In a different role, Hunterdon Central baseball advances to sectional quarterfinals

RARITAN TOWNSHIP – Is it possible for a perennial baseball behemoth to play dark horse and be overlooked? Hunterdon Central can realistically assume that role this season as the No. 7 seed in the extremely deep North 2 Group 4 field.

Central was like five of the six schools in the Skyland Conference Delaware Division swept away by champion Bridgewater-Raritan, the No. 1 seed in the section.  Central was ousted in the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex/Tournament quarterfinals, dethroned by eventual champ North Hunterdon 1-0 in 10 innings.

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The sectionals are what Central has left. Make no mistake the Red Devils should be regarded as a threat as Thursday’s 2-0 win over No. 10 seed Watchung Hills showed. Central will play the winner of Friday’s game between No. 15 Franklin and No. 2 Scotch Plains-Fanwood next Wednesday in a section quarterfinal.

Central (14-10) has won six of seven, three by shutout. Watchung Hills (13-14) threatened a couple of times, but pitchers Ryan Lundari (the winning pitcher with five innings) then reliever Tommy Baase (two innings and save) kept the Warriors scoreless and held to four hits.

Central is only three seasons removed from its most recent North 2 Group 4 title and state final berth.

“When we do all the small things we win baseball games, we have good pitching and if we can scratch a couple of runs and play good defense, we can play with anyone in the state,” said Central coach Kevin Cuozzi. “We have to play clean.”

The Red Devils made three errors Monday in a 11-7 non-conference loss to St. Joseph of Metuchen. They made two more against Watchung Hills but were able to avoid real damage. Central scored in the first on Caleb McGann’s sacrifice fly and made it 2-0 in the fourth on Tyler Stallwood’s sacrifice fly.

Central also cut down a runner attempting to score. Watchung Hills catcher Jacob Keirstead threw out two would-be stealers. The Warriors just couldn’t get a big hit. That hurt them in a 4-2 Somerset County Tournament semifinal loss to Bridgewater-Raritan.

They loaded the bases in the first inning against Lundari, but two strikeouts ruined the threat. The Warriors got a strong 5 1/3 inning effort from junior lefty Ethan Byrd.

“Ethan did everything he needed to do to win the game for us, but we didn't back him up offensively,” Watchung Hills coach Joe Tremarco said. “It’s high school baseball. We were short on offense, but we will be back at it next year. We have a lot of young guys who really like baseball

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ Baseball: Hunterdon Central tops Watchung Hills in postseason