CRANFORD, NJ — One of the hottest baseball teams in Union County, not counting highly talented, state-ranked Governor Livingston High School, of course, was the Cranford High School Cougars, as play continued again this week.
Guided by first-year head coach Ryan Matlosz, the Cougars bounced back from a three-game losing streak to reel off five straight triumphs, heading into its scheduled Union County Conference-Watchung Division clash at home against Westfield High School on Monday, April 28.
It began an important Watchung Division stretch of games to be played for Cranford, which continued with Union Catholic High School at home on Tuesday, April 29; at Scotch Plains–Fanwood High School on Thursday, May 1, and then back home against Governor Livingston on Saturday, May 3, at 2 p.m.
Cranford lost to Union Catholic, Scotch Plains–Fanwood and Governor Livingston the first time around. The Cougars are scheduled to play at Westfield on Tuesday, May 6.
Beginning the week 2-3 in the Watchung Division, here’s a look at Cranford’s five-game winning streak, which put the team’s overall record at 7-3 going into the Monday, April 28, division home game against Westfield.
Cranford Cougar five-game winning streak
April 15: Cranford 4, Summit 3 (8 inn.) – at Summit – Watchung Division
April 17: Cranford 20, Roselle Park 0 – at Roselle Park
April 22: Cranford 14, Union 4 – at Cranford
April 23: Cranford 8, Marlboro 7 – at Cranford
April 25: Cranford 5, New Providence 1 – at Cranford – Watchung Division
In the extra-inning Watchung Division victory at Summit High School, Cranford tied the game with a single run in the top of the fifth and then won it with a single run in the top of the eighth. Summit did not score in the bottom of the eighth.
Junior hurler Christian Pereira went the distance for Cranford, tossing a seven-hitter in a 92-pitch performance. Patrick Bendert, Tyler Veltre, Jesse Weaver and Tyler Muccigrosso drove in the Cougar runs.
Junior standout Brayden Fry went 3-for-4 with five runs and three RBI in Cranford’s shutout victory at Roselle Park High School.
Muccigrosso, who threw 85 pitches, earned the mound triumph against Union High School, yielding just three hits and two earned runs. Weaver was 2-for-4 with three runs and one RBI. Adam Kielczynski also drove in three runs and was 1-for-1 at the plate with one RBI.
Cranford scored three runs in the bottom of the first to take the lead for good against Marlboro High School, which is now guided by head coach Angel Navarrete, a 2000 Cranford graduate. Bendert slugged a solo home run. Eight different Cranford players produced single hits. Marlboro scored three runs in the top of the seventh, before Cranford closed the game out.
Gabe Arato threw a complete-game, four-hitter and allowed just one earned run in leading the Cougars past visiting Watchung Division foe New Providence High School. Four Cranford players banged out two hits, including Michael Tripodi and Quinn Smith.
NOTES: The 71st annual baseball Union County Tournament should be seeded on Monday, May 5. The championship game is scheduled to be played two weeks later on Monday, May 19. The eight first-round games at the higher seeds are scheduled to be contested on Saturday, May 10. Westfield has won the most titles with 15 and Cranford is next with 11.