Scotch Plains-Fanwood Baseball Players Shine in Underclassmen All-Star Game

NORTH BRUNSWICK, NJ -- On a beautiful summer night in North Brunswick, the top Underclassmen high school baseball players from Union County battled the top from Essex County.

Scotch Plains Fanwood was represented by three players on Friday, June 28: outfielder Jack Sponheimer and RHP/1B CJ Bates (juniors) and outfielder Joe Larosa, a sophomore.

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The Union County squad was coached by Gov. Livingston HS coach Chris Roof and assistant coaches Joe Higgins of Scotch Plains-Fanwood, Lou Clemente of Union, Jay Cook of Westfield, and Chris Broduer of New Providence.

While down early on 8-2 to an Essex County team that included a roster full of Division 1 commits throughout the lineup, the Union County squad only allowed 1 run over the final 6 innings, including 4 combined scoreless frames from Bates and Eliezer Cepeda of Elizabeth.

Offensively, Raiders players delivered as Union County scored again and again, leading the All-Star squad to a 22-9 victory under the lights against Essex County's best.

Larosa picked up right where he left off in the spring, collecting three hits including a double off the right field wall, a stolen base, and a diving catch down the left field line to rob a hit.

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Sponheimer (3 sport athlete at Scotch Plains-Fanwood soccer, basketball and baseball) recorded two hits and had a stolen base and continued to catch anything that was lifted into the outfield, always seeming to be in the right position.

Bates pitched the 4th and 5th innings for the Union County squad. He didn’t allow a hit and recorded two strikeouts, both to end the innings. As the team took the lead while he was on the mound, Bates was the winning pitcher.

Long-time Montclair State coach Norm Schoenig was honored before the Union-Essex game.

The complete Union County Roster:

• CJ Bates, Scotch Plains-Fanwood (Junior)
• Joe LaRosa, Scotch Plains-Fanwood (Sophomore)
• Jack Sponheimer, Scotch Plains-Fanwood (Junior)
• Antonio Esposito, Brearley (Junior)
• Frank Dasti, Dayton (Junior)
• Michael Ramirez, Dayton (Junior)
• Elizier Cepeda, Elizabeth (Junior)
• Alex Adornato, Gov. Livingston (Junior)
• Anthony Denora, Gov. Livingston (Junior)
• Keith Mann, Gov. Livingston (Sophomore)
• Justin Zdeb, Johnson (Sophomore)
• Vince Graziano, New Providence (Junior)
• Ryan Barber, Summit (Junior)
• TJ Flack, Summit (Junior)
• Gavin Smith, Summit (Junior)
• Brayden Morrison, Union Catholic (Freshman)
• Michael Pellegrino, Union Catholic (Sophomore)
• Grant Como, Westfield (Junior)
• Aaron Ives, Westfield (Junior)

On an adjacent field, Hudson County battled Middlesex County.

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