Sunday’s LL Senior Softball state tournament games canceled, Pennsville likely to play for state title Tuesday with advantages lost
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
PARSIPPANY – For all the advantages that come with playing outdoor sports in the summertime, the biggest drawback is they play at the mercy of the weather. And Mother Nature stepped to the plate Sunday morning, much to the disappointment of the Pennsville LL Senior Softball All-Stars.
Heavy rain and deteriorating field conditions conspired to cancel all the games in the New Jersey LL senior and junior softball tournaments here Sunday. The earliest games could be played would be Monday, but it’s most likely Pennsville wouldn’t play for the state title until Tuesday.
An elimination game between Morris County (District One) and Roberto Clemente LL of Jersey City must be played before Pennsville can even retake the Par-Troy West field. And the junior bracket winner reports to their regional Wednesday, so they’ll have field priority.
Pennsville manager Chris Watson and many of his players and parents headed back to South Jersey Sunday and would return whenever their game is rescheduled. Watson said he was hoping to have an update later this evening.
The cancelation was not welcome news for the team that was in the tournament’s driver seat. The state champion is set to check in at the East Regional in Worcester, Mass., Friday. With Delaware scheduled to play its title game Sunday night, New Jersey will be the last team in its regional pool to determine its representative.
In addition, all the momentum Pennsville had built on Saturday’s first day here is basically washed out as well.
“It’s deflating,” Watson said. “You’re chomping to get on the field and it’s kind of the worst case weather-wise for us, because of the travel distance.
“To potentially be playing Tuesday instead of today it throws everybody’s week up in the air and, if we were to win, puts us on a short turnaround for getting to regionals with Friday being a travel day. It was a fast turnaround last year and we were done on Sunday. This year we’ve got to do it in half the time if we win.”
More than two inches of rain fell in an already saturated area Saturday. Little League district administrator Chris Graham initially informed the teams of the likelihood of a cancelation as dawn was breaking Sunday morning.
“I sent a message out to all the leagues at 5 in the morning,” Graham said. “We didn’t have a field that was playable even at 5 and it got worse.”
He said it was “highly unlikely” Pennsville would be playing Monday. Graham said he does look for any fields that are available within his district and Pennsville’s 12-2 opening win over District One Saturday was moved to the Par-Troy East complex in an attempt to beat the weather, but moving to alternate sites “generally doesn’t happen” for logistical reasons.
While the adults in the room were finalizing their departure plans Sunday, the players waited things out in the hotel lobby.
Pennsville third baseman Bella Farina shared her teammates disappointment.
“It 100 percent bums me out because playing softball with my team is probably my favorite thing to do,” the rising Pennsville senior said. “Having to postpone it makes my anxiety 10 times worse having to wait – and I hate that.
“I thought we were going to get it done. I thought we were going to be able to get that state title today and definitely go home and enjoy ourselves. We usually go back to Chris’ house and all jump in the pool with our uniforms on.”
But now, Worcester can wait.
LL SENIOR SOFTBALL EAST REGIONAL
at Worcester, Mass.
Pool A: Connecticut, Host (Mass D4), Massachusetts, Rhode Island
Pool B: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania
New Jersey Schedule
July 22 – Maryland (Havre de Grace), 1:30 p.m.
July 23 – Delaware (Smyrna), 6 p.m.
July 24 – Pennsylvania (Stroudsburg), 5 p.m.
July 24 – New York (Warwick), 8 p.m.
July 25 – Quarterfinals
July 26 – Semifinals
July 26 – Finals
Riverview Sports News 