Tag: state tournament

by Mike Pavlichko

Familiar foes, Ridge and Watchung Hills, set to meet for fourth time this season, with North 2, Group 4 title up for grabs

And up for grabs might be the perfect way to describe it.

The Ridge and Watchung Hills baseball teams are quite familiar with each other, especially this season.

They’ve already played three times, and now it’s a rare fourth matchup between the two as they play for the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 title in the NJSIAA state playoffs.

First pitch between top-seed Ridge (17-10) and third-seed Watchung Hills (18-8) is set for 4 pm at Pete Hall Field in Basking Ridge, and you can her the game live on Central Jersey Sports Radio, with Mike Pavlichko on the call. Pregame begins at 3:30 pm.

Click the above link to listen LIVE to the North 2, Group 4 final between Ridge and Watchung Hills!!

While Ridge last won a title in 2021, this group was in last year’s sectional title game, falling 9-6 to Westfield. But with another year under their belt, they’re right back in for a second straight season. The group is led by Jake Dolan at the plate, the senior centerfielder hitting .444 with a whopping 35 runs batted in and seven home runs. Fellow senior Kieran Callanan is an excellent shortstop, hitting .384.

The Red Devils are expected to put Dimitri Romer on the mound, who made a relief appearance in Wednesday’s 10-6 home win in the semifinals over 5-seed Bridgewater-Raritan. But he threw just 19 pitches in that effort, so he can come back with the full 100-pitch allowance Friday afternoon. Romer is 5-2 on the year, with a 2.47 ERA.

The Warriors will send out Lucas Sheehan, a sophomore who was given the start a couple of Friday’s ago in the Somerset County Tournament title game, a 1-0 win over top-seed Immaculata. He became the first tenth-grader to get a win in the county final since Casey Cahill of Immaculata did it in 1998. He’s 7-2 with a 4.61 ERA.

Offensively, seniors Jacob Jaconski (.464, 16 RBI, 10 doubles) and Rob Centamore (.349, 21 RBI, 10 doubles) are among the leaders, along with senior Max Payne, who’s driven in a team-high 26 runs.

Watchung Hills hasn’t been here in a decade, but they’ve already won one postseason tournament this season. And after a pair of losses, 12-10 and 13-3 in the regular season to Ridge, avenged that en route to the county title.

Click below to hear pregame interviews with both head coaches, with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

Ridge head coach Tom Blackwell
Watchung Hills head coach Joe Tremarco

CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

Watchung Hills: The Warriors won three titles prior to the playoff era, which began in 1959 with only sectional titles. State championships began in 1971, but Watchung Hills has never won one, though they made one appearance, falling to Hillsborough in 2005.

  • Central Jersey Group 3 (declared by the NJSIAA)
    • 1948 (co-champs with Hamilton Twp.)
    • 1950
    • 1957 (co-champs with Middletown Twp.)
    • 1958 (co-champs with Middletown Twp.)
  • North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4
    • 2005
    • 2009
Watchung Hills celebrates winning the 2026 Somerset County Tournament. (Photo: Alec Crouthamel)

Ridge: The Red Devils have nine sectional titles, eight of them coming when they were a much smaller school, playing in Group 2. They also have three state championships, winning all three times they went to the state Group 2 title game. Those came in 1987, 2000 and 2002.

  • Central Jersey Group 2
    • 1976
    • 1981
    • 1982
    • 1987
    • 1989
    • 1999
    • 2000
    • 2002
  • North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4
    • 2021
Ridge players celebrate with the 2022 Somerset County Tournament Championship Trophy on the field at TD Bank Park in Bridgewater on May 23, 2022. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)
by Mike Pavlichko

INSTANT REPLAY – NJSIAA Tournament – North 2, Group 4 Semifinal: (1) Ridge 10, (5) Bridgewater-Raritan 6

Top-seed Ridge scored six runs in the fifth inning, then held off a later rally from fifth-seed Bridgewater-Raritan to beat the Panthers 10-6 in the semifinals of the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 playoff bracket.

READ THE FULL GAME STORY HERE!

