Lower-seeded teams that won on the road Saturday in first round play of the 60th annual baseball Union County Tournament included 11th-seeded Johnson, 10th-seeded Linden and 13th-seeded New Providence.
Johnson downed sixth-seeded Union 8-2 at Union’s Gordon LeMatty Field. Union reached the final last year for the first time since 1993, defeating top-seeded and two-time defending champion Cranford in the quarterfinals.
Linden upended seventh-seeded Dayton 6-4 at Ruby Field in Springfield. Dayton reached the semifinals last year for the first time since 2005.
New Providence eliminated fourth-seeded Governor Livingston 6-3 up on the hill in Berkeley Heights. New Providence also defeated GL 3-1 at home Tuesday in a Union County Conference-crossover clash.
Saturday’s five higher-seeded teams that won at home included top-seeded Cranford, second-seeded Scotch Plains, third-seeded and defending champion Westfield, fifth-seeded Elizabeth and eighth-seeded Union Catholic.
Scotch Plains, the 2004 and 2009 winner under present head coach and 1992 Roselle Park graduate Tom Baylock, and Westfield are both one win away from reaching the semifinals for the sixth straight season.
Cranford, ranked No.2 in the state by The Star-Ledger, improved to 9-0 with its 5-1 home win over 16th-seeded Roselle Park. Left hander Ryan Williamson pitched another solid game to improve to 4-0. The North Carolina State-bound senior has allowed only two runs in four starts.
Here’s a look at Wednesday’s 4 p.m. quarterfinals at the higher seeds:
UCT BASEBALL QUARTERFINALS
WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 4 p.m.
TOP SIDE OF THE BRACKET:
13-New Providence at 5-Elizabeth
8-Union Catholic at 1-Cranford
BOTTOM SIDE OF THE BRACKET:
11-Johnson at 3-Westfield
10-Linden at 2-Scotch Plains
Here’s a look at Saturday’s first round results:
UCT BASEBALL FIRST ROUND
SATURDAY, APRIL 27
TOP SIDE OF THE BRACKET:
New Providence 6, Governor Livingston 3 – at GL
Elizabeth 14, Rahway 0 – at Elizabeth
Union Catholic 2, Summit 1 – at Union Catholic
Cranford 5, Roselle Park 1 – at Cranford
BOTTOM SIDE OF THE BRACKET:
Johnson 8, Union 2 – at Union
Westfield 9, Roselle Catholic 2 – at Westfield
Linden 6, Dayton 4 – at Dayton
Scotch Plains 6, Oratory Prep 1 – at Scotch Plains
– JR PARACHINI