The semifinal round of the 79th Greater Newark Tournament will be played Saturday at Verona’s Doc Goeltz Field, with four of the county’s top high school baseball teams matching up in what promises to be an exciting afternoon of games.
The first game, featuring defending GNT champion West Essex (17-1) taking on fourth-seeded Millburn (18-4), gets under way at 12:30 p.m. Millburn advanced to the semifinal round with a 4-3, extra-inning victory over Montclair on Thursday afternoon and faces a big challenge in taking on West Essex, which has proven to be one of the top all-around baseball teams in the state this year. West Essex ranks No.4 in the most recent Star-Ledger Top 20.
The second game of the double-header matches a surprising Nutley (8-9) team against Seton Hall Prep. Nutley, the No. 10 seed in this year’s GNT, defeated Belleville, 7-3, on Thursday, and fifth-seeded Livingston in a first-round upset. Perennial power Seton Hall Prep, the third seed, has come on strong after a slow start this season and looks to reach the final this year. The Prep knocked off Montclair Kimberley, 9-5, in Thursday’s quarterfinal round. The second game is scheduled for a 3:15 p.m start.
The Verona High School Baseball Parents Association will be selling a variety of refreshments and offering various raffles throughout the day. The funds raised at the game help support the high school baseball program in Verona.
