By Jashvina Shah, Special Writer
In the New Jersey District 12 Little League baseball tournament, Robbinsville’s 10-year-old boys faced West Windsor early on. West Windsor won that game, sending Robbinsville to the losers bracket.
But seven games later, Robbinsville faced West Windsor again, this time for the District 12 title. They won the first game 18-1, and followed that up the next night with a 4-3 win to earn the banner.
”They woke us up because they beat us in that second game,” Robbinsville manager John Grembowitz said. “Our kids got a reality check and thought, maybe we’re not as good as we think we are. It refocused them and made them a better team forward.”
In the championship game, Robbinsville allowed three runs in the bottom of the fourth, going down 3-1. In the same half inning, Grembowitz turned to Ryan Visich to relieve Ryan Herbert. Visich took the mound with one out and the bases loaded.
”He’s more nervous as a starter, I think he’s more relaxed coming in as a relief pitcher,” Grembowitz said. “I think he likes the idea of coming in, being the hero and shutting the door. And he throws hard, which is good. He’s the consummate relief pitcher, coming in, throwing fast.”
Grembowitz never considered using another player other than Visich.
”He’s probably our number one pitcher, so for me not to use him in that situation would probably be a mistake,” Grembowitz said. “He’s our go-to kid.
Robbinsville benefited from the switch, as Visich held West Windsor scoreless for the rest of the inning. He finished the game with five strikeouts, earning the win. He retired West Windsor’s last two batters in the sixth inning on a pair of strikeouts.
Visich helped his own cause, recording two hits and scoring two runs — including the game-winning run — to help Robbinsville earn the District 12 title.
Robbinsville entered the bottom of the fourth down 3-1. Before Robbinsville took the field for the bottom of the inning, Grembowitz said he told his players to focus.
”They were down, but I explained to them before the game we had a blowout win the night before,” Grembowitz said. “I said, ‘Don’t expect the same game we had last night,’ because West Windsor’s a good team and they have their two best pitchers throwing.”
Grembowitz told his team they had the offense to overcome the two-run deficit.
”I’m not going to say they were confident, but they weren’t sinking,” Grembowitz said.
Their comeback started in the bottom of the fourth, when Christian Martini doubled to left field. He crossed home on a Kyle Madera single him home. Blake Grembowitz followed with a single, sending Madera home two at bats later. Visich drove Jason Gallucci home for the game-winning run.
After entering the losers bracket for the tournament, Robbinsville recorded five-straight wins, each by at least 10 runs. They defeated Nottingham, 15-2, to advance from the bracket and face West Windsor.
Robbinsville won seven games in a row to take District 12.
”I told them, after we lost that second game to West Windsor, that if there’s any team that’s built to come out of the losers bracket, it’s our team,” Grembowitz said.

