The 2019 Hudson Reporter All-Area Baseball and Softball Teams are packed with talent and are fine representatives of Hudson County.
The 2019 Hudson Reporter All-Area Baseball Team features seven players who made the All-Area team last season, namely Justin O’Connor and Shane Paradine of Bayonne, Jimmy Kemp and Tino Salgado of Hudson Catholic, Victor Martinez of Hoboken, Rafeal Solano of Dickinson and Robert Estrada of Ferris.
The team also features three players who earned All-Area honors in 2017 and returned to the area’s top team this season, namely Aram Assadourian of Hoboken, Brian Baranok of Bayonne and Justice Ramirez of North Bergen.
In fact, Paradine and Salgado were also named All-Area in 2017, making both of those fine players three-time All-Area honorees. Ramirez also earned All-Area honors in 2016, when he attended St. Anthony, making him also a three-time All-Area recipient.
For the second straight year, Salgado of Hudson Catholic earns Player of the Year honors, but this year, he shares the top spot with teammate Kemp.
The two Hawks both had outstanding seasons, with Kemp hitting .576 with six homers, seven doubles, five triples, 34 hits and 40 RBI. Salgado was no slouch, hitting .542 with a county-best 49 RBI, seven homers, six doubles, five triples and 32 hits. They were a solid 1-2 punch all season for coach Alberto Vasquez and his Hawks. Salgado now heads on to the University of Rhode Island where he will play baseball. Kemp is only a junior and returns next season.
The Hudson Reporter Pitcher of the Year is Bayonne senior Jonathan Lee, who posted a 7-1 record with a 1.27 earned run average and 56 strikeouts in 49 innings pitched. Lee was a main reason why the Bayonne Bees were the Ed “Faa” Ford Memorial Hudson County Tournament champions this season.
The Hudson Reporter Most Valuable Player is also from Bayonne, Paradine, the stellar backstop who batted .430 with three homers, 38 RBI, 37 hits, played outstanding defense behind the plate and gave major leadership to the Bees. Paradine is off to play college baseball at NCAA Division 1 Stony Brook in the fall.
The Hudson Reporter Baseball Coach of the Year is Jack Baker of Hoboken, who guided the Redwings to an 18-2 season and were the last undefeated team left standing in New Jersey before falling. Baker moves on to become an administrator next year, so his absence in the coaching box will be missed.
The 2019 Hudson Reporter All-Area Softball Team features six players who earned All-Area honors a year ago. They repeat selections are Ailanis Corporan of Union City, Naya Olacio of Bayonne, Aliyah Rivera of Hudson Catholic, Keryi Felix of North Bergen, Mariah Villanueva of McNair Academic and Alyssa Perez of Secaucus.
In fact, Perez and Felix also earned All-Area honors in 2017, making them three-time All-Area honorees.
The Hudson Reporter Player of the Year is Ailainis Corporan of Union City, who played two different positions this season and managed to hit an astounding .696 with three homers, four triples, 10 doubles, 39 hits and 26 RBI. Corporan is a shining light in the Soaring Eagles program.
The Hudson Reporter Pitcher of the Year is Bayonne’s fabulous freshman Gabriella Diaz, who posted a 10-4 record and won seven consecutive games this season.
The Hudson Reporter Most Valuable Player is Secaucus slugger Alyssa Perez, who batted .511 with four homers, eight doubles, four triples, four homers and 40 RBI while leading the upstart Patriots to the Hudson County Tournament championship.
The Hudson Reporter Softball Coach of the Year is rookie head coach Cory Roesing of Secaucus, who guided the sixth-seeded Patriots to the surprising Hudson County Tournament championship. Not a bad first season for the former Hudson Reporter Female Athlete of the Year. – Jim Hague
2019 Hudson Reporter All-Area Baseball Team
Pitcher-Zach Oswald, St. Peter’s Prep
Pitcher-Jonathan Lee, Bayonne
Pitcher-Justin O’Connor, Bayonne
Pitcher-Yugal Pattni, Hoboken
Pitcher-Denny Furcal, Ferris
Catcher-Shane Paradine, Bayonne
First Base-Jimmy Kemp, Hudson Catholic
First Base-Tomas Martinez, Memorial
Second Base-Ernesto Polanco, Memorial
Second Base-Robert Cabrera, Hoboken
Shortstop-Tino Salgado, Hudson Catholic
Shortstop-Kyle Hess, St. Peter’s Prep
Third Base-Brian Baranok, Bayonne
Outfield-Jeremiah Guzman, St. Peter’s Prep
Outfield-Robert Estrada, Ferris
Outfield-Isaiah Decias, Hudson Catholic
Designated Hitter-Justice Ramirez, North Bergen
Designated Hitter-Mateo Sollecito, St. Peter’s Prep
Utility-Victor Martinez, Hoboken
Utility-Rafeal Solano, Dickinson
Utility-Aram Assadourian, Hoboken
Utility-Edgar Martinez, Bayonne
Utility-Jafari Williams, Ferris
Co-Players of the Year: Tino Salgado and Jimmy Kemp, Hudson Catholic
Pitcher of the Year: Jonathan Lee, Bayonne
Most Valuable Player: Shane Paradine, Bayonne
Coach of the Year: Jack Baker, Hoboken
2019 Hudson Reporter All-Area Softball Team
Pitcher-Jessie Gohde, Secaucus
Pitcher-Gabriella Diaz, Bayonne
Pitcher-Javenuz McLean, Hoboken
Pitcher-Amanda Pace, North Bergen
Catcher-Ailanis Corporan, Union City
Catcher-Mya Villanueva, McNair Academic
First Base-Mikayla Reimes, McNair Academic
First Base-Jaelyn Barrios, Bayonne
Second Base-Gianna Zena, Secaucus
Second Base-Mary Jane DiJeres, Hoboken
Shortstop-Melissa Rodriguez, Ferris
Shortstop-Cheyenne Fulton, Hudson Catholic
Shortstop-Gabby Samarelli, Secaucus
Third Base-Naya Olacio, Bayonne
Third Base-Aliyah Rivera, Hudson Catholic
Outfield-Aiyana Peoples, Hoboken
Outfield-Victoria Navarro, Ferris
Outfield-Keyri Felix, North Bergen
Designated Hitter-Destiny Colon, Hoboken
Designated Hitter-Alyssa Perez, Secaucus
Designated Hitter-Morgan Tomlinson, Weehawken
Utility-Zionna Loftin, Weehawken
Utility-Mariah Villanueva, McNair Academic
Utility-Jordan Mendolla, Snyder
Pitcher of the Year: Gabriella Diaz, Bayonne
Player of the Year: Ailainis Corporan, Union City
Most Valuable Player: Alyssa Perez, Secaucus
Coach of the Year: Cory Roesing, Secaucus
