Columbia Baseball takes first loss - record still a phenomenal 5 and 1!

6:30 or 7 on Tuesday.

Sorry, 4:30 for the JV game.  7pm for the Varsity game.  Both contests against Madison.

Anybody care to enlighten a relative newcomer about the history and prestige of the Greater Newark Tournament, or to direct me to a source that might? I saw online lists of winners that show how far back it goes, and the banners at Underhill make it clear it's a championship worth bragging about. Just interested in some more background if it's available.

It's the county tournament although judging by the list of winners it was once broader than that.

As indicated in the list of winners, "before 1973, teams from outside of Essex County were allowed to participate in the GNT."

I believe it was a statewide invitational tournament. I think to really appreciate the history, (which I'd love to but sadly cannot because I don't go that far back), you'd need to know the history of high school baseball in New Jersey.

Columbia was last a runner-up in 2010, losing to West Essex in the final.  My son was the starter as a sophomore.  @Wendy  's son was the second baseman. Fantastic team of solid ballplayers up and down the lineup, in the pen, and on the bench.  Well-coached by Larry Busichio and Matt Becht.

Scott Illiano, the winning West Essex coach, self-published a book about their run.  His introduction touches on some history, which you can read here:

https://books.google.com/books?id=rnfrsZLyl0oC&printsec=frontcover&dq=2010+greater+newark+tournament+final+box+score&hl=en&sa=X&ei=pl4-Ven1HouSsQSR-IHABQ&ved=0CCcQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

Thank you, both.

Left after sac fly made it 8-5 Cougars in the 6th. Hoping the lead held up. Was fun watching both varsity and JV.

Train_of_Thought said:

Left after sac fly made it 8-5 Cougars in the 6th. Hoping the lead held up. Was fun watching both varsity and JV.

It did hold up.  1-2-3 7th to close it out!  Make it 14 and 1!

Come on out to Cameron Field near the South Orange pool in Meadowland Park tomorrow (Tuesday 4/28) at 4:30 for the JV game and 7pm for the Varsity against Madison High School.

Edited to add, easy parking at South Orange Middle School and then a quick walk over the bridge to the field.

15 and 1 now.

Nice article here:

http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/-7755479527564260854/baseball-whats-getting-it-done-for-13-1-columbia/

Another big win today, 13-3 over West Orange in the first round of the GNT!  

Record now stands at 16 and 1! 

Two more league games on Monday and Tuesday and then the GNT quarterfinal round on Thursday at Underhill at 4pm.

Monday game won with a walk off single.

BCC said:

Monday game won with a walk off single.

 Was looking pretty dicey there. Down 4-1 in the bottom of the 7th. As I recall it went:  Out, HBP, single, single, out, walk, single. Or something like that   ;-)

Pretty awesome to watch -  No quit in this team!

5-1 win puts Cougars at 18 and 1

Good luck to the Cougars this afternoon against Nutley. Wish I could be there, but work intervenes

straight_life said:

Good luck to the Cougars this afternoon against Nutley. Wish I could be there, but work intervenes

 4pm at Underhill Field.  Go Cougars!

Thanks to a change in the JV schedule, I'm there. As my dad likes to say, it's a bee-you-tee-ful day for baseball.

So, how did they do? Advancing or not?

A tough 7-5 loss. The Cougars were up 5-3 in the top of the seventh, but a bad hop off the infield dirt and a missed opportunity to complete a 6-4-3 double play helped keep Nutley alive, and they loaded the bases. Even so, Columbia had a 5-4 lead with two outs and an 0-2 count. The batter then sent the next pitch deep to straightaway center, clearing the bases.

Give the Nutley players credit. It was an exciting game.

Thanks for the update but sorry for the loss. What a great run thus far in the regular season and the GNT. There is still states yes?  Congrats to the players and coaches and the supportive families of Columbia baseball!

Tough loss. But the season is not over. The regular season games and at least the first round of the states should be winnable. Looks like they may have to play Millburn in the second round, based on power points today, and that would be a sweet revenge game. 

Belated congratulations to the Cougars, who, with a loss to Millburn in the second round of states (and if my math is correct), finished the season 23-4. Win or lose, I really enjoyed watching the varsity boys play when I was able to catch a game