Click below to listen to Mike Pavlichko call all the play-by-play live from Pete Hall Field in Basking Ridge, NJ, on June 3, 2026:

by Mike Pavlichko

State Playoff Roundup: South Plainfield, Watchung Hills, Old Bridge will join Ridge and St. Thomas Aquinas playing for NJSIAA sectional titles Friday after semifinal wins

There will be three sectional championship games played in the NJSIAA baseball state tournament Friday featuring teams from the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area, plus one non-public final, as Ridge, Watchung Hills, Old Bridge and South Plainfield all gained berths in title games, while Middlesex and Piscataway Magnet saw their seasons come to an end in the sectional semifinals Wednesday.

Then, add into the mix St. Thomas Aquinas, which beat Rutgers Prep Tuesday to advance to the Non-Public North B title game for the second time in three years, but had to have their game at St. Mary-Rutherford moved to Friday to accommodate the Trojans’ graduation ceremony, set for Thursday.

Old Bridge will host Hunterdon Central in the Central Jersey Group 4 final, while Ridge and Watchung Hills will meet for a fourth time this year when they play in the North 2, Group 4 title game. And South Plainfield will visit Cranford in the North 2, Group 3 final, their third straight trip to a sectional championship game.

Here’s a rundown of Wednesday’s action, with links to separate stories, audio and the remaining state tournament schedule.

Central Jersey Group 4: (1) Old Bridge 10, (4) Hightstown 0 (5 inn.): The Knights are back in the CJ4 title game for the third time in four years after a run-rule win over the Rams, who had beaten Monroe in the quarterfinals, a Falcon team that beat Old Bridge back on Saturday in the rain-postponed GMC Tournament final.

After a scoreless first two innings, the Knights (21-9) scored twice in the third, getting an RBI single from Matt Chin, and a double-play groundout by Erich Schikschneit that scored another. And in the third they added two more on a Matt Levitt triple and an Adrian Lutomski sacrifice fly to right.

And in the bottom of the fifth, they got six more to walk it off, all coming with two outs after a leadoff single by Chris Crosta.

Blake Dunleavy got the win, allowing just two hits, striking out one, but perhaps most importantly, doing it in an economical 46 pitches, meaning he can come back Friday, if needed. That’s when the Knights will face third-seed Hunterdon Central (17-3) at Fred Cole Field in the Central Jersey Group 4 final. Old Bridge beat North Brunswick to win the title in 2023, en route to the state Group 4 final. They lost last year in the CJ4 title game to Hillsborough.

Click here to listen to Old Bridge head coach Matt Donaghue talk about the win with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 – (1) Ridge 10, (5) Bridgewater-Raritan 6: The Red Devils broke a 3-3 tie with six runs in the fifth to take a 9-3 lead, added a run in the sixth, but had to survive a late ralyl from Bridgewater-Raritan, where the Panthers scored three times in top of the seventh before reliever Jake Dolan could close the door.

READ MORE: Ridge gets big 5th inning, still has to fight off Bridgewater-Raritan to advance to second straight sectional final, with 10-6 win over Panthers

(3) Watchung Hills 10, (2) Bayonne 0: The Warriors (18-8) stunned the second-seed on the road Wednesday afternoon, taking scoring a run each in the first two innings, then exploding for an eight-run third from which the Bees (21-9) could never recover. Max Payne drove in three runs on a 1-for-3 day, while Jacob Jaconski was 2-for-3 with two runs batted in.

Rob Centamore was brilliant on the mound for Watchung Hills. He struck out ten, walked one, hit one batter, and allowed just two hits, and the offensive explosion kept the Hustlin’ Warriors from needing their bullpen, freeing up everyone else on the staff to be available for Friday afternoon’s North 2, Group 4 title game at top-seed Ridge.

Click here to listen to Watchung Hills head coach Joe Tremarco talk about the win with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 – (4) South Plainfield 4, (1) Chatham 2: Andrew Bena delivered the big hit for the Tigers (17-11) to upset the top-seed, while Aiden McCarthy once again proved why he’s the ace of the South Plainfield staff.

