Middletown North, Howell seek to win first NJSIAA baseball championships
Here is a look at the NJSIAA Group 3 and 4 championship baseball games involving Middletown North and Howell.
Ranney won the NJSIAA Non-Public B championship Wednesday night with a 10-1 victory over Immaculata.
Related: Ranney baseball program makes history for itself with first state championship
GROUP 3
CRANFORD (25-4 VS. MIDDLETOWN NORTH (20-10), SATURDAY, 10 A.M.
WHERE: Bob DeMeo Field, Veterans Park, Hamilton Township.
DIRECTIONS: Route 195 West to Exit 3A. At the first traffic light after the exit, make a left and the entrance to the park is about a mile or so down on the right.
CRANFORD ROAD TO THE FINAL
WON NORTH 2 GROUP 3
Defeated No. 14 Rahway 11-0.
No. 6 Mendham 5-1
No. 2. Ferris 12-1.
No. 1 Millburn 10-8.
North 1 Group 3 champion Ramapo 12-1.
CRANFORD HEAD COACH: Dennis McCaffery.
CRANFORD POSSIBLE STARTING PITCHER: Will Gallagher or Sean Woodruff.
CRANFORD LEADING PLAYERS
Ryan Jaros (Jr., 3B., .494, 1 HR., 31 RBI)
Shane VanDam (Sr., RF., 420, 4 HR., 32 RBI., 8.2 IP, 5 H, 15 K 4 BB., 2.42 ERA).
Lucca Limeira (Sr., C., .417, 1 HR., 31 RBI)
Jack Conley (Sr., DH., 410, 25 RBI)
Antonio Silva (.Sr., 1B., 395, 1 HR, 28 RBI)
Jake Carter (Jr., CF., 368, 16 RBI).
Shea Grady (Jr., 2B., 344, 26 RBI)
Will Gallagher (Sr.,P/SS., 324, 22 RBI., 61 IP, 47 H, 62 K, 12 BB)., 2.52 ERA).
Dennis McCafferty (So., LF, .300, 22 RBI)
Sean Woodruff (Sr., P., 47.1 IP, 46 H, 51 K, 14 BB., 2.51 ERA).
PREVIOUS STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1971 (Group 4); 1997 (Group 3); 2010 (Group 3); 2012 (Group 3); 2013 (Group 3).
THE SKINNY
Cranford, under long-time coach McCaffery, is used to winning championships.
The Cougars have won three Group 3 championships in the last 11 state tournaments and were also in the Group 3 championship game in 2017.
They also won the Last Dance Tournament in the summer of 2020 with a 12-2 win in five innings over Jackson Memorial after the 2020 scholastic season was canceled because of the pandemic.
Jaros, Limeira and Gallagher were among the players on the Last Dance team.
Cranford, with four players hitting over .400, three players with more than 30 RBI and three more with 25 RBI or more, has a deep lineup that wears out pitchers. The Cougars have averaged 10 runs a game in the state tournament and have scored 10 runs or more in four of their five games in the tournament.
One of Cranford’s defeats did come to Middletown South 2-1 on April 13. Middletown South ace junior right-hander Ben Schild struck out 11 and allowed a run on two hits in four innings in that game.
Woodruff was the winner in the state semifinal and the sectional semifinal. Gallagher was the winning pitcher in the sectional final and the sectional quarterfinal with VanDam picking up the save in both games.
MIDDLETOWN NORTH
MIDDLETOWN NORTH ROAD TO THE FINAL
WON CENTRAL GROUP 3
Defeated No. 7 Robbinsville 3-2.
No. 15 JFK-Iselin 12-0.
No. 6 Somerville 8-4.
No. 5 Colts Neck 14-11.
South Group 3 champion Delsea 6-1.
MIDDLETOWN PROBABLE STARTING PITCHER: Colin Dowlen.
MIDDLETOWN NORTH HEAD COACH: Ryan McCabe.
MIDDLETOWN NORTH LEADING PLAYERS
Colin Dowlen (Sr., P., 9-2., 58.1 IP, 28 H, 97 K, 12 BB, 0.84 ERA, .472, 3 HR, 29 RBI
Ryan Frontera (Jr., SS., .391, 3 HR, 21 RBI,
Matt Adamson (Sr. CF.)
