Toms River Finishes Out Little League Softball World Series Run

GREENVILLE, NC — After 10 days, six games and enough memories to last a lifetime, the Toms River Little League Softball All-Stars are headed home.

The team finished out its time at the Little League Softball World Series in North Carolina with an appearance in the third-place consolation game televised on ESPN, and while the result wasn't what Toms River wanted, it was a solid effort from the 12 girls who spent the last 10 days aiming for a championship.

Toms River fell to Florida, 5-4, on Sunday in a game where they never backed down. Florida simply got the hits they needed to win the game.

With the game tied at 4 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Kylie Green singled to center field allowing Avery Little to score and give Florida the victory.

Toms River did not make it easy.

The 12U all-stars from Ocean County took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, taking advantage of a pair of miscues by Florida. Leadoff batter Analeise Curley reached on an error and Aviana Gay bunted and reached on an errant throw, putting runners on first and second. Jaelyn Brown then singled to center, allowing Curley to score. Gay then scored on a sacrifice fly by Briella Bognar before Florida got out of the inning.

Florida took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third. The leadoff batter reached on a single, then after Toms River recorded a pair of outs, Florida scored a run on a fly ball that dropped into left field, then added two more runs on an error at first base before Franki Velardi fielded a grounder to short and threw to first for the final out of the inning.

Toms River responded in the top of the fourth, taking a 4-3 lead as Brown walked then scored on a double by Juliana Florek-Doslik, with Brown running aggressively and sliding in under the tag. Leiana Gay followed with a single to center that allowed Florek-Doslik to score, but Toms River could not push more runs across.

Florida tied the game in the bottom of the fourth when their center fielder beat out a grounder, then scored when the umpire called catcher interference against Leiana Gay on the throw to the plate, the third time he called interference on the catchers from both teams in the game.

In the bottom of the fifth, Velardi threw out the leadoff batter for the first out. Florida's second hitter reached on a single then advanced to second on a passed ball. But Mischa Koeppen ended the threat with a diving catch of a fly ball in center field and then threw out the runner, who left second base before the catch, for a double play to end the threat.

The team was heading home to New Jersey on Monday, a family member said.

Previous coverage:

Toms River Edged In Little League Softball World Series Semifinals

Toms River Reaches Semifinals At Little League Softball World Series

Toms River Rolls Japan In Little League Softball World Series Rematch

Toms River Little League Moves On In Softball World Series

Toms River Softball Team Kicks Off Little League World Series Title Quest