The Tigers took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first. After Dom Massaro reached on a dropped line drive hit to left field, McCarthy singled, Bena got plunked, and Chirs Loniewksi doubled, driving in two. Chatham cut the lead in half with a single to right field, then tied it in the top of the sixth on a double Ryan Bailey.

That’s when Bena came through. Massaro worked out a five-pitch, one0out walk. McCarthy beat out an infield hit. Then Bena doubled to left to score them both, giving the Tigers a 4-2 lead. That was all they’d get, as the next two hitters struck out, but with McCarthy on the mound, that was all they would need. He tossed a one-two-three seventh – a pop-out, strikeout, and another pop-out – to end the game, picking up his fifth win of the season, and sending South Plainfield to its third straight sectional title game.

The Tigers – who lost to Randolph in the final two years ago, but won at Colonia last year to take the title – will visit third-seed Cranford (20-9) in the North 2, Group 3 championship game. The Cougars were 9-3 winners at two-seed North Hunterdon Wednesday.

Click here to listen to South Plainfield head coach Scott Gleichenhaus talk about the win with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko.

Central Jersey Group 1: (5) Shore 2, (1) Middlesex 0: The defending state Group 1 champion Blue Jays’ season ends at 22-6 with the shutout loss at home, marking the first time in a decade Middlesex will not meet Point Pleasant Beach in the playoffs. Whether in the finals or the earlier rounds, it’s been a regular occurrence in this section.

Liam Hennelly and Ryan Barham each knocked in runs in a two-run fifth as senior Chris Kozak took the loss in his final game as a Blue Jay.

(3) Point Pleasant Beach 14, (2) Piscataway Magnet 2: The toast of the GMC – with its best record in program history – saw its season come to a close at 25-4, with a loss to last year’s sectional runner-up, the Garnet Gulls, who will play fifth-seed Shore Regional in an all-Shore Conference CJ1 title game Friday afternoon. Point Beach took a 3-0 lead into the third – after scoring two in the first and one in the second – then exploded for an eight spot in the third and got three more in the fourth before the Raiders could get on the board.

Trey Lyerly and Vincent Canavan each drove in runs, with Canavan going 2-for-3 with a triple. Jack Garrison took the loss, allowing five earned runs in two innings, though just two were earned.

READ MORE: Piscataway Magnet’s surprise season comes to a close, 14-2, to Point Pleasant Beach in Central Jersey Group 1 semifinals

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, JUNE 5:

  • Non-Public North B Final: (3) St. Thomas Aquinas (14-4) at (1) St. Mary-Rutherford (16-11-1), 4 pm (LISTEN LIVE on CJSR)
  • Central Jersey Group 4 Final: (3) Hunterdon Central (17-13) at (1) Old Bridge (21-9), 6 pm
  • North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 Final: (3) Watchung Hills (18-8) at (1) Ridge (18-10), 4 pm (LISTEN LIVE on CJSR) (NOTE: This is a unique link, not the usual Listen Live link!)
  • North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 Final: (4) South Plainfield (17-11) at (3) Cranford (20-9), 3 pm

MONDAY, JUNE 8 – State Semifinals (hosted by the team with more power points)

  • Group 4 – Central vs. South: Should Old Bridge win the Central Jersey Group 4 title, they would face the winner of the South Jersey Group 4 between top-seed Kingsway (22-5) and second-seed Eastern (21-8). If the Knights play Kingsway, it would be on the road, but if Eastern wins, Old Bridge would host. The Knights beat Eastern in the Group 4 semifinals at Fred Cole Field in 2023, en route to the state Group 4 final.
  • Group 4 – North 1 vs. North 2: The winner of the Watchung Hills/Ridge North 2, Group 4 final would play the winner of the North 1, Group 4 final, featuring top-seed Passaic Tech (28-2) and third-seed Ridgewood (22-7). Both have higher power point values than the North 2 teams, so either Watchung Hills or Ridge would be on the road in that semifinal.
  • Group 3 – North 1 vs. North 2: Should South Plainfield win the North 2, Group 3 title, the Tigers would face the winner of the North 1, Group 3 title matchup, featuring top-seed Old Tappan (23-4) and second-seed Ramapo (21-7-1). But both have higher power point values, so South Plainfield would be on the road, either way.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10 – Non-Public State Finals at Rutgers:

