By Jeff Appelblatt
There’s nothing better for a team than cruising into the postseason on a hot streak. Entering the scene after winning a few straight could impact a club so much that any struggles during the first three quarters of the season can be left behind.
Unfortunately for Woodbridge High School’s baseball team, that’s not the case. The Barrons went into the first round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section II, Group IV playoffs, which began May 23, at the low point of what has been a very good season.
Going hitless in the quarterfinals of the Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) Tournament left the Barrons reeling. The team entered that May 18 contest against Saint Joseph High School of Metuchen having won five of six games, including a first-round victory over local nemesis Colonia High School. Woodbridge could have only hoped that the walk-off hit by Pablo Suriel in the ninth inning of what wound up a 5-4 win left the Barrons surging in the right direction.
Instead, St. Joe’s ace, Mike Farr, spoiled that idea. He silenced Woodridge’s bats en route to a 1-0 Falcons victory. And following the loss, Woodbridge struggled through its final regular-season games. A day after the loss, Hightstown High School beat the Barrons, 10-4, and the day after that, Sayreville War Memorial High School outscored Woodbridge, 10-7.
Not only did the three straight losses make up Woodbridge’s longest skid of the season, but the losses to Hightstown and Sayreville were also the third and fourth times all year that the Barrons gave up 10 runs.
Despite the struggles late in the 2016 campaign, Woodbridge hoped that a few days off after falling to Sayreville were enough to get back on track entering the state sectionals — a do-or-die campaign that Woodbridge began May 23. That day, the seventh-seed Barrons (17-9) took on the No. 10 seed from J.P. Stevens High School (19-7). Though they were ranked better, the Barrons had to know their first-round matchup would be far from easy; Woodbridge entered the contest as losers of three straight. Meanwhile, the Hawks entered the competition in Woodbridge, winners of 14 in a row, including a GMC semifinals victory over St. Joe’s, 5-0.
The winner between Woodbridge and J.P. Stevens will continue in the state tournament May 26 against Franklin High School or Westfield High School in the quarterfinals. Franklin (7-13 and the 15th seed) traveled to No. 2-seed Westfield (20-5), losers of three straight. Westfield was also coming off a loss, but the team had won 20 out of 21 prior.
Woodbridge may wish it was entering the state playoffs in better shape, but anything can happen in the playoffs.