It’s officially Bayonne vs. everybody.
The phrase has served as the Hudson County Little League’s mantra and rallying cry throughout the summer, and on Friday night, more than 140 miles away in Bristol, Connecticut, it became reality.
Bayonne’s 12-year-olds continued their historic run, defeating Darien, Connecticut 8-6, in a dramatic, come-from-behind, winner-take-all championship game to capture the Metro Region title on Aug. 14 before an overflow crowd at the A. Bartlett Giamatti Little League Leadership Training Center.
After trailing 6-4, Bayonne rallied in the bottom of the fifth inning as Owen Feliz delivered a one-out, bases-loaded double that drove in two runs to tie the game. Jett Bridges followed with an RBI single, giving Bayonne the lead for good.
Mason Rincon earned the victory on the mound, tossing four scoreless innings and striking out eight batters.
The victory secured a berth in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, for the New Jersey state champions, who have spent the summer proving they belong among the nation’s elite.
Bayonne becomes the 21st New Jersey charter to reach the Little League World Series and the first since Toms River East advanced in 2021. The club is also just the second team from Hudson County to accomplish the feat, joining West New York American, which reached Williamsport in 1966.
For a program that embraced the underdog mentality from the outset, Bayonne now finds itself on Little League’s biggest stage, carrying the hopes of its city, county and state into Williamsport.
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This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Bayonne headed to Little League World Series after winning Metro title