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Sports

Raiders Baseball Clinches Win Against Warren Hill, Moves Ahead in North 2, Group 3 Games

SP-F will face Millburn on Friday.

The Scotch Plains-Fanwood High baseball team is on a mission.

After falling in the Union County Tournament semifinals, the Raiders are seeking to capture North 2, Group 3.

Scotch Plains, the second seed, got off to a good start Monday by ousting 15th-seeded Warren Hills 12-2 in six innings.

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The Raiders scored in every inning and received a solo home run from senior center fielder Ricky Shevlin and a 3-for-3 performance by senior catcher Lou Mazzella. Senior right hander Jordan Bayroff pitched the first four innings and gave up only one run to earn the mound victory, while freshman righty James D'Angelo gave up one run in the final two innings.

Scotch Plains improved to 21-5 with its fifth consecutive victory since falling to Cranford 10-7 at Elizabeth in the UCT semis on May 8.

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The Raiders will next host seventh-seeded Millburn Friday in a 4 p.m. quarterfinal. The Millers, who improved to 13-12 Monday after beating 10th-seeded Belleville 10-0 in five innings at home, will most likely start senior right hander Peter Han against Scotch Plains Friday.

Scotch Plains seventh-year head coach Tom Baylock said Monday night that his starting pitcher for Friday will be either Bayroff or senior right hander Gary Binkiewicz (4-3). Binkiewicz earned the mound victory in Friday's 15-1 conference home win over Linden. Binkiewicz allowed one earned run on four hits in five innings and struck out four and walked three.

Millburn, guided by second-year head coach Daryl Palmieri, is also led by senior shortstop Chris Benedict, who bats third in the lineup. Benedict was a First Team All-State soccer player who will continue in that sport at Princeton.

The Millers also have a solid player in senior second baseman and leadoff batter A.J. O'Leary and senior first baseman Dylan Bailey.

Before playing again in the states on Friday, Scotch Plains has a non-conference home game scheduled against Union Catholic Tuesday at 4 p.m. - weather permitting, with rain in the forecast - and another non-conference game at Middlesex County foe Woodbridge Thursday at 4. The Woodbridge game was originally scheduled to be played at Scotch Plains.

The only other scheduled regular season game is a makeup conference contest at Plainfield May 26. That game may not have to be made up because Scotch Plains has already clinched the Union County Conference's Watchung Division championship with a 10-1 league record.

Cranford captured the UCC's Mountain Division title with a 12-2 league mark. There are eight teams in the Mountain Division this year and seven in the Watchung Division.

There are also seven teams in the UCC's Valley Division, with that division title still to be decided.

Scotch Plains was originally scheduled to host Newark West Side Monday in its state game, but, according to Baylock, the Essex County school did not want to enter and did not tell the NJSIAA right away. The section had to be revamped, with Warren Hills moving up from the 16th seed to the 15th seed and Mendham was then added as the 16th seed.

Rahway also qualified for the section, but chose not to enter with a record under .500. This year teams were eligible to qualify for the states with a record under .500, depending on the availability of the section they were in.

All top eight seeds won at home on Monday. Friday's top side of the bracket includes fifth-seeded Morristown at fourth-seeded Nutley and eighth-seeded West Morris at top-seeded South Plainfield. The bottom side of the bracket includes sixth-seeded and defending champion Iselin Kennedy at third-seeded Cranford and seventh-seeded Millburn at second-seeded Scotch Plains. 

SCOTCH PLAINS REMAINING SCHEDULE AS OF TUESDAY, MAY 18:

Tuesday, May 18 - Union Catholic, 4 p.m.

Thursday, May 20 - at Woodbridge, 4 p.m.

Friday, May 21 - Millburn, 4 p.m. - North 2, Group 3 quarterfinal.

If Scotch Plains wins, the Raiders will be home Tuesday, May 25, in a semifinal.

Wednesday, May 26 - at Plainfield, 4 p.m.

This conference game may not have to be made up. 

NORTH 2, GROUP 3

SEEDS: 1-South Plainfield. 2-Scotch Plains-Fanwood. 3-Cranford. 4-Nutley.

5-Morristown. 6-Iselin Kennedy. 7-Millburn. 8-West Morris.

9-Ferris. 10-Belleville. 11-Somervlle. 12-Colonia.

13-Carteret. 14-Voorhees. 15-Warren Hills. 16-Mendham.

FIRST ROUND:

Monday, May 17

Morristown 6, Colonia 4

Nutley 11, Carteret 7

West Morris 8, Ferris 0

South Plainfield 8, Mendham 2

Millburn 10, Belleville 0

Scotch Plains 12, Warren Hills 2

Iselin Kennedy 9, Somerville 5

Cranford 6, Voorhees 0

QUARTERFINALS:

Friday, May 21, 4 p.m.

At the fields of the higher seeds.

TOP SIDE OF THE BRACKET:

5-Morristown at 4-Nutley

8-West Morris at 1-South Plainfield

BOTTOM SIDE OF THE BRACKET:

6-Iselin Kennedy at 3-Cranford

7-Millburn at 2-Scotch Plains

SEMIFINALS:

Tuesday, May 25, 4 p.m.

At the fields of the higher seeds.

FINAL:

Friday, May 28, 4 p.m.

At the field of the higher seed.

2009: Twelve teams qualified last year - teams needed to be .500 or better - with second-seeded Scotch Plains reaching the final. The Raiders first defeated seventh-seeded South Plainfield 8-6 at home in the quarterfinals and then eliminated sixth-seeded Somerville 11-10 at home in the semifinals. Scotch Plains then lost at top-seeded Iselin Kennedy 6-3 in the final.

Defending champion: Iselin Kennedy. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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