SP-F Baseball Advances to UCT Semifinals

Sparked by its first 4-home run game of the season, the Scotch Plains-Fanwood baseball team has advanced to the Union County Tournament semifinals for the third straight year after downing Union Catholic 14-2 Wednesday in the quarterfinals.

Defending champion and second-seeded Scotch Plains – seeking its fifth UCT title overall and attempting to repeat for the first time – will next take on third-seeded Cranford in Saturday's second semifinal at Elizabeth's Williams Field, scheduled for a 3 p.m. first pitch.

Scotch Plains won for the eighth straight time to improve to 15-4, while 10th-seeded Union Catholic fell to 7-11 after Wednesday's game at SP-F High. The teams are also scheduled to play a non-conference game May 18 at 4 p.m. at Scotch Plains.

Scotch Plains played in the first of the two UCT semifinals at Elizabeth the last two years and against Elizabeth both times. Elizabeth came back to win the 2008 contest 7-5 in eight innings en route to its first crown since 1991, while Scotch Plains won the 2009 game 8-5 en route to its first championship since 2004.

Cranford came back from a 5-0 deficit to beat Roselle Catholic 7-5 at home in its Wednesday quarterfinal at Memorial Field. The Cougars now own a nine-game winning streak over the Lions and have not lost to RC since the 2004 UCT semifinals.

Cranford made the semifinals for the fifth consecutive year and also for the fifth straight season will be playing in the second of the two semifinals at Elizabeth. Cranford lost to Westfield in the 2006, 2008 and 2009 semifinals and defeated Roselle Park in the 2007 semifinals en route to its fifth and last UCT crown.

Saturday's first semifinal at Elizabeth's Williams Field at noon will be fourth-seeded Johnson vs. top-seeded Westfield.

Johnson eliminated fifth-seeded Governor Livingston 13-4 at home, while Westfield ousted eighth-seeded Elizabeth 4-1 at home in their Wednesday quarterfinals.

Slugging home runs – in order – for the Raiders were senior left fielder Joe D'Annunzio, senior shortstop Mike Ridge, senior catcher Lou Mazzella and senior designated hitter Mike Lauricella.

Mazzella also picked off a runner at first base in the fourth inning.

He doesn't mind hitting home runs and picking off runners in the same game.

"They're both equally satisfying," said a smiling Mazzella after the game.

Scotch Plains has a lot to smile about lately with the roll the Raiders are on.

"The win was even more satisfying," Mazzella said. "I just try to do what's best for our team. We have a good offense and I just want to contribute."

Since a shakeup of the lineup following a 3-3 stretch where Scotch Plains scored just 26 runs for a 4.33 average, the Raiders are 8-0 since. They've scored at least 10 runs in all eight of those games and have totaled 106 for a whopping 13.25 average.

"We fed off it," Mazzella said. "It was tough times and we accepted it. We accepted the failure and that's what this game is about. Everybody has a tough one. Unfortunately we had more than a couple, but we bounced back."

D'Annunzio blasted a three-run shot over the left field fence for the game-winning hit, giving Scotch Plains the lead for good at 3-0 in the bottom of the first.

Ridge, Mazzella and Lauricella all homered during a seven-run fourth. Ridge hit a three-run shot that bounced off the top of the fence and went over. The rule – which Scotch Plains head coach Tom Baylock was emphatic about after the game – is that if the ball hits the top of the fence and goes over, it's a home run.

Some fans in attendance were under the impression that the ruling for a hit like that is a grounds rule double. That is not the case. If the ball bounces over the fence, then the ruling is grounds rule double.

Three batters later, Mazzella belted a two-run homer over the left field fence. Then two batters after him, Lauricella hit a solo shot down the left field line and over the fence.

D'Annunzio in his second at-bat, and junior third baseman Marcus Rivera in his fourth at-bat, hit the center field fence on a fly for hits that went for doubles.

Senior right hander Jordan Bayroff went the distance for the Raiders to improve to 5-1. In an 84-pitch effort, he allowed two runs (one of them earned) on 11 hits, while striking out five and walking two. He struck out three batters looking with an effective off speed pitch and also picked off a runner at first base in the third.

"Jordan and I are good friends and I've always believed in him," Mazzella said. "He's helped us a lot this year, took a lot of burden off Gary (Binkiewicz) and we expect him to do a lot more to help us win some championships."

Senior righty Gary Binkiewicz – who is 3-2 and has won his last two decisions – will start on the mound against Cranford.

Binkiewicz and Bayroff will not pitch at all, according to Baylock, in Friday's scheduled Union County Conference-Watchung Division game at Westfield.

Scotch Plains banged out 15 hits against Union Catholic, with D'Annunzio going 3-for-3, with a home run, two doubles, three RBI and three runs. He also had another outfield assist, nailing a baserunner at second base who attempted to stretch a single into a double.

