Winning pitcher Christian Pereira tossed all five innings, recording two strikeouts, while walking three and allowing five hits, as the Cranford High School baseball team shut out the AL Johnson Crusaders, 10-0, on April 29. On May 2, the 9-6 Cougars just could not get past the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Raiders in a 9-7 defeat.
Ryan Carracino went 1-for-1 with a home runs and a walk against the Crusaders. Dennis McCaffery doubled, singles, stole a base, scored once and had an RBI. Dylan Falk had an RBI single and scored three runs. Pat Bendert doubled, walker, scored once and had an RBI. Brayden Fry doubled and scored once. Sean Riley walked and scored once. Ed Toy had an RBI, scored once and swiped a base. Josh Ketschke stole a base and scored. Brendan Berry had an RBI single and stole three bases. Mike Tripodi walked and stole a base.
Rob Gallagher, Justin Zdeb, Raphael DaRocha, Vince Cilento and Anthony Minniti each singled for the Crusaders. Cilento was charged with the loss.
McCaffery had a big bat for the Cougars against the 13-5 Raiders with a triple, single and a run scored. Falk tripled and scored once. Toy singled, scored once and had an RBI. Berry had two RBI as did Bendert. Falk was charged with the loss. Raider CJ Bates picked up the win.
Raider Chris Kennedy had a big afternoon going 3-for-4 with a double, stolen base and two runs scored. Joe LaRosa blasted a home run and scored twice. Jack Sponheimer had a pair of singles and three RBI. Ryan Quinones tripled, singled and had three RBI.
