Gov. Livingston, Cranford Baseball Set to Play for Union County Championship

Heated rivals will play each other in Saturday’s Union County baseball final at Kean University at 1 PM, as the Highlanders of Governor Livingston will take on the Cougars of Cranford High School.

The game, which was moved a day earlier from Sunday due to the threat of rain, features two teams with a long history of competing against each other

The most recent chapter of that history was written on Tuesday, when Cranford jumped out to an early lead and never looked back behind the solid pitching effort of Kurt Rutmayer. The Cougars took Tuesday’s contest by a score of 6-1.

Although the second-seeded Highlanders (17-4) have yet to tally a win against Cranford this season, Highlanders’ head coach Chris Roof said after Tuesday’s game that the Highlanders could become county champions, so long as they had “better at-bats and better baserunning” than they did when they hosted the Cougars.

Roof can also rely on his team being hungry for a win—and the Union County Championship itself—after Tuesday’s performance.

“I think they’re ready right now,” said Roof after Tuesday’s loss. “I think that they’re very disappointed in the performance today, and it all starts with practice tomorrow and trying to get better.”

The Highlanders are also hoping that senior captain and shortstop John Jennings will be able to play and have an impact after going down with back spasms early in Tuesday’s contest. Jennings, who has been an integral player both in the field and at the plate for Governor Livingston, could be essential if the Highlanders hope to topple the Cougars on Saturday.

“We’ll play it by ear, we’ll be smart, and we’ll see,” said Roof of Jennings’ status.

For the Cougars, preparation has been important during each day since the last time these two teams met. Practices and games alike were to be used as a tune-up for the Union County final for top-seeded Cranford (18-4), who have prepared successfully on a day-by-day basis all season long.

“We’re gonna worry about Wednesday’s practice (first),” said Cranford head baseball coach Dennis McCaffery following Tuesday’s game. “We have a game Thursday, so we’re gonna prepare for Linden, which will take place Thursday. When the county finals get here, we’ll deal with that, but we’re going to worry about Wednesday’s practice and then Thursday’s game.”

Following the varsity championship at 1 PM, the Highlanders’ junior varsity squad will also play on the Kean University Campus. Governor Livingston’s JV squad is scheduled to play Scotch Plains-Fanwood at 4 PM on Saturday.