I can’t tell you the last time I watched a game at the Toms River East Little League complex before last night but needless to say it had been a while and I’ll be back there again tonight.  That’s because Holbrook and Toms River will meet in a winner-take-all showdown for the District 18 title with one team continuing on the road to Williamsport and the other heading to the beach.   Holbrook could have secured the championship last night and the odds were pretty good when you consider they had outscored their six opponents 85-19 in the district tournament which began on June 21st.  

However the youngsters from Mapletree Road made a successful trip across town and collected a 4-2 victory to stay alive in the double-elimination tournament and force a deciding game tonight back at the Windsor Avenue complex, home of the 1998 World Series champs. Phil Antoniotti silenced the normally explosive Holbrook bats, tossing a complete-game 4-hitter with six strikeouts.

Bill Fleury hit a two-run homer to help Toms River jump out to a 4-0 lead with Andrew Sefick’s two-run blast accounting for all the offense the 12-year olds from Jackson could manage.  The winner of tonight’s game will advance to the sectionals in Sayreville which begin on Sunday.The Berkeley Little League is hosting both the state little league and junior league championships during the week of July 21.

District 18, which comprises Ocean County, has already crowned several champions:

  • Senior League: Brick
  • Junior League: Toms River East
  • Intermediate (50/70): Lacey
  • 9-10 year olds: Toms River

The 11-year old tournament continues through next week.

On the opposite end of Little League is the Fall Senior Softball League in Berkeley Township which is looking for Ocean County men age 60 and up.  The slow-pitch league will select players on July 29th and August 12th and Berkeley residents may be as young as 55 in order to play in the league which starts in September and ends in early November.  For information call Norm at (732) 905-9308.

 

 

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