BERKELEY HEIGHTS — With the Governor Livingston High School baseball team down to its final strike and on the verge of getting shut out and not reaching the Central Jersey, Group 2 final following a 24-0 start last year, Michael Novotny came through in the bottom of the seventh with a single up the middle to pull the Highlanders to with a run.
However, Governor Livingston was still not out of the woods.
Michael Basile now had to follow Novotny’s success for Governor Livingston’s season to continue.
Basile, hitless in this 2025 state tournament game at home against Raritan High School, was not going to let his junior season end with a flyout, ground out or strikeout. Instead, Basile put bat on ball and sent a shot to left-center that brought in another run, his RBI-double tying the game at 2-2.
Governor Livingston could now breathe. The Highlanders at worst were looking at extra innings.
That didn’t happen, as Ryan Pappas followed with an RBI-single to center to give Governor Livingston a highly dramatic, come-from-behind 3-2 triumph. The Highlanders went on to repeat as Central Jersey Group 2 champs and then won the overall Group 2 state championship for the second year in a row, finishing a perfect 28-0.
Coming through in the clutch with key hits has been a big part of Basile’s offensive game. Defensively, just try to run on the backstop who will take his catcher’s mitt west to Lehigh University.
Basile reached a milestone for success at the plate on Friday, May 1, when the calendar turned. In a Union County Conference–Watchung Division game at Westfield’s Robert Brewster Sr. Field, Basile produced a single that became his 100th varsity hit.
“Michael will go down as one of the best to ever wear a GL uniform,” Governor Livingston head coach Chris Roof said.
Basile’s 100th hit was a single to left leading off the second inning. Basile reached base four times, also walking twice and getting hit by a pitch, in an 11-1 Governor Livingston victory.
The Highlanders took the lead for good with five runs in the top of the first and then added five more in the second for a 10-0 advantage.
Basile began the week batting .353, with two home runs and 18 RBI. With 101 hits total at the start of the week, Basile also had a hit in Governor Livingston’s 4-0 home win on Saturday, May 2, against Jackson Township High School, and his overall hits were broken down this way: 15 as a freshman in 2023, 36 as a sophomore in 2024, 32 as a junior in 2025 and 18 so far as a senior in 2026.
“His toughness and grit are unparalleled,” Roof said. “What he brings as a leader, role model, catcher and hitter is truly amazing.”
Always preferring to talk from a team perspective, Basile said, “Our confidence comes from our preparation.”
When preparing strategy to go up against Governor Livingston, opposing coaches start with how they will pitch to Basile, especially in big spots.
‘He will be sorely missed,” Roof said.
Governor Livingston began the week 14-3 overall, leading the Watchung Division at 9-1. The Highlanders are about to begin their quest for a third consecutive Union County Tournament championship this week and then next week will seek to repeat as Watchung Division champions when they face Union Catholic twice for their final two division contests.
Governor Livingston took a six-game winning streak into its game Monday, May 4, at Watchung Hills. The Highlanders were then scheduled to play Union Wednesday, May 6, at Yogi Berra Stadium in Upper Montclair.
Governor Livingston is scheduled to host the Pingry School on Thursday, May 7, at 4:30 p.m., and then play a first-round UCT game on Saturday, May 9.
Photo by JR Parachini
