The Bergen County tournament opens today, and wouldn’t you know ,heavy rain is in the forecast. Even though St. Joseph is the overwhelming favorite, a lot can happen between now and Memorial Day Weekend. Once, of course, the rain goes away.
Ah well, grab your umbrellas and check out these indepth looks at the first round matchups, including starting pitchers:
No. 18 Paramus Catholic at No. 15 Paramus. 4 p.m.
Tom Saffioti (2-2) vs. Domonic Caporelli (3-3)
The Battle of Paramus. Both teams come into this game under a bit of a microscope. This is PC’s first county tournament bid since 1995, winning seven of the last nine before the cutoff to earn the spot. Saffioti has been one of the most effective pitchers on a staff that has a tidy 1.94 ERA. He has 25 strikeouts in 36 innings and a 1.40 ERA. The Paladins aren’t as strong an offensive team as they have been in recent years, but they have some productive hitters in senior SS James Colacci (.446 average, 25 hits) and junior C Ken Meagan (.353, 18 hits). Good pitching depth here, so Saffioti may have a short leash.
We’ll be watching the Spartans closely because they got in at 8-8 thanks to the power point/strength of schedule formula that went into effect this season. They were in top five in The Record baseball Top 25 earlier this season, but, despite a mid-season slump, they still won the Big North Freedom Division title with only one league loss. Caporelli’s their best pitcher, and he’s been throwing the ball quite well lately. The big question for the Spartans is whether or not they hit. Caporelli has been swinging the bat well, and 1B Josh Rollins continues to be a good power source. Watch DH Anthony DeCeglie, who has been their hottest hitter the last week or so.
The winner plays: No. 2 Bergen Catholic, Saturday, 12:30 p.m. at Emerson.
No. 20 Glen Rock at No. 13 New Milford, 4 p.m.
Adam Lawsky (4-1) vs. Sawyer Coughlin (2-0)
The Panthers are interesting because we’re just now getting a look at the kind team they really are. Glen Rock has had two or three starters out in some combination for most of the season, but they are healthy at the right time. Lawsky has emerged as a legitimate ace, beating Garfield ace Justin Valdespina and Rutherford’s Steve Kinzler while allowing six earned runs in 31 innings. Cather Tyler Blind, who leads off, is one of North Jersey’s most productive hitters, and Lawsky and SS Tyler Roldan provide some pop in the middle of the order. The offense has gotten a huge boost from the return of OF Jeff Kopyta, who missed time after that horrible outfield collision against Hawthorne. All of Glen Rock’s losses have been by three runs or less, so the Panthers need to stop squandering scoring chances.
Coughlin is an interesting story for the Knights. He was one of the top hitters in North Jersey last season —- he stills swings a solid bat — but he was hampered by some hamstring woes early on. He’s healthy, and that makes him an inning-eater who can handle tournament pressure. Keep an eye on junior OF Victor Barrera, who’s hitting .450 for a team that can manufacture runs. The Knights have struggled a bit defensively lately, and they have to avoid beating themselves with sloppy play, especially if the field conditions are a bit sloppy.
The winner plays: No. 4 Old Tappan, Saturday, 1 p.m. at Demarest
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No. 19 Ridgewood at No. 14 Hasbrouck Heights, 4 p.m.
Jack Hurley (2-0) vs. Joe Crabbe (2-3)
The Maroons seem to have leveled off after a little bit of a rough patch, and they are opening with Hurley, a junior who really stepped up when injuries strapped the pitching staff. He’s coming off an impressive complete game victory over Pascack Hills, and it will be interesting to see how he fares against a Heights team that can put up some runs. If this turns into an battle of offensive weapons, keep an eye on junior SS Nico Symington, who has been Ridgewood’s most consistent hitter this season. Senior 1B Kevin Skettini is the leading RBI threat, and junior CF Kengo Karahawa and junior C Nick Copolla have been solid. Watch junior OFConnor Van Caugherty, who has had some big hits, including a game-winning homer on Monday.
