EDISON, NJ – In a hard-fought Central Group 4 quarterfinal on Thursday, the No. 3-seeded Edison Eagles (17-10) showcased their resilience and ability to manufacture runs, defeating the No. 11-seeded Franklin Warriors 4-2. The Eagles now have their sights set on a highly anticipated fourth meeting against second-seeded Old Bridge in Tuesday’s semifinals.
The game was a pitching duel for much of the contest, with Edison’s Connor Murphy and Franklin’s hurler keeping offenses at bay. However, it was the timely play of senior Anthony Calantoni that ignited Edison’s rallies.
After a scoreless start, Edison finally broke through in the bottom of the fourth. Calantoni led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch and then promptly stole second. Robert Roma, the Eagles’ No. 3 hitter batting .392, capitalized on the opportunity, doubling to the gap in left-center field to give Edison a 1-0 lead. Cleanup hitter Murphy advanced Roma with a sacrifice bunt, and Ray Tavarez’s single over the third baseman’s head extended the lead to 2-0.
Franklin, however, responded in the top of the fifth, scoring twice to tie the game at 2-2. Rooney, Franklin’s No. 9 hitter, singled to lead off the inning, followed by walks to Izaiah Robinson and Shaylen Patel. Mike Schiermeyer’s single to right brought in a run, and Jacob Gordon’s RBI-groundout knotted the score. Murphy, demonstrating his composure, got out of the inning with a strikeout.
Edison wasted no time reclaiming the lead in the bottom of the sixth. Calantoni once again led off with a single up the middle. Seizing an opportunity, he took off on an errant pick-off attempt by the pitcher—a throw that went wide right of the first baseman—ultimately reaching third safely. Robert Roma then came through again with a deep sacrifice fly to deep left field, bringing Calantoni home for a 3-2 lead. The Eagles added an insurance run when Murphy walked and Dom Innocenti doubled him home to right, making it 4-2.
Edison coach Vinnie Abene emphasized the team’s strategic approach. “We have to force the action especially in a game like today,” Abene said. “We saw the way the kid was throwing. We needed to do anything to get a runner in scoring position. Obviously, we stole a few bases today, we got a couple bunts down. It worked out but it was a dogfight.”
On the mound, Connor Murphy delivered a solid performance for Edison, allowing two runs on five hits through five innings while striking out six. Murphy, who now boasts a 1.82 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 65 1/3 innings. Dom Innocenti closed out the game flawlessly, facing six hitters in the final two innings and recording two strikeouts.
The victory showcased Edison’s remarkable character, especially after their tough walk-off loss in the GMCT final last Saturday to St. Joseph. “The whole team has showed a lot of character after Saturday,” Abene said. “Lot of grit, lot of character, they put it behind them. I thought the win Tuesday was huge and then coming out today and playing a Franklin team that I think is a very, very good team and playing a good, solid baseball game and getting a win is huge for everybody.”
With their collective grit and strategic play, the Edison Eagles are proving to be a formidable force as they continue on in the Central Group 4 playoffs Tuesday 6/3 at Old Bridge.
