By her own admission Kayla Roncin had been slumping during the New Jersey State Little League Championships but she picked a fine time to break out.

Fans and players celebrate Toms River's win
Fans and players celebrate Toms River's win (Matt White, Townsquare Media NJ)
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The only girl playing in the tournament, Roncin smacked a tie breaking 2-run homer in the 3rd inning and helped Toms River edge Ocean City/Upper Township 7-6 in a nail biting final of the six-day tournament in Bayville. Roncin’s home run gave Toms River a 4-2 lead but there were plenty of anxious moments to follow, especially in Ocean City’s last at-bat in the top of the 6th.

They had scored one run and had the bases loaded with two outs when Roncin (who had not pitched in the tournament) entered the game, inheriting a 2-0 count against one of Ocean City’s top hitters. Her first pitch was hit to short centerfield where Jonathan Giordano made a diving catch to end the game and set off a wild celebration on the field and among the hundreds of fans rooting for the team from Toms River.

Toms River on the field after their win
Toms River on the field after their win (Matt White, Townsquare Media NJ)
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Last night’s victory was a total team effort as nine different players accounted for Toms River’s ten hits, including a pair by Phil Antoniotti and clutch run-scoring singles by Joe Schifiliti, Nick DeRose and Colin Baker.

The victory sends Toms River to the Mid-Atlantic Regional in Bristol, Connecticut where they will face the champions from Washington D.C. on Saturday at 5pm. The regional also includes teams from Delaware, New York, Maryland and Pennsylvania with the winner to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

While the Toms River East Little League dominated New Jersey youth baseball in the 90’s it’s the Mapletree Road league which has grabbed recent headlines. The older TR league has won the state title three times in the last nine years and the 2010 group made it to Williamsport.

Congratulations to Toms River manager Pete Avallone and coaches Jim DeRose and Ray Roncin for guiding the 13 players and having fun while doing so. It’s not easy to juggle schedules around work and little league and now the trio really has to deal with the challenge of an unscheduled working vacation in Connecticut and maybe Pennsylvania after that.

I will save my final compliments for the Berkeley Little League and their hard-working and dedicated president Bob Everett. Not only did they host the Little League and Junior League Championships but they put on quite a show and it made for a memorable week of baseball in Ocean County. Along with District 18 officials they should all take comfort in knowing their efforts paid off.

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