Glen Ridge HS baseball team sees big turnout, seeks fine season

GLEN RIDGE, NJ — The Glen Ridge High School baseball team saw a strong turnout, much to the delight of head coach Michael DelloRusso.

“We have 33 players on the roster, which is the most we’ve had in over 10 years, so it’s good to see baseball coming back in Glen Ridge, and we are looking forward to a very competitive and successful season,” said DelloRusso, who also is the head coach of the GRHS girls basketball team.

The senior captains are Michael Cifelli, Justin Fields and Tyler Johnson. The other seniors are Zach Gold, Chris Mitzak, Carter Robik, Carter Koenig, Max Renteria and Jake Fentress. The juniors are Jake Felty, Eli Gottlieb, Emmet Kilkelly and Griffin Seibel. The sophomores are Zach Berner, Morgan Horan, Will Horan, Frankie Renois and Wes Steele.

The junior varsity team consists of juniors Tyler Benjamin, Sean Tierney and Ryder Smith; sophomores Matthew Bonnett, Emmett Bushue, Aiden Gage and Reid Kennedy; and freshmen 

Aaron Amici, Saayan Kalra, Teddy Muldowney, Miles Ornstein, Luke Olczak, Maxwell Rieman, Rowan Smith and Christian Velardi.

The Ridgers had four preseason scrimmages, against Oratory Prep, Barringer, Newark East Side and Chatham. 

Glen Ridge opened the regular season with a 7-2 home win over Cedar Grove on Friday, April 1. Seibel homered and drove in three runs; Gottlieb had a triple and an RBI; and Cifelli and Berner each singled and drove in a run.

Johnson pitched six innings of two-hit ball, with five strikeouts and two walks, allowing two runs, to earn the victory. Berner pitched the seventh inning.

The Ridgers lost to Verona, 6-3, in an away game on Monday, April 4. They hosted Caldwell on Wednesday, April 6, after press time. Glen Ridge will host Belleville on Friday, April 8, and visit Columbia on Monday, April 11, both at 4 p.m.

Here are other games:

• April 13: vs. West Orange, 4 p.m.
• April 18: at Livingston, 4 p.m.
• April 20: at Cedar Grove, 4 p.m.
• April 21, at Roselle Catholic,  4 p.m.
• April 22: vs. Verona, 4 p.m.
• April 23: vs. Payne Tech, 9 a.m.
• April 25: at Caldwell, 4 p.m.
• April 27: at Belleville, 4 p.m.

  Glen Ridge High School baseball