Ridge went 3-for-3, with a home run, two singles, three RBI and three runs.

Mazzella went 2-for-3, with a home run, a single, four RBI and one run.

He delivered a big two-run single in the third inning that increased his team's lead from 4-2 to 6-2.

"He's done that all year for us, come up with big hits when we needed them," Baylock said. "Defensively, I think he's the best catcher in the county. He does a lot of great things back there, has a lot of energy and he's got a real strong arm. He keeps baserunners at bay. They can't get good jumps because they're afraid he'll throw behind them at any time and pick them off, like he did today."

Lauricella was 2-for-3, with a home run, a single, two RBI and one run. Rivera was 3-for-4, with a double, two singles and one run, while Ricky Shevlin and Gary Binkiewicz both went 1-for-3, with singles. Shevlin also scored twice.

For Union Catholic, leadoff batter Dave Schanz went 2-for-3, with an RBI-double and a single; No. 3 batter Rey Lopez was 2-for-3, with two singles. Lopez, a senior righty, started on the mound and took the loss, with his record falling to 3-2.

Mike D'Antico and designated hitter Sean Siburn were also 2-for-3, with two singles. Vinnie LaRocca and Robert Pons were both 1-for-3, with singles, with Pons driving in a run. Evan Dickerson was 1-for-2, with a single.

UNION COUNTY TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINAL

10-UNION CATHOLIC (7-11)                    0   1   1     0   0 –  2   11 1

2-SCOTCH PLAINS (15-4, 8 in a row)       3   1   3     7   x – 14  15  2

PITCHERS OF RECORD:

Union Catholic: Rey Lopez, senior right hander, (3-2).

Scotch Plains: Jordan Bayroff, senior right hander, (5-1).

DOUBLES: Union Catholic – Dave Schanz. Scotch Plains - Joe D'Annunzio (2), Marcus Rivera.

TRIPLES: Union Catholic – None. Scotch Plains - None.

HOME RUNS: Union Catholic – None. Scotch Plains – Joe D'Annunzio, Mike Ridge, Lou Mazzella, Mike Lauricella. 

57th ANNUAL BASEBALL

UNION COUNTY TOURNAMENT 

SEEDS:

1-Westfield. 2-Scotch Plains. 3-Cranford. 4-Johnson.

5-Gov. Livingston. 6-Roselle Catholic. 7-Union. 8-Elizabeth.

9-Summit. 10-Union Catholic. 11-Linden. 12-Rahway.

13-New Providence. 14-Dayton. 15-Brearley. 16-Roselle Park.

17-Oratory Prep. 18-Plainfield. 19-St. Patrick. 20-St. Mary's, Elizabeth

21-Hillside. 22-Roselle.

PRELIMINARY ROUND

Thursday, April 29

Linden 22, Roselle 0 (5 inn.)

Rahway 15, Hillside 3 (5 inn.)

New Providence 10, St. Mary's 0 (5 inn.)

Dayton 16, St. Patrick 6 (5 inn.)

Oratory Prep 9, Roselle Park 2

Friday, April 30

Plainfield 9, Brearley 8

FIRST ROUND

Saturday, May 1 

Gov. Livingston 9, Rahway 2

Johnson 11, New Providence 1 (5 inn.)

Elizabeth 13, Summit 1 (5 inn.)

Westfield 6, Oratory Prep 1

Union Catholic 5, Union 3

Scotch Plains 17, Plainfield 0 (5 inn.)

Roselle Catholic 15, Linden 2 (5 inn.)

Cranford 11, Dayton 5

QUARTERFINALS

Wednesday, May 5, 4 p.m.

TOP SIDE OF THE BRACKET:

Johnson 13, Gov. Livingston 4

Westfield 4, Elizabeth 1

BOTTOM SIDE OF THE BRACKET:

Cranford 7, Roselle Catholic 5

Scotch Plains 14, Union Catholic 2 (5 inn.)

SEMIFINALS

Saturday, May 8

At Elizabeth's Williams Field

4-Johnson vs. 1-Westfield, noon

3-Cranford vs. 2-Scotch Plains, 3 p.m.

FINAL

Saturday, May 15

At Elizabeth's Williams Field, 1 p.m.

coin flip for home and visiting teams     

UCT CHAMPIONS THE PAST DECADE: 

2009 - Scotch Plains - first time since 2004

2008 - Elizabeth - first time since 1991

2007 - Cranford - first time since 2003

2006 - Westfield - first time since 2002

2005 - Roselle Catholic - first time since 1971

2004 - Scotch Plains - first time since 1976

2003 - Cranford - first time since 2001

2002 - Westfield - first time since 1997

2001 - Cranford - first time since 2000

2000 - Cranford - first time since 1999