NJSIAA State Baseball and Softball Finals Preview
Baseball
Gloucester Catholic (27-4) vs. Don Bosco Prep (24-3)
At Toms River North, 2 p.m.
Road to the final: Gloucester Catholic beat Holy Spirit (7-1), Holy Cross (12-5), Bishop Eustace (4-0), and St. Augustine (12-4); Don Bosco beat Pope John (13-1), St. Joseph of Montvale (2-0), and Delbarton (3-0).
Gloucester Catholic players to watch: Freshman RHP John Murphy is 6-1 with a 1.44 ERA, and junior OF Giovanni Gussen leads the team in hitting with a .448 average.
Don Bosco player to watch: Senior RHP Tommy Burns is 9-1, threw a three-hitter against St. Joseph of Montvale, and was drafted in the 34th round by the Milwaukee Brewers.
Fast fact: Gloucester Catholic is 82-13 since 2010.
Buena (25-7) vs. Mahwah (24-6)
At Toms River East, 2 p.m.
Road to the final: Buena beat West Deptford (5-2), Cinnaminson (3-1), Sterling (6-2), GCIT (14-5), and Raritan (6-4); Mahwah beat Kittatinny (1-0), Mountain Lakes (9-2), Lenape Valley (8-6), Pequannock (11-1), and Madison (12-2).
Buena players to watch: Senior RHP Justin Geri is 8-1, and senior IF Anthony Lopez has 21 extra-base hits.
Mahwah player to watch: Senior OF Eric Kaplan had a double, triple, and three RBIs against Madison.
Fast fact: Buena is making its first appearance in the state finals.
Audubon (23-6) vs. Pompton Lakes (22-3)
At Toms River South, 2 p.m.
Road to the final: Audubon beat LEAP (16-0), Pitman (4-3), Pennsville (4-3), Haddon Township (3-2), and Florence (4-1); Pompton Lakes beat Saddle Brook (4-1), Verona (3-2), Cedar Grove (3-2), Midland Park (7-0), and Ridgefield (7-2).
Audubon players to watch: Senior LHP Andrew Schorr is 9-1, and senior C Boomer Wickersham leads South Jersey with 17 doubles.
Pompton Lakes player to watch: Sophomore LHP Mike Coss pitched a five-hitter in the win over Ridgefield.
Fast fact: Audubon can win its eighth state title, which would be tops among public school programs in New Jersey.
Softball
Sacred Heart (26-6) vs. Immaculate Lodi (26-6)
At Toms River North, 10:30 a.m.
Road to the finals: Sacred Heart beat Wildwood Catholic (1-0), St. Joseph of Hammonton (6-3), and Gill St. Bernards (4-0); Immaculate Lodi beat Saddle River Day (7-0), Villa Walsh (9-4), St. Mary's (10-0), and Newark Academy (8-2).
Sacred Heart player to watch: Sophomore RHP Rosie LaGrotta has a 20-5 record with a 2.25 ERA.
Immaculate Lodi player to watch: Senior RHP Kelly Hage pitched a six-hitter against Newark Academy.
Fast fact: Senior IF Rachel Gavigan is second on the all-time Sacred Heart list with 163 hits.
Kingsway (27-3) vs. High Point (25-1)
At Toms River North, 1 p.m.
Road to the finals: Kingsway beat Winslow (10-0), Pineland (3-1), Cumberland (14-2), Central (2-0), and Lawrence (5-1); High Point beat Pascack Valley (2-1), Old Tappan (2-0), Jefferson (3-1), Indian Hills (6-0), and Warren Hills (4-2).
Kingsway players to watch: Senior RHP Kelsey Dominik is 26-3 with a 0.68 ERA and 274 strikeouts, and senior C Katie Dickson has 33 RBIs.
High Point player to watch: Sophomore RHP Allyson Frei is 25-0 with 288 strikeouts and has allowed just 34 hits.
Fast fact: Kingsway won Group 2 state titles in 1998 and 1999 and the Group 3 state title in 2008.
Eastern (21-4) vs. Hunterdon Central (22-8)
At Toms River North, 3 p.m.
Road to the finals: Eastern beat Toms River North (1-0), Vineland (3-1), Shawnee (6-3), Toms River East (4-3), and East Brunswick (4-0); Hunterdon Central beat Bayonee (4-2), Westfield (3-1), Edison (13-3), North Hunterdon (7-2), and Livingston (4-0).
Eastern players to watch: Senior RHP Steph Vuono is 20-4 with a 0.87 ERA and 160 strikeouts. Junior IF Madison Tiernan is batting .526 with 28 stolen bases.
Hunterdon Central player to watch: Junior RHP Kaitlyn Cegielski pitched a three-hitter with no walks and no strikeouts against Livingston.
Fast fact: Eastern won its only state title in 1986.
- Phil Anastasia
