The Nutley softball team certainly didn’t intend to have nine days without a game leading up to its NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 opener this past Thursday.
But while multiple rain outs and the Memorial Day holiday gave the Maroon Raiders an almost unheard of amount of time off, it’s fair to say the layoff couldn’t have come at a better time for a Nutley team that had lost its previous three games.
Seeded sixth in its section, Nutley quickly put any concerns of rust to bed when it exploded for five runs in the bottom first inning, then six more in the second to overwhelm 11th-seeded Carteret, 11-1, in the first round.
One day later, Nutley traveled more than 45 miles west and produced arguably its most impressive win in more than a year when it upset third-seeded North Hunterdon, 5-3.
Sophomore Kaitlyn Nellegar hit her first home run of the season and finished with two RBI for Nutley while its two seniors – Gabriella Mariano and Sianna Kantor – delivered in big spots as Mariano added two RBI and Kantor went 2-for-3 with a run scored. In the circle, sophomore Makenna DeJianne went the distance on a five-hitter, allowing just two earned runs and a walk with three strikeouts.
The victory, the Raiders’ 14th of the season propels them to the sectional semifinals on Wednesday at Summit for the first time since 2022. The winner will advance to the sectional final on Friday. Last season, Summit ended Nutley’s season with a heartbreaking 4-3 eighth-inning defeat in the first round.
As the state baseball and softball tournaments enter their second week, Nutley is the lone Observer-area team still alive.
In North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2, Lyndhurst was shutout 12-0 by Gov. Livingston, ending a nice turnaround season for the Golden Bears who won 10 games after combining for just eight the previous two combined. With seven freshmen playing regularly on varsity this spring, better days await the program.
A similar sentiment can be shared in North Arlington where, despite losing 16-5 to Whippany Park in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 1 first round, is set to return all but one player from this year’s 11-win group.
In North Jersey, Section 1, Group 4, a young Belleville team saw its season end with a 14-0 defeat to second-seeded Morristown while Bloomfield was defeated by West Orange, 13-3. Kearny’s softball season came to an end on Thursday when it was blanked 10-0 by perennial title contender Westfield in the first round of the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 tournament.
In baseball, Belleville delivered one of the more stunning results of the first round when the 13th-seeded Bucs defeated fourth-seeded Union City, 11-0, in the North Jersey, Section 1, Group 4 first round on Tuesday. Junior Sean Walsh was brilliant on the mound, allowing four hits and three walks with four strikeouts over 6.2 scoreless innings. Ayden Carrero continued his late-season resurgence at the plate, reaching base three times while adding two runs and two RBI, while Crismel DeLeon went 2-or-4 with a walk, two runs and a RBI.
Two days later at Ridgewood, the Bucs were in striking distance of another upset until a disastrous nine-run bottom of the fifth powered Ridgewood to a 10-0 win that ended Belleville’s season. Despite the loss, the Bucs, after an uneven start, flashed what it was capable of down the stretch, winning five of their last seven regular season games before blowing out a Union City team that was state-ranked in the middle of the season.
While Belleville had the biggest upset, the game of the tournament had to be Nutley going on the road to defeat Northern Highlands, 3-2, in 10 innings, in the first round of the North Jersey, Section 1, Group 3 tournament. Keith Jiratparsot homered and Kennan Bilotta picked up the win in relief after seven strong innings from Seton Hall commit Drew Slomkowski. Three days later, Nutley’s season ended with a 6-0 loss at Old Tappan.
In North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2, Tyler Herman pitched a six-hitter and also had a RBI at the plate to lead Lyndhurst to a 3-2 victory over Parsippany. Herman had seven strikeouts in the game to finish 87 in an absolute breakout season for the junior. The Golden Bears’ run came to an end two days later with a 3-0 loss at top-seeded West Essex.
In North Jersey, Section 2, Group 1, North Arlington’s season came to a close with a 4-0 loss at Wood-Ridge. The Vikings are set to return several key pieces from a 12-14 team that played well down the stretch.
In boys volleyball, top-seeded Harrison made quick work in its North Jersey, Group 1 opener defeating Becton, 25-10, 25-13. The Blue Tide, ranked No. 6 in the state by NJ.com, hosted ninth-seeded Glen Ridge in the quarterfinals on Monday, June 2 before potential semifinals on Wednesday and the final on Friday.
Also, in North Jersey, Group 1, 14th-seeded Lyndhurst was defeated by Passaic Charter, 25-16, 25-20, and 15th-seeded North Arlington was downed by state-ranked West Caldwell Tech, 25-10, 25-9.
In North Jersey, Group 3, fourth-seeded Kearny held off 13th-seeded Orange, 25-21, 25-19. The Kardinals look to continue their momentum into a tough quarterfinal matchup against perennial power Fair Lawn on Monday.
Also in North Jersey, Group 3, ninth-seeded Belleville bounced back from a late-season slump to defeat St. Peter’s Prep, 25-17, 25-10. Next up for the Bucs is a showdown with top-seeded and state No. 3 ranked Scotch Plains-Fanwood.
In North Jersey, Group 2, Nutley was defeated by Payne Tech, 25-21, 25-27, 23-25, to finish the season 12-8.
Learn more about the writer ...
Jason Bernstein | Observer Sports Writer
Jason Bernstein joined The Observer as its sports writer in March 2022, following the retirement of Jim Hague. He has a wealth of sports-writing experience, including for NJ Advance Media (nj.com, The Jersey Journal, The Star-Ledger.)