UNION, NJ — A junior class that saw an abundance of playing time last year and garnered a great deal of experience has its eyes set on leading this spring’s Union Farmers baseball team to much-improved status.
Among the seven seniors that excelled as juniors last year are left-handed pitcher-outfielder Aiden Baiardi and right-handed pitcher-infielder Anthony Magliozzi. Both are three-year starters.
Baiardi paced the Farmers in hits with 30 and runs with 16 a year ago and was tied for the team lead in striking out batters with 30 strikeouts. Magliozzi had 14 hits and scored eight runs and, on the mound, fanned 20 batters in 17 innings.
“Aiden and Anthony are at the top of our rotation and, offensively, will be in the middle of our lineup,” said Union High School ninth-year head coach Angel Navarrete. “When Aiden’s not pitching, he will be in center field. More than anything else, they will be major pieces on the mound for us.”
Union’s opening day game on Monday, April 3, is at 4 p.m. at Linden High School, followed by the home-opener on Wednesday, April 5, at 4 p.m., against Oratory Preparatory School of Summit.
The other five returning seniors include pitcher-infielder Nicolas Cassandra, infielders Dylan Couto and Christopher Thomas, catcher-infielder Jayden Miller and pitcher Matthew Orriss.
Baiardi led the team in batting average at .400 (30-for-75) last season. Thomas batted .321, with nine hits in 28 at-bats.
Cassandra is also a three-year starter.
“Nick is our third baseman and a captain, along with Aiden,” Navarrete said. “Nick will also see time on the mound.”
Following a 17-6 campaign two years ago, when baseball returned from the COVID-19 pandemic that eliminated the 2020 season, Union slipped to 4-18 last year, including 1-9 in the seven-team Watchung Division of the Union County Conference.
“There was a lot of tough luck and a lack of execution last year,” Navarette said. “We were in a lot of games late and just didn’t execute the small details.”
In one close game Union won in 2022, Magliozzi was the winning pitcher, going the first four innings, in Union’s 3-2 home triumph against Jonathan Dayton High School. The Bulldogs, who won the Mountain Division title at 7-3-1 and finished 16-9-1 overall, upset defending champion Governor Livingston High School in the quarterfinals of the Union County Tournament, en route to reaching the championship game for the first time since 2006. Gabriel Gobbi, a returning junior for Union, pitched the last three innings scoreless to earn a save.
Two other returning juniors for the Farmers include pitcher-infielder Matthew Perrotto and pitcher-outfielder Matthew Mendez.
“The conference and the county are really awesome this year,” Navarrete said. “I think, from the middle division to the upper division, every team has a chance to win every game. I expect it to be competitive every game. We have to execute as much as possible.”
The second Tip Your Cap Classic at Union’s Gordon R. LeMatty Field, to raise funds for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, features two high-profile games on Tuesday, May 2, and Wednesday, May 3.
On Tuesday, May 2, at 4:15 p.m., it will be Madison High School vs. New Providence High School, followed at 7 p.m. by Millburn High School vs. St. Peter’s Preparatory School.
On Wednesday, May 3, at 4:15 p.m., it will be Cranford High School vs. Union High School, followed at 7 p.m. by St. Joseph High School of Metuchen vs. Somerville High School. The Cranford-Union game is a Watchung Division battle.
Cranford won the UCT for the first time since 2015 last year and then captured North 2, Group 3 before reaching the Group 3 state championship game in Hamilton High School West. The Cougars are led by all-state third baseman Ryan Jaros, who will continue to play in college at Georgia Tech.
Cranford went 25-5 last year and won the Watchung Division outright at 10-2.
Millburn, coached by former longtime Cranford assistant Brian Chapman; Madison, coached by former Cranford standout Brian Weingart; and St. Joe’s, Metuchen, coached by former Westfield all-stater Mike Murray, also participated in last year’s first Tip Your Cap Classic at UHS.
“We raised over $12,000 last year and the games were great,” Navarrete said. “We’re looking to raise $25,000 this year and raise more awareness for such a great cause.”
Union Farmers 2023 baseball schedule
• Monday, April 3, at Linden High School, 4 p.m.
• Wednesday, April 5, Oratory Preparatory School, 4 p.m.
• Thursday, April 6, Scotch Plains–Fanwood High School, 4 p.m.
• Saturday, April 8, Elizabeth High School, 11 a.m.
• Monday, April 10, Franklin High School, 4 p.m.
• Tuesday, April 11, at Arthur L. Johnson High School, noon
• Thursday, April 13, at Union Catholic High School, noon
• Friday, April 14, at Cranford High School, 10:30 a.m.
• Tuesday, April 18, at New Providence High School, 4 p.m.
• Wednesday, April 19 at David Brearley High School, 4 p.m.
• Thursday, April 20, Roselle Catholic High School, 4:15 p.m.
• Saturday, April 22, at St. Rose High School, noon
• Tuesday, April 25, Westfield High School, 4 p.m.
• Wednesday, April 26, at Governor Livingston High School, 4 p.m.
• Friday, April 28, at Scotch Plains–Fanwood High School, 4 p.m.
• Monday, May 1, Arthur L. Johnson High School, 4 p.m.
Tuesday, May 2, Tip Your Cap Classic at Union High School
• Madison High School vs. New Providence High School, 4:15 p.m.
• Millburn High School vs. St. Peter’s Preparatory School, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, May 3, Tip Your Cap Classic at Union High School
• Cranford High School vs. Union High School, 4:15 p.m.
• St. Joseph High School vs. Somerville High School, 7 p.m
• Monday, May 8, at William L. Dickinson High School, 4:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, May 16, Middlesex High School, 4:15 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 17, New Providence High School, 4 p.m.
• Friday, May 19, at Westfield High School, 4 p.m.
• Tuesday, May 23, Governor Livingston High School, 4:15 p.m.
• Saturday, May 27, at Millburn High School, 10 a.m.
Union County Conference-Watchung Division
Cranford, Governor Livingston, Arthur L. Johnson, New Providence, Scotch Plains–Fanwood, Union, Westfield.