GREENVILLE, N.C. — The Toms River 12U Little League Softball All-Stars are back on the national stage Sunday morning as they face Lake Mary, Florida, in the third-place consolation game at the Little League Softball World Series.
Live Updates:
12:30 pm Lake Mary singles with bases loaded for walk-off 5-4 victory. Toms River is eliminated.
12:08 pm New Jersey ties game 4-4. Game is in 5th inning.
11:10 am Florida takes 3-2 lead after error on infield ground ball.
11:08 am Lake Mary scores 1 run score 2-1 Toms River.
11:00 am Toms River Little League leads 2-0 into the third inning.
The game began at 10 a.m. Sunday at Stallings Stadium in Greenville, North Carolina, and is being televised nationally on ESPN as the New Jersey champions look to finish an unforgettable summer with another victory.
Regardless of Sunday’s outcome, the team has already secured its place in Toms River Little League history by becoming the deepest-advancing softball team the league has ever sent to the World Series.
Heartbreaking semifinal loss ended championship hopes
Saturday night, Toms River came within a few innings of reaching the championship game before falling 2-1 to Owensboro, Kentucky, in the Orange Bracket final.
The Mid-Atlantic champions struck first when standout pitcher Jaelyn Brown delivered an RBI single in the opening inning to score Aviana Gay and give New Jersey an early 1-0 lead.
Kentucky answered with two runs in the fifth inning, and pitcher Michaela Knight held Toms River to five hits while striking out seven to preserve the narrow victory.
The loss ended Toms River’s championship hopes but sent the team into Sunday’s third-place game against the Southeast Region champions from Florida.
From opening loss to Final Four
The journey has been one of the tournament’s best comeback stories.
After dropping its World Series opener 4-1 to Sangō, Japan, Toms River faced immediate elimination. Instead of folding, the team rattled off four impressive victories to reach the semifinals.
The girls overwhelmed Connecticut 13-3, setting a Little League Softball World Series scoring record for a Mid-Atlantic representative before earning revenge against Japan with an emphatic 11-0 shutout behind Brown’s dominant pitching performance.
They followed that victory with a 4-0 elimination win over Puerto Rico to advance into the tournament’s Final Four, guaranteeing one of the highest finishes ever by a New Jersey softball team.
For a community that has long been synonymous with youth baseball excellence, the softball team’s performance has added another memorable chapter to Toms River’s rich Little League tradition. Their success has drawn statewide attention and showcased New Jersey’s growing prominence in girls youth softball on the international stage.
As Sunday’s game unfolds, the players have one final opportunity to bring home a third-place trophy while inspiring the next generation of softball players across Ocean County.
Key Points
- Toms River is playing Lake Mary, Florida, in the Little League Softball World Series third-place game Sunday morning.
- The New Jersey champions reached the game after a narrow 2-1 semifinal loss to Kentucky.
- Toms River has already completed the most successful Little League Softball World Series run in league history.
FAQ
- Who is Toms River playing?
Lake Mary, Florida, representing the Southeast Region. - What is at stake?
Third place in the Little League Softball World Series. - Where is the tournament being played?
Stallings Stadium in Greenville, North Carolina. - How did Toms River reach this game?
The team rebounded from an opening-round loss by winning four straight elimination games before falling 2-1 to Kentucky in the semifinals. - Where can fans watch?
The third-place game is airing live on ESPN.
Source: Little League Softball World Series
