SP-F Baseball Tops Dayton in Special Sunday Game

One team is going to win a lot of games this year and attempt to become the first to repeat as county champions in a decade.

The other team, which played in a county final only five years ago and is on the rebound, is seeking to improve as the season goes on, with wins and losses not as important as development is.

Defending Union County Tournament champion Scotch Plains-Fanwood, the visiting team in the third base dugout, took on upstart Dayton, the home team in the first base dugout, in a Union County Conference-Interdivision matchup Sunday at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, home of Minor League team the Somerset Patriots.

A respectable crowd of 600 were treated to a beautiful weather afternoon, with sunny skies bringing out the exciting atmosphere of the minor league ballpark.

Those same fans were also treated to one of the best-played high school baseball games anyone could ever witness.

Scotch Plains needed extra innings to down Dayton 5-1 in nine innings. Scotch Plains scored in the game's first run in the top of the fourth for a 1-0 lead before Dayton tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth.

Scotch Plains then won the game with four runs in the top of the ninth.

There were no errors in a combined 18 frames — nothing even remotely close to an error. Both head coaches would likely back this reporter up on that.

Scotch Plains struck out six times and Dayton nine, so this was not a game dominated by strikeouts, which enhanced the ability of both teams to field the ball cleanly.

Two Scotch Plains pitchers threw a total of 126 pitches, while five Dayton hurlers tossed a combined 125. Not only was there not a single error by both teams, but there was not one single wild pitch. Each team had one passed ball. Each team executed a double play.

This was beyond a well-played game by both teams. This was a masterpiece.

This was the neat and tidy and everything-in-order type of game that Felix Unger would have been proud to throw the first ball out at.

Four Dayton right handers — one for every two innings — combined to hold, arguably, the top-hitting team in Union County to just one run on one hit and allowed only four baserunners through eight innings.

Those pitchers were starter Ross Goldfarb and relievers Elliot Karp, Tommy Losito and Matt Roland.

What a job by the group.

Scotch Plains first baseman John Maxwell banged out his team's first hit with one out in the fourth, which was a standup triple to center. After grounding out on a 3-2 pitch in the first on a 1-4-3 putout, this time he sat fastball on another 3-2 pitch and did not miss it.

"Hitting was supposed to be our bread and butter this year, but our pitching was for us today," Maxwell said.

Scotch Plains starter Alan Dlugosz allowed only one earned run on one hit in 5 and 1/3 innings, striking out six and walking four in a no-decision. He was perfect in the third, fourth and fifth innings and retired 11 batters in a row at one point.

Scotch Plains seventh-year head coach Tom Baylock took him out after he gave up his first hit, which was a double to left-center smacked by Dayton No. 2 batter in the order Matt Roland.

Jordan Bayroff, a senior righty like Dlugosz, gave up an opposite field double to right by pinch hitter Zach Stillitano on his second pitch, with Dayton tying the score at 1-1.

"I was just looking to make contact and move the runner over, but I put the ball in play and drove in a run, so that's what I'm happy with," Stillitano said. "I really think our pitching kept us in this game. If it wasn't for the pitching, I wouldn't be in that position."

Bayroff rebounded to allow no runs on just three hits in 3 and 2/3 innings for the victory. He pitched a perfect seventh and eighth and retired nine batters in a row at one point. Bayroff is now 2-0 on the season, with his first win coming in a start.

"We didn't really start hitting the ball until the last two innings," said Maxwell, who went 1-for-3 and drove in the game-winning run.

With the score tied 1-1 in the top of the ninth, Scotch Plains was facing a lefty for the first time in Dayton junior Paul Flores. The southpaw thrower had the tough challenge of facing the Raiders' top of the order right off the bat.

Leadoff batter Joe D'Annunzio singled hard off the shortstop to center field on a 1-0 count and then lefty-batting Gary Binkiewicz, Scotch Plains' designated hitter for the day, doubled to right field on a 2-1 off-speed pitch to put runners on second and third with nobody out.

Maxwell, on the first pitch he saw, drove a ball deep enough to right field for a RBI-sacrifice fly, with D'Annunzio scoring and Binkiewicz moving to third.

That was the game-winning RBI.

Mike Ridge followed with an RBI-single, Ricky Shevlin added an RBI-double and two batters later Marcus Rivera connected on an RBI-single for the rest of the scoring in the ninth.

Scotch Plains lost to Edison 7-4 Saturday night at North Brunswick's Community Park in one of the day's four Union County vs. Middlesex County Autism Awareness Showcase games.

The Raiders did not make the excuse of being too tired for Sunday's game.

"No, absolutely not, every game is a new day," Maxwell said.

Scotch Plains improved to 5-2 on the year, while Dayton lost its fourth straight to fall to 1-4.

Maxwell felt he should have hit the ball much better his first time up, but was pleased with his triple in the fourth.

"He (Dayton starter Ross Goldfarb) threw me a pitch I should have crushed," said Maxwell, who will play baseball next year at Johns Hopkins. "I just missed it, that's baseball. You fail more times than you succeed."

