2026 Baseball NJSIAA Tournament Preview: The Shore Non-Publics

For the sixth time in the last seven seasons and ninth time in the last 12, a non-public baseball program is the Shore Conference Tournament champion after Christian Brothers Academy stampeded through Rumson-Fair Haven in the championship game on Sunday night. CBA and Red Bank Catholic have been the dominant teams in the SCT over the last decade-plus, with brief interludes from Toms River North and Brick Memorial, but the NJSIAA Non-Public Tournament has proven to be a more treacherous rode for the Shore’s non-public squads.

Although the hit rate for the Shore’s non-public teams has not been as high in the state tournament as it has in the SCT over the last decade or two, there have been plenty of memorable moments, most recently last year. CBA reached the NJSIAA Non-Public A final and fell in an 11-inning epic vs. Don Bosco after beating RBC in the South Jersey final. RBC won its first sectional title in 26 years two years earlier, but also lost to Don Bosco in the group final. The Shore’s last overall Non-Public A championship came in 2015, when CBA followed up St. John Vianney’s 2014 championship by giving the Shore back-to-back No. 1 teams in the state.

While it has now been more than a decade since the Shore’s last Non-Public A title, Ranney has represented the Shore with a title in Non-Public B within the last five years — no easy task considering the dominant history of the Gloucester Catholic program. The Panthers won the 2022 title and came up short vs. Gloucester Catholic the following year with a loaded senior roster and now, Ranney has its best team since 2023 ready to take on the Rams. That potential meeting would happen in the semifinals, which means Ranney will have to get through St. Rose — in search of its first title since 2009 — in the quarterfinals.

CBA and RBC have had the more recent success, but Ranney has finished the job within the last five seasons and has its best chance to return to the top of Non-Public B this season. St. John Vianney and St. Rose, meanwhile, are under-the-radar contenders looking to return to glory and Donovan Catholic also enters with a chance to advance while representing Ocean County in the Non-Public A Tournament.

South Jersey Non-Public A

Shore Teams in the Field: No. 3 Red Bank Catholic, No. 5 CBA, No. 6 St. John Vianney, No. 9 Donovan Catholic
Top Seed: Immaculata
Defending Champion: CBA

The Favorite: No. 2 St. Augustine. The Hermits’ grip on this section has loosened in recent years, but that just means the St. Augustine is not winning the championship every single season. After a run of six straight sectional titles ended in 2023 at the hands of Red Bank Catholic, the Hermits reclaimed the title in 2024 before CBA won the section last year. In both years St. Augustine failed to win the title, the Hermits had to go on the road prior to the sectional final, but that will not be the case this season. The pitching beyond Penn State commit Alex Weingartner is not overpowering, but Weingartner is as tough as any arm in the section and he is also the most dangerous hitter in a lineup that boasts six starters with at least 50 plate appearances and a batting average better than .320.

The Dark Horse: No. 11 St. Joseph Metuchen. This section is not conducive to surprise championship runs, so picking a surprise champion is usually a dead end. St. Joe’s has been a contender in past years and even during a down year in 2026, the Falcons have proven competitive against a good schedule and a 3-6 record in one-run games has been a source of their frustrations during a 6-16 season heading into the NJSIAA Tournament. There is no lockdown pitcher for St. Joe’s to lean on to make a deep run, but first-round opponent St. John Vianney and potential quarterfinal opponent RBC won’t have an overpowering ace either.

Speaking of St. John Vianney, the Lancers could be equally-viable as a sleeper in the bracket, albeit with a seed that does not fit the “dark horse” role as well as the No. 11 seed does. SJV has a solid pitching staff across the board with its best strikeout artist – junior Matt Baczor – in a high-leverage relief role. The Lancers have also played in close games throughout the year, with a 5-4 record in one-run games.

Donovan Catholic has landed a number of noteworthy wins this season and might have the firepower to take down No. 8 Paul VI in the first round. The winner of that game draws Immaculata and if the Spartans open the tournament by starting Wake Forest commit Ryan Auten, it’s hard to see either of those teams knocking off the top seed. Even if Auten does not pitch in the quarterfinals, Immaculata has the best pitching group in the bracket on paper, so it would appear the upsets are more likely to come on the other side of the bracket.

Bracket Breakdown: St. Augustine, Red Bank Catholic and CBA have been the annual contenders in this bracket and Immaculata has a chance to join that trio as a recent Non-Public A sectional champion this season. The Spartans have the intimidating ace in the 6-foot-6 left-hander Auten, who has struck out 100 in 50 innings this season. The road will not be easy, but the time off between the quarterfinals and semifinals will give Immaculata – and the three other teams with a bye – a chance to start the same pitcher in each of their first two rounds.

That luxury does not apply to CBA, which plays Camden Catholic on Tuesday before heading to No. 4 Union Catholic, as long as the Colts handle their business in the first round. The Colts have settled in over the last four weeks behind a scorching offense and a pitching staff that, while not 100 percent healthy, is finally falling into place with senior left-handers Danny DiTullio and Dan Pardini at the top. However the Colts want to line up their pitching during the first week of the tournament, all will be available should they make it to the semifinals.

