Randolph East comeback forces decisive Little League game

MORRISTOWN – Justin Townsend "wasn't nervous" when he stepped to the plate with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning. Townsend, the Randolph East first baseman, was certain he was going to hit the ball — and that teammate Alex Marks was going to figure out a way to score the winning run in the District 1 Little League baseball game against East Hanover.

But even Townsend hadn't quite pictured this scenario.

His fly ball to right-center allowed Marks to score all the way from first base, lifting Randolph East to a 6-5 victory against East Hanover. That forces a decisive District 1 final tonight at 6 p.m. at Burnham Park in Morristown.

"It's great," Townsend said. "I was getting up to the plate knowing if I put it in play, Alex is our fastest kid, and he was going to get home. ... (Ethan Gu) threw me the pitch I wanted to hit, and I put it where no one could field it."

That pitch was a 2-1 fastball down the middle. Marks, standing on first base, "couldn't look at the ball." He kept his eyes on the basepaths, and when Randolph East coach Michael Townsend waved him home, "had to use my wheels."

Marks had gotten on base on an error, after working out three walks in Monday's game. Justin Townsend finished 1-for-3 with a walk, a run scored and the game-winning RBI.

East Hanover leadoff hitter John Ruccio had started the game off with a double, and came around to score on a fielders' choice. Third baseman Chris Stephen got on with a bunt, then gave East Hanover a 2-0 lead on a wild pitch.

But in the bottom of the first, Marks scored on a wild pitch, and Catcher Jimmy Pepe gave Randolph East a 3-2 lead on a two-run homer to straight centerfield.

Shortstop Louis Matias blasted an almost identical homer in the top of the third, giving East Hanover the lead back. East Hanover stretched to a two-run lead on Ruccio's one-out liner to right, which drove in Johnny Borrello.

Randolph East's Chris Ascione hit a first-pitch homer off Gu to lead off the fourth. Randolph East tied the game as sliding Aden Koenigsberg avoided a tag with two out in the bottom of the sixth.

Koenigsberg also struck out back-to-back East Hanover hitters with the game on the line in the top of the seventh, earning a round of congratulations from his teammates.

It was a marked turnaround from when East Hanover had beaten Randolph East, 11-0, on Friday, sending the red-and-blue squad to the consolation bracket. Randolph East defeated Florham Park, 13-8, on Sunday to earn the rematch in what is now a final series.

Tonight's winner will advance to the Section 1 Tournament at Kittatinny.

"I gave up the home run, and my team got down on themselves and couldn't hit," said Ruccio, who finished 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored, and an RBI.

"(Before the next game) we'll hang out and talk about how our team can be better, to accomplish our goal for the season and win this championship."

Staff Writer Jane Havsy: 973-428-6682; jhavsy@gannettnj.com; www.dailyrecord.com/writerjane/