Ocean County Tournament Championship Preview: (3) Toms River East vs (5) Southern

Ocean County Tournament Championship Game

 

(3) Toms River East Vs. (5) Southern

When: Wednesday, May 6th, 7 p.m.

Where:  Adventure Crossing, Jackson Township

 

Toms River East Raiders (13-2) 

Head Coach: Danielle Foran

Road to the Final:

1st Round – Defeated (14) Brick Memorial 14-4

Quarterfinal – Defeated (6) Point Boro 8-0

Semifinal – Defeated (2) Jackson 8-5 

Potential Line-up

Kelly Forrester, 2B – .319 BA, 4 2B, 14 R, 7 RBI

Cameron Carr, CF – .462 BA, 3 2B, 23 R, 5 RBI

Kylie Paladino, P/SS – .420 BA, 4 HR, 22 R, 23 RBI

Addison Gallagher, LF – .447 BA, 1 3B, 18 R, 8 RBI

Maya Ballaccomo, C – .500 BA, 7 2B, 9 R, 11 RBI

Alexa DeMarco, 3B – .320 BA, 1 HR, 13 R, 14 RBI

Layla Hatton, DP/OF – .222 BA, 3 2B, 7 R, 7 RBI

Brianna DeLima, P/SS – .265 BA, 1 3B, 9 R, 13 RBI

Mackenzie Tarzia, RF/1B – .286, 1 3B, 3 R, 1 RBI

Emma Eisman, 1B/FLEX – .250 BA, 9 R, 3 RBI

Potential Pitchers:

Kylie Paladino – 42 IP, 33 K, 2.17 ERA

Brianna DeLima – 48 IP, 65 K, 1.75 ERA

 

Recap:

In the opening round against Brick Memorial, Kylie Paladino and Alexa DeMarco each drove in four runs to power the Raiders’ offense. Paladino launched two home runs, while DeMarco added a three-run homer in the victory. Paladino continued her strong tournament in the quarterfinals against Point Boro, driving in two more runs, while Kelly Forrester contributed with a single and two walks.

One of Toms River East’s greatest strengths throughout the tournament has been its pitching depth, a major advantage during a condensed two-game day format. Paladino got the start in the opening game and struck out nine batters, while freshman Brianna DeLima matched that total against Point Boro, tossing her second career shutout.

The Raiders then squared off against defending OCT champion Jackson in the semifinals. Trailing 5-3 entering the sixth inning, Toms River East rallied to tie the game behind consecutive RBI singles from Maya Ballaccomo and DeMarco. Paladino sparked the comeback with a two-out double that ignited a stretch of four straight batters reaching base.

In the eighth inning, DeMarco helped put the Raiders ahead by reaching on an error that allowed both Paladino and Ballaccomo to score. DeLima later added an insurance run with an RBI double before returning to the circle to seal the victory, striking out three batters in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Key to Winning:

Toms River East has built its success around fundamentally sound softball, and maintaining that identity will be critical in the championship game. The Raiders are not a lineup built around power, but they do not need to be. They consistently execute situationally, limit mistakes, and capitalize on opportunities.

The pitching staff has been especially reliable, issuing fewer than two walks per game this season — a key factor against a dangerous Southern lineup capable of taking advantage of free baserunners.

Defensively, the Raiders are anchored by center fielder Cameron Carr, whose range and instincts allow her to consistently take hits away from opposing teams. Her ability to cover ground gives Toms River East a steady presence in the outfield and helps strengthen one of the Shore’s most disciplined defensive units.

Offensively, the Raiders have developed a reputation for delivering timely hits, particularly through Paladino, who has come through in clutch moments since her freshman season. During that her freshman season’s tournament run, she delivered a game-tying double in the ninth inning before blasting a three-run home run in the 10th to send Toms River East to the OCT championship game.

Now back on the tournament’s biggest stage, the Raiders will lean heavily on the experience and leadership of Paladino and Addison Gallagher, the lone remaining players from that championship-game team.

