LIVINGSTON- Mickey Ennis has been around the game of baseball for more than half a century, and has been coaching for 43 years, so he certainly knows both sides of the reality of being part of the game he loves, especially when it comes to many closely-contested tournament games.
“The ball can take some funny bounces, that’s for sure; and that blooper might fall in and – then again – it might be caught, which might make all the difference in a win or a loss,” said the ninth-year Livingston head coach who in his second season as a head coach in 1984 guided Ramapo College to an NCAA Division III national championship. “What I do know about this year’s team is that I am anticipating a strong season which in a way makes me a little uncomfortable because you just never know how a season is going to go.
“With that being said, there is no doubt that winning a Group 4 state championship is our ultimate goal”
The Lancers, who were 22-8-1 last spring and won the Super Essex Conference-American Division championship with a 10-0-1 record, return starters at seven of eight positions in the field along with three top starting pitchers plus a valuable bullpen piece.
That group helped Livingston earn its second North 1, Group 4 state sectional title in the past three seasons and another berth in the Group 4 state semifinals where it fell to Bridgewater-Raritan. In 2022 the Lancers fell to Hunterdon Central in the Group 4 semis.
With such a strong group of seniors back to lead the way this spring, who knows what is ultimately in store in the course of a 2-month high school season; however, the possibilities are there for a history-laden Essex County baseball program which won overall Group 4 state titles in 1976 and 1980 while also being awarded The Star-Ledger Trophy as the No. 1 team in the state both of those seasons.
When Livingston edged Montclair, 4-3, in walk-off fashion in last season’s N1G4 final at the Oval, it marked the first time in 48 years that the Lancers played a state sectional final at home dating back to 1976 when John Zisk, the brother of former major leaguer Richie Zisk, helped lead coach Bill Lampeter’s Lancers to a walk-off victory vs. Belleville.
Current Livingston assistant coach Dave McLaughlin was a sophomore on the Livingston baseball program at that time.
But, beyond that Trip Down Memory Lane, it’s the current Lancers who are the focus in 2025 with Ennis, McLaughlin, pitching coach Corey Feigenbaum and first-year assistant Ben Hauser, another former Lancer standout, set to guide a formidable diamond squad in what will be day-to-day battles, including in the talented-stocked SEC-American Division.
“The SEC-American might be stronger this season than it was last year,” said Ennis. “Seton Hall Prep under Mike Sheppard (Jr.) is absolutely loaded with talent, West Essex comes into our division with a strong, veteran ball club, Millburn returns a lot of good, young players and there is always the (Coach Brian) ‘Chapman Factor’ and Montclair has a very young squad, but Coach (Ron) Gavazzi is always able to rebuild and reload with whomever he has on hand.
“We know that every game will be a challenge for us, and you certainly can’t take anything for granted against anyone in our division.”
