UC Junior Legion Upset in Quarterfinals

THE RECORDS: Junior American Legion team entered the Union County quarterfinal on Saturday as the top seed with a record of 13-1-0. Rahway came to the game as the ninth seed with a 4-7-0 record. The contest was played at Veteran’s Field in Rahway, but Union Catholic was the home-team. When the teams last faced each other July 5, Union Catholic won 5-4.

THE SCORE: 5-4, Rahway, in a marathon, extra-inning upset

It was a game characterized by too many walks, errors and hit batsmen. Going into the eighth inning, the teams were tied 3-3 after throwing a combined, whopping total of 275 pitches over the first seven innings.

Batting at the top of the eighth, Rahway batters Gian Petraroia and Colin Quinn reached on an infield error and a walk. Union Catholic head coach Jim Reagan, also head coach of the school’s varsity team, pulled relief pitcher Walter Pennett and replaced him with Anthony Colletti from third base. Colletti then hit Rahway’s Tom Bruneitko, loading the bases. Rahway proceeded to score on another infield error, and gained an insurance run when Carlos Orsini hit a short single to center, bringing home Wuinn and making the score 5-3. Colletti escaped further trouble by retiring the next three batters on a fly ball, a fielder’s choice and a strikeout.

“We were fortunate in that last inning,” Rahway head coach Lou Romeo said. “With the bases loaded and one out we were just looking to get one run across.”

The top of Union Catholic’s order came to bat in the bottom of the eighth. With one out and runners on second and third, Colletti drove in a run with a ground-out to first, making the score 5-4 with two outs.

The tying runner stood on third base, but Rahway relief pitcher Dan Brehm struck out the Union Catholic’s last batter to clinch the victory.

“Dan is our best pitcher and he just pitched five innings earlier this week,” said Romeo, who used Brehm for the game’s final two innings. Brehm struck out three, walked two and gave up one run on two hits in earning the mound victory.

The game lasted just five minutes shy of three hours. Union Catholic issued 12 walks, hit one batter and committed five errors. Rahway walked seven batters, hit two more and made four errors. Through the first five innings alone, both teams left 11 runners on base.

“Rahway outplayed us in every facet and deserved to win,” Reagan said. “We didn’t throw strikes and they took advantage of it. We had ample opportunities.”

WHAT’S NEXT: Rahway qualified for a state tournament (district) bid for the first time on the Junior Legion level and reached the league’s semifinals for the first time under head coach Lou Romeo, who is also the head coach of Rahway High School’s varsity team. In the semifinal, held Sunday, the team defeated Union 15-2. It faces Watchung Hills in the championship on Monday.

Although Union Catholic lost, its season is not over. By finishing first in the league standings with a 13-2-0 record and 26 points, the team earned an automatic district bid.

Four district tournaments, with the champion and runners-up advancing to the State Finals, are scheduled to commence next Saturday, July 23. The State Finals will begin Saturday, July 30 at Union’s Teener Field.

NOTES: A by the Union County Superior Court has, until recently, prohibited Union Catholic from holding any games or practices on its field. On July 12, Judge John Malone issued a preliminary injunction that both extended and loosened the restraining order: the team is still barred from hosting games or full practices on its field, but it may conduct batting practice inside an enclosed bullpen and hold infield ground-ball practice.

According to Union County Junior Legion chairman Jim Caffrey, this was the first game that pitted Union County American Legion Hall of Fame coaches against each other. Rahway coach Lou Romeo was inducted last year, and Union Catholic coach Jim Reagan was inducted in 2005.

This was the second straight season that the top seed lost in the quarterfinals. Watchung Hills won the regular season last year, but fell to Union Catholic in the quarters.

Elizabeth won last year’s playoff championship as the 12th seed.