 

Southern Rams (8-6)

Head Coach: Jamie Olsen

Road to the Final

1st Round – Defeated (12) Lacey 11-0

Quarterfinal – Defeated (4) Central 14-1

Semifinal – Defeated (1) Barnegat 4-0

Potential Line-up

Emily Zellman, CF – .395 BA, 3 HR, 12 R, 9 RBI

Madilyn Duralek, 3B – .383 BA, 2 2B, 12 R, 5 RBI

Kendra Perrini, C – .419 BA, 4 2B, 4 RBI

Abigail Krill, SS – .366 BA, 6 2B, 12 R, 6 RBI

Christina Brooks, 1B – .303 BA, 1 HR, 8 R, 11 RBI

Brooke Sutter, P/2B – .237 BA, 1 2B, 11 RBI

Kaedyn Lipowski, LF – .333 BA, 1 HR, 9 R, 7 RBI

Samantha Jillson, P – .233 BA, 2 2B, 2 RBI

Isabella DeSanto, OF/DP – .111 BA, 1 2B, 1 R, 2 RBI

Madison Bayer, DP/OF – .600 BA, 2 2B, 5 R, 2 RBI

Pitching Stats:

Samantha Jillson – 38.2 IP, 37 K, 3.26 ERA

Brooke Sutter – 39 IP, 38 K, 3.23 ERA

Recap:

Southern Regional cruised through the opening two rounds of the OCT, with both victories ending in five innings behind explosive offensive performances. Kaedyn Lipowski led the charge against Lacey, driving in six runs, including a home run. In the quarterfinal round against Central, Madilyn Duralek collected four RBIs while Kendra Perrini added three more. Over the first two tournament games, the Rams combined for 28 hits, showcasing the depth and consistency of their lineup.

Like Toms River East, Southern benefits from having two reliable pitching options, a significant advantage during the tournament’s condensed schedule. Samantha Jillson matched a career-high with 10 strikeouts in the win over Lacey, while Brooke Sutter followed with a seven-strikeout performance against Central to secure the victory.

The Rams then faced their toughest challenge in the semifinal round against undefeated and top-seeded Barnegat. Southern’s pitching depth once again proved invaluable, as Jillson was unavailable due to a school event. Sutter stepped into the spotlight and delivered one of her strongest outings of the season, limiting the No. 7 team in the Shore Sports Insider rankings to just four hits while striking out six in a complete-game shutout.

Southern also executed offensively from the outset, taking advantage of Barnegat miscues and applying early pressure to build a lead. The Rams struck first and never relinquished control, earning a convincing 4-0 victory to advance to the championship game.

Keys to Winning:

Southern endured an inconsistent start to the season, much of which stemmed from defensive mistakes in the field. However, when the Rams are playing clean defensively and their offense is producing, they are capable of putting significant pressure on opposing teams.

With six regular starters batting above .300, Southern features a deep and balanced lineup with very few easy outs. The Rams are at their best when they consistently put runners on base and force opposing pitchers to work through traffic.

That approach will be especially important against a Toms River East team that has been one of the stingiest pitching staffs in the Shore Conference. The Raiders do not allow many scoring opportunities, meaning Southern will need to capitalize on early chances and maximize baserunners — much like it did in the semifinal victory over Barnegat.

Notes:

• Both teams possess strong pitching depth with two reliable options in the circle, giving each coaching staff flexibility and likely leading to quick adjustments if a starter struggles early.
• Both offenses have demonstrated explosive potential, with each team recording four games of 10 or more runs this season.
• Barnegat serves as a notable common opponent. Southern handed the Bengals their only loss of the season at the time, while two of Toms River East’s losses came against Barnegat.
• Toms River East enters the championship on a nine-game winning streak, while Southern has won seven of its last nine games, with both losses coming against No. 2 Donovan Catholic.
• Senior Addison Gallagher enters the championship game just five hits shy of 100 for her career.
• Southern has been battle-tested against high-level competition, playing five games against teams ranked in the Shore Sports Insider Top 10, while Toms River East has remained ranked since Week 4.

Predictions:

Nick Lowe – Toms River East, 7-6 (9 innings)

Samantha Mayer – Southern, 8-6 (8 innings)