Michael Weinbel (Sr., 3B.).
Zachary Hampton (Fr., 1B).
Andrew Lombardi (Sr., DH).
Jason Quardt (So., LF).
Dylan Briggs (So., RF).
Colby McMahon (Jr., 2B).
PREVIOUS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: None.
THE SKINNY
In the hard to believe category, Middletown North, a program with a rich tradition and one of the Shore’s legendary coaches in the late Rich Veth, has not been in a state final since 1983. It was defeated 9-4 by Elizabeth in the Group 4 final that year. Veth was the head coach.
The Lions appeared headed to another season in the wilderness as late as May 11 when a defeat to Red Bank Regional dropped them to 9-10 and denied them a berth in the Shore Conference Tournament.
But, since that defeat, Middletown North has ripped off 11 straight wins – five in the state tournament – and averaged 11.2 runs a game. It has scored 10 runs or more in eight of those games. The sectional title was its first since 1989.
Dowlen, a bridge-year player who is enrolled at Brookdale Community College, has had a big year both on the mound and at the plate. He has three wins in the state tournament, including against Delsea when he scattered seven hits, struck out five, walked none and threw 111 pitches. He is 3-0 in the tournament.
His defeats were to Group 4 finalist Howell and to defending Group 4 champion and Monmouth County Tournament champion Middletown South.
Weinbel and Adamson – the No. 2 and 3 pitchers – who were unavailable after they both pitched against Colts Neck three days prior – are both available if called upon or needed. Weinbel picked up the win against JFK-Iselin. Adamson the win in relief against Colts Neck.
The Lions, who have been shaky at times defensively, especially against Colts Neck, but they were very good defensively at Delsea.
The lineup has been relentless throughout the state tournament.
GROUP 4
HUNTERDON CENTRAL (25-4) VS. HOWELL (24-6), SATURDAY, 1 P.M.
WHERE: Bob DeMeo Field, Veterans Park, Hamilton Township.
DIRECTIONS: Route 195 West to Exit 3A. At the first traffic light after the exit, make a left and the entrance to the park is about a mile or so down on the right.
HUNTERDON CENTRAL ROAD TO THE STATE FINAL
WON NORTH 2 GROUP 4
Defeated No. 1 Phillipsburg 14-0
No. 9 Elizabeth 16-1
No. 4 Watchung Hills 4-0
No. 3 Woodbridge 5-1.
North 1 Group 4 champion Livingston 2-1.
HUNTERDON CENTRAL HEAD COACH: Kevin Cuozzi.
HUNTERDON CENTRAL POSSIBLE STARTING PITCHER: Kyle McCoy or James Scott.
HUNTERDON CENTRAL KEY PLAYERS
Nick Ferri (Sr., .LF., 412, 1 HR, 19 RBI)
Chase Fischer (Sr., 1B., 397, 3 HR, 20 RBI).
Logan Mason (Sr., RF/P., 352, 26 RBI).
Mike Contiliano (So.., 3B., 379, 1 HR., 26 RBI)
Chase Moskowitz (Sr., .2B., 357, 22 RBI).
Christian Petino (Sr., CF., .345 2 HR, 19 RBI)
Brandon Padre (Sr., C., 325, 1 HR, 17 RBI).
Jared Casella (Jr., .DH., 316, 20 RBI).
Kyle McCoy (Sr., P., 32.1 IP,,14 H, 57 K, 3 BB).
James Scott (Jr., P., 39 IP., 17 H, 67 K, 23 BB).
Logan Mason (Sr., 1P., 7.2 IP., 11 H, 22 K, 8 BB).
Ryan Facinelli (Sr., SS., .352, 15 RBI)
PREVIOUS STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1987 (Group 4); 2008 (Group 4); 2009 (Group 4); 2016 (Group 4); 2018 (Group 4).
THE SKINNY
Like Cranford, Hunterdon Central has a proud history. It has won four Group 4 championships since 2008 and was in the Group 4 final in 2017.