  • Non-Public A Final: 4 pm
  • Non-Public B Final: 7 pm

SATURDAY, JUNE 14 – Public State Finals at Rutgers:

  • Group 3 Final: 10 am
  • Group 4 Final: 1 pm
  • Group 1 Final: 4 pm
  • Group 2 Final: 7 pm
by Mike Pavlichko

Ridge gets big 5th inning, still has to fight off Bridgewater-Raritan to advance to second straight sectional final, with 10-6 win over Panthers

Regardless of the score, both top-seed Ridge and fifth-seed Bridgewater-Raritan knew they would be in a dogfight in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 semifinals of the state tournament.

And a dogfight it was.

The Red Devils broke a 3-3 tie in the fifth on a two-RBI single by junior catcher Casey Kurcerka, then added four more to take a 9-3 lead, but still had to hold off the Panthers, who got three in the top of the seventh to keep anyone wearing green – players, coaches, and fans – from any kind of premature celebration until the final out was recorded.

Once it was, it was official: Ridge is off to its second straight sectional final.

But not so much off, as they’ll just have to trudge across the mountain ridge between the high school and Hall Field Friday afternoon to host third-seed Watchung Hills in the title game, after the Hustlin’ Warriors upset two-seed Bayonne, 10-0 by run-rule in five innings, on the road Wednesday afternoon in the section’s other semifinal.

It’ll be their fourth meeting this year, with Ridge winning both regular season meetings, but Watchung Hills taking a 4-2 win in the Somerset County Tournament semifinals, en route to the championship.

Ridge (18-10) got on the board first ion this one, scoring three in the bottom of the third off Bridgewater starter Kellan Komline.

Toby Nicholson and Colin Newcomb – the eight and nine hitters – both singled to start the inning, and Kieran Callanan walked to load the bases. Lucas Grob hit a ball to short, and conceding a run, Cody Rible looked to turn two. he got the force at second, but Grob beat out the throw to first. Jake Dolan doubled to make it 2-0, moving Grob to third, and he came home to score on a wild pitch to give Ridge a 3-0 lead.

But the Panthers (13-17)evened it up in the third. DH Connor Price singled to lead it off, and starter Lucas Liston got a flay out and a pop up for the first two outs of the inning. But he wouldn’t get out of it unscathed. Rible singled, and Komline singled to load the bases. That brought up Andrew Schmeider, who hit a sharp ball to second baseman Lucas Grob, near the bag, who snared it, but stumbled. Price scored from third on the initial hit, but as Grob tried to get up, and then make a throw home, Rible was able to come home well, cutting the deficit to 3-2. Michael Lobosco then hit a ball to center, and Jake Dolan fired to third to get Schmeider for the third out, but not before Komline came in to score, tying the game at three.

Then came the sixth, where Ridge sent eleven men to the plate. With one out, Callanan walked, Grob doubled, and Jake Dolan was intentionally walked. Kucerka broke the tie with a line drive to left to make it 5-3. He and Dolan advanced to second and third on a balk, prompting Max Newill to come out of the dugout and urge Komline to settle down. But Ridge wasn’t done.

Sawyer Paul grounded to third, and third baseman Kevin Kelly threw home, and it beat Dolan, but he slid under the tag to make it 6-3. Dimitri Romer also grounded to third, and this time Kelly got a force at second, but another run came in to make it 7-3. After a single by Matt Pypcznske, Toby Nicholson hit an RBI single to left, and that was all for Komline. Jack Braswell came on in relief, and allowed a single to Colin Newcomb, which drove in a run to make it 9-3, then he got Callanan to fly out to center to end it.

Ridge added one more run in the bottom of the sixth.