RBC heads into the week on a three-game losing streak and while that might be cause for alarm, the Caseys have shown an ability to shake off a few bad games. After back-to-back losses to CBA and Howell in late April and early May, the Caseys rattled off seven straight wins, including victories over Brick Memorial, Bergen Catholic, Toms River East and Rumson-Fair Haven. Wednesday’s loss to Brick Memorial was the first time in nine games RBC scored fewer than six runs, so even during the three-game losing streak, the bats have been working. If the pitching straightens out, the Caseys could be very hard to beat.

Prediction: St. Augustine over Immaculata. The way the tournament is structured, CBA and RBC – if both make it that far – will have to face Division I aces on the road in the quarterfinals and while both are capable of finding a way to win those games, Auten and Weingartner are better than any pitcher either team has faced in Shore Conference play. If CBA can knock off Immaculata, the Colts would have a great opportunity to win a second straight sectional title facing St. Augustine with Weingartner likely burned against RBC, SJV or St. Joe’s, unless one of those teams beats St. Augustine, in which case the Colts would still be in a great spot.

Round-by-Round Picks

First Round

(8) Paul VI over (9) Donovan Catholic
(5) CBA over (12) Camden Catholic
(6) St. John Vianney over (11) St. Joseph Metuchen
(7) Notre Dame over (10) Pingry

Quarterfinals
(1) Immaculata over (8) Paul VI
(5) CBA over (4) Union Catholic
(3) Red Bank Catholic over (6) St. John Vianney
(2) St. Augustine over (7) Notre Dame

Semifinals
(1) Immaculata over (5) CBA
(2) St. Augustine over (3) Red Bank Catholic

Championship
(2) St. Augustine over (1) Immaculata

 

South Jersey Non-Public B

Shore Teams in the Field: No. 4 Ranney, No. 5 St. Rose
Top Seed: Gloucester Catholic
Defending Champion: Gloucester Catholic

The Favorite: Gloucester Catholic. The Rams are on a Chicago Bulls run of two separate three-peats two seasons apart, only Gloucester Catholic has given no indication that it is on its “last dance.” Led by shortstop and Mississippi State commit Noah Danza, the Rams are shooting for their seventh South Jersey Non-Public B title in the last 10 years, as well as fourth straight overall group championship.

The Dark Horse: St. Rose. Gloucester Catholic is the heavy favorite and there may not be a team in the field that can beat the Rams, but there are a few that have weapons that can put a scare in the No. 1 seed. St. Rose is certainly among that group thanks to its pitching tandem of Peter Nolan and James Alesso. The draw is not a good one – the Purple Roses will have to travel to Ranney for the quarterfinals, then to Gloucester Catholic if they knock off the Panthers in Tinton Falls. Although other teams have easier roads, St. Rose is likely the lowest-seeded team with a shot against Gloucester Catholic or No. 2 Bishop Eustace.

Bracket Breakdown: All signs point to a Gloucester-Eustace final, but Ranney may have something to say about that. The Panthers have dealt with inconsistency throughout the year, particularly on the mound, but Noah Hynes and Jake Abrams have demonstrated that they can handle good lineups in big games. It may benefit Ranney to get away from home after the quarterfinal round, which would give their pitchers a chance to pitch away from their hitter-friendly home field. While that might seem to have the opposite effect on the lineup, Ranney’s top hitters are all performing well on the road, particularly shortstop Ricky Lopez (.375, four home runs on the road), second baseman Robbie Wrobel (.438) and catcher Brody Garguilo (.395, four doubles, on home run).

While Ranney battles St. Rose and Gloucester Catholic in one half of the bracket, Bishop Eustace has a generous draw that should not only land the Crusaders in the final, but should give them a chance to line up Delaware commit Dan Passalaqua for the sectional final. No. 6 Holy Spirit might be enough of a threat to draw Passalaqua in the semifinal round, but the Spartans are 4-8 in their last 12 heading into the tournament and Bishop Eustace might be well-advised to save its magic bullet for the final since Gloucester Catholic beat the Crusaders, 8-0, May 16 with Passalaqua not available to pitch.

Prediction: Gloucester Catholic over Bishop Eustace. Going through Ranney should sharpen Gloucester Catholic’s edges for a championship showdown against Bishop Eustace, even if Passalaqua does pitch. Of course, there is the possibility to Ranney has the formula to upset the No. 1 seed before the final arrives, in which case the advantage swings to Bishop Eustace if it has its ace available for the June 4 championship game.

Round-by-Round Picks
(8) Princeton Day over (9) Holy Cross
(6) Holy Spirit over (11) Wildwood Catholic
(7) St. Joseph Hammonton at (10) Moorestown Friends

Quarterfinals
(1) Gloucester Catholic over (8) Princeton Day
(4) Ranney over (5) St. Rose
(6) Holy Spirit over (3) Doane Academy
(2) Bishop Eustace over (7) St. Joseph Hammonton

Semifinals
(1) Gloucester Catholic over (4) Ranney
(2) Bishop Eustace over (6) Holy Spirit

Championship
(1) Gloucester Catholic over (2) Bishop Eustace