In the fourth against Karp, he had much better success.

"I feel like I made the adjustments from my first at-bat and got a good piece of it," Maxwell said. "It was the same pitch that I missed the first time, a fastball, and I came through."

Scotch Plains successfully produced 12 ground ball outs — including three in the eighth — in 12 chances, including a 6-4-3 double play in the first. Maxwell caught two foul balls.

Dayton successfully produced seven ground ball outs and also came up with a 6-4 inning-ending double play in the third off a line drive belted to short by D'Annunzio.

"It's great, that's the way baseball is supposed to be played," Maxwell said of both sides fielding the ball perfectly. "Everybody comes out to see hitting and pitching and it was great that there were no mistakes."

"The pitchers on both sides did a good job today of throwing strikes and keeping hitters off balance," Baylock added. "I think we hit the ball hard right at people. They didn't make mistakes, we didn't make mistakes, so it was back-and-forth all day. I think we had one hit and they had no hits through almost six. It was a good high school game."

Dlugosz settled down after walking two batters in each of the first two innings. His fastball was striking batters out as he ended the first, second and third innings with strikeouts.

"He did a real good job for his first start this year," Baylock said. "I was thinking maybe two or three innings with him and he ended up throwing almost 90 pitches. As soon as he gave up the (first) hit in the sixth inning I thought he was at his limit. He was placing his fastball and spotting it well. He mixed it up with a couple of changeups and curveballs, but his fastball was really on. He was hitting spots, inside and outside."

Bayroff blanked Piscataway 8-0 at home Tuesday, allowing no runs on six hits in six innings, while striking out two and walking two.

He was effective again on Sunday.

"Jordan did a great job of coming in and just shutting the door down," Baylock said. "Jordan had a nice curveball and spotted his fastball. When he can throw that curveball for strikes, he's a pretty good pitcher."

Players from both teams not only enjoyed playing on such a well-kept, professional field, but wished they could play more games in a setting like that.

"I loved it," Stillitano said. "It was great."

Dayton was in the Union County Tournament championship game – in 2005 – one year after Scotch Plains-Fanwood won the crown for the third time in 2004.

Although the past couple of years have not been as successful, former assistant coach and now first-year head coach Mike Abbate is out to change that.

Against one of the best teams in the county and North Jersey, Dayton had the tying run on deck twice in the bottom of the ninth.

"I can't say enough about the guys today," Abbate said. "Of the five games we've played now - and you know baseball is a funny sport where you can't just step on the field and be better than a team and beat them - four of them we've played really solid baseball. That's the way we look at it. I know our record is not an indicator of that, but from the minute that somebody has talked to me I've said this program is not about wins and losses right now. They played against a great Group 3 school and were right there until the end."

The reason Abbate went with five pitchers over the course of a nine-inning game was because of the upcoming slate Dayton has.

"With our schedule, we have two conference games this week, so we really have to protect some of our pitchers to make sure we can come back," Abbate said. "That was our plan today and we went right with it. The game went a little bit longer, but we stayed with our pitching plan. If we deviated, it hurts the conference games in the week, which are more important."

Dayton came off a 3-1 loss at conference rival St. Patrick Thursday after falling at non-conference foe Middlesex 11-0 the day before.

The Bulldogs put those setbacks aside and really played well against a top-notch opponent.

"We talked a lot yesterday in practice about the St. Pat's and Middlesex games," Abbate said. "We walked 10 guys in the St. Pat's game. As much as everyone says it's the hitting aspect of it and we didn't hit that day, we didn't really pitch well. We can't walk people. Today we had very few (only two) walks. If we pitch to contact, we have enough kids that can definitely field the ball for us."

For Dayton, this was more than just a game to see who could win. It was a day where Springfield Little Leaguers were brought on the field to be with the varsity players, with one future high school star at Abbate's side when the Dayton lineup card was presented to the umpires.

"We used this day to promote our program and also make it a community day," said Abbate, who was the assistant varsity baseball coach at Dayton the previous three years. He has also coached football and basketball at Dayton the last five years. My goal for the first year is to bring some stability," Abbate said. "We want to be competitive and show the kids how to win. We want to establish something for years to come."

NOTES: Baylock is pleased with his team's 5-2 start.

"I'll take it," Baylock said. "Our schedule is much tougher this year than it was last year. We have a tough road coming up this week. We have Roselle Catholic (home Wednesday), Westfield (home Friday), Union City (away Saturday) and Bloomfield (away at Roselle Park next Sunday). We have some tough games in conference and out of conference the next two weeks."

Binkiewicz started Saturday's game against Edison, pitching the first three innings. He came out when the score was 4-4. Maxwell pitched the next two innings and took the loss, with Ridge pitching the sixth.

"Gary just didn't have it," Baylock said. "It was one of those days, he wasn't on. He had 70 pitches after three (innings). He was up with everything and wasn't able to spot his fastball."

Binkiewicz's next start will be Friday's 4 p.m. home game against conference arch rival Westfield.

