There wasn't any trophy on the line to be hoisted by the team that scored more runs.
There was not to be any pile-on-the-mound celebration once the final out was recorded.
Sure, Governor Livingston vs. Delbarton was a Sunday afternoon (April 13) matchup that included two of the top-ranked teams in the state for the second straight season.
However, it was just another regular season game for both.
The difference this time? GL came out on top.
Sparked by a seven-run top of the third with senior designated hitter Matty Diskin going deep for a two-run shot followed by a grand slam slugged by junior shortstop Zach Geertsma, the Highlanders remained undefeated after topping Delbarton 11-4 in this past Sunday's Autism Awareness Game that was moved to Rowland Park in South Brunswick.
GL ranked fourth in the most recent (April 16) NJ.com Top 20, is now 7-0 following back-to-back wins this week, 1-0 vs. Brearley Wednesday (April 6) and 10-0 vs. Union Catholic on Tuesday (April 15).
Delbarton, now ranked 10th, improved to 6-2 with Tuesday's 4-1 independent victory vs. Pascack Valley. The loss to GL had snapped a 4-game Green Wave winning streak snapped.
When the teams clashed at picturesque Fleury Field in Morris Township last April, Delbarton won 3-2 in eight innings after the Highlanders tied the game at 2-2 with a single run in the top of the sixth. The Green Wave entered that game No. 2 in the state and GL No. 9.
Both went on to have incredible seasons, Delbarton winning 30 games and county and sectional championships, while GL tied the program record for wins with 28 en route to capturing county, sectional and state championships in the same season for the first time.
In the latest showdown between the two state powers all but one GL player in a highly-prolific Highlander lineup hit safely, while pitchers Keith Mann and Anthony DeNora allowed just two earned runs and combined to yield but five hits total.
"This was a nice team win," GL head coach Chris Roof said. "Our pitchers did a great job limiting their damage. I thought we played good defense and hit the ball hard."
First baseman Michael Novotny, batting second, was 3-for-5 and Geertsma 2-for-5 with one run and four RBI. Also banging out two hits for the Highlanders were catcher Michael Basile and right fielder Pappas. Basile scored twice and Pappas drove in three runs.
"At the end of the day it's one game in a long season, but to beat such a quality team that's well coached was definitely nice," Roof said.
One of GL's losses in last year's 28-5 finish, its only one outside of the Union County Conference's Watchung Division where the Highlanders finished second, was the one to Delbarton.
Guided by head coach Bruce Shatel, Delbarton finished 30-3 a year ago after capturing the Morris County Tournament title, the North Jersey, Non-Public A crown and reaching the Non-Public A final. The Green Wave also won the New Jersey Athletic Conference's American Division standings at 11-1.
GL began its 2025 campaign at Elizabeth with an 8-4 win on April 1 and then defeated Johnson 13-0 in its home-opener on the hill in Berkeley Heights two days later. The Highlanders then beat Summit 8-3 at home on April 8 and followed that up with another shutout victory, this one by the score of 11-0 at home over Cranford on April 10.
GL's Watchung Division game scheduled at home against New Providence originally slated for last Saturday (April 12) was rescheduled for April 30.
GL improved to 3-0 in the Watchung Division standings after defeating Union Catholic (6-2, 3-1) this past Tuesday. Scotch Plains (6-3, 2-1) fell to Union Catholic, 14-9, Wednesday (April 16).
Union Catholic's first setback was at Somerville 6-3 on April 10, while Scotch Plains lost at Mountain Division foe Johnson 6-5 on April 1 and to Edison 2-1 on Sunday, Apri 13.
GL visits Lyndhurst at Breslin Field on Saturday, April 19, at 11 a.m.
Diskin, who will continue playing at Stetson and who was the winning pitcher in GL's county and state finals last year, threw his first two innings against Cranford after minor elbow surgery in the off-season. He threw 26 pitches and also received the mound victory.
"We plan to stretch him out about 55-60 pitches next," Roof said.
Despite another solid start, a loaded lineup, and now a win over a state-ranked foe, Roof realizes that there will be games where not everything will click.
"We definitely have length in our lineup," Roof said. "However, these are high school kids and on certain days we may not be as sharp. It's a nice group of kids who are a pleasure to coach.
"We're not going undefeated. We're going to lose some games. We just want to be playing our best come tournament times. There is still a lot of room for improvement."
GL is the highest-ranked public school in the NJ.com state top 20. The only other two public schools in the top 10 were Group 4 schools Eastern at No. 5 and Cherokee at No.10.
Follow JR Parachini on 'X' @parachini_jr