The Aviators grabbed headlines in the first weeks of the season when they were pounding out runs at an astonishing pace. The bats cooled off a bit, as expected, but they seem to be back in the swing the right time. Senior P/1B Ray Espinosa has been their most consistent hitter but Crabbe and senior catcher Gabe Toldeo have been productive. Crabbe has pitched in some tough luck and is better than his record indicates. The defense has to step up behind him. Fun fact: The last time Heights played a county game at Depken Field was 2007 when the Aviators beat Ridgewood.
The winner plays: No. 3 Mahwah, Saturday, 3 p.m at Emerson.
No. 23 Fair Lawn at No. 10 River Dell, 4 p.m.
Adam Hebel (3-1) vs. Ryan Duran (2-1)
The Cutters are in the tournament for the first time in seven years. They are a bit of an unknown package in BergenCounty circles because they play in the Big North Independence Division with five PassaicCounty teams. That may have hurt them a bit in terms of seeding. Hebel has been Fair Lawn’s most consistent arm, beating Wayne Hills and pitching very well in a two-run loss to Lakeland, the top-seed in Passaic. The top offensive threats are SS Dan Licamara, who is hitting .407 and leading the team in doubles and RBI, and 2B Andrew Esposito. River Dell outplayed the Cutters in a preseason scrimmage, although that means little now.
River Dell coach Brandon Flanagan thought long and hard before turning the ball over to Duran, who has fashioned one of the best comeback stories of the spring. He’s a top shelf pitcher who is four months removed from knee surgery to repair an ACL injury suffered in football. Flanagan said he has no worries throwing him on a potentially sloppy field, and the Hawks have a well-rested bullpen to back him up. The Hawks have a nice offense that doesn’t always get the credit it deserves. Senior 3B Tim Barnes is hitting .400 and senior OF Brandon Martinez, who has shaken off a hamstring problem, is one of the best players in North Jersey. Flanagan said his unsung hero is 1B Evan Drummondwho has 27 RBI and a batting average hovering around. 500.
The winner plays: No. 7 Park Ridge, Saturday, 10 a.m. at Emerson.
No. 17 St. Mary at No. 16 Indian Hills, 4 p.m.
TBD vs. Christos Apostolu (4-3)
Coach George Hill said the Braves have gone above and beyond expectations so far this season, and they’ll that and more in the days to come. The Gaels may start ace Willie Krajnik, and if the Braves beat him, they draw St. Joseph ace Rob Kaminsky. Talk about a one-two punch. Hills is an interesting team because the Braves have more pitching that a Hill team has ever had. Apostolou is a legitimate inning-eater, and Hill said he has earned the right to start this sort of game. There will be a lot of attention focused on the Indian Hills offense, and the players to watch include junior 2B Richie Pagano, junior SS Matt Jensen, junior C Devin Torres and sophomore 1B Serafino Brito.
The Gaels are a wildcard in this tournament. They played a remarkable independent schedule stiffed with reigning state champions, and that strength of schedule got them in this tournament despite an 8-8 mark. If nothing else, the Gaels are already tournament tough. Coach Dennis Hulse said he’s still debating whether to start Krajnik —- they’re calling him the best 1-5 pitcher in the state —- or JR Hilcher (1-1), who has been doing a job as the lefty out of the bullpen. Gut feeling? He holds back Krajnik for a potential date with Kaminsky on Saturday. That could backfire, but team has been rolling the dice and star-studded matchups all season. Keep an eye on junior 2B Danny Wagner, who has been rock solid in the field and thriving as the leadoff hitter.
The winner plays: No. 1 St. Joseph, Saturday, 3:30 p.m. at Demarest
No. 21 Garfield at No. 12 Emerson, 4 p.m.
TBD vs. Jake Leara (4-1)
The Boilermakers are in the tournament for just the second time in 20 years. They’ll either throw ace Justin Valdespina (2-2), who has some of the best stuff in North Jersey and has draw some attention from MLB scouts, or No. 2 starter Brandon DeJesus (3-2). A day or two of rain will make a Valdespina appearance more likely. The Boilermakers are maddening team because they run so hot and could. The good news is that they have a tendency to play their best in big games, and for most of these players, this is the biggest game of their high school career. Valdespina could have an impact on the game even if he doesn’t pitch because he’s Garfield’s top hitter at .451. No matter who pitches, this team has to tighten up on defense.
