UNION COUNTY, NJ — There were two Union County Conference baseball crossover games this season where the top of the seventh inning proved to be quite crucial.
Eventual Mountain Division winner Summit High School was three outs away from handing eventual four-peat Watchung Division champ Cranford High School its first loss on Wednesday, April 19.
Cranford, 8-0 at the time, managed to push across two runs in the top of the seventh to take a 3-2 lead. Then starter Sean Woodruff, a top-notch senior right hander, got the final three outs in the bottom of the seventh without giving up another run to produce a complete-game six-hitter.
The Cougars moved to 9-0 and did not lose a game until their final one on Tuesday, May 30, in the North 2, Group 3 semifinals.
Cranford won the Watchung Division outright for the fourth straight season, this time at 10-0 as its second games against Westfield and Governor Livingston high schools were unnecessary to be made up.
The Cougars went 26-1 overall, falling at home as the second seed to sixth-seeded North Hunterdon Regional High School 3-0 in the North 2, Group 3 semifinals.
Cranford also repeated as Union County Tournament champions, winning its 11th UCT title overall. As the top seed the Cougars edged second-seeded Governor Livingston 1-0 in the final at Kean University, scoring the winning run in the bottom of the seventh.
Summit went 17-7 overall and won the Mountain Division at 10-2. Elizabeth High School finished second at 9-3 and went a much-improved 17-10 overall.
Roselle Catholic High School repeated as Valley Division champions, winning the division this time at 6-1 en route to a 10-13 finish. When the Lions played at Mountain Division member Linden High School on Saturday, April 8, they led 4-3 going into the top of the seventh.
Roselle Catholic was able to add on two big insurance runs in the inning and did not allow a run in the bottom of the seventh to come away with a 6-3 triumph against host Linden.
Roselle Catholic hurlers Santiago Alvarez, who pitched the first four innings and earned the mound victory; Derek Escobar, who tossed one inning; and Lenny Peguero, who threw two innings; combined on a six-hitter.
Players such as Ryan Jaros and Shea Grady for Cranford, Wes Hellings for Summit, and Escobar for Roselle Catholic, were as steady as they come in 2023, leading their schools to UCC division titles.
Below are the UCC All-Division selections for 2023 as voted on by league coaches:
Union County Conference
All-Division Baseball Teams for 2023
Watchung Division
First Team
Andrew Kowantz, New Providence, junior, OF
Steven Vigliotti, Arthur L. Johnson, junior, P
John Schmidt, Governor Livingston, senior, P-OF
Matt Shaffer, Governor Livingston, junior, 2B
Sean Woodruff, Cranford, senior, P
Shea Grady, Cranford, senior, SS
Ryan Jaros, Cranford, senior, 3B
Ben Monahan, Cranford, senior, P
Randy Davis, Westfield, junior, 2B
Tomas Cestero, Westfield, junior, P-OF
Anthony Malta, Scotch Plains-Fanwood, senior, C
Aiden Baiardi, Union, senior, P-OF
Matthew Diskin, Governor Livingston, sophomore, Utility
Jake Carter, Cranford, senior, OF
Kevin Dowling, Westfield, junior, P-OF
Honorable mention
Jake Monaco, New Providence, junior, P-INF
Luca Vitale, New Providence, junior, OF
Robby Roth, New Providence, junior, P-INF
