BERLELEY HEIGHTS, NJ — Governor Livingston High School baseball has accomplished much the last 30 years.
However, there is still one thing the Highlanders have not done yet: That’s repeat as Union County Tournament champions.
Governor Livingston broke through in 2016 on Mother’s Day and captured its first crown. The Highlanders then won again in 2018, after getting upset as the top seed by Arthur L. Johnson High School in the 2017 quarterfinals.
Governor Livingston captured its third crown in 2021 and then, last year, after falling in the final to Cranford High School in 2023, the second-seeded Highlanders produced county championship No. 4, holding on to beat top-seeded Westfield High School, 10-8, in the championship game played at Kean University.
This time, Governor Livingston is the top seed and Westfield the second seed. The seeding meeting took place Monday night, May 5.
Governor Livingston entered the rescheduled Union County Conference–Watchung Division home game on Tuesday, May 6, against New Providence High School with a 14-0 record and No. 2 state ranking, behind South Jersey parochial school power Gloucester Catholic High School.
The Highlanders also began the week leading the Watchung Division at 8-0. Governor Livingston finished second in the Watchung Division last year to Scotch Plains–Fanwood High School.
Governor Livingston was scheduled to play at division rival Cranford on Wednesday, May 7, and, on Thursday, May 8, is set to host Mountain Division foe Union High School. The Highlanders are then scheduled to play their first-round UCT game Saturday, May 10, at home against 16th-seeded Linden High School.
“You have to be good and lucky,” said Governor Livingston head coach Chris Roof, as his Highlanders are the favorites to hoist the trophy yet again.
However, all it takes is one bad day and, despite how good you are, you can easily be eliminated. It happened to Governor Livingston in 2017.
“You have to have two solid starters,” Roof said.
Seniors Matty Diskin, the starter and winning pitcher in last year’s UCT final for Governor Livingston, Anthony DeNora and Vinny Graham are candidates to start on the mound for Governor Livingston, in addition to junior Keith Mann.
Sixteen teams were seeded, so there are no preliminary round games. We go straight to the first round, eight games scheduled to be played Saturday, May 10, at the higher seeds.
Those matchups include: 16-Linden at 1-Governor Livingston, 9-Arthur L. Johnson at 8-Summit, 13-Union at 4-Elizabeth, 12-New Providence at 5-Cranford, 15-Rahway at 2-Westfield, 10-David Brearley at 7-Scotch Plains–Fanwood, 14-Plainfield at 3-Union Catholic and 11-Jonathan Dayton at 6-Oratory Prep.
The quarterfinals at the higher seeds are scheduled for Wednesday, May 14.
The semifinals, once again, are set to be played at Arthur L. Johnson High School’s field turf field in Clark on Saturday, May 17.
The final, also once again, will be played at Kean University’s field in Union, scheduled for Monday, May 19.
Last UCT titles won
Governor Livingston: 2024
Cranford: 2023
Scotch Plains–Fanwood: 2019
Westfield: 2017
Elizabeth: 2008
Roselle Catholic: 2005
Summit: 1998
Union: 1993
Rahway: 1990
David Brearley: 1988
Union Catholic: 1984
Linden: 1982
New Providence: 1981
Arthur L. Johnson: 1980
Jonathan Dayton: 1954
2025 UCT baseball
Seeds: 1-Governor Livingston. 2-Westfield. 3-Union Catholic. 4-Elizabeth. 5-Cranford. 6-Oratory Prep. 7-Scotch Plains–Fanwood. 8-Summit. 9-Arthur L. Johnson. 10-David Brearley. 11-Jonathan Dayton. 12-New Providence. 13-Union. 14-Plainfield. 15-Rahway. 16-Linden.
First round
Saturday, May 10
8 games at higher seeds
Top side of bracket
16-Linden at 1-Governor Livingston
9-Arthur L. Johnson at 8-Summit
13-Union at 4-Elizabeth
12-New Providence at 5-Cranford
Bottom side of bracket
15-Rahway at 2-Westfield
10-David Brearley at 7-Scotch Plains–Fanwood
14-Plainfield at 3-Union Catholic
11-Jonathan Dayton at 6-Oratory Prep
Quarterfinals
Wednesday, May 14
Four games at higher seeds
Semifinals
Saturday, May 17
Two games at Arthur L. Johnson
Finals
Monday, May 19
Championship game at Kean University