BERKELEY HEIGHTS— The streak finally ended.
Governor Livingston High School baseball had its state-record 40-game winning streak halted at Arthur L. Johnson High School, 2-1, in nine innings on Saturday, April 11, in Union County Conference-crossover play at Arthur L. Johnson’s field in Clark.
Arthur L. Johnson, which tied the game at 1-1 in the fourth, scored a single run in the bottom of the ninth to improve to 6-1 overall. The Crusaders began the week leading the UCC’s Mountain Division standings at 4-0.
It was Governor Livingston’s first loss since May 21, 2024, a 6-5 UCC-Watchung Division setback at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, also in extra innings, with Governor Livingston losing in the eighth.
Governor Livingston entered the scheduled UCC–Watchung Division game on Tuesday, April 14, at Cranford High School with a 6-1 overall record and 4-0 Watchung Division mark.
Governor Livingston continues the week with a game at Cranford on Thursday, April 16, at 4 p.m.; a home contest against Elizabeth High School on Friday, April 17, at 4 p.m.; and a game against parochial state power Gloucester Catholic High School on Sunday, April 19, at 1 p.m., in the annual Autism Games at North Brunswick’s Community Park.
Standout senior pitcher-second baseman Reid Bazydlo helped lead Governor Livingston to a 9-8 Watchung Division home victory against Scotch Plains–Fanwood on Thursday, April 9, which was Governor Livingston’s 40th win in a row, two days after the Highlanders set the state record with consecutive triumph No. 39.
Bazydlo socked his third career home run, a solo shot in the first inning, and added singles in the third and fourth for a 3-for-3 performance. The visiting Raiders pushed across five runs in the top of the seventh before falling just short.
Governor Livingston had a UCC-crossover contest scheduled at 5-1 Arthur L. Johnson High School on Saturday, April 11, that was postponed.
Governor Livingston was 6-0 overall and leading the Watchung Division at 4-0 entering the division contest on Tuesday, April 14, at home against Cranford.
Cranford began the week 6-1 overall and 1-1 in the Watchung Division.
Here’s an account of Governor Livingston’s 12-3 Watchung Division win at Scotch Plains–Fanwood on Tuesday, April 7, that enabled the Highlanders to set the state record for the longest winning streak:
At the time, a game that was already approaching two hours was far from over.
Host Scotch Plains–Fanwood, the last team to beat Governor Livingston nearly two years ago, was giving the visiting Highlanders all they could handle.
The Raiders trailed Governor Livingston by just two runs and were one out away from getting out of the top of the fourth. Then, with the bases loaded, Governor Livingston’s No. 9 batter, Owen Keough, came through with his second RBI-single and leadoff batter Zach Geertsma followed with an RBI-walk to give Governor Livingston a four-run lead.
Still seeking the knockout punch on an afternoon, where the temperature was dropping back down to winter levels, Governor Livingston’s No. 2 batter in the lineup, senior Reid Bazydlo, was seeking his first hit in already his fourth time up.
Bazydlo, who will continue playing in college at Felician University and who was playing second base in this game, struck out looking on a 3-2 pitch in the first, walked on a 3-2 pitch in the second and was hit by a pitch in the third. Again, with two strikes on him, Bazydlo was ready for what the third Scotch Plains–Fanwood pitcher was about to offer.
It was a fastball and Bazydlo was not only ready, but he got all of it, sending the ball high over the center field fence more than 365 feet from home plate. Suddenly, a nip and tuck game transitioned into Governor Livingston now leading by eight runs, as the Highlanders reached double-digit scoring for the fourth time this spring.
“It felt good, right off the bat,” Bazydlo said.
It was also good enough to be the punctuation mark in Governor Livingston’s state-record 39th straight victory. In a contest that took three hours and 10 minutes to complete in temperatures that were 40 degrees colder than a week ago, Governor Livingston defeated Scotch Plains–Fanwood, 12-3, in Union County Conference–Watchung Division action at Scotch Plains.
Governor Livingston improved to 5-0 overall and the defending champions lead the Watchung Division at 3-0. Scotch Plains–Fanwood slipped to 3-2 overall and 1-2 in the Watchung Division.
They would play again at Governor Livingston on Thursday, April 9, at 4 p.m.
Scotch Plains–Fanwood was the last team to beat Governor Livingston, coming back to down the Highlanders, 6-5, in eight innings at Scotch Plains on May 21, 2024.
Governor Livingston, the two-time defending Group 2 state champion, broke the state record of 38 wins in a row set by Don Bosco Preparatory School in the 2008 and 2009 seasons.
“It’s our aggressiveness and confidence that carries us through,” Keough said.
