Toms River Softball Little Leaguers Win State Title, Head To Regional

TOMS RIVER, NJ ? Another summer, another Toms River Little League team is heading to the region tournament.

Only this year, it's not only the baseball players who are swinging the hot bats.

The Toms River Little League's 12-year-old All-Star softball team is headed to Bristol, Connecticut on Thursday for the Mid-Atlantic Region Tournament, after winning the District 18, Section 3 and New Jersey State championships this summer.

The 12-year-olds aren't the only Toms River softball team finding success: the 10-year-old All-Stars begin play on Friday for the New Jersey State championship, after winning District 18 and Section 3.

It's an impressive achievement for any team or league, but there's an added factor: this is just the second year the Toms River Little League has offered softball.

"We felt that with Toms River's rich history of Little League Baseball we should have an option for the girls in our town to have access to the Little League experience and All-Stars," said Brian Doyle, president of the Toms River Little League.

There are several softball travel programs in the area and a summer recreation softball program through the township, but none of them were affiliated with Little League International, Doyle said.

Toms River Little League partnered with Toms River East Little League to create the softball program, which is available to all girls within the Toms River community, he said.

Last year, the 12-year-old All-Stars won the District 18 championship but were eliminated in the championship game of the Section 3 tournament, which was won by Robbinsville, "who has been the powerhouse in softball for the past few years," Doyle said.

The 2022 All-Stars have picked up where 2021 left off. Six players from last year are on the 2022 roster: Isabella Cino, Kylie Paladino, Kelly Forrester, Carolina Carr and Sofi Zydzik were members of last year's inaugural team, and Maya Ballacomo was a member of the 2021 10-year-old All-Stars.

Those six are joined by Allison D'Addario, Gianna Monetti, Brielle Troy, Emma Eisman, Kayla Rasmussen, Summer Norton and Ella Monica, and Jim Cino manages the team.

The team got revenge in the Section 3 tournament, knocking off Robbinsville to win the section and advance to the state tournament, where they won again. They have been finding success with a solid mix of offense that has scored 68 runs and a defense that has allowed just 10 runs.

The team is headed to Bristol, Connecticut, on Thursday for the Little League Softball Mid-Atlantic Region Tournament, which begins Saturday. The first game for Toms River is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday against the winner of Saturday's game between Delaware and Pennsylvania.

All the Toms River games are scheduled to be televised on ESPN+.

Those who would like to help offset some of the team's costs can send check donations made payable to TRLL and mail them to P.O. Box 1353, Toms River, NJ 08754.

Business sponsors and private donations are welcomed.

The 10-year-old All-Stars are playing the state tournament at Fairleigh Dickinson University-Hackensack, facing Wallington Little League at 8 p.m.