By Luis Torres of NJ.com
Gov. Livingston baseball coach Chris Roof had to catch his breath after what he just experienced.
It looked as if Gov. Livingston, leading by 10 runs, was about to cruise to a county tournament championship. The Highlanders needed to get the final three outs and then the celebrations could begin.
Westfield had other ideas.
Westfield somehow scored eight runs in the bottom of the seventh inning and sent the potential winning run to the plate. The Blue Devils had scratched and clawed their way back, setting up for a dramatic ending no matter who ended up being the winner.
Gov. Livingston junior Anthony DeNora, who came on in relief, took a deep breath as he got the sign from sophomore catcher Michael Basile.
DeNora fired a pitch and finally, Roof and the rest of Gov. Livingston could finally exhale and celebrate.
Second-seeded Gov. Livingston, the No. 12 team in the NJ.com Top 20, held off a incredible rally by top-seeded and No. 15 Westfield to capture the Union County Tournament championship, 10-8, on Monday at Jim Hynes Stadium on the campus of Kean University.
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5/13 – 6:00 PM Baseball Final Gov. Livingston 10 Westfield 8
The seventh inning lasted about an hour and featured 15 runs scored, seven by Gov. Livingston (19-3) to take a 10-0 lead into the bottom half of the frame and eight by Westfield (16-4) to make it as dramatic of a county championship you’ll ever see.
“We’ve all been around baseball long enough to know that it ain’t over until in high school you get that 21st out,” Roof said. “I tip my cap off to (Westfield coach) Jay (Cook) and to the Westfield team for never giving up. The team could’ve easily given up, but Westfield did not, and that’s why they are a great program. Our guys gutted it, and we did that job and 10 was enough today.”
The Union County Tournament title is the fourth in Gov. Livingston’s program history and second in four years. It comes a year after the Highlanders lost to Cranford, 1-0, in the 2023 final, which Cranford won on a walk-off hit.
A year ago, Gov. Livingston was full of freshmen and sophomores. Those freshmen and sophomores are now juniors and sophomores, gaining a valuable year of experience to help see through the county title on Monday.
“I have thought about that game last year every single day for the past year,” said Basile, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI. “We were waiting to get back here, and there was just no way that we were going to lose that game. There’s literally no better feeling than dog piling with your best friends, winning a championship and making your mark on this program.
“It’s awesome.”
Gov. Livingston opened the scoring in the top of the second inning, courtesy of an RBI groundout by Matthew Shaffer. Gov. Livingston took a 3-0 lead after scoring two runs in the third inning after an RBI triple by Zach Geertsman and an RBI single by Basile.
The Highlanders were in control, especially with the way junior starting pitcher and Stetson commit Matty Diskin was throwing.
Diskin showcased a ton of energy on the mound, harnessing it with his fastball, a devastating breaking ball and mixing in a change-up. Through his first six innings of work, Diskin was nearly untouchable, retiring seven consecutive batters at one point and 11 of 12 overall.
He recorded eight strikeouts.
Diskin’s counterpart on the other side, Westfield senior Tomas Cestero wasn’t too shabby himself, either.
Cestero, a Seton Hall commit, tossed 6 2/3 innings, scattering five hits and striking out five.
Gov. Livingston seized even more control of the contest with its seven-run outburst in the top of the seventh. The Highlanders sent 13 players to the plate, scoring seven runs on five hits and assuredly putting the game out of reach.
And then Westfield came up to bat.
Westfield also sent 13 hitters to the plate, scoring eight runs and sending the potential winning run to the plate with the tying run at first base.
DeNora sealed the deal for Gov. Livingston, picking up Diskin, who started the inning, and the rest of his teammates.
“As soon as I stepped on the mound, I knew I was going to get the job done,” DeNora said.
“It just shows what we can do when we all of us have each other’s backs,” Diskin said. “We’re very dangerous.”
Kevin Dowling went 3-for-4 with an RBI for Westfield, while Jake Alfano had a two-run single in the seventh inning. Kellen Edwards went 2-for-4.
Gov. Livingston will look to use the county title as a springboard for the rest of the season with plenty of left to play for on the horizon.
“You got that right. Nineteen and three, we’ll take it. County champs, but like I told the kids, enjoy it for 24 hours,” Roof said, “and they will. This is a team that gets it. They are gonna be ready to go if they play Wednesday no matter what. If not, they will be ready to go Thursday because we are still tied for first in the conference and we’re still gearing up and trying to get first in power points in our section.