But Bridgewater still had some life in the top of the seventh. Michael Labosco singled in between a line out and a strikeout, leaving Kelly at the plate as their last hope. But he extended the game with a walk, and Price doubled to make it 10-4. Stephen Pikulin followed with a single to center to score another run, and Josh Moore got hit by a pitch, putting runners at first and second for Rible, who hit a hard liner to second, stopped by Grob on a short hop instead of in the air. But there was no one to throw to, as the first baseman Paul also had tried for it. That made it 10-6, bringing in Price, but Komline ended up flying out to center to end it.

Komline took the loss, allowing nine runs on eight hits to fall to 3-5, while the win went to Romer in relief, who improves to 6-2.

Click below for postgame reaction – presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen – from Ridge junior catcher Casey Kucerka and head coach Tom Blackwell with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

by Mike Pavlichko

INSTANT REPLAY – NJSIAA Tournament – Non-Public North B Semifinal: (3) St. Thomas Aquinas 7, (2) Rutgers Prep 3

Nikash Patel hit a grand slam, while Louis Rizzolo hit a three-run homer and had a solid outing on the mound as third-seed St. Thomas Aquinas beat Rutgers Prep for a third straight year in the state tournament, picking up a 6-3 win over the second-seeded Argonauts. Aquinas will now visit top-seed St. Mary-Rutherford in the Non-Public North B final on Friday afternoon at 4 pm.

READ THE FULL GAME STORY HERE!

Click below to listen to Alec Crouthamel call all the play-by-play live from Somerset, NJ, on June 2, 2026:

by Mike Pavlichko

Where will NJSIAA state semifinals be this year? Under new wrinkle, it depends on who’s playing

One of the tweaks the NJSIAA made to the high school baseball playoffs this year was a change as to who hosts the state semifinals.

This years state tournament regulations differ from years past, where the sections would alternate. One year it would be South Jersey and North Jersey, Section 2 champions hosting, the next it would be Central and North Jersey, Section 1.

This year, hosts will be the team with the higher power point values.

Keep in mind, that doesn’t necessarily mean the higher seed. The top three seeds in one section might have higher power point values than the top seed in another. And, of course, you could get two No. 1 seeds – so how would that be decided?

In this case, it’s strictly the team with the most power points, so even though everyone is two wins away from the state semis, let’s take a look at the four state semifinals that could see the seven public schools still alive from the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area.

Central Jersey Group 4: Old Bridge is the top seed, and will play fourth-seed Hightstown Wednesday at 5 pm in the semifinals. The winner gets either third-seed Hunterdon Central or seven-seed Jackson Twp. in the final.

If Old Bridge wins the title, they would host anyone from the South Jersey Group 4 bracket except the top-seed Kingsway, which has more power points than the Knights. If Eastern, Rancocas Valley or Cherry Hill East win it, Old Bridge will host the state semifinals at Fred Cole Field.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4: Three of the four teams in Wednesday’s semifinal from the CJSR area, and all from the Skyland Conference Delaware Division. Top-seed Ridge plays five-seed Bridgewater-Raritan at 4 pm (listen live on CJSR), while third-seed Watchung Hills visits second-seed Bayonne, with a 4:30 first pitch.

And though three of our teams could win the North 2, Group 4 title, all would be on the road in the state semifinals. That’s because all four teams in the semis in North 1, Group 4 – top four seeds Passaic Tech, Mount Olive, Ridgewood, and West Orange – have higher power point values than the four remaining in North 2. That is a tough section, indeed. Passaic Tech went to the Passaic County Tournament title game, and lost 11-1 to DePaul. And Mount Olive shocked state No. 1 Delbarton, 8-7, to win the Morris County Tournament title, its first in 35 years.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3: Fourth-seed South Plainfield is on the road today, with a tough task at top-seed Chatham at 4 pm. The winner faces either second-seed North Hunterdon or third-seed Cranford.

But with defending champion South Plainfield having the lowest power point total of the eight teams remaining in North 1 and North 2, the Tigers – should they win the section again – will be on the road, no matter who they face.

Central Jersey Group 1: The two CJSR-area teams are on opposite ends of the bracket, so it’ll be top-seed Middlesex hosting five-seed Shore Regional at 4 pm, and second-seed Piscataway Magnet facing third-seed Point Pleasant Beach at the same time.