UNION COUNTY CONFERENCE-INTERDIVISION GAME

AT TD BANK BALLPARK IN BRIDGEWATER

SOMERSET PATRIOTS STADIUM

SCOTCH PLAINS (5-2)         0   0   0      1   0   0     0   0   4 – 5   7   0

DAYTON (1-4)                        0   0   0      0   0   1   0   0   0 – 1   4   0  

SCOTCH PLAINS STARTING PITCHER:

Alan Dlugosz, senior right hander – his first start of season

5 and 1/3 innings, 86 pitches, 1 run, 1 hit (1 double),

6 strikeouts (4 swinging, 2 looking), 4 walks (1 on a full count)

He tossed perfect innings in the third, fourth and fifth.

He retired 11 batters in a row during a stretch from the last out of the second inning to one out in the sixth.

Pitch count: 1-19. 2-26. 3-9. 4-14. 5-10. 6-8. Total: 86.

SCOTCH PLAINS RELIEF PITCHER:

Jordan Bayroff, senior right hander – pitcher of record - (2-0)

3 and 2/3 innings, 40 pitches, 0 runs, 3 hits (1 double and 2 singles),

3 strikeouts (2 swinging, 1 looking), 0 walks

He pitched a perfect seventh and eighth.

He retired nine in a row after giving up a game-tying RBI-double

to the first batter he faced.

Pitch count: 6-9. 7-9. 8-10. 9-12. Total: 40.

DAYTON STARTING PITCHER – 1^st and 2^nd innings:

Ross Goldfarb, senior right hander

2 innings complete: 39 pitches, no runs, no hits,

2 strikeouts, 1 walk.

He pitched a perfect second and retired the final six batters he faced

and six of seven total.

Pitch count: 1-17. 2-13. Total: 30.

DAYTON FIRST RELIEF PITCHER – 3^rd and 4^th innings:

Elliot Karp, senior right hander

2 innings complete, 24 pitches, 1 earned run, 1 hit (triple),

1 strikeout, 0 walks, 1 hit batter.

Pitch count: 3-12. 4-12. Total: 24.

DAYTON SECOND RELIEF PITCHER – 5^th and 6^th innings:

Tommy Losito, right hander

2 innings complete, 19 pitches, no runs, no hits,

1 strikeout, no walks.

He pitched perfect fifth and sixth innings and retired all six batters he faced.

Pitch count: 5-8. 6-11. Total: 19.

DAYTON THIRD RELIEF PITCHER – 7^th and 8^th innings:

Matt Roland, sophomore right hander

2 innings complete, 26 pitches, no runs, no hits,

2 strikeouts, 1 walk.

He pitched a perfect seventh and retired six of the seven batters he faced.

Pitch count: 7-9. 8-17. Total: 26.

DAYTON FOURTH RELIEF PITCHER – 9^th inning:

Paul Flores, junior left hander – pitcher of record

1 inning complete, 25 pitches, 4 earned runs, 6 hits (4 singles, 2 doubles),

0 strikeouts, 0 walks.

Pitch count: 9-25. Total: 25.

SCOTCH PLAINS LINEUP vs. Dayton:

7-Joe D'Annunzio, senior left fielder: 1-for-3

walked in first, stolen base, singled in ninth, run

40-Gary Binkiewicz, senior designated hitter (lefty batter): 1-or-4

double to right in ninth, run

6-Alan Dlugosz, starting pitcher: did not bat

22-Jordan Bayroff, relief pitcher: did not bat

33-John Maxwell, senior first baseman (lefty batter): 1-or-3

tripled in fourth, run, game-winning RBI on sacrifice fly 9 in 9th

44-Mike Ridge, senior shortstop: 1-for-4

RBI-single to left in ninth, run

11-Ricky Shevlin, senior center fielder: 1-or-4

RBI-double to left in ninth, run

34-Louis Mazzella, senior catcher: 0-for-4

42-Marcus Rivera, junior third baseman: 1-or-4

RBI-single to right-center in ninth

5-Brian Dempsey, second baseman: 1-for-2

hit by pitch, walked, singled to left in ninth,

25-Connor Thompson, right fielder: 0-for-3

13-Taylor Schon: 0-for-1 

DAYTON LINEUP vs. Scotch Plains:

5-Elliot Karp, senior second baseman-pitcher: 0-for-3

walked in first

22-Matt Roland, sophomore third baseman: 1-for-4

doubled to left-center in sixth, run

21-Alex Popolani, senior first baseman: 0-for-2

walked in first

23-Zach Stillitano, junior pinch hitter: 1-for-1

opposite field RBI-double to right in sixth

30-Tommy Clark, senior catcher: 1-for-4

opposite field bloop single to right in ninth

13-Charles Bohannan, freshman right fielder: 1-for-4

singled to left in ninth

3-Ross Goldfarb, senior pitcher: 0-for-4

16-Jon Lewis, senior designated hitter (lefty batter): 0-for-3

walked in second

4-Tyler Bujnowski, sophomore catcher: did not bat

12-Sammy Dushkin, senior left fielder: 0-for-2

walked in second

11-D.J. DiProfio, senior center fielder: 0-for-3