Toms River All-Stars Keep Making NJ Proud at Little League Softball World Series

Courtesy Of Little League Baseball And Softball

Toms River All-Stars Keep Making NJ Proud at Little League Softball World Series

GREENVILLE, NC — The Toms River Little League Softball All-Stars are continuing their impressive run at the Little League Softball World Series.

Toms River, the Mid-Atlantic Region champions, earned another opportunity to face Japan on Wednesday morning and took full advantage, dominating the rematch with an 11-0 victory in Greenville, North Carolina.

The Toms River team, which is making the township’s first-ever appearance in the Little League Softball World Series, previously faced Japan, the Asia-Pacific Region champions, in Sunday’s opening game. The team struggled offensively in that matchup, falling 4-1 as early nerves appeared to impact their performance.

On Wednesday, the team looked much more confident, with the early-game jitters gone. Toms River scored in each of the first three innings, capitalizing on defensive mistakes by Japan and using aggressive baserunning to create scoring opportunities.

Analeise Curley started the game by reaching base on an error and later scored three batters afterward on a sacrifice fly from Briella Bognar. Curley crossed the plate after the throw from center field struck her helmet, giving Toms River a 1-0 lead in the opening inning.

Juliana Florek-Doslik sparked the offense in the second inning with a leadoff double to center field. After advancing to third on Sophia Tolentino’s bunt, she came home on a sacrifice fly from Jaelyn Brown to extend Toms River’s advantage to 2-0.

The scoring continued in the third inning when Analeise Curley doubled to center and advanced to third on Franki Velardi’s single. Curley then scored on another sacrifice fly by Brown, adding to Toms River’s lead.

While the offense kept building momentum, Brown and the Toms River defense kept Japan’s hitters in check. Brown struck out three batters and allowed only two walks and two hits, retiring Japan in order through the first four innings. Japan managed a single in the fifth inning, but Brown quickly shut down the threat and prevented any further damage.

In the top of the sixth inning, Toms River broke the game wide open with an eight-run explosion. Brown started the rally with a single, followed by Bognar reaching on a fielder’s choice. Carly Leonard then reached base on an error, putting two runners aboard. Florek-Doslik’s grounder resulted in a fielder’s choice, but an errant throw allowed Bognar to score, pushing Toms River’s lead to 4-0.

Aviana Gay then delivered a big blow with a powerful hit to left field, bringing home Leonard and Florek-Doslik to extend the advantage to 6-0.

Japan was unable to recover as Toms River added five more runs to seal the victory. Sophia Tolentino drove in Gay with a single, and Gia Gatto later reached on a single that led to another scoring opportunity after a throwing error allowed Tolentino to cross the plate. Gatto scored on Mischa Koeppen’s hard-hit grounder to center field, and both Koeppen and Shaelyn Seaman came home when Japan misplayed Analeise Curley’s fly ball to left field.

Toms River will return to action at 6 p.m. Friday against the loser of Thursday’s 5 p.m. matchup between Puerto Rico and Kentucky. The game will air on ESPN2.

With a win Friday, Toms River will advance to the Orange Bracket championship game and remain in contention for a spot in Sunday’s title matchup.