The defending champion Blue Jays and Piscataway Magnet are the No. 1 and No. 2 teams among the eight remaining between Central 1 and South 1, so if either of them win the sectional title, they will host a state semifinal next Monday.

UPCOMING PUBLIC SCHOOL STATE TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

  • Wednesday, June 3: Sectional Semifinals (at higher seeds)
  • Friday, June 5: Sectional Finals (at higher seeds)
  • Monday, June 8: State Semifinals (at higher power point values)
  • Sunday, June 14: State Finals (at Rutgers – Group 3 at 10 am, Group 4 and 1 pm, Group 1 and 4 pm, Group 2 at 7 pm)
by Mike Pavlichko

CBA’s 8th inning home run ends Immaculata’s season, as top-seeded Spartans fall 1-0 in South A semifinals

It was the beginning of a new month and a perfect day for baseball, but the ending was anything but.

Top-seeded Immaculata saw its season come to a close with Tuesday afternoon out at Diamond Nation in Flemington, with a 1-0 loss to fifth-seed Christian Brothers Academy, the Shore Conference Tournament champions.

Locked in a scoreless tie heading into extra innings, the deciding blow was junior outfielder Alex Fiore’s lead-off solo home run for CBA in the top of the eighth.

It was the first between the two schools since 2015, when the Colts took a 14-4 win in the semifinals of the section.

With the expectation to start senior pitcher Ryan Auten in a potential title appearance on Thursday, Immaculata head coach Kevin Cust opted to start senior pitcher Cole Raymond on the mound, who delivered in the highest way, pitching 6 2/3 innings, allowing no runs, two hits, five walks and collecting four strikeouts.

Both teams struggled to find any hitting in the game, which saw the two combine for nine hits over the course of eight innings. While Raymond arguably performed the best on the mound, the combination of senior pitcher Dan Pardini and junior Declan Doogan was enough to advance the Colts.

Immaculata left three runners stranded on base in the bottom of the first, coming from an error, a walk, and a hit by pitch, but sophomore first baseman Andrew Wheeler grounded to third, ending the inning.

Raymond quickly rolled momentum into the second inning, earning his third punchout and retiring the side. But once again with runners on second and third, senior pitcher Dan Pardini delivered a strikeout to end the inning and survive the scoreless game through two.

Raymond’s greatest challenge came in the top of the third inning, when CBA found themselves with runners on second and third, a full count, and two outs. Down to the last strike, Raymond saw a pitch get away from him and load the bases. Junior Ryan Wetmore stepped up to the plate with the chance to flip the game with one swing of the bat, and it looked that way, but a high fly ball into right field fell short and kept the game scoreless.

The bottom of the third is where the pitching duel emerged, as Pardini rolled through three batters, securing three outs — two groundouts and a strikeout. Though Raymond responded, as the top of the fourth was complete in less than ten pitches from Raymond, who had still not allowed his first hit.

In the top of the fifth, senior third baseman Parker Hughes recorded the first hit of the game for CBA as he placed a ground ball into left field that split the third baseman and shortstop, eventually winning the race to first base. Hughes would advance to second after a groundout by Alex Fiore, but just like the trend of the game, CBA would groundout and flyout, ending the side.

Sophomore Luca Catanzarite, the team’s leading batter, picked up his second hit when he punched a single into left field, who would then advance to second after an error from Pardini, who attempted a pickoff. Catanzarite would advance to third after a wild pitch went past the glove of Colts’ catcher Griffin Kilcullen. The pitch marked the end of Dardini’s day as Doogan emerged on the mound with two outs left in the bottom of the fifth.

Despite a pitching change from CBA, Immaculata decided to stick with Raymond in the sixth inning, where he efficiently got through the inning in less than 10 pitches.

Junior centerfielder Nehemiah Diaz was hit by a pitch to open the bottom of the inning, who would see himself advanced to second base after a bunt attempt from Wheeler. As the inning went on Doogan began to gain confidence and control of the game, fending off a couple of dangerous contact swings from the Spartans. Doogan would punch out freshman Bryson Auten, the eighth batter in the order, retiring the side in a game that remained scoreless.

