Raiders send early message to White Division foes
By doug mckenzie
Staff Writer

FARRAH MAFFAI North Brunswick’s Brian Gilmore is congratulated after hitting a three-run homer to help his team to a 9-1 win over Sayreville on Tuesday in North Brunswick.

Facing a challenging Greater Middlesex Conference White Division schedule, the North Brunswick High School baseball team needed to get off to a fast start this season if it had any hopes of competing for a division championship.

With a 4-0 record in the early going, the Raiders have done just that, and have picked up wins over some good teams in the process.

Following a season-opening win over Colonia, Woodbridge, the Raiders took on fifth-ranked Bishop Ahr, Edison, last Wednesday and topped the Trojans, 4-3, with a little help from Lady Luck.

Bishop Ahr scored five runs in the top of the seventh inning to take an 8-4 lead, and entered the bottom half of the inning needing three outs for the win. North Brunswick managed to get a couple of runners on base with one out, and seemed poised to mount a comeback of its own. However, the umpires stepped in and called the game due to darkness and inclement field conditions, as mandated by the National Federation of State High School Association rule book.

According to Rule 4-3, "If a game is called when the teams have not had an equal number of completed (times) at bat, the score shall be the same as it was at the end of the last completed inning." The game was thus reverted back to the end of the sixth inning, with North Brunswick getting the 4-3 win.

Though disappointed with the outcome, Bishop Ahr Coach Scott Runkel was in agreement with the ruling, and the umpires’ decision to call the game.

From there, the Raiders took on Perth Amboy Friday, and jumped on the visiting team early. Anthony Alfonso capped a seven-run first inning with a three-run homer, and Tom Shea recorded the 9-3 win, going six innings, striking out eight and walking one.

After their 3-0 start, the Raiders took on a tough Sayreville team on Tuesday, and came away with their fourth win of the year, 9-1. North Brunswick scored early and often for the second game in a row, sending seven runs across the plate in the second inning, sparked by a two-run homer from Alfonso and a three-run shot from junior Brian Gilmore. Joey Palermo was excellent on the mound, striking out six Bombers in six innings.

The Raiders continued to get hitting from throughout their lineup, a trend that must please head coach Terry Martin. North Brunswick is a junior-laden team this year with many of the returnees in their second-year as varsity starters.

Palermo is a first baseman and pitcher, and has gotten off to a solid start both at the plate and on the mound. Alfonso is also a junior and the team’s second baseman. Yet another junior, Celmer, is the team’s shortstop, while a pair of seniors, Andrew Remm and Mike Zenuch, are at third.

Gilmore also sees time at shortstop and second base, while juniors Rock Attanasio and Kevin Anderson are the team’s utility players. Sophomore Adam Meshell is the back-up first baseman.

In the outfield, Martin has a solid crew of players including senior Dan Pollard (LF/C); juniors Marcel Rodriguez (RF) and Tom Krukus; and sophomores Sean Long (CF) and Mike Colopriszo.

Martin’s pitching staff is young and unproven and will need to mature quickly if the Raiders are to continue to compete with the White Division’s elite teams. Celmer, Alfonso, Anderson and Shea are the squad’s right-handers, while Palermo is the squad’s only southpaw.

Behind the plate is junior Aaron Teitelbaum, a player Martin is expecting good things from in his second year of varsity play.

The Raiders should benefit from last year’s experience and should have an improved lineup throughout the season. However, as with any high school baseball team, they will only go as far as their pitching can take them. Thus far, the Raiders have looked better than advertised and have served early notice that they expect to contend this year.

They return to the diamond later today when they take on a talented South Plainfield team on the road. The Tigers are another team that is expecting to contend for a division title. Game time is 3:45 p.m.