WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Even the opposing players in today’s Little League showdown say they’re intimidated when the defending world champions from Toms River “unleash the Beast.”
When they first faced the underdog team from tiny Phenix City, Ala., last Sunday, Toms River’s “gorilla” mascot jumped up and down and rallied the fans to chant “E-A-S-T” as they won.
“We got whupped Sunday and our kids’ jaws hit the ground when there were 24,000 Toms River fans yelling ‘East’ and all that stuff,” Alabama manager Tony Rasmus said.
“It was pretty intimidating. We never got that rattled before,” he said.
More than 20,000 supporters are expected to be on hand today to cheer for Toms River.
“We’re the Beast from the East,” said Richie Cunningham, one of two coaches of the team, which won the Little League’s eastern regionals last week.
Seven busloads of Toms River fans came to Williamsport for that game, a stark contrast with the Alabama team’s tiny turnout. They barely scrounged up 50 proud parents who drove up in their own cars from Phenix City.
But Rasmus vowed to seek revenge today. “We’re just a bunch of country bumpkins, but we’re a scrappy little bunch and we’ll get in there and fight to the end,” he said.
But he admitted that the thought of losing had crossed his mind.
“Shoot, we’ll still be No. 2 in the nation if we lose,” Rasmus said.
His players were fired up yesterday.
Phenix City outfielder Ben Carter, 11, said: “We’ve got a plan. A plan of vengeance.”
But Toms River’s Zack Del Vento, 12, just scoffed.
“Alabama really doesn’t scare me,” he said. “They’re just a bunch of little kids with a good curve.”
The winner of today’s game gets to pit its talents against an international team – from either Puerto Rico or Japan – on Saturday night to decide who will be this year’s Little League World Series champions.