Bryson Auten replaced Raymond in the seventh with one out, and in his first batter faced, Hughes would hit into a double play that would once again leave the Colts wishing for more and failing to execute.

The bottom of the seventh – and a chance to end the game on a walkoff – came up short for Immaculata, who got a two-out double from Justin Labrador, but a pop out to short ended that threat.

As the game entered crunch time and nervous fans, family, and players surfaced, Fiore broke the seal, crushing a high-flying ball into deep left field for a solo home run, providing CBA with a 1-0 lead, which would later become the final score.

Despite the loss, Immaculata finishes its season at 22-6, the most wins in the Cust era. It was also the program’s second 20-win season since Cust took over for longtime skipper, and now Athletic Director, Tom Gambino in 2013.

Click below for postgame reaction from Immaculata head coach Kevin Cust with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Sean Newcomb, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

by Mike Pavlichko

Bridgewater-Raritan travels to Ridge Wednesday for North 2, Group 4 semis, rubber match between Panthers and Red Devils, with trip to a title game on the line

The first meeting between Ridge and Bridgewater-Raritan this year was a 4-3 win for the Panthers, the second was a 4-3 win for the Red Devils.

Which means the rubber match between the two, Wednesday afternoon up in the Somerset Hills, should be a doozy.

Fifth-seed Bridgewater-Raritan will play top-seed Ridge at 4 pm at Hall Field in Basking Ridge in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 semifinals of the NJSIAA state tournament, with a trip to the championship game on the line. And you can hear the game live on Central Jersey Sports Radio, with Mike Pavlichko on the call. Pregame is set for 3:45 pm, with first pitch at 4:00. Click here to listen.

In the first of two between the teams, it was Bridgewater-Raritan rallying for four runs in the sixth, benefitting from a bases loaded walk that brought in one run, and a balk that brought in another. In the second, Ridge trailed led 1-0 heading into the sixth, then gave up three in the top of the inning. But they clawed back with a run in the bottom to cut it to 3-2, tied it with a run in the seventh, then won it on a Toby Nicholson walk-off single in the gap in the bottom of the eighth.

For the Panthers, the season has been a challenge, having not brought back much in the “returning starter” department. Bridgewater started the year 1-5, but has played about .500 ball since, coming in at 13-16, a misleading number that belies that fact they play in one of the toughest divisions in the state.

Both Immaculata and Ridge had been ranked at various points this year, the three of the four teams in this section’s semifinals are from the Skyland Delaware, with third-seed Watchung Hills visiting two-seed Bayonne this afternoon in the other semi game. (That one starts at 4:30 pm.)

Ridge, meanwhile, comes in at 17-10, and got off to a red-hot start at 11-1, before dropping five in a row that included a pair against Immaculata, one against perennial contender North Hunterdon, the loss to the Panthers, and defending Central Jersey Group 4 champion Hillsborough.

But in their first two games on the state tournament, they’ve won twice by the ten-run rule. They took a 13-3 win over 16-seed Barringer on a walk-off in five innings, scoring five in their final at bat, then blanked Phillipsburg 10-0 in six, walking it off with three in their final at bat. That leaves Ridge outscoring its opponents 23-3 in the state tournament.

Bridgewater has done similarly, though. They topped 12-seed Plainfield in the opening round 11-0 in five, then won at four-seed JP Stevens 10-0 in six, scoring the final run to kick in the mercy rule in the top of the sixth.

This one probably won’t be decided that way, but with long-time rivals going at it instead of two teams that may not be familiar with each other from different conferences, expect a tight one, with a little extra juice – a championship game-type atmosphere.

Click below for preview interviews with both head coaches, with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

Ridge head coach Tom Blackwell
Bridgewater-Raritan head coach Max Newill
by Mike Pavlichko

NJSIAA State tournament resumes Tuesday after weekend hiatus, as three CJSR-area non-publics vie for a spot – and we have both games covered!

