The Ridgers gather for a pose with the section championhip plaque. Photo courtesy of Maggie Reed.
GLEN RIDGE, NJ (updated Saturday June 3, 11:09 a.m.) – The Glen Ridge High School varsity baseball team’s mission this season was clear: to get back to the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2, Group 1 state tournament championship game. But only this time, the Ridgers wanted to win it.
Mission accomplished.
Owen Hannigan, a junior, pitched a five-inning no-hitter with seven strikeouts as the seventh-seeded Ridgers defeated top-seeded Dayton, 11-0, in the final on Friday, June 1, at Ruby Field in Springfield to move to a 12-13 record. It marked the program’s first state section title since 1993. Last season, the Ridgers reached the section final for the first time since 1994, but lost to Bloomfield Tech.
The Ridgers have posted three straight shutouts in the postseason. After beating 10th-seeded Secaucus, 8-3, in the first round on May 23 at Hurrell Field, the Ridgers upset second-seeded Roselle Park, 11-0, in the quarterfinals May 26 at Roselle Park and defeated 14th-seeded North Arlington, 8-0, in the semifinals May 30 at Hurrell Field.
The Ridgers, under second-year head coach Liam Penberthy, will face Emerson, the Section 1, Group 1 champion, in the Group 1 state semifinals on June 6 at Kean University in Union. The winner will face the winner between Central Jersey champion Middlesex and South Jersey champion Audobon in the Group 1 state championship game Saturday, June 10
In the section final, the Ridgers scored one run in the top of the first inning and broke it open with five runs in the second for a 6-0 lead. GRHS added four runs in the third inning and one run in the fifth.
In addition to pitching a no-hitter, Hannigan was solid at the plate as he went 2-for-3 with a walk, three RBI and two runs. Junior Brian Schnack went 2-for-3 with a double, five RBI, and a stolen base; junior Cole Greenberg went 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and two runs; freshman Jack Cotrone went 1-for-3 with a run, walk, and an RBI; senior Matt Myles went 1-for-3 with two runs, a walk and two stolen bases; senior Grant Naylor and sophomore Max Haberman each had a walk and run scored; senior Max Thompson went 1-for-3 with a walk, two runs and a stolen base; and senior Joe Hellevig went 1-for-3.
Dayton fell to an 18-6 record.
Penberthy, indeed, was thrilled for his team in winning the section championship.
“The kids put in the time and effort throughout the entire season and it is nice to see it paying off in the post season,” said Penberthy. “The way last season ended left us with unfinished business. It was a tough loss to a good team. Before our bus got back home we established a goal for this season: be back in the section final. We learned a lot about our team following that last game. That experience definitely helped those guys who played last season. We have a handful of guys who were not with the varsity team last season so yesterday’s game was new for some. The kids did a nice job staying poised and focused on taking it one day at a time.”
Regarding Hannigan’s no-hitter, Penberthy said, “ Our pitchers are taught to throw strikes and allow the defense to make plays behind you. The defense deserves some credit along with the Owen’s individual effort.”
In the Section 1 final, Emerson trailed 11-1 before rallying for one run in the bottom of the sixth and nine runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie it 11 -11 and force extra innings. In the top of the ninth, Park Ridge scored two runs, but Emerson rallied for three runs in the bottom of the inning to win it. Emerson improved to a 19-8 record.
The Ridgers expect a challenge from Emerson. But make no mistake, Glen Ridge will be ready to play.
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