Maxwell Thompson during summer legion ball. Photo by Steve Ellmore
GLEN RIDGE, NJ (updated to include new Pitch Count rules) – The Glen Ridge High School varsity baseball team enjoyed an inspiring run in the postseason last spring.
In Liam Penberthy’s first year as head coach, the Ridgers advanced to the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2, Group 1 state tournament championship game, but fell to Bloomfield Tech in a heartbreaker, 3-2, to finish with a 12-13 record. It marked the Ridgers’ first state section tournament championship appearance since 1994. In 1993, they won the section title.
Despite losing several players to graduation from last year’s team, the Ridgers enter this season with unfinished business.
“Winning a section championship is the ultimate team goal,” said Penberthy in an email to The Glen Ridge Paper.
GRHS begins the season Saturday, April 1, against Newark Academy at Hurrell Field at 1 p.m.
Penberthy acknowledges that the Ridgers have some big shoes to fill. They have a total of 21 players on the roster, including four freshmen.
The captains are senior outfielder/pitcher Max Thompson and junior infielder/pitcher Owen Hannigan.
The other infielders are senior Grant Naylor; juniors Simon Ogilvie and Brian Schnack; sophomore Max Haberman; and freshman Jack Cotrone. The other outfielders are seniors Matt Myles, James Malik, and Brian Kelty; and junior Cole Greenberg.
The rest of the pitchers are Haberman, sophomore Owen Gagen, Naylor, Malik and Ogilvie.
Schnack and senior Joe Hellevig are the catchers.
Penberthy has been pleased with indoor preseason workouts. “The team’s effort was great and the players really push one another to make each other better,” he said.
The program also will field a JV team.
The assistant coaches are Rich Adams, in his second year, as the JV coach; and Tom Petrillo, in his first year, who is the varsity assistant.
Schedule
April 1, Newark Academy (Home), 1 p.m.
April 3, West Essex (Away), 4 p.m.
April 5, West Orange (H), 4 p.m.
April 7, Bloomfield Tech (A), 4 p.m.
April 8, Belleville (H), 11 a.m.
April 12, Caldwell (H), 4 p.m.
April 13, Montclair Kimberley Academy (A), 4 p.m.
April 15, East Side (H), 11 a.m.
April 15, Bloomfield (A), 7 p.m.
April 17, Cedar Grove (A), 4 p.m.
April 20, West Essex (H), 4 p.m.
April 24, West Orange (A), 4 p.m.
April 26, Bloomfield Tech (H), 4 p.m.
April 28, Belleville (A), 4 p.m.
May 1, Caldwell (A), 4 p.m.
May 8, Montclair Kimberley (H), 4 p.m.
May 11, Butler (H), 4 p.m.
May 12, Sussex Tech (H), 4:30 p.m.
May 15, East Side (A), 4 p.m.
May 17, Cedar Grove (H), 4 p.m.
May 18, Verona (A), 4 p.m.
Pitch Count rules instituted
This season, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association has instituted a pitch count rule. Here are the guidelines:
Pitch Limit
1-30 pitches, 0 day rest
31-50: 1 day rest
51-70, 2 days rest
71-90, 3 days rest
91-110, 4 days rest
- A pitcher who reaches the max while facing a batter may continue to pitch until the batter reaches base, the batter is put out, or the third out is made to complete the half-inning.
- A pitcher cannot throw 3 calendar days in a row.
- A pitcher cannot throw more than 50 pitches in consecutive calendar games.
- For State Tournament games that may be suspended and resumed at the point of interruption, if a pitcher has thrown 1-50 pitches before the game was suspended, that pitcher’s pitch count shall carry over to the next day.
About the Author
