Six Raiders Baseball Players Named All-Conference

A senior-laden group paced the Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School baseball team this season, with six of the upperclassmen earning all-conference honors.

Named to the First Team of the Union County Conference's Watchung Division were left fielder Joseph D'Annunzio, shortstop Mike Ridge, pitcher and second baseman Gary Binkiewicz, first baseman John Maxwell and catcher Lou Mazzella.

All five will continue their playing days in college, with D'Annunzio headed to Rutgers, Ridge to William Paterson, Binkiewicz to Quinnipac to attempt to make the team as a walk-on, Maxwell to Johns Hopkins and Mazzella to Molloy College.

Senior center fielder Ricky Shevlin, who was Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School's leadoff batter through the team's final 20 games – with Scotch Plains going 18-2 in that stretch – earned Honorable Mention recognition.

This is the first year that the Union County Conference selected players from all three of its divisions – Watchung, Mountain and Valley – for First Team and Honorable Mention.

Scotch Plains had the most players named all-conference in the Watchung Division, with six total, and also had the most named First Team, with five total.

The team finished 25-6 overall, winning the seven-team Watchung Division championship with an 11-1 division record: It split a two-game series with Westfield – falling 4-3 at home and then winning 12-3 on the road – and swept Linden, Elizabeth, Union, Rahway and Plainfield.

"This senior class has done so many things and won so many games," said Scotch Plains head coach Tom Baylock. "They averaged about 22 wins and they reached the UCT semifinals three times and the sectional semifinals three times. That's not bad."

Here's a look at the numbers each all-conference selection produced this season:

Joseph D'Annunzio:

A four-year varsity starter, D'Annunzio led the Raiders in batting average at .538 (49-for-91), hits with 49, runs with 55, RBI with 40 and home runs with six. Batting leadoff for the first 11 games and then fifth for the final 20, D'Annunzio also banged out eight doubles and four triples and was a perfect 11-for-11 in stolen base attempts.

In left field, D'Annunzio did not commit an error all season in 31 games and in 20 total chances produced 18 putouts and two assists. Teams feared running on him as his hustle and strong arm prevented many singles hitters from attempting to stretch their hits into doubles.

D'Annunzio finished with career totals of 160 runs and 158 hits. He produced the kind of season that was also worthy of First Team All-State and Union County Player of the Year honors.

Mike Ridge:

Playing in 28 of the team's 31 games, Ridge was as steady a shortstop as there was in Union County. He made only four errors in 92 total chances that included 64 assists, 24 putouts, one double play and a .957 fielding percentage at one of the toughest positions on the diamond.

Batting cleanup, Ridge hit a robust .455 (40-for-88) and paced the Raiders in triples with five. He also clubbed one home run and seven doubles, scored 37 runs and drove in 32.

In the team's 10-0 season-ending conference win at Plainfield, Ridge banged out his 100^th career varsity hit.

Gary Binkiewicz:

In 30 games Binkiewicz batted .429 (42-for-98), slugged one home run and drove in 38. He also paced the Raiders in doubles with 18 and scored 34 runs. His only home run came in his final at-bat of the season at home against Cranford freshman lefty relief pitcher Ryan Williamson. It was an opposite-field home run blasted over the left field fence in the North 2, Group 3 semifinals.

Binkiewicz began the season batting second in the lineup behind leadoff batter D'Annunzio and then he and D'Annunzio were moved down to five and six in the order so that both could be in a position to come to the plate more often with runners on base.

On the mound, Binkiewicz fashioned a 4-4 record with a 3.88 earned-run average. He gave up 39 hits in 43.1 innings, with 24 of the 26 runs he allowed earned. Binkiewicz struck out 32 and walked 24 and started eight games.

John Maxwell:

Also solid defensively, Maxwell committed just one error in 31 games for a .995 fielding percentage. He had 208 putouts, five assists and one double play.

Offensively from the No. 3 spot in the batting order, Maxwell batted .381 (37-for-97) and was second in the team in runs with 42. He slugged one home run, four doubles, four triples and drove in 27.

Like Ridge, in the season-finale at Plainfield he produced his 100^th career varsity hit.

Lou Mazzella:

One of the top defensive catchers in Union County, Mazzella was also very tough to get out at the plate. In 30 games he batted .385 (35-for-91) out of the No. 7 spot in the order, scoring 27 runs and driving in 30. He produced four home runs, two triples and five doubles and had the ability to hit the ball to all fields.

Behind the plate, Mazzella had a quick release to first base that kept baserunners closer to the bag and made it more difficult for them to get to second. He finished with a fine fielding percentage of .982 that included 152 putouts, 11 assists and only three errors in 166 total chances.

Ricky Shevlin:

The team's only two everyday players to post a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage were D'Annunzio and Shevlin. In 39 chances, Shevlin caught 39 fly balls for 39 putouts.

At the plate, Shevlin batted .437 (45-for-103), finishing third on the team in batting average behind D'Annunzio and Ridge and second in hits behind D'Annunzio. He scored 34 runs, drove in 24 and banged out 12 doubles, one triple and one home run.

Underclassmen Standouts: Lauricella, Bayroff, and Rivera

Senior designated hitter Mike Lauricella hit five home runs this season, the second-most on the team. He batted .362 (25-for-69) in 27 games, while banging-out two doubles, scoring 16 runs and driving-in 24.

