Raiders Baseball, Softball Seeded for North 2, Group 3 Playoffs

The Scotch Plains-Fanwood baseball team reached the North 2, Group 3 final last year, but fell at top-seeded Iselin Kennedy 6-3. Before that the Raiders won their fourth Union County Tournament championship, the first since 2004.

This year the Raiders will enter the North 2, Group 3 playoffs much hungrier, especially after getting knocked out of the UCT by Cranford in last Saturday's semifinals.

Scotch Plains predictably gained the second seed among a 16-team field that was officially announced on the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association's (NJSIAA) website Thursday afternoon.

By Monday, the Raiders will host 15^th-seeded Newark West Side in a first round game. Should Scotch Plains get past the Essex County school, the Raiders will host either seventh-seeded Millburn or 10^th-seeded Belleville in a quarterfinal game by Friday, May 21.

If Scotch Plains and third-seeded Cranford win their first two state tournament games – which will both be at home – they will meet again in the sectional semifinals by Tuesday, May 25. That game would take place at Scotch Plains.

Cranford held on to defeat the Raiders 10-7 in the UCT semifinals at Elizabeth's Williams Field.

 "If we see them again it will be at our home field and we will try again to beat them there," seventh-year Scotch Plains head coach Tom Baylock said.

Through Wednesday's results, Scotch Plains stood at 18-5 overall after bouncing back to win Union County Conference-Watchung Division road games at Linden 8-3 Monday and at Union 10-1 Tuesday.

Prior to Thursday's scheduled conference game at Rahway, the Raiders were leading the Watchung Division with an 8-1 record and had three league games to go. Everyone else in the division has at least three losses.

The Scotch Plains-Fanwood softball team is getting ready to face Cranford Friday night at 6 at Linden's Memorial Field complex in a UCT quarterfinal.

The two are also scheduled to meet in first round North 2, Group 3 play, with the Raiders garnering the 15^th seed and Cranford the second seed.

Their first round game is to be played by Tuesday.

"It's a tough section and with Cranford coming back in it, that makes it even tougher," first-year Scotch Plains head coach Jess Hulnik said.

Cranford came out of the section for one year last season and went on to capture Central Jersey, Group 2 for the first time.

Scotch Plains entered Thursday's conference home game against Rahway with an overall record of 9-12 after falling at Rahway 6-3 Monday and to division-leading Union 4-0 at home Tuesday in conference play. 

NORTH 2, GROUP 3 BASEBALL

SEEDS: 1-South Plainfield. 2-Scotch Plains-Fanwood. 3-Cranford. 4-Nutley. 5-Morristown. 6-Iselin Kennedy. 7-Millburn. 8-West Morris. 9-Ferris. 10-Belleville. 11-Somervlle. 12-Colonia. 13-Carteret. 14-Voorhees. 15-Newark West Side. 16-Warren Hills. 

FIRST ROUND:

To be played by Monday, May 17

TOP SIDE OF THE BRACKET:

12-Colonia at 5-Morristown

13-Carteret at 4-Nutley

9-Ferris at 8-West Morris

16-Warren Hills at 1-South Plainfield

BOTTOM SIDE OF THE BRACKET:

10-Belleville at 7-Millburn

15-Newark West Side at 2-Scotch Plains

11-Somerville at 6-Iselin Kennedy

14-Voorhees at 3-Cranford

QUARTERFINALS:

At the fields of the higher seeds and to be played by Friday, May 21.

SEMIFINALS:

At the fields of the higher seeds and to be played by Tuesday, May 25.

FINAL:

At the field of the higher seed and to be played on Friday, May 28.

2009: Twelve teams qualified last year - teams needed to be .500 or better - with second-seeded Scotch Plains reaching the final. The Raiders first defeated seventh-seeded South Plainfield 8-6 at home in the quarterfinals and then eliminated sixth-seeded Somerville 11-10 at home in the semifinals. Scotch Plains then lost at top-seeded Iselin Kennedy 6-3 in the final.

Defending champion: Iselin Kennedy. 

NORTH 2, GROUP 3 SOFTBALL

SEEDS: 1-South Plainfield. 2-Cranford. 3-Colonia. 4-Belleville. 5-Somerville. 6-Voorhees. 7-Newark East Side. 8-Morristown. 9-Carteret. 10-Nutley. 11-Irvington. 12-West Morris. 13-Rahway. 14-Millburn. 15-Scotch Plains-Fanwood. 16-Warren Hills. 

FIRST ROUND:

To be played by Tuesday, May 18

TOP SIDE OF THE BRACKET:

12-West Morris at 5-Somerville

13-Rahway at 4-Belleville

9-Carteret at 8-Morristown

16-Warren Hills at 1-South Plainfield

BOTTOM SIDE OF THE BRACKET:

10-Nutley at 7-Newark East Side

15-Scotch Plains at 2-Cranford

11-Irvington at 6-Voorhees

14-Millburn at 3-Colonia

QUARTERFINALS:

At the fields of the higher seeds and to be played by Thursday, May 20.

SEMIFINALS:

At the fields of the higher seeds and to be played by Tuesday, May 25.

FINAL:

At the field of the higher seed and to be played on Thursday, May 27 or

Friday, May 28.

2009: Nine teams qualified last year – teams needed to be .500 or better – with eighth-seeded Scotch Plains losing at home to ninth-seeded Millburn 12-5 in the only first round game.

Defending champion: South Plainfield.