LINDEN, NJ — Coming off a difficult season that produced just four wins, the Union High School baseball team not only came away with a victory on opening day, but was able to do so against one of the best pitchers in Union County.
Although the Farmers only managed one run in five and two-thirds innings against Linden High School senior right-hander Danny Ciprian, it proved enough.
That’s because Union pitchers Anthony Magliozzi, Aiden Baiardi and Matthew Mendez combined on a no-hitter to lead the visiting Farmers past Linden High School 8-0 in the Union County Conference-crossover contest at Linden’s Memorial Field on Monday, April 3.
Union, situated in the UCC’s Watchung Division, began its 2023 season 1-0, while Mountain Division member Linden started 0-1.
Union was scheduled to play Oratory Preparatory School of Summit on Wednesday, April 5, in its home-opener and on Thursday, April 6, is scheduled to host Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School in its first Watchung Division clash.
Union is then scheduled to host crossover foe Elizabeth High School on Saturday, April 8, at 11 a.m., at its Gordon R. LeMatty Field. Scotch Plains-Fanwood opened on Monday, April 3, with a crossover loss at David Brearley High School 5-2, while Elizabeth did well to beat visiting Governor Livingston High School 13-8 in its opening day crossover clash at Williams Field.
Ciprian, a member of the Perfect Game showcase who will continue pitching in college at St. John’s University, came out of the game in the top of the sixth with two outs, Union runners on the corners and the game still 0-0. The runner on third, Baiardi, scored Union’s first run of the year, and the game’s first run, on a steal of home, according to Union head coach Angel Navarrete.
That came with Linden relief pitcher Josiah Sharpe on the mound, who replaced Ciprian when Ciprian reached his 110-pitch limit. That was the only run charged to Ciprian, as Union broke open the game with a big seventh inning, scoring its final six runs, according to Navarrete.
“He (Ciprian) was really good for them, he was really on,” Navarrete said. “He had his fastball and his slider going for him.”
Magliozzi started and went four and one-third innings for Union, striking out six, walking seven and hitting one batter. Baiardi replaced him in the fifth and pitched one and two-thirds innings, striking out three and walking none. Mendez pitched the seventh, with two walks and no strikeouts.
Navarrete said Magliozzi had his fastball and curveball effective. Baiardi earned the mound victory in relief.
Baiardi, according to Navarrete, had three hits, including a bunt single and an infield single and a run off Ciprian and a bases-clearing three-run triple in the seventh off Sharpe.
The head coach at Union since 2014, Navarrete said this might be the first time the Farmers won a game during his tenure where they did not allow any hits.
“Anytime you win, there’s a positive,” Navarrete said. “There are a lot of things we have to work on for sure, but our pitchers did a good job. Anytime you can get a win on the road against a really good pitcher, you have to feel good about yourself.”
Also hitting safely for Union were Christopher Thomas and Dylan Couto, each with two hits. Both scored, while Couto also drove in a run.
Ciprian struck out 12, walked two and hit two batters in his 2023 debut.
Scoring runs for Union were Baiardi with two and Thomas, Matthew Perrotto, Gabriel Gobbi, Couto, Nicolas Cassandra and Johnny Velez with one each.
This was the first time Union played Linden and also faced the Tigers at Linden since May 1, 2018, when the Farmers came away with another eight-run victory, that one by the score of 9-1.
Union and Linden did not play each other during the 2019, 2021 and 2022 seasons.
Linden, guided by head coach Brandon Czajkowski, was scheduled to play at Scotch Plains-Fanwood on Wednesday, April 5, and on Thursday, April 6, at home to play David Brearley for its first Mountain Division encounter.
The Tigers are then scheduled to host Roselle Catholic High School on Saturday, April 8, at 11 a.m. Roselle Catholic opened on Monday, April 3, with a convincing 25-1 win at Hillside High School.