CRANFORD — At Cranford High School’s Memorial Field, lefty-batting senior catcher David Rosa connected on a single to right field that brought home junior Patrick Bendert, giving Cranford the lead for good against South Plainfield High School as early as the first inning.
The Cougars would go on to capture their first sectional state championship in four years.
Then, on The Hill in Berkeley Heights, some nine miles away, it was senior Reid Bazydlo producing an RBI-single to center with one out in the bottom of the seventh that lifted Governor Livingston High School past Allentown High School.
The Highlanders, once again with a dramatic state tournament come-from-behind win in their final at-bat, garnered their third straight sectional state title.
Those were the scenes on the afternoon of Friday, June 5. The gold standard in Union County baseball, Cranford and Governor Livington, came through in the clutch once more.
Cranford, the third seed, defeated fourth-seeded and defending champion South Plainfield, 10-5, in Friday, June 5’s North 2, Group 3 final. Cranford won North 2, Group 3 for the first time since 2022.
Governor Livington, the second seed, ousted eighth-seeded Allentown, 5-4, in Friday, June 5’s Central Jersey, Group 2 final. Governor Livington three-peated as the Central Jersey, Group 2 champion.
On Monday, June 8, in group semifinal action, it was to be Cranford at North 1, Group 3 champion Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan in Group 3 play at 3 p.m. and South Jersey, Group 2 champ Haddon Heights Jr-Sr High School at Governor Livingston in Group 2 play at 4 p.m.
The winners move on to the group finals scheduled for Sunday, June 14, at Rutgers University.
The Group 3 final on Sunday, June 14, is the first one at 10 a.m. and the Group 2 final that day is the last of the four public school state finals to be played, with a start time of 7 p.m.
Cranford has now captured 14 sectional state championships since 1997. James Shriner was the head coach in 1997, Dennis McCaffery for the 12 won from 1999-2022 and now Ryan Matlosz, promoted from within in the same manner as McCaffery, just captured his first one in his third season as Cranford’s head coach.
Governor Livington has now won Central Jersey, Group 2 seven times since 2006, after capturing North 2, Group 2 in 1999.
Offensively for Cranford against South Plainfield, senior leadoff batter Brayden Fry, the Cougar shortstop, was 4-for-4 at the plate, with four RBI and three runs scored. Fry, who wears No. 2, scored Cranford’s first run, after being hit by a pitch leading off the bottom of the first.
Fry connected on two singles, one double and slugged his 10th home run of the year and 20th for his career. As a freshman varsity starter in 2023, Fry produced the game-winning hit in the bottom of the seventh to lift Cranford to its last Union County Tournament title, a 1-0 win at Kean University against Governor Livington.
Senior Michael Tripodi and junior Evan Ketschke produced two hits each for the Cougars.
Senior right-hander Patrick Berry earned the mound victory, allowing three runs on six hits in four innings of work. Berry struck out one and walked three, all in the second inning, but South Plainfield did not score.
Fellow senior hurler Christian Pereira pitched the final three innings, allowing two runs on three hits. Pereira did not strike out a batter and walked one.
Cranford also won at South Plainfield, 9-2, on Monday, April 6.
In 2017, it was standout senior catcher Dan Baroff with a three-run, bottom-of-the-seventh, two-out double that propelled Governor Livington past South Plainfield to win Central Jersey, Group 2.
In 2025, it was Ryan Pappas hitting an RBI-single up the middle with two outs in the bottom of the seventh that lifted Governor Livington past Raritan High School in a Central Jersey, Group 2 semifinal.
In 2026, it was Reid Bazydlo connecting on an RBI-single to center against Allentown with one out in the bottom of the seventh, which enabled Governor Livington to three-peat as Central Jersey, Group 2 champions.
Governor Livington also walked-off its first state tournament win last year.
The Highlanders have made a habit of winning in the most dramatic fashion on The Hill in Berkeley Heights.
Movie rights, anyone?
In the triumphs against Raritan last year and Allentown on Friday, June 5, it was Governor Livington’s present standout senior catcher Michael Basile who tied both games with RBI-hits when the Highlanders were still down in the bottom of the seventh.
What more could Governor Livington head coach Chris Roof say?
“This team is a bunch of champions,” Roof said. “They have a never-say-die attitude.”
On a two-run home run Allentown took a 4-2 lead in the top of the seventh. Governor Livington, of course, rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh to not only keep its 2026 season alive, but guarantee the Highlanders would play one more time on The Hill in Berkeley Heights.
“They’re mentally tough,” Roof said. “What a special group of individuals they are.”
Senior Aidan Feldman pitched the first five innings for Governor Livington and sophomore Michael Donahue the final two.
Zach Geertsma, Bazydlo and senior Michael Novotny, in his return to the lineup, all banged out two hits each for the Highlanders.
Cranford is 21-9 and has won four straight and six of its last seven.
Governor Livington is now 27-4 and has won 19 of its last 20 games. Governor Livington’s last five losses going back to the 2024 season have all come by just one run and all were in extra innings, including all four this year. The Highlanders have won six straight.
Governor Livington repeated as the Union County Conference’s Watchung Division champion, fashioning an 11-1 league mark. The Highlanders split with Cranford, which finished 8-4. Governor Livington beat Cranford, 7-4, at home on Tuesday, April 14, and then Cranford beat Governor Livington, 6-5, in nine innings at home on Thursday, April 16.
Governor Livington is also two wins away from setting the program record for wins in a season, which is presently 28. Governor Livington went 28-6 in 2011, 28-5 in 2024 and 28-0 in 2025. The Highlanders won state championships all three of those seasons.
Cranford Sectional Championships won since 1997
1997: North 2, Group 3
1999: North 2, Group 3
2000: North 2, Group 3
2003: North 2, Group 3
2005: Central Jersey, Group 2
2007: North 2, Group 3
2010: North 2, Group 3
2012: North 2, Group 3
2013: North 2, Group 3
2014: North 2, Group 3
2016: North 2, Group 3
2017: North 2, Group 3
2022: North 2, Group 3
2026: North 2, Group 3
Governor Livingston Sectional Championships won since 1999
1999: North 2, Group 2
2006: Central Jersey, Group 2
2011: Central Jersey, Group 2
2015: Central Jersey, Group 2
2017: Central Jersey, Group 2
2024: Central Jersey, Group 2
2025: Central Jersey, Group 2
2026: Central Jersey, Group 2
Photos by JR Parachini