Steve McCaffery, Arthur L. Johnson, senior, 1B
Jackson Gulbin, Arthur L. Johnson, senior, SS
Josh Laucik, Arthur L. Johnson, senior, 2B
Tom Woods, Arthur L. Johnson, senior, OF
Mike Pedalino, Arthur L. Johnson, senior, P
George Provel, Governor Livingston, senior, OF
Zach Geertsma, Governor Livingston, senior, OF
Anthony DeNora, Governor Livingston, sophomore, OF
Mike Zalinkanskas, Cranford, junior, P
Sebastian Morales, Cranford, senior, C
Dennis McCaffery, Cranford, junior, OF
Jack Sponheimer, Scotch Plains-Fanwood, sophomore, Utility
Sean Ferrone, Scotch Plains-Fanwood, senior, Utility
Jake Alfano, Westfield, sophomore, INF
Kellen Edwards, Westfield, junior, OF
Braedan Trajkovski, Westfield, sophomore, 1B
Jack Chavez, Westfield, junior, PL
Dylan Couto, Union, senior 3B
Matt Mendez, Union, junior, OF
Mountain Division
First Team
Nick Pellegrino, Union Catholic, junior, P-3B
Anthony Bibbo, Oratory Preparatory, senior, 2B
Robbie Costello, Oratory Preparatory, junior, P-3B
Anthony Davis, Elizabeth, senior, CF
Angel Deaza, Elizabeth, senior, LF
Devin Rojas, Elizabeth, senior, RHP-C
Danny Ciprian, Linden, senior, P-3B-SS
Matt Sims, David Brearley, senior, SS
Sean Budis, David Brearley, sophomore, P
Frank Dasti, Jonathan Dayton, sophomore, SS
Wesley Griffith, Jonathan Dayton, senior, 1B
Michael Ramirez, Jonathan Dayton, sophomore, OF
Spencer Nicely, Summit, senior, P-1B
Wes Hellings, Summit, senior, P-SS
Brett Colon, Summit, senior, OF
Honorable mention
Ryan Bevensee, Union Catholic, junior, RF
Christopher Wilson, Union Catholic, sophomore, CF
Joseph Loiacono, Oratory Preparatory, sophomore, SS
Kevin Colandrea, Oratory Preparatory, senior, P-1B
Yadi Mateo, Elizabeth, sophomore, RHP
Albert Maldonado, Elizabeth, freshman, RHP-SS
Jamie Tamayo, Elizabeth, sophomore, 2B
Justin Belford, Elizabeth, senior, 1B
Andrew Plummer, Linden, senior, P-C
Carmine Meola-Dreissig, Linden, senior, Utility
Michael Meola-Dreissig, Linden, senior, OF
Robbie Zack, David Brearley, senior, OF
Joe Galati, David Brearley, senior, 1B
Dom Condo, David Brearley, freshman, 3B
Sean Ferrari, David Brearley, senior, P
TJ Flack, Summit, sophomore, 2B-SS
Matt Kurek, Summit, sophomore, P
Chris Moglia, Summit, junior, C
Chris Rodrigues, Jonathan Dayton, sophomore, P
Peter Ramirez, Jonathan Dayton, junior, P
Reymundo Gonzalez, David Brearley, junior, P
Valley Division
First Team
Aidan Bell, Roselle Catholic, junior, OF
Derek Escobar, Roselle Catholic, sophomore, P-INF
Ian Acevedo, Roselle Catholic, sophomore, P-INF
Carlos Pereira, Roselle Catholic, freshman, P=INF
Tito Capeles, Rahway, sophomore, INF
Walny Arache, Rahway, senior, P-INF
Johnny Amato, Roselle Park, junior, P
Derek Wenskoski, Roselle Park, senior, C
Tyler Signorello, Roselle Park, junior, P
Josh Tilton, Rahway, senior, OF
Nasir Powell, Plainfield, senior, P-OF
Honorable mention
Santiago Alvarez, Roselle Catholic, sophomore, P-INF
Caden Carter, Roselle Catholic, sophomore, P-INF
Lenny Peguero, Roselle Catholic, freshman, P-INF
Johnovan Rodriguez, Rahway, senior, INF
Christian Davis, Rahway, junior, OF
Darious Perez, Rahway, senior, P-INF
Laron Williams, Plainfield, senior, P-INF
Dinelson Dominguez-Morel, Plainfield, junior, POF
Edwin Rodriguez, Roselle Park, junior, INF
Michael Bromirski, Roselle Park, freshman, INF
Anthony Damiano, Roselle Park, freshman, OF
Photo by JR Parachini