Division winner seeded No. 1 in county tournament
By: James McKeever
With the Greater Middlesex Conference Red Division title safely tucked away, the South Brunswick baseball team now takes aim at a bigger prize: The GMC Tournament championship.
The Vikings seeded No. 1 in the tournament have just the man capable of leading them there.
Kyle Breese.
The senior pitcher is scheduled to take the mound on Friday when the Vikings play either Metuchen or New Brunswick (those teams played on Wednesday) in the GMCT round of 16. With the way he’s pitched all season, you have to like the Vikings’ chances of advancing to the quarterfinals.
"Kyle just works his tail off," said South Brunswick coach Leo Danik. "That’s the key. He never strays from what his goal is. Kyle and all of the seniors are tireless workers."
The senior left-hander has a 5-1 record with one save and a 1.67 ERA in seven games (six starts). In 42 innings Breese has allowed 28 hits, 13 walks and struck out 61.
"I’ve worked hard on hitting spots and becoming more of a pitcher than I was last year," said Breese, who will play at Monmouth University next year. "I’ve developed a new changeup this year and that has helped me. I throw my fastball probably 85 percent of the time. I’ve had good location with my fastball, then mix in a curve and changeup to keep the hitters off balance."
Breese has been consistent all season. His only loss was a 4-3 decision in eight innings to Alexander, a tough team from Georgia, in Orlando, Fla. Breese has two 13-strikeout games against St. Joseph’s and East Brunswick and fanned 14 in his last start against Old Bridge on May 3.
Last season Breese was one of the tougher pitchers in the GMC. He went 5-1 with a 0.56 ERA. But this year he’s even better and striking out hitters more frequently. In 50 innings last year Breese whiffed 63.
In three varsity seasons Breese has a 13-3 record with 150 Ks in 119 innings.
"Kyle is truly a pitcher, not just a thrower," Danik said. "He has excellent control and really has a plan on the mound, knows what he wants to do."
The Vikings have a deep and talented staff as they enter tournament season. In addition to Breese, Tyler Chromey is 4-2 with a 3.13 ERA, Matt Forthun is 3-1, 2.02 and Erik Bednarski is 1-0, 3.18.
"Right now we’re focused on winning the GMC Tournament," Breese said. "We’ve had some good wins this year and hopefully we’ll stay hot and do what we’ve been doing."
South Brunswick enters the GMCT with a 13-4 record. They captured the Red Division crown last Friday by beating J.P. Stevens, 13-3. Winning pitcher Forthun scattered five hits and one walk while striking out two. Brandon Martin singled, doubled and drove home three runs while Bobby Flesta doubled and had two RBI.
On Saturday night at 7:45 South Brunswick plays CBA in a non-conference game at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood (home of the Lakewood BlueClaws). Next Tuesday the Vikings host South Amboy.
If they reach the quarterfinals, the Vikings would play at Sondek Park in South Brunswick on Wednesday.
The GMCT semifinals will be played at Middlesex County College on Saturday, May 20. The final is set for Saturday, June 3 at East Brunswick Tech.

