The Toms River All-Stars had their opponent beat with two outs remaining in the first game of regionals. Then, Toms River beat themselves.
BRISTOL, CT -- In their first game at the Little League softball Mid-Atlantic Region tournament on Monday, the Toms River All-Stars had their opponent beat with two outs remaining. Then, Toms River beat themselves.
Holding a comfortable 4-1 lead over Delaware in the top of the sixth, a flurry of uncharacteristic miscues quickly snowballed into a collapse in the final inning. In the blink of an eye, the Toms River lead evaporated as they conceded five runs and ultimately lost 6-5.
It was a shocking finish for a Toms River team that had looked notably composed through the first five innings as they built a lead against the Camden-Wyoming squad from Delaware.
"It was just execution. I thought the (Delaware) girls laid down pretty good bunts, but I think they would have been out at first base if we made the plays," Toms River manager Bob D'Ambrosio said. "The last inning is the toughest inning. We played really for five and a third innings, then we just didn't play well for two-thirds of the last inning there. It cost us."
After Toms River got the first batter out in the sixth, things suddenly unraveled after a subsequent walk. First was a bunt that should've been a quick out at first, but there was an error on the catch. With runners on first and third, a steal attempt to second base induced another error on the throw and led to the runner at third scoring to cut the Toms River lead to 4-2. After another walk, a wild pitch led to the runners advancing to second and third.
Then came yet another bunt with another dropped catch at first, leading to one more run for Delaware. With the Toms River lead just 4-3, the offense of Camden-Wyoming broke through to produce a score on a two-RBI triple by Adalyn Lyon and added one more run on a line drive by pitcher Shai Benson.
In a positive sign for Toms River moving forward, they rallied back from the catastrophic frame and pushed the finish down to the wire. Ella O'Neill had an RBI single that scored Jaelyn Brown in the bottom of the sixth and cut the Delaware lead to 6-5 with a runner on third, but Benson was able to close out the victory for Camden-Wyoming with a pop out.
"This is a big spot. It is bright lights and it's tough for these kids, so I'm trying to keep them positive and keep an understanding that these things happen," D'Ambrosio said. "We just have to forget about it and move on. It is what it is."
It isn't hard to find a silver lining for the team moving forward. Of the six runs they allowed, none were earned. Aside from the mistakes that dictated the outcome, Toms River thoroughly outplayed Delaware with 11 hits compared to just four.
Toms River built an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a two-RBI single by Leiana Gay. Pitcher Cecelia Herits had a similarly strong start in the circle as she got strikeouts for seven of the team's first nine outs.
After conceding their first run in the top of the fourth on an RBI groundout after an error, the New Jersey squad added to their lead in the fourth after loading the bases with no outs. Briella Bognar was hit by a pitch to make it 3-1, and Frankie Velardi drilled an RBI single to make it 4-1. But that promising rally was cut short by a force out at home and a subsequent double play that ended the inning.
Ultimately, the strength that Toms River showed through the first five innings was not enough to insulate the team from a late comeback by their opponent. As they now drop into the loser side of the bracket in the double elimination tournament, they will need to make more of those opportunities and limit their own mistakes.
As they demonstrated in the final half-inning, this is a team that has always be defined by the ability to bounce back. After the biggest lapse of the season, that resilient identity will be put to the ultimate test.
Toms River will face Maryland state champion Delmar on Tuesday at 1 p.m. in an elimination game that will air on ESPN+. Maryland lost 7-0 to Pennsylvania in their opener on Sunday.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Toms River softball at Little League regions falls to Delaware
Category: General Sports