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

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4

  • (5) Bridgewater-Raritan (13-16) at (1) Ridge (17-10), 4 pm (LISTEN LIVE)
  • (3) Watchung Hills (17-8) at (2) Bayonne (21-8), 4:30 pm

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3

  • (4) South Plainfield (16-11) at (1) Chatham (20-6), 4 pm
  • (3) Cranford (19-9) at (2) North Hunterdon (22-6), 3 pm

THURSDAY, JUNE 4: Non-Public Sectional Finals (at higher seeds)

FRIDAY, JUNE 5: Public Sectional Finals (at higher seeds)

MONDAY, JUNE 8: Public State Semifinals (at higher power point values)

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10: Non-Public State Finals at Bainton Field, Rutgers University

  • Non-Public A Final: 4 pm
  • Non-Public B Final: 7 pm

THURSDAY, JUNE 11: Public State Finals at Bainton Field, Rutgers Univeristy

  • Group 3 Final: 10 am
  • Group 4 Final: 1 pm
  • Group 1 Final: 4 pm
  • Group 2 Final: 7 pm

by Mike Pavlichko

It may not always be sunny in Central Jersey, but it will be this week for NJSIAA sectional semis, title games

As much as all eyes were on the weather forecast for Memorial Day weekend and the Jim Muldowney GMC Tournament Championship Game’s fate – which saw it get moved one week later to this past weekend – there won’t be much need to check the foreacast if you’re heading out for a state tournament game this week.

Unless, that is, you want to know the UV Index so you can plan how much sunscreen to pack.

While things will heat up a bit this week after what felt like a chilly weekend – especially Saturday at East Brunswick Magnet where winds were around 20 miles an hour or more at Ray Cipperly Field for the GMC final, with temps in the low 60s – there will be plenty of sun, and no real concern about rain, at least through Friday.

For Tuesday, when play resumes in the non-public sections, AccuWeather says it’ll be 77 degrees with sunshine, and a zero percent chance of precipitation in Somerset for our live broadcast of the Non-Public North B semifinals between second-seed Rutgers Prep and third-seed St. Thomas Aquinas.

On Wednesday, temperatures should be in the low 80s with sunshine, and again, a zero percent chance of any rain, when the public sectional semis are played, including our feature game, fifth-seed Bridgewater-Raritan at top-seed Ridge in North 2, Group 4.

The mercury will creep up a bit for Thursday, where we could have Aquinas or Rutgers Prep in the North B final, most likely at top-seed Rutherford, where it will be 88 with sunshine. Flemington – home of Diamond Nation, where Immaculata would be at home if they make the South A title game – will be a bit cooler, around 85 at game time, again with virtually no chance of rain.

And by Friday, when the public sectional semifinals will be played – and we have teams still alive in four different sections – it’s looking like temps will top 90, with just a seven percent chance of rain.

Next week? Well, it’s still pretty early yet, but it may not be as nice.

Monday is the date for the state semifinals for public schools, and the current forecast says 73 degrees, but a few showers, with the chance of rain around 70 percent in the New Brunswick area. And Tuesday has a 77 percent chance of rain, with temps in the high 70s. Wednesday is 50-50, but that’s also the day of the Non-Public state finals at Rutgers. The public state semis are hosted by teams with higher power point values, so there wouldn’t be any conflicts.

Thursday has a 69 percent chance of rain, and Friday about 55 percent in the New Brunswick area. But there’s nothing else scheduled (unless there are further rain outs) until Sunday, when the Public state finals are scheduled,with four games on tap, starting at 10 am. That should give plenty of cushion to adjust for bad weather.

And with Bainton Field being a turf surface, even a shower would likely just result in a rain delay, but not a mass postponement, as happened last season down at Veterans Park in Hamilton.

After the first of four public school games on that Championship Saturday – played in an off-and-on drizzle and occasional steady, light rain – Middlesex and Midland Park got in just the top of the first inning before the deluge came, and forced the game – and two more – to move to the Wood-Ridge Athletic Complex the following Monday, one of the key reasons the state looked to move its finals out of Hamilton.