield at (4) Metuchen
  • (6) Woodbridge at (3) Old Bridge
  • (7) St. Thomas Aquinas at (2) Middlesex (follow Alec Crouthamel on Twitter for updates and a game recap)

SATURDAY, MAY 16 – GMC JIM MULDOWNEY CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT SEMIFINALS (at East Brunswick Magnet)

  • Semifinal #1: 12 pm
  • Semifinal #2: 2:30 pm (highest remaining seed)

SATURDAY, MAY 23 – GMC JIM MULDOWNEY CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT FINAL (at East Brunswick Magnet)

  • Final: 2 pm
by Mike Pavlichko

After much shuffling, stability returns to Week 6 Bellamy & Son Paving baseball Top Ten

Division play is all done, county tournaments are underway, and crossovers and non-conference games took center stage last week in the GMC and Somerset County.

And while eight of the teams in last week’s top ten took at least one loss, that was a recipe for a break in the volatility of the Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten for Week Six.

In fact, only three teams moved around this week, one dropped out, and the top five remained the same, led once again by Immaculata (14-4) for a sixth straight week. The Spartans opened the week with a 10-0 loss on Tuesday at No. 5 Watchung Hills. But that didn’t knock them from the top spot, nor did it cost them the No. 1 seed in the Somerset County Tournament, which the coaches voted on that very night. But due to Skyland Conference scheduling, Immaculata never got a crack at the Warriors a second time before the seeding meeting, and with a 6-0 Immaculata win at Diamond Nation in Flemington Thursday over Watchung Hills, they split the series. The Spartans finished out the week with a 5-2 win Saturday over The Hun School. They’re next play Tuesday at DePaul.

Holding in second is Middlesex (18-2), which went 3-0 in the week gone by. They beat two GMC Red Division teams in crossovers, topping St. Joseph-Metuchen 8-7 on Monday, then winning 10-8 at East Brunswick on Wednesday. Yet, it was not enough to give them the top-seed over Edison in the GMC Tournament, which was seeded Friday morning. Still, the Blue Jays beat then-No. 6 Rutgers Prep on Saturday at Mountainview Park, 7-1. Middlesex is back in action Monday afternoon against South River in the first round of the GMCT.

Speaking of Edison (14-5), the Eagles fell Monday to Metuchen, 6-5, but rebounded with a 16-2 win Tuesday over East Brunswick and a 1-0 win Wednesday over Spotswood. Edison did indeed get the top seed in the Jim Muldowney GMC Championship Tournament, and will host Piscataway Magnet in the GMC’s first round Monday afternoon.

At No. 4 again this week is is Ridge (13-6), which dropped its first game of the week, 9-5, to Hillsborough on Tuesday, but rebounded with two home wins: 4-3 over Bridgewater-Raritan on Wednesday, and 8-0 over Somerville on Friday. The Red Devils are back in action Monday afternoon when they take on St. Peter’s Prep out of Jersey City.

Holding at No. 5 is Watchung Hills (11-5). The Warriors were just 1-2 in the week gone by, but their first loss came to defending state Group 2 champion Governor Livingston on Monday, 12-2. They bounced back with a 10-0 home win over Immaculata Tuesday, though it was not enough to give them the top-seed in the Somerset County Tournament, having lost twice to Ridge, which in turn had lost twice to the Spartans. And the Warriors had to settle for a split with Immaculata after taking a 6-0 loss at the hands of the Spartans Thursday out at Diamond Nation in Flemington. Watchung Hills has a few days off before a Thursday Somerset County Tournament quarterfinal game, where they’ll host the winner of Monday’s second round game between Somerville and Franklin.

Moving up two spots on a the strength of a 4-0 week is Old Bridge (13-8), which rises to No. 6. The Knights won 10-4 at Colonia on Monday, then beat Metuchen, 8-0, on Wednesday. They welcomed in Bridgewater-Raritan from Somerset County on Friday and won 5-4, before taking down Jersey City’s St. Peter’s Prep Saturday, 3-1. Old Bridge is back in action at home Monday against Sayreville in the first round of the GMC Tournament.

That drops Rutgers Prep (12-4) one spot to seventh, after the Argonauts split four games in the past week. The beat Bridgewater-Raritan 12-8 on Monday, then lost a pitchers’ duel out at North Hunterdon, 1-0, on Tuesday. Prep bounced back with a 10-0 home win over the Lions Thursday to split the home-and-home, but lost Saturday at Middlesex, 7-1. Next up, the Argonauts play Newark Academy on Wednesday.

Also down a spot to No. 8 is Colonia (10-6). The Patriots only played two games this past week, and split. Monday, they lost 10-4 at home to Old Bridge, but they came back to beat St. Joseph-Metuchen on Wednesday, 3-2. Colonia is back in action hosting Monroe in the first round of the GMC Tournament on Monday.

Holding at No. 9 is South Plainfield (11-10). The Tigers went 3-2 in a busy week gone by, winning their first three games: Monday 3-1 at Spotswood, Tuesday 10-5 at Monroe, and Thursday at home, 14-4, over JFK. But on Friday, they lost 5-4 at Sayreville in a crossover with the White Division, then fell 19-9 in a full seven innings to Red Bank Catholic on Saturday.

Making its season debut in the Top Ten is Metuchen (14-5). They enter at No. 9 after a 2-1 week that began in fine fashion with a 6-5 win over No. 3 Edison. They lost at Old Bridge, 8-0, on Wednesday, but bounced back with a 4-2 home win over Monroe on Saturday. The Bulldogs return to action Monday in the GMC Tournament’s first round when they host Spotswood.

