By Justin Feil, The Packet Group
Through the first six games of the Eastern Region tournament, the winning formula was the same for the Robbinsville Little League 12-year-old all-star softball team.
Get up early on its opponent, then either pull away to a mercy-rule win or stifle them with unparalleled defense to extinguish any chance of rally. It was a comfortable way to continue to advance unblemished through six games.
Things were much different in the regional championship Friday as Exton, Pa., became the first team to take a lead against Robbinsville when they mustered a pair of unearned runs in the third inning of a scoreless game.
”Usually we’re not down,” said Robbinsville first baseman Olivia Moser. “We usually get the lead in the beginning. Being down was really tough. We really had to push through and come back. We all believed in ourselves that we could come back.”
It started in the fourth inning when Moser singled for the second time in the game. Alexa Petito reached on an error, and after a key sacrifice bunt by Hannah James moved both runners over, Ali Taylor drove home Moser with a ground out to cut the Robbinsville deficit to 2-1.
”We may have been a little frustrated,” Moser said. “We kept getting hits. Pennsylvania was making a lot of good plays. We score pretty quick sometimes. When you get a lot of hits, you usually score. This time it wasn’t the case.”
After Mackenzie Medders stranded a lead-off triple from Pennsylvania with back-to-back strikeouts and a ground out, Robbinsville went back to work in the fifth inning.
”I think we were making a lot of contact,” said Robbinsville manager Mark Walsh. “We were hitting the ball hard. We needed to stay patient and trust one another that we were going to get it done.”
Medders’ one-out double started the rally. Shea Walsh worked a walk on a full count after trailing 2-2 in the at bat, and Amanda Allen singled home Medders to tie it, 2-2. That brought up Moser, who already had two hits and just five outs until the game would end.
”I didn’t really think about it,” Moser said. “If I over-think it, I don’t produce. I was definitely nervous, but I just had to focus and wait for the right pitch.”
She got one — a fastball right down the middle that she sent back for a single to score Walsh with the winning run when Medders finished the final two innings perfectly by setting down the final nine batters that she faced to seal the second straight trip to the Little League World Series for the Robbinsville 12s.
”It does feel different because last year we beat the team by a lot,” Moser said. “This year, we were down by two runs up until the fifth inning. We only had two at bats left. Instead of having a big lead and being comfortable, everyone was kind of scared. We were losing and came back. It was more of a relief. Being down runs and coming back and winning was unbelievable.”
It means that Robbinsville is a more tested team going into the World Series than if they had cruised to another title. They know they can come back if they face a tough team, and they are hungry to return.
”I’m really happy with the way we’re playing first of all.” Walsh said. “The fact that we’re going to have eight girls returning means something. We still have to play well, but there is an intangible part of this. Returning eight girls that were a part of this will be important. We’ll enter this with an expectation similar to what we had in New Jersey and Connecticut.”
Moser finished 3-for-3 against Pennsylvania with her last hit being one of the biggest of her young career. It helps to send Robbinsville back to the World Series where it finished third last year.
”It was a very timely hit for me,” Moser said.
Robbinsville had nine hits against Pennsylvania. Medders had a pair of hits, Allen had one, Grace Maslak had one, Walsh had one and Devon Witt had one. Moser finished the tournament on a tear with five hits in her final seven at bats. She had two against New York, including a bases-loaded triple in the 7-0 semifinal win.
”Before the semifinal game, I was struggling with hitting,” Moser said. “I couldn’t get a good hit. In the semifinal game, I got my first hit. I was really, really excited.”
Midway through the championship game, she wasn’t sure how she’d be able to hit. She lost her contacts in the middle of the game, and she had to go to her contingency plan for her final at bat.
”I was panicking,” she said. “I was right about to get up to bat. I scrambled and had to go up there. I had to put on my sports goggles, which I don’t use any more. I couldn’t really see. Fortunately, I got to hit the ball.”
Petito had a pair of hits against New York, while Allen, James, Maslak, Ashley Veisz, Walsh and Witt had a hit apiece. Every one on the Robbinsville team was able to contribute in the run to the title.
”It feels really good because we’ve been working all summer,” Moser said. “It’s a huge prize. Mr. Walsh has been telling us there’s a huge prize out there. We’ve been working as hard as we can. To accomplish our goal is really great.”
Robbinsville hasn’t been pushed like this in all-star play. It’s a good tune-up heading into the World Series.
”In travel, we play 14U most of the girls on our team,” Moser said. “We’re pushed really hard in 14U. We play up, and it’s a challenge for us. Going to the 12-year-old division, it’s still a challenge. We have to come out every day and produce day by day.”
Robbinsville reacted well to being in unfamiliar territory Friday. To come out with a win only helps going forward.
”I think it certainly gave us a little bit of confidence,” Mark Walsh said. “To a girl, we probably expected to win that pretty easily. That wasn’t the case obviously. That’s a good thing for us.”
The Robbinsville team took three days off to enjoy its hard-fought regional win, but was set to resume practicing for the World Series trip Tuesday.
”I think the break was important,” Walsh said. “We had some girls that were a little sore. We’ve played a lot of softball with multiple teams since April. Factor in middle school, travel and Little League. We gave them off three days. We’ll start practice again on Tuesday. It’ll be nice to take a deep breath and think about what’s coming up.”
Robbinsville comes off a tournament where it was impressive at the plate, yet even better in the field. They did not make an error until the final game of the regional, and it was the only one while other teams made multiple errors in games against them.
”I think that’s the way we play the game,” Walsh said. “We’re not trying to strike every one out. We’re OK with them putting the bat on the ball knowing we’re going to make the play. It makes our pitchers’ job easier, knowing that we have gloves behind them. We’re in good shape defensively.”
Added Moser: “It was a really big deal. We try not to have many errors. Only having one error throughout the whole entire tournament was big.”
She is looking forward to a return trip while her sister will enter regional play with the Robbinsville 9/10 year old all-star softball team. Moser is one of eight players who was a part of last year’s World Series experience.
”I think being there last year, we’re used to the field,” she said. “We kind of know what the place is about and we’re comfortable with the feeling of being there.
”Since we’ve been working really hard, it’s another relief to get there again,” she added. “This is our main goal of playing Little League is to go to the Little League World Series. Being able to go back two years in a row is incredible.”

