NUTLEY – Senior right fielder and Rutgers University-bound Anthony Condito hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the third inning to lift the third-seeded Raiders to a 2-1 win over sixth-seeded Newark Academy in the quarterfinals of the Greater Newark Tournament on Thursday, May 12, at the Park Oval.
The Raiders will face second-seeded Millburn in the GNT semifinals doubleheader at Belleville High School on Saturday, May 14, at 11 a.m. The other semifinal pits fourth-seeded Montclair against top-seeded and three-time defending champion Seton Hall Prep at 3 p.m.
Senior center fielder Andrew Connor went 2-for-3 with a double; and freshman shortstop Marty Higgins and senior third baseman Andrew Santos each had a double for the Raiders, who improved to a 15-7 record. Higgins scored on Condito’s double.
Senior John Lawton pitched a complete game for the win, scattering seven hits and three walks and striking out five.
The GNT final is May 21 at Verona High School at noon.
In earlier action, Connor went 3-for-4 with a triple, walk, two RBI and two runs and Ramezzana went 2-for-2 with a triple, two walks and an RBI, but the Raiders lost to Caldwell, 12-8, May 10, in a Super Essex Conference game.
After the Raiders scored two runs in the top of the first inning, Caldwell scored eight in the bottom of the second. Santos went 2-for-5 with a double and one RBI; Condito had a triple and one RBI; and Nick Balitsos had two RBI.
The Raiders lost to Millburn in both Super Essex Conference-American Division meetings this season. They lost to Millburn, 8-4, on April 6 to fall to an 0-3 record. The Raiders lost to Millburn, 6-1, April 27, to end a four-game winning streak.
Here are the GNT results (1933-2015) of the four semifinal teams this year, as compiled by SHP sports information director Jeff Goldberg:
TITLES
*15 – SHP
4 – Montclair
4 – Nutley
1- Millburn
APPEARANCES IN TITLE GAME
*21 – SHP
12 – Nutley
10 – Montclair
4 – Millburn
*GNT record
The following are the GNT results from 1983-2015:
Seton Hall Prep vs. Montclair (seeds in parentheses)
2013 – Final – (1) SHP – 4 (3) Montclair – 2
2001 – First round – (1) SHP – 15, (16) Montclair – 5
1984 – First Round – (17) Montclair – 4, (1) SHP – 3
Millburn vs. Nutley (seeds in parentheses)
2002 – Semifinal – (2) Nutley -9, (6) Millburn – 8
1996 – Quarterfinal – (2) Nutley – 6, (7) MILL – 5
1993 – First Round – (2) Nutley – 8, (15) Millburn – 0
1984 – Final – (8) Millburn – 4, (2) Nutley – 3
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