Senior right-hander Jordan Bayroff went 8-1 with a 1.63 earned run average (ERA). He led the Raiders in wins, winning percentage, and ERA. In a team-leading 47.1 innings, he struck out a team-high 42 batters, walked 15, gave-up only 46 hits. Of the 15 runs he yielded, only 11 were earned-runs. The opposition batted only .260 against him.

In 13 appearances that included nine starts, Bayroff produced two complete games and one shutout. His only loss was to Bloomfield 6-4 at Roselle Park. Bloomfield scored all six of its runs in the bottom of the sixth - beginning with an infield error - to erase a 3-0 deficit.

Marcus Rivera, who just played in and represented Scotch Plains – along with Baylock – in the first Essex County vs. Union County Underclassmen All-Star Game at Kean University in Union, batted .384 (38-for-99) from his No. 2 position in the lineup. Rivera scored 32 runs, drove in 28 and slugged two doubles and two triples.

Rivera finished with a .967 fielding percentage at third base that included 18 putouts, 40 assists and only two errors in 60 chances.

UNION COUNTY'S ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS

Watchung Division, First Team

• Alex Reyes, Elizabeth
• Eric Villegas, Elizabeth
• Bryon Rivera, Elizabeth
• Kyle Frazier, Linden
• Nick Martins, Linden
• Chris Roll, Linden
• Joe D'Annunzio, Scotch Plains
• Mike Ridge, Scotch Plains
• Gary Binkiewicz, Scotch Plains
• John Maxwell, Scotch Plains
• Lou Mazzella, Scotch Plains
• A.J. Murray, Westfield
• Dan Kerr, Westfield
• Aiden Scanlon, Westfield
• Rob Anderson, Westfield

Watchung Division, Honorable Mention

• Devin Zimmerman, Union
• Joe Romeo, Rahway
• Jimmy Hein, Rahway
• Robert Rosario, Plainfield
• Irwin Torres, Plainfield
• Angel Gil, Plainfield
• Tim Younger, Westfield
• Chris Muniz, Elizabeth
• William Ingram, Linden
• William Schuster, Linden
• Ricky Shevlin, Scotch Plains

Mountain Division, First Team

• Lou Clemente, Roselle Catholic
• Kevin Cowan, Roselle Catholic
• Matt Hennie, Roselle Catholic
• Nick Oristanio, Summit
• Matt DeWald, Summit
• Nick Pace, Cranford
• Eric Walano, Cranford
• Nick Cook, Cranford
• Jake Skinner, Gov. Livingston
• Mike Cranston, Gov. Livingston
• Anthony Ramos, Hillside
• Dave Schanz, Union Catholic
• Rey Lopez, Union Catholic
• Frank Carnovale, Johnson
• Mark Wilson, Johnson

Mountain Division, Honorable Mention

• Pat Birosak, Summit
• Paul Mirabelli, Gov. Livingston
• Anthony Figueiras, Hillside
• Dom Feminello, Johnson

Valley Division, First Team

• Elliot Karp, Dayton
• Marquay Mayo, Dayton
• Alex Popolani, Dayton
• Ross Goldfarb, Dayton
• Allen Phillips, Brearley
• Mike Minitti, Brearley
• Joe Calello, Brearley
• Ray Cappola, Brearley
• Jeremy Montanez, Roselle Park
• Devante Campbell, Roselle Park
• John Quinn, New Providence
• Doug Pastore, New Providence
• Daniel Guerrero, St. Mary's, Elizabeth
• Scott Badger, Oratory Prep
• John Plantemoli, Oratory Prep

Valley Division, Honorable Mention

• Tommy Losito, Dayton
• Matt Roland, Dayton
• Dennis Carroll, Roselle Park
• Dan Pisauro, Roselle Park
• Rich Mate, Brearley
• John Phacca, Brearley
• Eddie Morgan, New Providence
• Joe Meyers, New Providence
• Gary DeFilippo, Oratory Prep
• Brandon Deger, Oratory Prep
• Fernando Guerrero, St. Mary's, Elizabeth
• Nico Kelleher, St. Patrick

Note: The divisions will be re-aligned for 2011. 

Watchung Division (7 teams):

1. Scotch Plains (11-1)
2. Westfield (9-3)
3. Linden (6-6)
4. Elizabeth (5-5)
5. Union (5-6-1)
6. Rahway (3-8-1)
7. Plainfield (0-10)

Note: Elizabeth and Plainfield did not play each other.

Mountain Division (8 teams):

1. Cranford (12-2)
2. Gov. Livingston (11-3)
3. Roselle Catholic (9-4)
4. Johnson (8-6)
5. Summit (8-6)
6. Union Catholic (4-9)
7. Roselle (1-11)
8. Hillside (1-12)

Note: Roselle Catholic and Roselle played each other only once. Union Catholic and Roselle also played each other only once.

Valley Division (7 teams):

1. Dayton (10-2, includes forfeit win vs. Oratory Prep)
2. Brearley (9-3)
3. Roselle Park (5-5)
4. New Providence (5-7)
5. Oratory Prep (5-7, includes forfeit loss at Dayton)
6. St. Mary's, Elizabeth (2-8)
7. St. Patrick (3-9)

Note: Roselle Park and St. Mary's, Elizabeth did not play each other.