UNION COUNTY — Can Governor Livingston High School win Central Jersey, Group 2 for the third straight year?
Can Arthur L. Johnson High School, which just captured the Union County Tournament championship for only the second time and the first time since 1980, challenge in the same section?
Those questions and more are beginning to be answered as the baseball state playoffs commenced earlier this week.
For example, the eight first-round games in Central Jersey, Group 2 were scheduled to be played Wednesday, May 27. The quarterfinals are scheduled for Friday, May 29, the semifinals for Wednesday, June 3, and the final for Friday, June 5.
Governor Livingston, the second seed, was to host 15th-seeded Cinnaminson High School in its first-round game.
Arthur L. Johnson, the third seed, was to host 14th-seeded Bordentown Regional High School.
If Governor Livingston and Arthur L. Johnson both win their first-round and quarterfinal round games, which will be at home for both, then they will clash for a third time in the semifinals on Wednesday, June 3.
Arthur L. Johnson snapped Governor Livingston’s state-record 40-game winning streak at home on Saturday, April 11, coming back to win 2-1 in nine innings in a Union County Conference-crossover clash in Clark. Arthur L. Johnson then came back again to stun two-time defending champion Governor Livingston, 3-2, in eight innings in a UCT semifinal contest at Kean University on Saturday, May 16. Governor Livingston had won 13 in a row going into that game.
Governor Livingston repeated as the UCC’s Watchung Division champion outright with an 11-1 league mark.
Arthur L. Johnson, after finishing third last year, won the Mountain Division championship outright with an 8-2 league record. The Crusaders were 0-12 in the Watchung Division just two years ago.
Governor Livingston was 22-4 overall and Arthur L. Johnson, 18-4, as of Wednesday, May 27. Governor Livingston had one more regular season game scheduled before the states and Johnson two.
The only Union County baseball school out of the 18 that is in the UCC that did not make the state playoffs was Linden High School in North 2, Group 4.
Here’s a look at the 17 Union County schools that are in the baseball states, 15 public and two non-public:
The schedule for all public-school sections is:
First-round: Wednesday, May 27
Quarterfinals: Friday, May 29
Semifinals: Wednesday, June 3
Finals: Friday, June 5
North 2, Group 1 = four schools
9-Roselle Park at 8-Woodbridge
12-Jonathan Dayton at 5-Hoboken
11-North Arlington at 6-David Brearley
10-Newark Tech at 7-New Providence
North 2, Group 2 = one school
16-Hillside at 1-Caldwell
North 2, Group 3 = three schools
14-Rahway at 3-Cranford
11-Summit at 6-Carteret
North 2, Group 4 = five schools
12-Plainfield at 5-Bridgewater–Raritan
14-Elizabeth at 3-Watchung Hills
11-Union at 6-Westfield
10-Woodbridge at 7-Scotch Plains–Fanwood
Central Jersey, Group 2 = two schools
15-Cinnaminson at 2-Governor Livingston
14-Bordentown at 3-Arthur L. Johnson
Oratory Preparatory School, the ninth seed, was to play at eighth-seeded Paramus Catholic High School on Tuesday, May 26, in a first-round Non-Public, North A contest. The winner plays at top-seeded Delbarton School on Thursday, May 28.
Union Catholic High School is the fourth seed in Non-Public, South A and will host fifth-seeded Christian Brothers Academy of Lincroft in a quarterfinal on Thursday, May 28. The semifinals are Tuesday, June 2, and the final Thursday, June 4.
Photos by JR Parachini
