Rueben Livingston-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Thu, 12 May 2022 23:14:00 +0000

Twin Valley battled Wilson in the Berks County quarterfinals on Thursday night at Muhlenberg. All of the numbers added up to this being a very competitive matchup. #4 seed Twin Valley was averaging 5.7 runs and allowing 3.1 per game. #5 seed Wilson was putting up 5.9 runs and giving up 3.4 per contest. The Raiders team ERA during the regular season was 1.62. The Bulldogs’ ERA was almost identical at 1.66. Both teams sent big right-handers to the mound. Kannon Zdimal, a junior who also plays basketball at Twin Valley, had a 1.55 ERA entering Thursday. Rueben Livingston, a 6’3 senior who’s committed to Kent State, brought a 1.40 ERA into this prime time affair. In this case, the numbers didn’t lie. The fans in Laureldale were treated to a low-scoring game that got very interesting late. Wilson advanced to the semifinals with a 3-2 victory. Livingston told me that his curveball and slider felt sharp before the game. The all-county selection from 2021 limited the (12-7) Raiders to two unearned runs and four hits over six frames. Livingston struck out nine, walked one, and earned his first win of the season. He said confidence was the key for the (9-9) Bulldogs. Six of their losses have been by two runs or less. Wilson jumped out to an early lead. Ryan Sekulski drove in Rafael Fernandez with a 2-out, RBI single to right field in the first inning. The Bulldogs added two unearned runs in the second. No. 9 hitter Trevor Bilodeau provided a 2-out, RBI double to left. Livingston emphasized that Bilodeau has been an excellent defensive shortstop. An error by freshman shortstop Kooper Zdimal made it 3-0 in the top of the second. The Raiders threatened in the fifth with men on first and second and one out. However, Livingston got a strikeout and then picked a runner off of first base. Sophomore Jonathan Oxendine hit a leadoff double in the bottom of the sixth. He had replaced Zdimal on the hill. A rare error by Bilodeau gave Twin Valley its first run with two outs. Catcher Jaydon Goebel then stroked an RBI single to center to get the scrappy Raiders within 3-2. Oxendine tossed two hitless innings of relief. Zdimal allowed three runs, one earned, on five hits in five innings. He struck out six and walked one. Matt VanOstenbridge took over for Livingston in the final inning. The sophomore lefty walked the first batter he faced. A sacrifice bunt put the tying run on second base. VanOstenbridge picked up the save by getting back-to-back strikeouts. Livingston believes that the young southpaw has a bright future. He noted that playing Twin Valley in the regular season really helped the Bulldogs prepare for this playoff game. Livingston finished 1-for-3 with a double. He has twelve extra base hits this year including three home runs. We talked about Oley Valley’s 6-1 upset of top-seeded Gov. Mifflin in the opener at Gochnauer Field. Senior Luke Macdonald threw another gem for the Lynx. He held the defending county champs to six hits. Livingston understands that you can’t overlook anyone in the postseason. Wilson will meet Oley Valley at 4:15pm on Monday at FirstEnergy Stadium. The nightcap will feature #2 seed Muhlenberg and third-seeded Exeter. The BCIAA championship game is scheduled for Wednesday at 6pm.

Rueben Livingston-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 20:22:00 +0000

Ask Berks County baseball coaches about the top power hitters in the league and it won’t take long until you hear the name Rueben Livingston. The 6’3, 225-pound senior is known for launching some jaw-dropping home runs. Livingston went deep six times last year. He also had seven doubles and a pair of triples. The all-county selection is committed to Kent State. The Bulldogs recently returned from a trip to Myrtle Beach. Livingston, who can play first and third base, said it was a great opportunity to bond and build trust. He’s confident in the players who will be hitting around him including Rafael Fernandez, Ryan Sekulski, and Tommy Hunsicker. Livingston is Wilson’s only returning starter. The Bulldogs went (22-3) a season ago and won their third District 3 championship. They fell to Spring-Ford 6-1 in the first round of the state playoffs. Wilson lost four Division I players to graduation. Luke Holman (Alabama), Randy Carlo (Bryant), Danny Estrada (New Orleans), and Kyle Cincinnati (Maryland Eastern Shore) have all moved on, along with all-division selections Ryan Kelly and A.J. Trayer. Livingston expects the Bulldogs to play more small ball this year. We talked about his approach at the plate, as well as his longest home run. Livingston isn’t just a slugger. He hit .415 as a junior with an incredible 1.422 OPS. Livingston drove in a team-high 28 runs and scored 26. Due to some lingering arm trouble, the big right-hander only threw two innings. However, he told me his arm feels amazing now. Wilson’s rotation will also include Cole Leaman and sophomore lefty Matt VanOstenbridge. Leaman is headed to Lehigh. He piled up 55 strikeouts in 30.2 innings last season. Leaman was (3-0) with two saves and a 2.74 ERA. Livingston explained why he chose Kent State and why he didn’t like football as a kid. We joked about how he would fair against Bill Underwood, the Bulldogs’ pitching coach. Underwood played baseball at Kent State before being drafted by the Yankees in 1992. Finally, I asked Livingston where Wilson should be ranked heading into its opener on Saturday afternoon at Liberty. He’s expecting a lot of good competition in Berks County.

Rueben – Berks Sports Report

Rueben Livingston-Wilson

Rueben Livingston-Wilson