Perhaps a 13-11 record was not the most glorious season like in the past several years but the Cranford High School baseball team remained very competitive and were involved in a number of games that were decided by one or two runs, which included an 8-7, nine-inning thriller in the Union County Tournament (UCT) semifinal. However, a milestone was achieved when Cougar Head Coach Dennis McCaffery recorded his 500th career victory early in the season.
The Cougars opened the season with a 12-0 shutout over the Union Farmers then on April 4 at Memorial Field in Cranford, Coach McCaffery got win No. 500 with a 7-5 victory over the New Providence Pioneers. It was only fitting that his son Dennis whacked a walk-off, two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning. By season’s end, Coach McCaffery would have 511 career wins.
After an 11-10 stinging from the Elizabeth Minutemen, the Cougars shut out the AL Johnson (ALJ) Crusaders, 8-0, but were then beaten, 41, by the Scotch Plains-Fanwood (SPF) Raiders. The Cougars nipped Summit, 5-4, and JFK-Iselin, 2-0, then swatted the Bayonne Bees, 10-2. Oratory Prep shocked the Cougars, 7-2, but a 9-5 win over St. Mary (Rutherford) followed.
A pair of tough losses – Governor Livingston Highlanders (2-0), Westfield (7-6) – were next but the Cougars recovered to beat New Providence, 11-9, and ALJ, 10-0. The Highlanders would go on to win the UCT, Central Jersey, Group 2 and Group 2 titles. Next, the Cougars would drop another tight one, 9–7, to the SPF Raiders.
The Cougars rapped Union, 7-0, in the UCT first round, lost to Watchung Hills, 6-4, then got even in a big way, 14-0, over Oratory Prep in the UCT quarterfinal.After an 8-0 loss to Summit, the Cougars lost the 8-7, nineinning heartbreaker to top-seeded Westfield (finished 19-7) in the UCT semifinal. The Cougars edged GL, 43, then lost to Westfield, 7-2, in the regular-season finale.
In the opening round of the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 Tournament, the Cougars beat Belleville, 40, then lost 6-2 in the quarterfinal to the South Plainfield Tigers, who would finish 22-6-1.
Always known for their craftiness on the base paths, the Cougars amassed 89 stolen bases. Senior Dylan Falk led the team with a .352 batting average (BA) going 29-for-82 with a team-leading 25 runs scored and 25 stolen bases to go with 14 RBI, two doubles, a triple, five walks and five hit by pitches (HP). Senior Sean Riley was second in stolen bases with 20 and finished with a .300 BA (21-for-70) with 15 runs scored, 14 RBI, five doubles, triple, home run and 14 walks.
Freshman Pat Bendert finished with a .323 BA (20-for-62), with 14 runs scored, 12 RBI, seven doubles (1st on team), a home run, seven walks and a HP. Sophomore Brayden Fry had a .309 BA (21-for 68) with 14 runs scored, eight RBI, four doubles, triple, home run, 13 walks, HP and 10 stolen bases. Senior catcher Ryan Carracino finished .293 (17-for-58) with 12 RBI, 10 runs scored, double, two home runs, two walks, eight HP, and a stolen base.
McCaffery led the Cougars with 17 RBI and finished .278 (22-for 79) with 12 runs scored, five doubles, triple, home run, five walks, seven HP and seven stolen bases. Senior Ed Toy finished .250 (16-for-64) with 12 RBI, 11 runs scored, a double, six walks, 1 HP and a stolen base. Sophomore Mike Tripodi went 13-for-52 (.250 BA) with 21 runs scored (2nd on team), 13 RBI, double, two triples, 17 walks (led team), five HP and seven stolen bases.
Senior Brendan Berry enjoyed moderate time at the plate and had six singles and a double, with five RBI, three runs scored, six walks, a HP, and four stolen bases. Junior Josh Ketschke, who spent most of his time as a courtesy runner, contributed three hits and a double, seven runs scored, three RBI, a walk and seven stolen bases. Junior courtesy runner Tyler Veltre rapped three singles and added an RBI, three runs scored and seven stolen bases.
Sophomore Joe Paccione was very effective on the mound. In 40.1 innings, he allowed 24 hits, 11 runs (8 earned), 29 walks with four hit batters, while striking out 45 for a 1.39 ERA. Falk in 44.1 innings, yielded 47 hits, 36 runs (27 earned), 10 walks and nine hit batters, while striking out 18 for a 4.26 ERA. Senior Mike Zalinkanskas in 23 innings, allowed 22 hits, 19 runs (14 earned), 14 walks and 10 hit batters, while striking out 29 for a 4.26 ERA.
Toy in 15 innings, permitted 10 hits, seven runs (5 earned) and 12 walks, while striking out 11 for a 2:33 ERA. Sophomore Christian Pereira in 11.2 innings, allowed 15 hits, nine runs (6 earned), seven walks and two hit batters, while striking out five for a 3.60 ERA. Sophomore Gabe Arato in nine innings, allowed four hits, one run, seven walks and a hit batter, while striking out seven for a 0.78 ERA. Berry pitched four innings and allowed six hits, five runs (4 earned) and two walks, while striking out four for a 7.00 ERA.
The Cougars graduate seven seniors who saw a lot of playing time but do return some pitching potential and some plate experience for next year.
