Toms River LL to Fans: Thanks for Support

They may be 183 miles away, but the Toms River Little Leaguers are getting the message.

The messages of support, that is.

“I’m just now getting emails from Tuesday,” Pete Avallone said Thursday evening as he responded to a text message from earlier in the afternoon. “It’s crazy.”

The Toms River Little League all-stars are facing a rematch with Newark National Little League of Delaware today at 3 p.m. in the semifinals of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Little League tournament in Bristol, Conn. The game will be televised on ESPN.

Toms River is the top seed in the semifinals after making it through pool play undefeated. It wasn’t an easy ride, however, as Toms River had to rally in the bottom of the sixth inning to beat Newark National on Wednesday, 11-10.

The team has attracted national media attention in the wake of its thrilling victory in the New Jersey state championship game two weeks ago, when Kayla Roncin slammed a two-run home run and threw the final pitch of the game in the tightest of spots: a one-run lead with the bases loaded, two outs, and a 2-0 count on the batter.

The excitement has permeated Toms River -- which has always wholeheartedly and vocally supported its Little League teams as they’ve advanced this far on the road to the Little League World Series in Williamsport. But social media has brought support from all corners.

And it’s welcomed.

“Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, it’s all over the place,” Avallone said. “And we’re seeing everything.”

Avallone said that in addtion to all the social media, he’s been getting text messages, calls and emails from people he hasn’t spoken to in years, offering congratulations and support.

“So many of them said they were at the state championship game,” he said.

While the players are somewhat insulated from the attention back home, Avallone said he and coaches Jim DeRose and Ray Roncin have been sharing the messages of support with the players, and they love it.

“We are thankful for all the support,” he said.