Bujalkowski leads the way for pitching-rich Falcons BY SHAWN LAYTON Staff Writer EAST BRUNSWICK — Senior right-hander Mike Bujalkowski leads the St. Joseph High School baseball team into its first appearance in the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament finals in more than three decades. The ace of the Falcon staff upped his record to 7-1 with a 3-1 victory over Spotswood in the semifinals at East Brunswick Tech. on Saturday. The Falcons will play Carteret in the title game at 7 p.m. May 23 at Commerce Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater. Bujalkowski dominated the Charger hitters, bringing a no-hitter into the sixth and striking out seven of the first nine batters he faced. Spotswood pinch-hitter Travis Retzloff broke Bujalkowski’s no-hitter, but Bujalkowski let him know who was boss by picking him off to end the top half of the sixth. "Of course, I was thinking of the no-hitter," Bujalkowski said. "I was a little upset when he [Retzloff] got the hit. It was a fastball, and I am pretty sure he knew it was coming." It wasn’t just the Charger batters that Bujalkowski had to contend with on Saturday, but the heat as well. "I was definitely tired at the end," Bujalkowski said. "I don’t pitch that often in the heat and I was exhausted. I was fortunate to be able to get ahead in the count." Bujalkowski would finish the game scattering just three hits, striking out 10 and walking three. The Falcons would get a bit of a scare in the seventh after the Chargers put their lone run on the board with a two-out RBI single by left fielder Steve Abbott. Abbott moved Ricki Pace to third with the hit and would eventually take second as a result of defensive indifference. With two on and two out, Spotswood shortstop John Dubockick drove a Bujalkowski fastball that looked to tie the game to the gap in left center. Fortunately for Bujalkowski and the Falcons, head coach Lou Urbano had his outfield aligned to prevent the extra-base hit, and left-fielder Henry Gomez made a difficult play look easy to secure the win. "I have a lot of confidence in my de­fense," Bujalkowski said. "I know that they are going to make a play when I put the ball in play. I was relieved when I saw him [Gomez] get under it." Although Urbano is reluctant to show his hand, he knows that the starter for the championship game will either be Bu­jalkowski or Santo Maertz. Either of the two senior right-handers is sure to give Carteret all it can handle. Bujalkowski has been a member of the Falcon varsity team since his sophomore season. He will continue his baseball ca­reer at Florida Southern College, Lake­land, Fla., next year. "I am going to try and see what I can do," Bujalkowski said. "If I want to move on, I figured, I should pitch in the heat and play every day."