SUMMIT — Summit High School scored first and led Scotch Plains–Fanwood High School by two runs in last year’s softball Union County Tournament championship game at Kean University’s Cougar Field in Union.
The Hilltoppers were that close.
Unfortunately for Summit, it wasn’t meant to be, as the Raiders rallied to win a 4-2 decision and garner their first UCT title since winning for the first time in the second year of the event in 1977.
Twelve months later, at Cougar Field in the championship game, the Hilltoppers made it happen.
This time, top-seeded Arthur L. Johnson High School scored first and led going into the third inning against a Summit squad that had won four in a row and 19 of its last 20 games, following an 0-2 start.
Summit then took the lead for good by scoring two runs in the third. The Hilltoppers made no doubt who was going to take home the trophy this time, as they added three insurance runs in the fifth, six more in the sixth and their final three in the seventh.
As a result, Summit captured its first softball Union County Tournament championship by soundly defeating Arthur L. Johnson, 15-2, in the Tuesday, May 17, championship game played at Kean University’s Cougar Field in Union.
With the first-time UCT final victory, Summit improved to 23-3, with its three losses all coming by one run.
On Tuesday, May 26, Summit was to host Lincoln High School in a first-round state tournament game, with the Hilltoppers seeking to capture North 2, Group 3 as the top seed.
The quarterfinals are scheduled to be played on Thursday, May 28; the semifinals on Tuesday, June 2; and the final on Thursday, June 4.
En route to last year’s UCT final, Summit also defeated Arthur L. Johnson. Summit was the eighth seed and, in a quarterfinal round game at top-seeded Arthur L. Johnson, the Hilltoppers defeated the Crusaders, 3-2. Arthur L. Johnson was 20-2 at the time.
Summit finished 20-9 last year and Arthur L. Johnson, which captured Central Jersey, Group 2 before losing in the Group 2 semifinals, came in at 26-4.
Summit reached the North 2, Group 3 final last year, falling at South Plainfield High School, 2-0.
Arthur L. Johnson fell to 22-3 with last week’s UCT final loss to Summit. The Crusaders had won 10 straight.
Arthur L. Johnson is the second seed in Central Jersey, Group 2 and, on Tuesday, May 26, was to host 15th-seeded Wall High School in a first-round game.
Arthur L. Johnson won the Union County Conference’s Watchung Division title this year at 11-1, while Summit captured the Mountain Division crown at 12-1.
In last week’s UCT title game, it was Hannah Jacobson pitching five innings for Summit and Charlotte Yarnall pitching two. Jacobson allowed one earned run on three hits, while striking out four and walking none. Yarnall gave up an unearned run on two hits, while striking out none and walking two.
Freshman outfielder Riley Dagner was 4-for-5 with six RBI and one run. Dagner banged out three singles and one double.
Other Summit players with two hits included Kate Shin, Chloe Jacobson and Blythe Hellings.
Hitting safely for Arthur L. Johnson were pitcher Cassie Conforti, Elizabeth Yanni and Annabella DeMartinis with singles and Giuliana Hamm with a double.
Summit, guided by third-year head coach Alyse Augustine, earlier in the year defeated Mount St. Dominic Academy, 1-0, at Seton Hall University. Mount St. Dominic won this year’s Essex County Tournament championship by defeating Columbia High School, 1-0, in the final played at Ivy Hill Park on Saturday, May 16.
2026 Softball Union County Tournament
Seeds: 1-Arthur L. Johnson. 2-Governor Livingston. 3-Summit. 4-Scotch Plains–Fanwood. 5-Cranford. 6-Jonathan Dayton. 7-David Brearley. 8-Westfield. 9-Union Catholic. 10-New Providence. 11-Oak Knoll. 12-Elizabeth. 13-Kent Place. 14-Union. 15-Rahway. 16-Plainfield.
17-Linden.
Preliminary round
Thursday, May 7
Linden 13, Plainfield 4 – at Plainfield
First round
Friday, May 8
Arthur L. Johnson 16, Linden 0 – at Arthur L. Johnson
Union Catholic 7, Westfield 1 – at Westfield
Summit 12, Union 0 – at Summit
Jomnathan Dayton 6, Oak Knoll 4 – at Jonathan Dayton
David Brearley 7, New Providence 6 – at David Brearley
Governor Livingston 17, Rahway 0 – at Governor Livingston
Saturday, May 9
Cranford 10, Elizabeth 9 – at Cranford
Scotch Plains–Fanwood 12, Kent Place 0 – at Scotch Plains–Fanwood
Quarterfinals
Tuesday, May 12
Arthur L. Johnson 1, Union Catholic 0 – at Arthur L. Johnson
Scotch Plains–Fanwood 9, Cranford 0 – at Scotch Plains–Fanwood
Summit 6, Jonathan Dayton 2 – at Summit
David Brearley 4, Governor Livingston 3 (9 inn.) – at Governor Livingston
Semifinals
Thursday, May 14
At Kean University
Arthur L. Johnson 5, Scotch Plains–Fanwood 1
Summit 4, David Brearley 0
Finals
Tuesday, May 19
At Kean University
Summit 15, Arthur L. Johnson 2
UCT softball champions
2026: Summit – WP: Hannah Jacobson
2025: Scotch Plains–Fanwood – WP: Maddie Bogart
2024: Jonathan Dayton – WP: Lila Carroll
2023: Cranford – WP: Avery Toddings
2022: Cranford – WP: Avery Toddings
2021: Cranford – WP: Morrigan Gardiner
2020: No tournament because of COVID-19 pandemic
2019: Roselle Park – WP: Maddie Hummel
2018: Roselle Park – WP: Maddie Hummel
2017: Governor Livingston – WP: Alanna Namit
2016: Arthur L. Johnson – WP: Gianna Randazza
2015: Governor Livingston – WP: Alanna Namit
2014: Westfield – WP: Elena Scarano
2013: Westfield – WP: Elena Scarano
2012: Governor Livingston – WP: Jordan Robbins
2011: Governor Livingston – WP: Jordan Robbins
2010: Cranford – WP: Kelly Hardman
2009: Union – WP: Amanda Kardys
2008: Cranford – WP: Kelly Hardman
2007: Cranford – WP: Kelly Hardman
2006: Cranford – WP: Elena Morge
2005: David Brearley – WP: Jenna Vitale
2004: Roselle Park – WP: Becky Riccitelli
2003: Roselle Park – WP: Becky Riccitelli
2002: Cranford – WP: Christine Pemoulie
2001: Governor Livingston – WP: Lyndsey Sheppard
2000: Union – WP: Rayneesha Adams
1999: Governor Livingston – WP: Gina Turturiello
1998: Westfield – won as 6th seed; WP: Shannon Wagner
1997: Governor Livingston
1996: Union – WP: Laura Labonia
1995: Union – WP: Laura Labonia
1994: Union – WP: Laura Labonia
1993: Union – WP: Alison Brehm
1992: Union
1991: Union
1990: Westfield
1989: Union Catholic
1988: Union
1987: Union
1986: Westfield
1985: Westfield
1984: Westfield
1983: Union
1982: Roselle Park
1981: Arthur L. Johnson Regional
1980: Linden
1979: Arthur L. Johnson Regional
1978: Westfield
1977: Scotch Plains–Fanwood
1976: Westfield
Championships
Union (11)
Westfield (9)
Cranford (8)
Governor Livingston (7)
Roselle Park (5)
Arthur L. Johnson Regional–Johnson (3)
Scotch Plains–Fanwood (2)
Linden (1)
Union Catholic (1)
David Brearley (1)
Jonathan Dayton (1)
Summit (1)
