Last year, the Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School baseball team ran into a road block, lost its final six games and finished with a 9-16 record. But with the return of their top five pitchers and all but two of the starting lineup, the Raiders became a formidable bunch and finished their season with a 20-9 record.

The returning pitchers were seniors Evan Doyle, Ryan Quinones and Matt Capozzolo, along with juniors CJ Bates and Jack Byrne, and all of them improved their effectiveness this season. Quinones in 51,1 innings, permitted 43 hits, 31 runs (21 earned), 21 walks and 11 hit batters, while striking out 57 batters for a 2.86 ERA. Bates in 35.2 innings, allowed 37 hits, 26 runs (14 earned), 15 walks and five hit batters, while recording 24 strikeouts for a 2.75 ERA.

Evan Doyle in 24.1 innings, allowed 18 hits, 17 runs (10 earned), 17 walks and two hit batters, while striking out two for a 2.88 ERA. In 23.1 innings, Capozzolo yielded 26 hits, 11 runs (9 earned), 10 walks and three hit batters, while striking out 18 for a 2.70 ERA. Byrne in 27 innings, allowed 24 hits, 17 runs (13 earned), 15 walks and eight hit batters, while striking out 29 for a 3.37 ERA.

Although there were several relief pitchers, junior Sam Beirne saw the most time and in 10.1 innings, permitted eight hits, two earned runs, 10 walks and four hit batters, while striking out five for a 1.35 ERA.

Interestingly, the Raiders began their season with two straight losses but quickly recovered to win four straight – Brearley, Summit, Cranford, Middlesex. After two losses, a sevengame winning streak followed, which boosted the Raiders’ record to 11-4. After losing to South Plainfield (finished 22-6-1), the Raiders beat Cranford for a second time then shut out Roselle Park, 7-0, in the first round of the Union County Tournament (UCT). A 2-0 loss to St. Thomas Aquinas followed then the Raiders got back into the UCT and thumped the AL Johnson (ALJ) Crusaders, 16-0, before bowing to Governor Livingston (GL), the eventual UCT champion. The Raiders squeaked past Woodbridge, 3-2, then were stunned by New Providence before finishing their regular season with respective wins over ALJ, Westfield and GL. A 13-7 win over Franklin in the first round of the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 Tournament was followed by a 9-3 setback to Hunterdon Central in the quarterfinal.

Quinones led the team with a .418 batting average (BA) going 33-for-79 with 21 RBI, 18 runs scored, six doubles, two triples, a home run, 10 walks, two hit by pitches (HP) and seven stolen bases. Senior Jaden Carpien finished .372 (32-for-86) with 26 RBI (led team), 25 runs scored (tied for lead), five doubles, three home runs, a triple, 11 walks, one hit by pitch (HP) and seven stolen bases.

Sophomore Joe LaRosa finished with a .360 BA (27-for-75) with 25 runs, 12 RBI, five doubles, two home runs, triple, 13 walks and 9 HP (led team in both) and eight stolen bases. Bates finished .322 (19-for-59) with 14 RBI, 13 runs, five doubles, eight walks and two stolen bases. Junior Jack Sponheimer led the team with 12 stolen bases and finished with a .321 BA (27-for-84) with 24 runs, 11 RBI, three doubles, 10 walks and a HP. Senior Chris Kennedy went 17for-58 (.293 BA) with five doubles, home run, six walks, HP and four stolen bases.

Sophomore Alex Bolton finished .289 (12-for-45) with 12 runs, 11 RBI, double, seven walks, HP and a stolen base. SeniorAnthony Veglia, who also spent some time on the mound in relief, finished with a .312 BA (10-for-32) with 10 RBI, three runs, five walks and a HP. Senior Matt Greisman had eight singles and a double, five RBI, eight runs, four walks, two HP and three stolen bases.

Evan Doyle had 11 hits, including two doubles and a home run, nine RBI, six runs, three walks and stolen base. Junior Mike Bellistri had six hits, including a pair of doubles, and five walks. Senior Joe DeFrancesco finished with six hits, three RBI, three runs, two walks and three stolen bases. Senior Luke Doyle contributed two hits, an RBI and two walks. Junior Jack Masterson had three hits, four runs, three RBI, eight walks, a HP and a stolen base.

The Raiders do graduate several fine seniors but will return a decent amount of seasoned players for another promising season next year.