UNION COUNTY — Two-time defending champion Governor Livingston High School was one win away from reaching a third straight Central Jersey, Group 2 sectional state championship game, a rare feat indeed.
Cranford High School was one victory shy of playing in the North 2, Group 3 final for the first time since winning the section in 2022.
That was Union County’s representation when the baseball sectionals continued Wednesday, June 3, with the semifinal round.
The finals are scheduled for Friday, June 5.
Governor Livingston and Cranford were that close.
Governor Livingston, the second seed, was scheduled to host 11th-seeded Robbinsville High School in the Central Jersey, Group 2 semifinals.
Cranford, the third seed, was scheduled to play at second-seeded North Hunterdon High School in the North 2, Group 3 semifinals.
Governor Livingston was 25-4, riding a four-game winning streak and had won 17 of its last 18.
Cranford was 19-9 and winners of two straight. This is the most games the Cougars won since their 26-1 season in 2023.
That year, Cranford was undefeated at 26-0 when it hosted North Hunterdon in the North 2, Group 3 semifinals. At Cranford’s Memorial Field, it was North Hunterdon sophomore right-hander Chris Sand who shut out the host Cougars on a two-hitter, as the Lions went on to produce a 3-0 upset victory to end Cranford’s season.
Governor Livingston hosted Robbinsville in last year’s Central Jersey, Group 2 championship game. The Highlanders rolled to a 12-2 victory to repeat as Central Jersey, Group 2 champs for the first time.
Governor Livingston captured Central Jersey, Group 2 under head coach Chris Roof in 2006, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2024 and 2025.
Cranford is guided by third-year head coach Ryan Matlosz, who was an assistant coach on head coach Dennis McCaffery’s staff when Cranford last won North 2, Group 3 in 2022.
In the 12-4 home win against seventh-seeded Point Pleasant Borough High School on Friday, May 29, Governor Livingston senior Reid Bazydlo was 2-for-4 with two home runs. Fellow senior Zach Geertsma also blasted a home run.
Bazydlo also earned the victory on the mound, allowing just one earned run on four hits in six innings complete. Bazydlo struck out five, walked one and hit one batter.
In last year’s first round, when Governor Livingston was the top seed and Point Pleasant Borough was the 16th seed, Governor Livingston also ousted Point Pleasant Borough, 7-6, by scoring the winning run in the bottom of the seventh.
In the 17-7 home win against 11th-seeded Summit High School on Friday, May 29, Cranford was sparked by the offense of four-year starting senior Brayden Fry and fellow senior Quinn Smith, who both banged out two hits. One of Fry’s hits was a solo home run.
Down 7-6, Cranford broke the game open with an 11-run fifth inning to take the lead for good.
Sectional semifinals were scheduled to be played Wednesday, June 3:
North 2, Group 3
4-South Plainfield at 1-Chatham
3-Cranford at 2-North Hunterdon
If Cranford won and Chatham High School won, then Chatham will host the sectional final.
If Cranford won and South Plainfield High School won, then Cranford will host the sectional final.
Central Jersey, Group 2
8-Allentown at 4-Wall
11-Robbinsville at 2-Governor Livingston
If Governor Livingston won, then Governor Livingston will host the sectional final.
Sectional finals scheduled to be played Friday, June 5
North 2, Group 3: Wednesday, June 3 semifinal winners
Central Jersey, Group 2: Wednesday June 3 semifinal winners
The group semifinals are scheduled to be played Monday, June 8, at the team with the most power points.
The group finals are scheduled to be played Sunday, June 14, at Rutgers University.
The two non-public state championship games are scheduled to be played Wednesday, June 10, at Rutgers.
The state finals moved from Princeton University to the three Toms River high schools in the early 1990s and then moved again to Hamilton in 2018. Last year’s state finals, due to being moved because of inclement weather, were played in Bergen County at Wood-Ridge Jr/Sr High School’s field.
This is the first year the state finals are scheduled to be played at Rutgers.
Governor Livingston is the only Union County school to have won a state championship in Toms River (2011, 2015) and in Hamilton (2024).
Photos by JR Parachini
