UNION, NJ — Not often does the eighth seed get all the way to the championship game and then have a lead in it as it attempts to win the title.
That was the case for the Summit High School Hilltoppers last week, a program that won just three games in 2023 and then, just two years later, was six innings away from capturing its first county championship.
Summit scored twice in the top of the first to have the first lead in the 49th annual softball Union County Tournament championship game played on Tuesday, May 20, at Kean University’s Cougar Field in Union.
Unfortunately for the Hilltoppers, it wasn’t quite enough as second-seeded Scotch Plains–Fanwood High School tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the second and won it with two more in the bottom of the third for a 4-2 comeback victory.
Scotch Plains–Fanwood, which lost in the final last year as the eighth seed to Jonathan Dayton High School, a team that won the tournament for the first time, captured its second UCT crown and first since the second year of the tournament way back in the bell bottom, disco days of 1977.
Standout junior Emily Roof produced the game-winning hit, which was a two-run homer in the bottom of the third that snapped a 2-2 tie. Roof also homered in last year’s final at Kean against Jonathan Dayton to tie the game in the top of the seventh, before the Bulldogs won it, 6-5, on a walk-off home run by Angela Gatto in the bottom of the seventh.
Roof is the daughter of Governor Livingston High School head baseball coach Chris Roof, who about an hour earlier on the baseball field at Kean University guided his Highlanders to a fifth UCT title and back-to-back championships for the first time in program history.
Summit standout sophomore pitcher Charlotte Yarnall, who tossed a complete-game, five hitter, drove in both of her team’s runs in the top of the first and went 3-for-4 at the plate with a run and two RBI. She hit a home run and then two singles for her three hits. Yarnall was the game’s only player with more than one hit.
Although Summit fell just short of winning its first UCT crown, the Hilltoppers can say that they defeated the top seed, Arthur L. Johnson High School, in the quarterfinals. Summit snapped a nine-game Arthur L. Johnson winning streak by ousting the Crusaders, 3-2, at Arthur L. Johnson on Tuesday, May 13. Arthur L. Johnson had also just clinched the Union County Conference’s Watchung Division title before being upset by Summit.
The Hilltoppers were also edged at Scotch Plains–Fanwood, 3-2, in nine innings in last year’s UCT first round. Summit returned to Scotch Plains–Fanwood this year and, in a UCC-crossover clash, beat the Raiders in Scotch Plains, 5-1, on Saturday, April 19.
Summit slipped to 17-7 with the setback. The Hilltoppers will next concentrate on excelling in the North 2, Group 3 states.
Scotch Plains–Fanwood improved to 17-6 and will be competing in the section North 2, Group 4.
2025 UCT Softball
Seeds: 1-Arthur L. Johnson. 2-Scotch Plains–Fanwood. 3-Governor Livingston. 4-Jonathan Dayton. 5-Westfield. 6-Cranford. 7-Roselle Park. 8-Summit. 9-David Brearley. 10-Elizabeth. 11-New Providence. 12-Union. 13-Oak Knoll. 14-Union Catholic. 15-Kent Place. 16-Rahway. 17-Plainfield, 18-Linden.
Preliminary Round
Thursday, May 8
Rahway 17, Plainfield 3 – at Rahway
Kent Place 15, Linden 0 – at Kent Place
First Round
Saturday, May 10
Arthur L. Johnson 16, Rahway 0 – at Arthur L. Johnson
Westfield 6, Union 4 – at Westfield
Jonathan Dayton 13, Oak Knoll 0 – at Jonathan Dayton
Governor Livingston 18, Union Catholic 1 – at Governor Livingston
Cranford 11, New Providence 1 – at Cranford
Roselle Park 17, Elizabeth 7 – Roselle Park
Scotch Plains–Fanwood 9, Kent Place 1 – at Scotch Plains–Fanwood
Monday, May 12
Summit 11, David Brearley 0 – at Summit
Quarterfinals
Tuesday, May 13
Summit 3, Arthur L. Johnson 2 – at Arthur L. Johnson
Westfield 11, Jonathan Dayton 7 – at Westfield
Friday, May 16
Cranford 7, Governor Livingston 1 – at Governor Livingston
Scotch Plains–Fanwood 5, Roselle Park 1 – at Scotch Plains–Fanwood
Semifinals
Saturday, May 17
At Arthur L. Johnson
Summit 9, Westfield 3
Scotch Plains–Fanwood 11, Cranford 3
Finals
Tuesday, May 20
At Kean University
Scotch Plains–Fanwood 4, Summit 2
UCT Softball Champions
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)