St. Joe’s Metuchen baseball coach Mike Murray, Jr. has led the New Jersey high school baseball community with a proposed NCAA baseball style tournament in July that will give varsity baseball teams a chance to play a meaningful tournament
The coronavirus dashed the spring sports season across New Jersey, but the Garden State’s high school baseball community has rallied to give the 2020 diamond teams a chance to play for something meaningful as restrictions are slowly being lifted to return to sports this summer. St. Joe-Metuchen baseball coach Mike Murray, Jr. is leading the way to a “Last Dance” Tournament. The NCAA Baseball style tournament would feature four-team “pods” allowing round robin play throughout the state. Winners of the first round would then go on to single elimination play throughout July. JSZ’s Rich Chrampanis talked with the Falcons head coach about the progress of this event:
The tournament is open to any New Jersey high school baseball varsity team. The deadline for teams to enter is June 12. Click on this LINK for coaches to enter their team into the Last Dance Tournament
Proposed Dates for Last Dance Tournament
July 7-9: Pool Play (three games for every team in four team “pod”
July 14-16: Round of 16 and Quarterfinals
July 21-22: Semifinals
July 23: Championship Game
The Tournament would not be an official NJSIAA event but sanctioned by the United States Specialty Sport Association. The NJSIAA does not allow teams to wear school-issued uniforms during summer play and would need to allow coaches to interact with players in July. There are 90 teams that have already expressed interest in playing and Jersey Sports Zone will keep you updated as the tournament continues to come together.