For Bazydlo, it was his first grand slam and second home run. His first round-tripper was an important solo blast in last year’s come-from-behind 7-6 home win against 16th-seeded Point Pleasant Borough High School in the first round of the 2025 Central Jersey, Group 2 playoffs.
The lefty-swinging Keough realizes his role as Governor Livingston’s No. 9 batter in front of Geertsma.
“Guys like me, singles hitters, our job is to get on, so guys like Zach can drive us in,” Keough said.
Governor Livingston, which has won its share of division, county, section and state titles, will next attempt to win a 40th straight game.
“It’s a big accomplishment and has a lot to do with team chemistry,” Keough said.
Getting the job done on the mound for Governor Livingston were starter Keith Mann, who pitched the first four innings, Zaiden Fernandez and Mateo Liloia. Mann gave up one earned run on five hits, striking out six and walking three. Fernandez pitched the next two innings, giving up one earned run, and Mateo closed the game by producing a scoreless seventh.
Standout senior catcher Michael Basile was Governor Livingston’s other batter with two hits, going 2-for-5 with two RBI.
Geertsma walked three times and led all batters with three runs scored.
Governor Livingston baseball establishes the state record for longest winning streak at 40
2026 = won first six
April 9: Governor Livingston 9 Scotch Plains–Fanwood 8 – at Governor Livingston – final record of 40 in a row
April 7: Governor Livingston 12, Scotch Plains–Fanwood 3– at Scotch Plains–Fanwood – sets record of 39 in a row
April 4: Governor Livingston 16, Lyndhurst 1 – at Governor Livingston
March 31: Governor Livingston 12, Oratory Prep 1 – at Oratory Prep
March 30: Governor Livingston 10, Oratory Prep 0 – at Governor Livingston
March 28: Governor Livingston 6, New Providence 2 – at Governor Livingston
2025 = 28-0
June 16: Governor Livingston 6, West Morris 1 – at Wood-Ridge
June 9: Governor Livingston 8, Haddonfield 6 – at Governor Livingston
June 5: Governor Livingston 12, Robbinsville 2 – at Governor Livingston
June 3: Governor Livingston 3, Raritan 2 – at Governor Livingston
May 29: Governor Livingston 12, South River 6 – at Governor Livingston
May 27: Governor Livingston 7, Point Pleasant Boro 6 – at Governor Livingston
May 20: Governor Livingston 5, Union Catholic 0 – at Kean
May 17: Governor Livingston 1, Elizabeth 0 – at Arthur L. Johnson
May 16: Governor Livingston 10, Johnson 0 – at Governor Livingston
May 12: Governor Livingston 5, Union Catholic 0 – at Union Catholic
May 10: Governor Livingston 33, Linden 0 – at Governor Livingston
May 8: Governor Livingston 10, Union 1 – at Governor Livingston
May 7: Governor Livingston 16, Cranford 3 – at Cranford
May 6: Governor Livingston 12, New Providence 1 – at Governor Livingston
May 1: Governor Livingston 7, Summit 0 – at Summit
April 30: Governor Livingston 15, New Providence 3 – at New Providence
April 29: Governor Livingston 12, Westfield 0 – at Westfield
April 26: Governor Livingston 16, Columbia 5 – at Governor Livingston
April 24: Governor Livingston 19, Scotch Plains–Fanwood 0 – at Scotch Plains–Fanwood
April 21: Governor Livingston 8, Westfield 7 – at Governor Livingston
April 19: Governor Livingston 3, Lyndhurst 0 – at Lyndhurst
April 16: Governor Livingston 1, David Brearley 0 – at David Brearley
April 15: Governor Livingston 10, Union Catholic 0 – at Governor Livingston
April 13: Governor Livingston 11, Delbarton 4 – at South Brunswick
April 10: Governor Livingston 11, Cranford 0 – at Governor Livingston
April 8: Governor Livingston 6, Summit 3 – at Governor Livingston
April 3: Governor Livingston 13, Arthur L. Johnson 0 – at Governor Livingston
April 1: Governor Livingston 8, Elizabeth 4 – at Elizabeth
2024 = won last six
June 8: Governor Livingston 3, Pascack Valley 0 – at Hamilton
June 5: Governor Livingston 10, Seneca 2 – at Seneca
June 3: Governor Livingston 9, Delran 3 – at Governor Livingston
May 31: Governor Livingston 2, Bordentown 0 – at Governor Livingston
May 29: Governor Livingston 5, Nottingham 4 – at Governor Livingston
May 23: Governor Livingston 7, Holmdel 6 – at Governor Livingston
Photos by JR Parchini