Don’t raise your eyebrows at the choice of freshman Leara to start this game. He’s quickly become quite a big-game pitcher, beating Lyndhurst, Glen Rock and New Milford —- all tournament teams — and losing 2-0 to No. 7 Park Ridge. He’s mainly a fastball pitcher who knows when to mix in the curve. Coach Bob Carcich loves his control. The player to watch is junior OF Joe Fisco, one of the top clutch hitters in North Jersey who is hitting .440 with nine doubles, six triples and a home run. Nick Smith leads the Cavos with 24 RBI.
The winner plays: No. 5 Lyndhurst, Saturday, 2 p.m. at Lyndhurst
No. 22 Ridgefield at No. 11 Ridgefield Park, 4 p.m.
Eamon Catherina (4-2) vs. Joe Guercio (5-1)
Great rivalry game, and maybe the best first round matchup. Catherina, a sophomore, has blossomed into a quite big game pitcher for the Royals. It will be interesting to see how he fares against a Scarlet team that likes to run and force the issue offensively. The big difference in this game could turn out to be senior C Robert Rueda, Ridgefield’s top RBI threat, but, more importantly, one of the premier defensive catchers in North Jersey. The Scarlets will test him, and while he may not completely take the wheels off their offense, he can let a lot of air out of the tires. Also keep an eye on Jordan Neira, who has made a big difference in the Ridgefield attack as leadoff hitter.
Guercio has gone through a lot to reach this spotlight moment. He missed his entire junior season after Tommy John surgery, but has bounced back to become one of the most effective pitchers in North Jersey, chalking up 49 strikeouts in 38 innings. He throws in the mid 80’s but watch his nice curve. The Scarlets were at their best duringa recent seven-game winning streak, outscoring opponents 59-9. Mark Alberque and (14 hits, nine runs scored) and Chris Fitzgerald 12 hits) were the bug guns during the streak. This is the sort of aggressive team that knows how to get under even the best pitcher’s skins, and that makes them interesting in a tournament scenario. Don’t forget this was the team that beat St. Joseph and Rob Kaminsky, 1-0, on a no-hitter in last year’s tourney. Fun fact: RidgefieldPark coach Pete Kraljic coached Ridgefield coach Joe Gambardella for one year in high school.
The winner plays: No.6 Rutherford, Saturday, 11:30 a.m., at Lyndhurst
No. 24 Waldwick at No. 9 Demarest, 4 p.m.
Connor Walsh (2-2) vs. Troy Elias (6-0)
Perhaps you recognize Walsh’s name from The Record’s Player of the Year Watch on Monday. The junior 3B/1B has been one of North Jersey’s most consistent hitters all season, hitting .585 with 31 hits, four home runs, eight doubles, two triples and 22 RBI. Today, however, all eyes will be on his right arm, and he has, by all accounts, been throwing the ball pretty well the last few weeks. Waldwick coach Frank Clark said that Walsh may have never pitched a game of this magnitude, but he’s the kind of player who plays up to the stage. The Warriors, who won four straight to clinch a tournament bid, can hit, even outside the friendly confines of their home field. Also keep an eye on senior P/1B/3B James Moran (.385 average, 20 hits, 15 RBI.)
The Norsemen are having a really nice breakthrough season, and coach Charlie Giachetti raves about the way he’s getting contributions from not only his starting lineup but every corner of the roster. This team has nice balance and plays smart, fundamental baseball, which will serve them well in a matchup against an aggressive offensive team like the Warriors. Elias has been one of North Jersey’s most effective pitchers, and Giachetti said he’s ready to take his spot on the big stage.
The winner plays: No. 8 Teaneck, Saturday, 10:30 a.m. at DemarestÂ
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