Spartans, Middlesex redux

Heard from a colleague or two that the Middlesex fans gave me a nice chant after the Blue Jays rallied to beat Pennsville 8-7 in the state Group I semifinal. Congratulations to Middlesex, which is the last team standing.

See, when we pick against your schools you're supposed to thank us.

First-year head coach Mike O'Donnell has Middlesex in position to win a state group title if it can beat Hoboken Saturday. We'll be at the game.

I spoke to a few people after the Immaculata-Seton Hall Prep game at Harter Road Field. Immaculata coach Tom Gambino said that the teams have been separated by pitching in their last few meetings. Senior lefty Sean McKeown pitched well enough to beat most teams in the state. Immaculata lost 3-0, but Seton Hall Prep's runs were unearned.

Seton Hall Prep starter and winner Evan Danieli pitched a three-hitter against a team that had been averaging more than 11.5 runs per game. Rick Porcello, expected to be among the first picks in Thursday's First-Year Major League Draft, pitched the seventh after Danieli allowed a double to Jack Rice and walked Tom Burke.

I thought Chas Crane did the right thing. He offered at the first pitch and hit a sharp grounder to second. The grounder was turned into a double play, but Crane hit the ball solidly.

Spoke to former Major League pitcher Al Santorini before the game. Santorini, a Union High graduate, played in parts of six Major League seasons with the Braves, Cardinals and Padres. It was great trading names from the late 1960s and 1970s like Clay Kirby and Ollie Brown.