Gov. Livingston rolls into Central Group II semifinals
BERKELEY HEIGHTS - The Governor Livingston High School baseball team is rolling on.
The top-seeded Highlanders (22-3-1) defeated ninth-seeded South Plainfield 11-2 on Thursday afternoon in a NJSIAA Central Group II quarterfinal.
Last season, Governor Livingston scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to beat South Plainfield 6-5 in the Central Group II final and win its fourth sectional title since 2006.
"It's awesome, we can't wait to get (to the semifinals) so we can do the same thing next game and move on to the sectional championship and get another win, defend the title," Governor Livingston right fielder Will Jennings said. "The season's also on the line so we have to make sure we get a win every game because we have 12 seniors, we don't want to end the season, we need to get some hardware so we have to keep winning."
The Highlanders, fresh off winning the Union County Tournament title, entered Thursday having won 19 of its last 20 games. The the lone blemish was a 3-2 loss to Cranford, despite a combined no-hitter by Ryan Davey, Liam Hulburt and Ryan Monroy on May 17.
"Just our camaraderie, we're just so close," Gonnelli said of Governor Livingston's success this season. "I feel like we really work so good together and that we couldn't be prouder to be with each guy on the field, and even the guys on the bench we're so proud, so it's just the work we put in.
South Plainfield (19-10) had won 15 of its lasts 17 games with six shutouts. The Tigers were coming off a 7-5 victory over Johnson in the opening round of the tournament, and those five runs were the most they had given up since April 24.
On Thursday, the Tigers faced perhaps its toughest challenge of the season, a Governor Livingston team that had scored 222 runs on 259 hits.
After a 1-2-3 top of the first by Highlanders ace DJ Gonnelli, who entered the game with a 1.34 ERA and a 5-0 record, Governor Livingston did what it has done best this season - score runs.
"Coming in just score runs, play good defense," Jennings said of the Highlanders' expectations. "We played this team last year, we know it's a good team, just get our offense going, get DJ going."
The Highlanders took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first thanks to three doubles, a single and two-run home run to center field by Jennings.
Gonnelli got three straight outs in the top of the second, and Governor Livingston scored another four runs in the bottom of the inning. With one out and second baseman Andy Serretti and shortstop Danny Serretti on base, third baseman Drew Compton laced a three-run home run to center.
With one out, Gonnelli helped his own cause with a solo shot to left for an 8-0 lead.
That ended South Plainfield pitcher Rob Gonzalez's day. Gonzalez had entered the game with a .68 ERA, having allowed three runs on 10 hits, with 28 strikeouts and 11 walks in 20 2/3 innings.
Austin Feltham entered the game and got left fielder Tyler McCulloch to fly out to center to end the inning.
"Like in the county game, controlled aggression," Gonnelli said. "We waited for our pitch and once we got it we did some damage. Will put two out today, Drew got one and we were all just waiting for our pitch."
In the top of the fourth, South Plainfield got one back. Third baseman Mike Marrero reached on an infield single, moved to second on a balk by Gonnelli, went to third on a groundout and came around to score on a fly out to right by Gonzalez to cut the lead to 8-1.
Governor Livingston scored two more runs in the bottom of the fifth on Jennings' second home run of the game, this one a two-run shot to right for a 10-1 lead.
South Plainfield scored another run in the top of the sixth when left fielder Chris Born reached on an error and with one out came around to score on a groundout to second by Marrero.
With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Danny Serretti doubled and came around to score on a two-out double to left by designated hitter Stephen Reid for the 11-2 final.
Gonnelli allowed two runs on two hits, walked none and struck out five in a complete-game effort for the Highlanders. For South Plainfield, Feltham allowed three runs on four hits, walked one and struck out one in 4 2/3 innings.
"It was nice, I have to give it to my defense though, they really made some great plays," Gonnelli said of his performance. "I didn't really have my best stuff but I knew with them behind me I would be alright, just let them hit the ball and they'll take of it."
The season isn't over for South Plainfield as the Tigers are still in the hunt for their first Greater Middlesex Conference title. They will face Perth Amboy in the final on Saturday afternoon.
Governor Livingston advances to the sectional semifinals where it will face fourth-seeded Metuchen next Tuesday. Metuchen defeated fifth-seeded Delaware Valley 2-1 on Thursday.
"Score runs early I think, just get on the board," Jennings said of the plan for the semifinals. "Take the momentum into our dugout, both offensively and defensively and just carry that on for the whole game."
https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/sports/high-school/baseball/2018/05/24/baseball-gov-livingston-rolls-into-central-group-ii-semifinals/636778002/
South Plainfield (2) at Gov. Livingston (11), NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group 2 tournament, Quarterfinal Round
By
on May 24, 2018 9:18 PM
Will Jennings hit two two-run home runs to lead top-seeded Gov. Livingston, No. 9 in the NJ.com Top 20, over 9-seed South Plainfield, 11-2, in the quarterfinal round of the Central Jersey Group 2 tournament on Thursday in Berkeley Heights.
DJ Gonnelli struck out five and walked none, allowing three hits and two runs in a complete-game effort on the mound for Gov. Livingston.
Gonnelli went 2-for-3 with a solo home run while Drew Compton added a single and a three-run home run, finishing with four RBI for Gov. Livingston, which had 11 hits as a team.
Gov. Livingston will face 4-seed Metuchen in the semifinal round on Tuesday.
http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/-8249054294703533010/south-plainfield-2-at-gov-livingston-11-njsiaa-central-jersey-group-2-tournament-quarterfinal-round-baseball/
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