PASCACK VALLEY AREA, Bergen County, N.J.—The Township of Washington’s third- and fourth-grade Summer Softball Team capped off a thrilling five-win weekend with a dramatic walk-off 10–9 victory over Westwood, clinching the championship at the 15th Annual Park Ridge Rumble Softball Tournament on Sunday, June 8.
Hosted by Park Ridge, the festive three-day tournament featured food trucks, giveaways, and family-friendly activities, drawing 11 teams from seven Bergen and Pascack Valley towns to the Colony Park complex.
The sounds of cheering fans and the ping of bats filled the air during Friday and Saturday’s opening rounds, despite bouts of rain. Twelve preliminary games set the stage for a 10-team elimination bracket on a sunny Sunday—culminating in a heart-pounding finale delivered by the resilient Falcons.
Township came out firing on Saturday, opening their tournament run with a commanding 13–2 victory over Hillsdale. The Falcons’ offense was relentless, tallying 10 hits, with standout performances from Katie Casbar (SS), Daniela DeFina (P), Amelia Mozian (2B) and Rosalia Reboiro (3B) — each collecting two hits to fuel the early surge.
Defensively, Township was locked in. A smart tag play at second base by Katelyn Udina (OF) highlighted a sharp day in the field. In the circle, Daniela DeFina set the tone with a flawless first inning, striking out the side on just nine pitches. She and Marcella Mastellone (P) combined for 11 strikeouts and allowed only one earned run over four innings of dominant pitching. The win set the tone for what would become a memorable weekend.
In the afternoon showdown under steady rain, the Falcons proved their grit with a thrilling 6-3 comeback victory over Park Ridge. Down 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth, the Falcons erupted for five runs on two hits to seize control of the game.
The turning point came when Kelly Terwilliger (C) delivered a clutch, bases-clearing double to right field that drove in three runs and flipped the momentum in Township’s favor. Defensively, the Falcons were flawless, playing error-free softball throughout the contest. Starter Daniela DeFina was dominant, allowing no hits and striking out seven, including three in the final inning to seal the win.
Saturday’s big wins—and just five runs allowed—secured the Falcons the #1 seed and home-field advantage throughout Sunday’s elimination round.
On the final day of the tournament, the top-seeded Falcons kept their momentum rolling with a dominant 9-0 win over #8 seed Paramus in the first elimination game.
Township came out firing, plating five runs in the opening inning thanks to key hits from Kelly Terwilliger and Rosalia Reboiro, along with disciplined at-bats that led to an impressive 16 walks. On the mound, the reliable duo of Daniela DeFina and Marcella Mastellone delivered once again. Each allowed just one hit and struck out five batters, combining for a shutout performance that set the tone for the day.
The semifinal round brought together four powerhouse programs—Westwood, Park Ridge, Emerson, and Township of Washington—for an afternoon of high-stakes softball. In a rematch of Saturday’s showdown, the #1 seeded Falcons once again faced off against #4 seed Park Ridge.
Park Ridge struck first with a run in the opening inning, but the Falcons responded immediately, scoring three runs in the bottom half to take the lead. The offense stayed hot in the third, sparked by timely hits from Rosalia Reboiro, Katie Casbar, and Catherine D’Amico, adding four more runs to extend the lead to
7-2. On the mound, Marcella Mastellone came in strong in relief, tossing two scoreless innings to shut the door and punch the Falcons’ ticket to the championship match.
In a dramatic finale to an unforgettable tournament, the #1 seeded Falcons faced off against #3 seed Westwood in a back-and-forth battle for the championship crown. Westwood opened the scoring with a run in the first inning, but Township responded with a five-run outburst by the third. Key hits from Frankie Galiotti (1B) (RBI double) and Kelly Terwilliger (RBI single) extended the Falcons’ lead to 5-1.
Westwood, however, refused to go quietly. They scored three in the fourth and mounted a powerful rally in the fifth to surge ahead 9-5. The Falcons chipped away in the bottom half, as Katie Casbar singled, stole third, and scored on a groundout by Frankie Galiotti, cutting the deficit to three.
In the top of the sixth, DeFina re-entered the circle and immediately made an impact, striking out the first two batters she faced. Westwood’s chance to extend the lead ended with a clutch defensive play by Amelia Mozian, who snagged a sharply hit line drive at second base to keep the momentum alive.
Then came the final frame. Trailing by three, the Falcons mounted one last rally—loading the bases and narrowing the gap with a walk drawn by Catherine D’Amico forcing in a run, followed by an alert tag-up of home by Marcella Mastellone during a Westwood double play. The sequence brought the score to 9–8 with two outs, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
With the championship on the line and the tying run on second, Katie Casbar delivered again—smashing the first pitch she saw to drive in Catherine D’Amico and knotting the game at 9.
With the crowd on edge, Daniela DeFina stepped to the plate. On a sharply hit infield grounder, she hustled down the line and beat the throw to first, allowing Rosalia Reboiro to score the winning run from third. The Falcons walked it off in thrilling fashion, capturing Township’s third consecutive Rumble championship.
The crowd erupted, and the Falcons’ dugout stormed the field in celebration—capping off a weekend of heart, hustle, and unforgettable moments.
Following the Falcons’ dramatic walk-off win, manager Nick Casbar shared his thoughts on the team’s performance and spirit:
“We are all so proud of this group, it is well deserved. Every girl contributed this weekend, as we expected. They are super coachable and a joy to watch on the field.”
Casbar praised the team’s unity and perseverance, noting the deep bond many of the players share:
“This team is never out of games. Many of them have played together since tee-ball, and from the start they’ve been a scrappy, resilient group that competes and never gives up—no matter the score. They always fight back.”
“When things get tough, that’s when they show up and play their best—and that’s what makes a team a champion.”
Roster
- P/3B Lyla Brue (4)
- SS/C Katie Casbar (4)
- OF/C Catherine D’Amico (4)
- P/1B Daniela DeFina (4)
- 1B/P Frankie Galiotti (4)
- 2B/SF Amelia Mozian (4)
- 3B Rosalia Reboiro (4)
- C/OF Katelyn Udina (4)
- OF Giavanna Gramuglia (3)
- P/OF Marcella Mastellone (3)
- OF Harlow Ponchak (3)
- C/OF Kelly Terwilliger (3)
Manager
- Nick Casbar
Coaches
- Jimmy Brue
- Janine Galiotti
- Dominick Gramuglia
- Mike Mastellone
— Team submission