Memories to last a lifetime for Middle Senior League softball team that proved it belonged on the big stage

Posted: August 4th 2025

The Middle Township Senior League softball team's players pose for a photo with a rainbow in the background at the Eastern Regional Tournament.

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

When the Middle Township Senior League softball team competed at the Eastern Regional championship tournament a couple of weeks ago, the start of one of its games was delayed by rain.

The players decided to gather for a team photo staged with a rainbow on the horizon that formed following the storm.

Even though Middle fell short of winning the tournament, the players found their pot of gold through their collective experience and the created memories that will last a lifetime.

“We’re going to remember this for a while,” said K.J. Schaffer, the team’s centerfielder and one of its top hitters. “We’re going to be able to look back and show people, ‘Hey, look what we did.’ It’s definitely really special.”

KJ SCHAFFER

Despite bowing out in the first knockout game of the Eastern Regional Tournament, Middle proved it belonged. The team won two of its three games in pool play and held a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning before falling 4-1 in its only pool-play defeat.

“I think it was really important for us to win games up there,” said Grace Hall, a pitcher, infielder and usual leadoff hitter. “Usually New Jersey teams don’t make it that far. I think we put Middle Township out there. It was the first time a team from South Jersey made it that far. I think it makes people realize there is talent down here and that we have a really good program down here.”

Middle’s summer of success began with securing its fourth straight District 16 championship. In the three previous seasons, the team lost in the Section 4 Tournament.

But not this time.

“I didn’t think we’d get as far as we did,” said first baseman Charlotte Romberger.

CHARLOTTE ROMBERGER

Once the section tournament began, Middle simply couldn’t stop winning. The team rolled through Buena in two lopsided wins to take the Section 4 title before beating Bayonne twice sandwiched around a victory over Toms River to claim the championship at the state tournament in Dennis Township.

“When we first started out, I kind of expected the same as the other years – that we could win districts but then we could lose in sectionals,” Schaffer said. “But this year, once we got to sectionals, we knew we had a shot. Then when we got to states, I thought that would be it. But we kept winning and winning and winning. It was like a dream to make it that far and go undefeated through states. Just an amazing journey.” 

The state championship qualified Middle for the Eastern Regional tournament, which was held in Worcester, Mass. Just getting to the event became a mad scramble as the players and their parents had to quickly adjust work and life schedules after having less than a week to prepare. The team solicited and received many donations from local businesses and individuals to help fund the trip.

“It was so much fun up there,” Romberger said. “I’ve never experienced something like that before, with the big opening ceremony and seeing every single team at the hotel and just seeing all the people there for it.

“It made us feel like we were really important. There were so many people there. The fields were so much bigger than anything we’ve ever played on. They did a really good job making us feel like we belonged there.”

GRACE HALL

Middle opened with a 15-5 win over Maryland before its tough 4-1 loss to Delaware. The team finished pool play with a 13-3 win over Pennsylvania before a 12-4 defeat at the hands of Rhode Island in the first game of the knockout round.

“I think we could have gone farther than we did,” Romberger said. “We didn’t play the best we could have against Rhode Island. But I’m so grateful and happy how far we did go and how many opportunities we had. It was really cool to see our whole town come together and support us.”

Rhode Island went on to reach the regional title game, where it fell to champion Connecticut, 10-0.

Romberger, Hall, Schaffer and catcher Tori Atwood played for the Senior League team for the final time this summer. In September, all four will enter their senior year at Middle Township High School, where they each play for the school’s softball team. They’ll take the experience gained this summer into next spring when the next season arrives.

“We’ll be seniors and this shows that anything’s possible,” Hall said. “We won states for rec, so why can’t we do it for high school? We want to play hard and have a great year because it’ll be our last season of softball here.”

TORI ATWOOD

Regardless of how the next high school season turns out, the players from the Middle Senior League team will have memories to take with them for a lifetime.

“We older girls can’t do (Senior League) next year, so this was a really good way to go out,” Romberger said. “We got to spend so much time with each other. It was really cool to play with everybody one last time.”

The Middle Township Senior League’s other players included Abby Pelicano, Bella Cullican, Briana Knights, Elle Curvan, Emma Gotwals, Isla Boice, Jules Sittineri, Kendall Hunter, Lizzy Weiland, Meghan Carter, Samantha Schaffer and Shyle Thron. The team was coached by Gene Hall, Joe Schaffer, Nick Sittineri and Bill Thron.