BY SHAWN LAYTON
Staff Writer
EDISON — The Edison High School boys baseball team will look to bounce back after Saturday’s 12-9 loss to Montgomery when East Brunswick pays a visit at 3:45 p.m. today.
The two teams met earlier in the season with East Brunswick a 5-3 winner.
“It was a well-played game for both sides,” Edison head coach Vin Abene said. “It was early in the year and I like to think we’re a different team these days. Our inexperienced guys now have the experience and are no longer intimidated.”
East Brunswick (7-3) enters Wednesday’s game the top team in the Greater Middlesex Conference Red Division with a half game lead over St. Joseph. Edison entered this week’s action at 7-6.
“If we play our game we should have a chance to win in the later innings,” Abene said. “I know we’re not going to blow them away because they are too good of a team.”
The Eagles headed into the Montgomery game coming off a 5-2 win over Colonia. Junior Nate Fabretti picked up his first win of the season tossing a five-hit complete game. Fabretti allowed one earned run while fanning three and walking just two hitters.
“It’s always important for a pitcher to have control over two of his pitches,” Abene said. “Nate kept the hitters off-balance with his curveball and fastball because he had nice control. He mixed in his cutter on occasion, but he didn’t have to use it that much.”
Fabretti helped himself out at the dish with a two-RBI double, while shortstop Dave Zavistoski went 3-for-4 with one RBI. Junior left fielder Tony Greder also enjoyed a solid day with the stick, finishing the game 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
In the slugfest with Montgomery, the Eagles had a chance in the seventh inning down three with the bases jacked. Edison entered the seventh trailing 12-4 but rallied for five runs to make things interesting. Unfortunately, the rally ended there.
Sophomore Julian Laguna suffered his first loss of the season, dropping to 2-1 after exiting in the fourth inning.
“We’ve been going out of conference on Saturdays and now it’s beating us up,” Abene said. “Hopefully, the tough out-of-conference schedule is making us a better team as we head into the second half of division play.”
After today’s meeting with East Brunswick, Edison will face the second-place team in the Red Division standings, St. Joe’s. The two teams will square off at 3:45 p.m. at the Falcons’ nest tomorrow. Edison won the first meeting in a 12-11 thriller. The Falcons have since rolled off 11 straight wins.
“Since we beat them they haven’t lost,” Abene said. “I know they’re gunning for us, and they are definitely the team to beat right now. Hopefully, we can slow their bats down.”
It’s yet to be determined who will throw for the Eagles this week, but the plan is to take things one game at a time.
“I’ll use all of our pitchers this week if that’s what we need to do,” Abene said. “I can’t say who is going to pitch and when, but I do know that we can’t afford to give these teams extra outs because they will take advantage.”
The Eagles will wrap up the week with a game against crosstown rival J.P. Stevens on Sunday. The two teams will square off at Commerce Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater immediately following the 1:35 p.m. game between the Somerset Patriots and the visiting Lancaster Barnstormers. Fans can purchase $10 tickets for admittance to both games through either school or at the stadium box office. Ticket holders have the option to use the tickets for admittance to a Patriots game at a later day should they skip the Sunday afternoon game.