Trojans on the state playoff bubble this week
GMCT may help some locals qualify for states
BY SHAWN LAYTON
Staff Writer

SCOTT PILLING staff Mike Hammel and his St. Joseph teammates appear to be in the clear with the state tournament cutoff looming on Friday, but several other local baseball and softball teams are in need of some wins this week to assure themselves spots in the postseason tourney.

EDISON - The Bishop Ahr High School baseball team snapped a five-game losing streak with a 7-4 win over South River on Saturday.

And that win kept the Trojans' state playoff chances alive, though they'll need another strong week to qualify.

After falling behind 3-0 after two innings, the Trojans rallied in the bottom half of the third to even the score at three.

Senior catcher Matt Rodriguez was instrumental in the three-run third inning with a two-run single. Rodriguez finished the game 2-for-3 with four RBIs off another two-run single in the sixth inning.

"We failed to come up with those timely hits during the losing streak," Bishop Ahr head coach Scott Runkel said. "We were able to get the big two-out hits against South River."

Pitcher Joe Haumacher recorded the win to improve his record to 3-2 on the season. Haumacher scattered eight hits and allowed just two earned runs through seven innings of work. He fanned eight and walked two.

"His slider was working pretty well that day," Runkel said. "For whatever reason his fastball was even stronger late in the game and he finished up really well."

Junior second baseman Larry Belotta was the only other Bishop Ahr player to finish with two hits on the day. Belotta went 2-for-3 with a run scored.

"One issue has been the fact that our best hitter Lee Cavico is pitched around in nearly every game," Runkel said. "It is a bit disturbing when our best hitter doesn't get to swing the bat."

In the win over South River, Cavico walked in each of his four at bats and was intentionally walked three of his four trips to the plate. Walking Cavico proved to hurt South River as the first baseman scored three runs in the win.

Prior to Saturday's win, Bishop Ahr lost a tough one to Middlesex by a 3-1 score. Cavico went 2-for-4 as did teammate Dan Fitzpatrick. Unfortunately, the offense could not sustain its brief rally in the seventh for the come-from-behind win.

"It was a shame we lost that one because Steve Godowski possibly gave us the best pitching performance of the season," Runkel said. "He pitched a complete game with six strikeouts and two walks. None of opposition's runs were earned."

Despite the recent losing streak, the team has played well and is looking to gain some momentum from Saturday's win heading into this week's Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament.

"We had a run of very competitive, close games," Runkel said. "Losing close ones has been a trend all year."

Earlier last week the Trojans had Spotswood on the ropes leading 4-3 heading into the final inning before losing 5-4. Spotswood is likely to earn the top seed in the GMCT.

"Right now we are thinking about being a better baseball team," Runkel said. "I know we are capable of competing against the better teams in the county. Hopefully we can catch fire in the tournament."

The team heads into this week's action 5-6 and must win two of its next three this week in order to qualify for the state tournament.

"I know we can get hot and put a couple of wins together," Runkel said. "Now, we just have to go out and do it."

Tournament cutoff leaves several teams

scrambling

The Trojans are not the only local team desperately in need of some wins this week, as a handful of squads hope to be at the .500 mark by the end of play on Friday in order to qualify for the state tournament.

On the baseball diamond, the Edison Eagles and the J.F. Kennedy Mustangs entered the week as the only local teams assured of berths. The Eagles (11-6) have captured at least a share of the Red Division title, while the Mustangs (13-7) have emerged as a top 10 team once again, and should prove a formidable foe in the GMC Tournament, which was to be seeded Monday night.

St. Joseph, which entered the week at 10-9, looks like another state playoff team as the Falcons had just one game (a GMCT opener) scheduled as of Monday.

Meanwhile, Metuchen (8-7) and J.P. Stevens (8-8) are officially on the bubble this week.

Metuchen has three scheduled games on the slate this week, though the schedule is likely to change with the start of the GMC Tournament today.

On Monday, the Bulldogs took on Highland Park, before facing Timothy Christian yesterday. Tomorrow, they're scheduled to face Cardinal McCarrick.

With a preliminary round GMT game also likely for today, the Bulldogs will need two wins this week to earn a Central Jersey Group I tournament berth.

Stevens, meanwhile, is another team whose schedule this week was to be set around a GMCT preliminary round game.

On the softball diamond, White Division-leading JFK (16-2) and Blue Division-leading Bishop Ahr (16-2) are both assured of state berths, and will likely be the top two seeds in the GMCT.

The Mustangs, led by the conference's top pitcher in Allison Greaney (9-1, .58 ERA, 113 strikeouts in 72 innings) have been stellar throughout the season, while the Trojans, who entered the week with a two-game lead over Spotswood in the division, are led by the steady pitching of senior Ashley Brewer (8-1, .98 ERA, 65 strikeouts in 45 innings). Both Greaney and Brewer are among their team's top offensive players as well, as they entered the week hitting .483 and .620 respectively. Brewer also led the GMC in hits with 29 entering Monday's action.

Edison is another local team that is state tournament bound, as the Eagles have played to a 9-4 mark thus far, good enough for third place in the Red Division, behind Old Bridge (11-1) and East Brunswick (11-4).

Woodbridge, the Red Division's fourth-place team at 9-7, had three games on the schedule this week - Monday against Monroe, Tuesday against South Brunswick and tomorrow against Colonia - but may also see that schedule change with the start of the GMCT.

That leaves Metuchen, who entered the week at 5-8 and needing a handful of wins to qualify. The Bulldogs were scheduled to face Highland Park on Monday, South River today and Middlesex tomorrow. Throw into the mix a GMCT game, and the Bulldogs need to be perfect this week.

J.P. Stevens needed four wins to get back to the .500 mark, and with games against Piscataway (Monday), North Brunswick (Tuesday) and South Brunswick (tomorrow), if they can get those three in, along with a win in the GMCT , they may win their way into the state tournament.

The state tournament will begin May 18 (baseball) and 19 (softball) with first- round action.