Middletown South knocked Hunterdon Central out of last year’s state tournament in the sectional semifinal on its way to winning the state championship.
Scott is 3-0 in the state tournament and Frey is 2-0 in the tournament. Frey is the more well-rested since he last pitched in the sectional final on June 10, when he struck out 12 and walked one in 5 1/3 innings.
Before his outing against Elizabeth on June 4 in the sectional quarterfinal, Frey had not pitched since May 9, according to what is entered on nj.com.
Scott did walk six in 4 2/3 innings Monday against Livingston in the semifinal. He struck out 10, walked three and allowed one hit in six innings against Watchung Hills in the sectional semifinal.
Mason has pitched in relief in four of Hunterdon Central’s five games in the tournament.
HOWELL
HOWELL ROAD TO THE FINAL
WON CENTRAL GROUP 4 CHAMPIONSHIP
Defeated No. 15 Manalapan 3-1.
No. 7 Monroe 5-4.
No. 3 Jackson Memorial 3-2.
No. 9 East Brunswick 8-2.
South Group 4 champion Cherokee 2-1 in 9 innings.
HOWELL HEAD COACH: Eric Johnson.
HOWELL PROBABLE STARTING PITCHER: Nick Barracato.
HOWELL LEADING PLAYERS
Russell Halvorsen (Jr., RF., .430, 6 HR., 17 RBI)
Devon Smith (Sr., CF., .240 2 HR, 14 RBI).
Thomas Strauch (Sr., SS., 351, 10 HR, 39 RBI).
Joe Zito (So., 3B., .333, 2 HR, 19 RBI).
Nicholas Todisco (Sr., C., .272 1 HR, 9 RBI).
Braden Walsh (So., 1B., .293, 2 HR, 30 RBI).
Jeremiah Wojenski (Sr., DH., 294. 16 RBI).
Ryan Biello (Sr., RF/P., 3-1, 1 save, 30.2 IP, 34 H, 36 K, 11 BB).
Nick Gallo (Sr., 2B. .200, 2 HR, 15 RBI).
Nick Barracato (Sr., P., 0-1, 1 save 15.2 IP, 17 H, 14 K 7 BB).
Jason Pace (Sr., P,., 4-0, 1 save, 31 IP, 25 H, 41 K, 23 BB).
PREVIOUS STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: None.
THE SKINNY
Howell, which is in its first state final since 1994 and only the second in its history, is short-handed in the pitching department.
Its top two pitchers are sidelined due to injuries sustained in the last two games.
Nick Gomes (5-1), who was the starter in the sectional quarterfinal and final, is out with a broken wrist sustained against East Brunswick.
Ace Daniel Furlong (9-1),who was he winner with complete-game efforts in the first round and the sectional semifinal, sustained a broken jaw after he was hit by a line drive from the first batter of the game in the state semifinal.
Barracato, a senior right-hander, relieved Furlong against Cherokee and was outstanding in the emergency role. He did not allow a run and scattered six hits in seven innings while throwing 102 pitches. He had not pitched since May 27 and just 8 2/3 innings all season before that.
Pace picked up the win against Cherokee with two perfect innings and three strikeouts. He pitched the final three innings in the sectional final and allowed a run on two hits and struck out six and walked none.
Biello has not pitched since a one-inning outing in relief against Hamilton West on May 27. His last start was May 18 against Neptune. He did pick up the save in Howell’s 3-2 win over Rumson-Fair Haven on May 12 by getting the final out after he allowed a hit and issued a walk.
Howell’s lineup has been at its most lethal when the wind is blowing out in its homer friendly park, but it has shown it can grind out wins in the state tournament. It won at Cherokee with just three hits.
Johnson appeared as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning and grounded out to third in the top of the seventh of Howell’s 4-2 loss to Elizabeth in the 1994 Group 4 championship game at Toms River North after a sucide squeeze bunt failed.
Elizabeth won the game on a two-run home run to left by Akim McCrary off ace left-hander Joe Aragona in the bottom of the seventh. Todd Kliment was Howell’s head coach.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Shore NJ Baseball: Middletown North, Howell NJSIAA group finals preview
