BY SHAWN LAYTON
Staff Writer
EDISON — The J.P. Stevens High School baseball team advanced to the round of 16 in the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament behind the arm of senior left-hander Bobby Beyer.
Beyer pitched a complete game Saturday against the Dunellen Destroyers, scattering just four hits and two walks while fanning seven in the Hawks 7-2 victory.
The three-year varsity player under Stevens head coach Dave Marzano is off to Bloomfield College on a full-scholarship next year. Beyer’s experience and poise on the big stage enabled him to finish off a Dunellen team that hung around longer than expected in their second round meeting.
It was his performance at Commerce Bank Field in Somerville that gave him the confidence to carry his team past a Destroyer team with nothing to lose.
On perhaps the biggest stage in the area, Beyer tossed a one-hit game against Sayreville at the home of the Somerset Patriots. The Hawks would go on to win the contest 7-1 against a team that also advanced to this week’s quarterfinals round of the GMC Tournament.
"My teammates were all making fun of me," Beyer said. "They said, ‘Why couldn’t you get the no-hitter?’ "
Beyer doesn’t consider himself an overpowering pitcher and is quick to give credit where it is due.
"All of the infielders have been doing a great job," he said. "When I can force hitters to chase the ball, it’s a good day for me."
A good day for Beyer is usually a busy day for the Hawk defense, but don’t let the crafty left-hander fool you. In his last 14 innings of work, he has struck out 11 and given up just two earned runs.
In the tournament win over Dunellen, Beyer kept the Destroyer hitters from ever getting comfortable and his pitches were rarely hit with anything behind them.
"My fastball was pretty effective," Beyer said. "As a result, I was able to mix it up with the change to keep them from predicting the pitches."
When Beyer isn’t on the hill, he anchors the outfield from center field. Wherever he plays this week, he likes his team’s chances, as the GMC Tournament is down to eight teams and the NJSIAA tournament looms on the horizon.
"We are doing pretty well," Beyer said. "We have good, solid pitching and we’re getting good starts. The pitching staff is keeping the earned runs low and the offense is getting the timely hits."
Beyer’s teammate and the ace of the Stevens staff, Steve Seybuck, was expected to get the nod from Marzano to start in Monday’s game against South Amboy. If Seybuck’s fastball and slider proved enough to hand South Amboy its second loss of the season, Beyer might get another chance to pitch on the big stage. A win on Monday and Beyer could get the start in the quarterfinals of the GMC Tournament.
With a 3-1 record, including the one-hitter, and an ERA below three, Beyer might be the key ingredient in a tournament that is traditionally stacked with outstanding pitchers.
"Bobby has been reliable," Marzano said. "To come off the one-hitter against Sayreville and pitch this well again really shows something about his toughness."