Spartan Baseball Takes on Seneca in State Final

The Spartans (25-4) want nothing more than to send longtime head coach Joe Cervino out with the biggest win of his career.

After at William Paterson on Tuesday, Paramus advanced to its second Group 3 final.

“At this stage in my career, we were just happy winning the league and state sectional [title],” the skipper said after the game. “This is just icing on the cake.”

The Spartans are a senior-laden team on the verge of making history.

Paramus has won 11 of its last 12 games and will take on South Group 3 winner Seneca at Toms River East at 2 p.m.

“I feel great,” said Joe Szorentini, who will pitch against the Golden Eagles. “The way I see it, it’s just one more game. One more game I get to play with the guys and leave it all on the field.”

In his last appearance, Szorentini (8-1, 1.65 ERA) dominated Montville. He went the distance, striking out eight in Paramus’ 9-1 win to capture the North 1, Group 3 state sectional crown.

The right-hander has fanned 57 batters and opponents are hitting just .207 against him.

Szorentini is hitting .447 on the year and could help his own cause during this game.

Paramus is averaging roughly 8.7 runs per game and has been sparked by senior third baseman Nick Henriquez (.591).

“Henriquez—just unbelievable,” Cervino said. “He’s just crushing the ball.”

Currently, Henriquez has the highest single season batting average in Paramus history, and is the single-season hit leader with 52 (surpassing Erik Lang’s total of 47 in 2000).  The senior, who also pitches (5-1, 2.53), fell a single shy of the cycle versus Millburn. He leads the team with 24 extra base hits and 46 RBI—second all time to Mike Bassett’s 53 in 1997.

The table setters—leadoff hitter Tyler Garguilo (.378, .436 on base percentage) and No. 2 Brian Criscione (.337, .451 OBP)—have been getting on to give Henriquez and cleanup hitter Chris Covello (.467) RBI opportunities with runners in scoring position.

Garguilo, the right fielder, and Criscione, the shortstop, have scored a combined 74 and swiped a total of 40 bags.

Garguilo reached base seven times in Paramus’ last two games. He went 6-for-10 with six runs scored and was also hit by a pitch.

Criscione hit a two-run homer in the first inning against Montville—just his second round-tripper of the season.

Also look for first baseman (.404), who is second on the team with 37 RBI and catcher Rob Bonastia (.372), batting in the No. 7 hole. The backstop has been swinging the bat well as of late.

On sending Cervino out with a win, Henriquez said, “It would feel amazing. Nothing would feel better than that. We’d be as happy as ever.”

Paramus previous appearance in the Group 3 final was an 11-1 loss to defunct Edgewood Regional in 1989.

Seneca (15-7) is the South Group 3 winner. The Golden Eagles, who are on a five-game win streak, won the 2007 Group 3 title.

Like the Spartans, Seneca is a senior laden team.

The Golden Eagles are averaging just over 8 runs per game.

Head coach Sean Cassel may choose to throw stud Kevin Comer (5-0) against Paramus.

The 6-foot-4 righty was the 57^th overall pick by the Toronto Blue Jays in the Amateur Baseball Draft.

Seneca defeated Middletown South 7-0 at Rutgers to advance to the state final.

Comer pitched a complete game. The senior scattered four hits, struck out seven and walked one.