UNION COUNTY, NJ — One of the hottest softball teams in the state this year, especially since April 27, has been the Arthur L. Johnson High School Crusaders.
Arthur L. Johnson began the week with a 19-2 overall record and took a nine-game winning streak into its scheduled Monday, May 12, game at 9-6 Morris County foe Hanover Park High School.
The nine-game winning streak included winning its last five games and six of its last seven by shutout and giving up a total of just six runs in those nine triumphs.
Last week, the Crusaders, with seven wins by shutout as of Monday, May 12, were awarded the top seed for the Union County Tournament. Arthur L. Johnson is seeking its fourth title and first since 2016.
The only teams to which Arthur L. Johnson lost, Governor Livingston High School and then Scotch Plains–Fanwood High School in extra innings, the Crusaders first beat in Union County Conference–Watchung Division play at home.
Arthur L. Johnson captured the Watchung Division championship outright this season with a 12-2 record, all 14 of its division games complete.
Arthur L. Johnson also began the week still undefeated at home at 11-0, including its Saturday, May 10, in a first-round win against 16th-seeded Rahway High School, 16-0.
The only first-round game that was not played on Saturday, May 10, was ninth-seeded David Brearley High School at eighth-seeded Summit High School. That game was rescheduled for Monday, May 12, with the winner to then play at Arthur L. Johnson in the Tuesday, May 13, quarterfinals.
The other three quarterfinal matchups included, on the top side of the bracket along with Arthur L. Johnson’s game, fifth-seeded Westfield High School at fourth-seeded Jonathan Dayton High School and, on the bottom side of the bracket, seventh-seeded Roselle Park High School at second-seeded Scotch Plains–Fanwood High School and sixth-seeded Cranford High School at third-seeded Governor Livingston High School.
The higher-seeded teams won all seven of the first-round games that were played on Saturday, May 10.
The semifinals are scheduled to be played at Kean University’s Cougar Field in Union on Thursday, May 15, at times that were still not determined as of Monday, May 12.
The finals are set for Tuesday, May 20, at 7 p.m., at Kean.
One of the best players in Union County has been Arthur L. Johnson sophomore pitcher Cassie Conforti. She began the week with an impressive earned-run average of 1.54, including 131 strikeouts in 114 innings.
At the plate, Conforti was leading the team in batting with a .461 average. She had 30 hits, tied for the team high, and 24 runs and was leading the team in home runs with five and RBI with 27.
Also beginning the week with 30 hits for the Crusaders were junior Elizabeth Fitzharris and freshman Giuliana Hamm.
Arthur L. Johnson’s nine-game winning streak began with a 2-1 triumph against Colts Neck High School in the Black And Gold Invitational in Cedar Grove on Sunday, April 27. On that afternoon in Essex County, Conforti tossed a two-hitter that featured five perfect innings, including the last four.
Conforti struck out only one batter in that victory, but was able to retire 12 batters on ground balls, including eight to Hamm at shortstop.
Roselle Park High School, which began the week at 13-4 overall and was leading the UCC’s Mountain Division at 9-0, snapped a two-game losing streak in which it was shut out both times with a resounding 17-7 triumph at home against 10th-seeded Elizabeth High School in its first-round clash on Saturday, May 10.
Defending champion Jonathan Dayton High School shut out 13th-seeded Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child, 13-0, in its first-round game played at its turf field on Mountain Avenue in Springfield.
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
9-David Brearley at 8-Summit
Quarterfinals
Tuesday, May 13
Top side of bracket
9-David Brearley/8-Summit at 1-Arthur L. Johnson
5-Westfield at 4-Jonathan Dayton
Bottom side of bracket
7-Roselle Park at 2-Scotch Plains–Fanwood
6-Cranford at 3-Governor Livingston
Semifinals
Thursday, May 15
Quarterfinal winners at Kean, TBA
Finals
Tuesday, May 20
Semifinal winners at Kean, 7 p.m.
Photo by JR Parachini