Metuchen knocked out previous No. 10 Carteret (14-4), which on Tuesday, handed Piscataway Magnet a 10-0 loss, the Raiders’ first of the season, then beat Highland Park 10-0, but lost a GMC Tournament preliminary round game to Sayreville, 6-1.

Below is the complete Bellamy & Son Paving H.S. Baseball Top Ten for Week Six:

by Mike Pavlichko

More movement in Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten, after No. 1 Immaculata and No. 2 Middlesex hold serve

The two two high school baseball teams in the Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten didn’t move at all this week, but most of the rest did.

And with division play mostly out of the way in the GMC, things could get really interesting this week with crossovers heading into Friday morning’s seeding meeting. Same in Somerset County with the last few games before Tuesday’s seeding by the league coaches.

Immaculata (12-3) remains No. 1, as it has been for the past four weeks, after a 3-0 week gone by. The Spartans picked up a Tuesday/Thursday sweep of Hunterdon Central, including a 4-1 home win Tuesday at Diamond Nation in Flemington, and a 14-0 road win just a mile or so away on Thursday. Saturday, they blanked Old Bridge 9-0 in the finale of Spotswood’s E4M showcase. Their last game before the SCT seeding will be Tuesday afternoon, a big one at Watchung Hills. It’s the first of two between the teams, but the only one before the meeting.

Then, it’s to the GMC at No. 2, where Midddlesex (15-2) remains in the same position as last week. The Blue Jays went 2-1, with a sweep of Colonia, both games 4-0 decisions, including a home win Thursday heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio. They lost Saturday at Westfield, 2-0, and have two big games this week, playing up against the GMC Red Division. They’ll welcome St. Joseph-Metuchen to Mountainview Park on Monday, and visit East Brunswick on Thursday. A win in either game could give the Blue Jays a strong argument for the No. 1 seed in the GMC’s Jim Muldowney Championship Tournament.

The other team that will be considered for that top-seed is Edison (12-4), which went 4-1 this past week. They blanked Woodbridge 1-0 Monday, then lost at St. Thomas Aquinas, 3-2, on Tuesday, before returning the favor with a 5-0 home win Thursday. Then, they played two on Saturday, first beating North Brunswick 15-4, then topping JP Stevens, 7-2. The Eagles have three games before Friday’s GMC seeding: Monday at Metuchen, Tuesday at home against East Brunswick, and Spotswood at home on Wednesday.

At No. 4 is Ridge (11-5), down one spot from last week after playing just one game, falling 4-3 at Bridgewater-Raritan on Tuesday. The Red Devils have lost four straight – including two to Immaculata and another at North Hunterdon – after starting the season 11-1. They will host Hillsborough on Tuesday.

In the five spot, it’s Watchung Hills (10-3), which re-entered the rankings at seven last week, and now is up two more spots after a 3-0 week. That included a 6-2 win over Hillsborough on Tuesday, an 18-8 win at Hillsborough on Wednesday, and a 6-2 home win Friday over South Plainfield. Monday, they get a crack at defending state Group 2 champion Governor Livingston at home, then host Immaculata on Tuesday less than four hours before the seeding meeting. They’re in the same division – the Skyland Delaware – but will only meet once before the meeting; their second is Thursday. Should the Warriors win, could that be enough – at 11-3, not counting what happens against the Highlanders, to earn a top-seed? Watchung Hills did lose twice to Ridge, and that could hurt them, but also consider if they beat GL how that might be seen by the coaches. It’s definitely not insignificant.

At No. 6 is Rutgers Prep (10-2). The Argonauts won their only game this week, an 11-1 drubbing of Phillipsburg, but they get a chance at two Skyland Conference Delaware Division teams before Tuesday’s SCT seeding meeting: Bridgewater Monday, North Hunterdon Tuesday. Both are on the road.

Colonia (9-5) falls two spots this week to No. 7 after an 0-2 week, both losses coming to No. 2 Middlesex. The first, on Tuesday, was a 4-0 home loss. Then, they lost on the road by the same score on Thursday, in a game heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio. This week, they get crossover with a pair of Red Division opponents: Old Bridge Monday at home, then at St. Joseph-Metuchen on Wednesday.

At No. 8 is Old Bridge (9-8). The Knights went 3-2 in the week gone by. They started with a 10-4 loss to East BRunswick, but came back to sweep St. Joseph-Metuchen with a 5-1 road win Tuesday and a 9-4 home win Thursday, sandwiched around a 12-1 win at Monroe Wednesday. The finished up with a 9-0 loss Saturday to Immaculata in Spotswood at the E4M Showcase.

Back in at No. 9 after a week out is South Plainfield (8-8). The Tigers split two games this week, beating Monroe on Monday, 12-3, then taking a 6-2 loss Friday at then-No. 7 Watchung Hills. They visit Spotswood Monday and are at Monroe Wednesday looking for a series sweep, before entertaining JFK on Thursday.

And holding at ten is Carteret (12-3). The Ramblers went 2-0 this week, with a 12-2 win over New Brunswick on Monday at home, then a 15-1 road win against the Zebras on Wednesday. This week, they visit Perth Amboy Magnet Tuesday and host Highland Park on Thursday.

Monroe dropped out from No. 9 after a 1-3 week, leaving the Falcons at 8-9. They lost 7-6 on Monday at Toms River South, at South Plainfield on Tuesday 12-3, and 12-1 to Old Bridge at home on Wednesday, before snapping the skid with a 6-3 win Saturday at home over Colts Neck.

Below is the complete Bellamy & Son Paving H.S. Baseball Top Ten for Week Five: