Toms River East One Win Away from the New Jersey State Championship
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July 29, 2022Toms River East One Win Away from the New Jersey State Championship
Toms River East Wins 10-1
Toms River East 12U All-Stars delivered a 10-1 victory against Haddonfield on Thursday night leaving them one step closer to winning the New Jersey State Championship.
Toms River East, which is undefeated in the tournament and has outscored its opponents 22-1, has Friday off but can win the championship on Saturday. Beginning on August 7 in Bristol, Connecticut, the New Jersey winner will compete alongside other state champions in the Mid-Atlantic Region.Game Highlights
In the top of the fifth inning, Toms River East had a 3-1 lead with two outs and no one on base, but two Haddonfield mistakes that easily should have finished the inning instead allowed Christian Mascaro to come to the plate with runners on first and second.
Mascaro's hard-hit ball evaded the infield and scored a run. A second baserunner was able to score thanks to an outfielder's throwing error, and Mascaro was able to advance to third.Jake Gallagher of Toms River East, the third baseman, sprinted to beat out a throw to second on a routine ground ball, allowing Mascarro to score and increasing the advantage to five runs. Gallagher had worked a walk to put runners on the corners.
In the sixth inning, four additional runs were scored, including a huge home run by Logan Macchia for the second straight night.Michael Mendes, a centerfielder, doubled to start the game, took a calculated risk by advancing to third on a groundout, and then scored the game's first run on a wild pitch.
With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the first, the outfielder showcased his glove by making a diving catch to keep Haddonfield to just one run. As the leadoff hitter, he sets the tone, and he did a good job today. Mike Mendes said of his son, "He made a great catch in centerfield and helped his pitcher out. "I'm proud of him as a dad, but I'm even more proud of him as a coach. I'm proud of all 13 of these guys."
Toms River East Players and Coaches Celebrate on the Field After 10-1 Victory Over Haddonfield
Brady Gillen started for Toms River in the starting rotation the day after tossing the final inning of a combined no-hitter.
With a little help from the defense, Gillen managed to get out of the first inning having only given up one run. In the second, he was in complete control, fervently striking out the final two batters to give him three for the day. In the third inning, Mascaro was sent in to pitch in place of Gillen. Mascaro only needed 57 pitches to strike out five batters over the course of four innings of scoreless baseball, so that was the final pitching change Toms River required.Baseball pitchers Gillen, Mascaro, and Macchia of Toms River East have allowed just one run in two games against the finest opposition in the Garden State.
According to Mike Mendes, they have three good pitchers. He has all the confidence in the world when those three guys are on the mound.WHAT'S NEXT
The winner of the elimination game between Haddonfield and Rutherford will face Toms River East on Saturday at 5 p.m. with both Macchia and Gillen ready to throw.
Rutherford eliminated West Milford 13-1 on Thursday after falling to Toms River on Wednesday. Friday at 5:30 p.m. is the time for the Rutherford-Haddonfield match. Toms River East will play in a winner-take-all game for the state title on Monday if it loses on Saturday.Video: 2022 Preview of Little League NJ State Tournament
