UNION COUNTY, NJ — Next week is May.
That means, hopefully, temperatures will rise and rain will stay away.
Although avoiding what feels the same as freezing temps and precipitation may be more difficult than facing a 90 mile-per-hour fastball, tournament play is slated to kick in next month, as the 2025 campaign progresses after what has been a pretty cold first month.
The 71st baseball Union County Tournament will soon be seeded and will get underway in full length beginning Saturday, May 10, when the eight first-round games at the higher seeds are scheduled to be contested.
The UCT will continue with the four quarterfinal games at the higher seeds on Wednesday, May 14. The semifinals are set to be played at Arthur L. Johnson High School’s field in Clark on Saturday, May 17.
The championship game right now is scheduled to be played on Monday, May 19, at a site to still be determined. Kean University’s field in Union is the likely site, as long as it’s available.
The last UCT final that was not played at Kean was the 2021 championship game, which was played at Elizabeth’s Williams Field during a two-day consecutive span because of rain the first day.
Ranked No. 3 in the state and the highest public school to be ranked in the state’s Top 10 is defending UCT champion Governor Livingston High School. The Highlanders began the week 8-0 overall and 3-0 in the Union County Conference’s Watchung Division.
On Monday, April 21, on the hill in Berkeley Heights, Governor Livingston was scheduled to host Westfield High School in the first big Watchung Division game of the year. Westfield entered 7-0 overall and 2-0 in the Watchung Division.
Governor Livingston and Westfield battled in last year’s UCT final after splitting Watchung Division games. In the UCT final played at Kean, second-seeded Governor Livingston held off top-seeded Westfield, 10-8, after Governor Livingston scored seven runs in the top of the seventh to increase its lead to 10-0, and then Westfield came back with eight runs in the bottom of the seventh and had baserunners on first and second when the final out was recorded.
Governor Livingston captured its fourth UCT crown last year and its third straight against Westfield. Governor Livingston won the UCT for the first time in 2016 when it defeated Scotch Plains–Fanwood High School in the final. The Highlanders then defeated the Blue Devils in UCT finals in 2018, 2021 and 2024.
Governor Livingston, with shutout victories in five of its first eight games this season, will be seeking to repeat as UCT champs once again for the first time.
The Highlanders outscored their first eight opponents, 63-11. They began the week with three straight shutouts and four in their last five games. The only team to score on them in that span was state-ranked Delbarton School, in an 11-4 Governor Livingston win in South Brunswick in an Autism Awareness Game played on Wednesday, April 16.
The history of the UCT has seen just four teams win it every year since 2009. Elizabeth High School last won it for the sixth time in 2008. Since 2009, only Cranford, Westfield, Governor Livingston and Scotch Plains–Fanwood high schools have captured the crown.
Since 2009, Cranford has won it six times in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2022 and 2023; Governor Livingston, four times in 2016, 2018, 2021 and 2024; Westfield, three times in 2012, 2014 and 2017 and Scotch Plains–Fanwood, twice in 2009 and 2019. There was no UCT in 2020 because the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the entire season.
Although it has now been eight years since Westfield last won the UCT, the Blue Devils have at least reached the final in 2018, 2021 and 2024, losing to Governor Livingston all three times.
Arthur L. Johnson, guided by longtime head coach David Kennedy, began the week 5-3 overall and 2-1 in the UCC’s Mountain Division. Kennedy guided his 2019 Arthur L. Johnson squad to the UCT final, where it was defeated by Scotch Plains–Fanwood 4-0 at Kean.
Arthur L. Johnson’s lone UCT crown came 45 years ago in 1980, when the Crusaders defeated New Providence High School, 5-2, in the final.
The 2025 Crusaders are sparked by the play of junior outfielder Raphael DaRocha and junior pitcher Nick Donofrio. DaRocha began the week leading the team in hits with 13, while Donofrio’s earned-run average through his first 18-plus innings was a stingy 1.88.
Rahway High School, guided by head coach Brad Edwards since 2015, began the week 3-3 overall and 3-0 in the UCC’s Valley Division. As a sophomore first baseman in 1990, Edwards played on Rahway’s last team that won the UCT, its 1990 squad 35 years ago.
In the 1990 UCT championship game played at Linden’s Memorial Field, Rahway blanked defending champion Elizabeth, 2-0, behind a well-pitched game from Pat Jackson. Elizabeth won it again in 1991 behind pitcher Pat Migliore, when the Minutemen defeated Westfield, 10-1, in the final. Migliore was the losing pitcher in the 1990 final, but pitched extremely well in back-to-back finals.
Westfield has still won the most UCT titles with 15, the last 13 of those with the guidance of former head coach Bob Brewster. Cranford has won the second-most with 11, all with the leadership of former head coach Dennis McCaffery.
Union has won the third-most with eight, the first seven with Gordon LeMatty, who will turn 92 on May 15. Chet Czaplinski, who played for LeMatty, guided Union to its last crown in 1993. Since LeMatty’s last Union team that won the UCT in 1975, the Farmers have won the UCT only once in the last 50 years, which was in 1993.
Elizabeth is next with six championships, the last five with former head coach Ray Korn. Since winning the UCT for the second time in three years in 1991, Elizabeth has won it only once in 2008. The Minutemen have never won it back-to-back.
Scotch Plains–Fanwood is the only team that has won the UCT just five times. The 2004 and 2009 teams that won were guided by former head coach Tom Baylock and the 2019 squad that captured the crown was led by former head coach Joe Higgins.
Three teams have won the UCT four times: Governor Livingston, Summit and Rahway. Summit last won the crown in 1998. Although Summit has not won the UCT in some time, the Hilltoppers turn out teams that finish better than .500 each year led by head coach Kevin Zaleski. Summit is never an easy out in the UCT.
Rahway reached the final and won the UCT both for the first time in 1956 and then won it again in 1958. From 1956 to 1959, Rahway reached the final every year and then again in 1961. The Indians won the UCT for the third time in 1961.
This year’s Indians receive lifts at the plate from sophomore Anthony Robertson and on the mound from senior Tito Capeles. Robertson began the week leading the team in hits with seven, while Capeles had a very good 2.00 ERA, after his first 14 innings pitched.
Rahway outscored its first three division foes, Plainfield, Hillside and Linden high schools, by a 34-16 margin.
The first UCT final was played in 1954, with Jonathan Dayton High School defeating Jefferson Township High School, 4-2, behind winning pitcher Joe Schaffernoth. Richie Jones was the losing pitcher.
2025 Union County Tournament dates
Saturday, May 10: Eight first round games at higher seeds
Wednesday, May 14: Four quarterfinals at higher seeds
Saturday, May 17: Two semifinals at Arthur L. Johnson High School
Monday, May 19: Final at site yet to be determined
UCT championships won
Westfield (15), Cranford (11), Union (8), Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy, Elizabeth (6), Scotch Plains–Fanwood (5), Rahway (4), Summit (4), Governor Livingston, Berkeley Heights (4), Linden (3), New Providence (2), Roselle Catholic (2), David Brearley, Kenilworth (1), Jonathan Dayton, Springfield (1), Arthur L. Johnson, Clark (1), St. Mary of the Assumption, Elizabeth (1), St. Patrick, Elizabeth (1), Union Catholic, Scotch Plains (1).
Photo by JR Parachini