New Jersey’s under-12 softball team’s hopes of making it to the Little League World Series were dashed after a controversial state championship game last week.
The state championship game between Toms River and Hanover Township was stopped by lightning with Hanover leading 6-4. The game was called off early in the top of the sixth inning due to weather, but tournament officials initially announced the game would be played the next day.
Toms River coach Brad Bossou said. New York Post He believes his team was at a disadvantage. Bossou accused the Hanover Little League district of “cheating” when tournament officials decided to end the game the next morning. That score became the final result, and Hanover won.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
“And that’s the vile, despicable part of this,” Bossow told the newspaper. “In the middle of the night he sent them a message saying that per Little League rules, the game should be over and Hanover should be announced as the state champions.”
According to the paper, the appeal to end the game reached Little League officials in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, who ultimately awarded Hanover the victory.
Hanover Township was declared the winner. (Ekin Howard/Getty Images)
Justin Verlander returns to bullpen as he works his way back from injury
Bossou said he doesn’t expect Little League officials to consider any appeals. He said officials were told “there were never any changes.” He said the team was fired up when the game was stopped. He said thunder rumbled around the bottom of the third inning, but officials said the storm was far enough away that the game could continue.
If the game had been stopped after the third inning, the teams would have had to resume play at another time, since Little League games become official after the fourth inning.
Bossou said it was about 9:30 p.m. when he asked tournament officials about the status of the match. He said he was told officials were going to do everything they could to hold the match. About 15 minutes later, he was told the match would be finished the next day, but he protested because the rules stated it had to finish by 1 a.m.
Hanover will face Maryland in the Little League Softball Mid-Atlantic Region on Sunday. (Tyler Shank/NCAA Photo via Getty Images)
In the end, the protests stalled: Hanover won.
“It’s just heartbreaking for the girls. They’re more upset by the fact that they were told certain things and then it wasn’t carried out,” Bossou told the New York Post.
Click here to get the FOX News app
Hanover will represent New Jersey and take on Maryland in the Little League Softball Mid-Atlantic Regional on Sunday.
Follow Fox News Digital X’s sports coverage subscribe Fox News Sports Huddle Newsletter.
