NJ baseball power rankings (5/8/12)
Rankings
| RANK | TEAM | REC | LW | COMMENTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 | Don Bosco Prep | 16-3 | 1 |
If you didn’t already know, Joe Purritano is one tough out. The senior designated hitter capped a 3 for 5 showing with a walk-off, three-run homer in the bottom of the 10th to send the Ironmen past South Jersey power Gloucester Catholic, 5-3, on Sunday. He finished a single short of the cycle. |
|
2 | Seton Hall Prep | 17-1 | 3 |
Junior Nick Mascelli has been on a tear at the plate over the last five contests, going 9 for 16 with 11 RBI as the Pirates haven’t lost since Opening Day. Senior right-hander Bobby Morgenroth is 5-0 and has 32 strikeouts in 32 2/3 innings. |
|
3 | St. Joseph Regional | 17-3 | 4 |
Another week, another no-hitter for Rob Kaminsky, who now has three this spring. Just call the junior left-hander Iron Mike because he’s pitching like a machine. He fanned 16 against three walks to blank Paramus, 5-0, on Saturday. |
| 4 | Toms River South | 16-1 | 6 |
Russell Messler has a knack for finding the gaps. The sophomore outfielder collected two doubles and a pair of triples last week. Senior righty John Leiter ran his mark to 5-0 with five innings of one-hit pitching in a 10-1 decision over Lakewood in the first round of the Ocean County Tournament. | |
|
5 | Jackson Memorial | 15-2 | 7 |
Junior catcher Matt Thaiss, who has already verbally committed to Virginia, tops the Shore Conference with five home runs. Junior Ed Guippone went a combined 5 for 6 in recent triumphs over Point Pleasant Boro and Toms River North |
|
6 | Sayreville | 16-1 | 8 |
Christian Campbell continues to do it all. The junior shortstop/pitcher threw a no-hitter with nine strikeouts in a 10-0 shutout against Piscataway, produced a hit in six of his last eight at bats and scored six times within that hot streak. |
| 7 | Red Bank Catholic | 12-2 | 9 |
Senior right fielder Nick Liggett unloaded a pair of three-run homers and finished with seven RBI to send the Caseys past Rumson, 12-2, on Monday in the first round of the Monmouth County Tournament. | |
|
8 | Steinert | 18-2 | 13 |
The Spartans get a huge spark out of the leadoff spot, where senior center fielder James Locklear resides. But they also feature another quality hitter in junior Eddie Ashley, who routinely finds ways to get on base and turn the batting order over. |
|
9 | Wall | 14-3 | 12 |
A slick fielder at third base, Jimmy Guiliano also makes an impact at the plate for the Crimson Knights. The senior has a team-high 21 RBI and among its leaders with 16 runs score to go with a .396 average. |
|
10 | Immaculata | 14-2 | 2 |
The Spartans, who fell from the ranks of the unbeaten on Thursday with an 8-5 loss to No. 15 Hunterdon Central, put pressure on opponents early thanks to the quality at bats of Tyler Fox at the top of the order. |
|
11 | Ramapo | 16-2 | - |
The bottomless supply of pitchers eager to work and win was never more evident than the past week, when five different hurlers picked up a victory as the Raiders were able to elude the rain better than most. Joe Scaglione accounted for one of the triumphs to complement his red-hot bat. |
| 12 | Notre Dame | 14-1 | 15 |
After being grounded by weather for a week, the Fighting Irish picked right back up where they left off, notching an 8-2 victory over Lawrence in the first round of the Mercer County Tournament to run their win streak to eight. Senior first baseman Mike Young drove in two with a single during a six-run sixth that snapped a 2-2 tie. | |
|
13 | Middlesex | 19-2 | 5 |
Tyler Heisch, a converted outfielder, supplies athleticism and security at shortstop, two traits that also serve him well leading off for the Bluejays. The junior is virtually impossible to keep off base, as is classmate Dan Berardi. The first baseman is batting .555 over the last three games with two homers and eight RBI. |
| 14 | Hunterdon Central | 14-3 | - |
The Flemington school flexed its muscle during an 8-5 victory over No. 10 Immaculata. Jeremy Ake, Ken Wilson and Geggie Russomagno all launched homers in support of winning pitcher Pete Monahan, who worked into the seventh and effectively neutralized a potent lineup. | |
| 15 | Millburn | 11-4 | - |
Milo Freeman is making life difficult for opposing pitchers. The sophomore shortstop is a pesky hitter who went a combined 5-for-5 with five RBI to fuel wins over Montclair and Belleville. Senior centerfielder Will Fitzgerald is cut from a similar cloth in terms of the pressure he puts on a defense. |

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