Baseball team wins GMC Championship

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Akhil Penkala takes the turn as he approaches first base on one of his two hits during the GMC Finals where he also drove in a run.

BY GABY MALANGA 

Sports Copy Editor 

            The baseball team finished their season as Greater Middlesex County Champions for the first time since 2019. Their 20-9 record earned the boys recognition as a Top 20 team in the state. 

            The Knights faced the challenge of playing top-seeded South Plainfield in the GMC Finals. During the regular season, South Plainfield won both outings against the Knights. “We knew they got the two wins against us in the regular season but knew they needed to do a lot more to get the best of us in that third game,” said Frank Papeo who finished the season with a team-best 0.70 ERA. 

            On May 18, the two teams arrived at the neutral site, East Brunswick Magnet School. “I was feeling confident because I knew we were the better team; we just had to prove it, which we did,” expressed senior catcher Christian Cavanagh.  

            With rain pouring down, the Knights came out swinging, earning four runs in the first inning. “I think the big thing was the energy that we brought to the game, and getting out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning set the tone for the rest of the game,” stated Cavanagh.  

Junior Justin Hascup, who, as a pitcher, led the team in strikeouts with 71, loads and waits for the pitch.

            During the second inning, South Plainfield rallied and scored three runs, making the score 4-3. “We just had to remain calm and focus on ourselves, instead of what South Plainfield was doing,” said Papeo.  

            Akhil Penkala kept the Knights alive, going 2-3 with an RBI. Penkala has hit consistently all season with 31 hits and a team-high .443 batting average. “Some goals I set for myself at the start of the season were to hit above .300, make the All-Division Team, win a GMC Championship, Sectional Championship, and a State Championship,” explained Penkala who accomplished three of his five ambitious goals.  

Senior Justin Meyer, who had an impressive ERA of 0.80, reaches back to deliver a pitch.

            Tensions ran high heading into the seventh inning with the Knights up 6-5. Justin Hascup stepped on the mound in the bottom of the seventh inning. With two outs, the Knights needed one more out to secure the title of GMC Champions. 

            With a South Plainfield player on third, Hascup threw the final pitch of the game. The hard-hit ball landed in Hascup’s glove, ultimately ending the game as he made the game winning throw to Papeo at first base. “Making the catch was surreal,” expressed Papeo. “I always wanted a County Championship, and doing it with this team made it a lot better.”  

Senior catcher Christian Cavanagh throws the ball back to the pitcher during the GMC Finals victory.

            Gloves went flying in excitement as the team sprinted over to first base where the final out occurred. “Winning the GMC Championship almost didn’t feel real,” said John Smith who led the team in hits this season with 35. “We worked so hard for that, and it was very well deserved.” 

            Coach Matthew Donaghue earned his 100th win the same day the team won the GMC Finals. “It felt great that he was able to get this big win on the biggest game of the season,” expressed Papeo.  

            Smith, a junior, notched at least one hit in 24 out of the team’s 29 games. “It felt great, I focused on one bat at a time,” stated Smith.  

            The boys gave their full effort in their final game against Monroe in the NJSIAA Central Group 4 Semifinals, ultimately losing 6-5. “We played our hardest, and going into that game we knew to not to take them easy,” said Papeo. “We had our opportunities but did not execute certain things, which led to our loss.” 

Senior Evan Smith, who tied for the team lead in homeruns, stands in the box with his eyes on the pitcher.

            Papeo finished his high school pitching career with 160 strikeouts and an ERA of 1.34. “I am grateful for my high school experience and can’t wait to see what the future holds for me,” explained Papeo. Papeo will continue his baseball career at Rider University this Fall. 

            Hascup, Justin Meyer, Papeo, Penkala, and Smith made the Red Division Team while Hascup, Meyer, Papeo and Smith also made the All-Conference Team. Meyer will continue his career at the college level next year at Kean University, while the others will return for senior year. 

While pinch running for Michael Altman, Ryan Saunders takes his secondary lead off third base before breaking for home on a passed ball and scoring what would prove to be the winning run in the GMC Finals.

            Smith hopes to continue to build on the success the team had this season. “I am extremely excited for next year considering that we built up a ton of chemistry this year,” stated Smith. “I think we are going to do just as good if not better next year.” 

Posted on 6/18/24

Photos by Caitlin LaFlower and Kaylee Weingarten