Bridgewater Little League pitcher Jude DeSimone could only tip his cap toward Bayonne Little League standout Mason Rincon after Rincon sent a game-winning shot to center field in the bottom of the sixth, lifting the New Jersey team to a 2-1 victory.
If Bayonne has embraced “Bayonne vs. Everyone” as its rallying cry throughout the Little League tournament, Rincon delivered the perfect embodiment of it. He first held Bridgewater, Mass., in check with 4 ¹/₃ innings of two-hit pitching, then became the hero with a solo homer in the final inning — the kind of swing that would have looked at home in a major league ballpark.
Rincon came to the plate in the sixth simply looking to reach base. Moments later, he had the large group of New Jersey supporters who made the trip to Pennsylvania roaring as Bayonne celebrated one of its biggest moments yet in Williamsport.
“It’s special, definitely,” Rincon told reporters of the walk-off homer. “My first-ever walk-off home run and for it to be on this stage, it’s awesome. To feel the atmosphere of the stadium and feel everybody chanting my name after as soon as I hit the ball, it just felt amazing.”
The dramatic win on Wednesday extended a remarkable surge for Bayonne, N.J., which has now won 14 straight games. The Little Leaguers advance to face East Side Little League of West Chester, Pa., the Mid-Atlantic Region representative, on Friday.
Rincon’s blast was reminiscent of the home run the 12-year-old crushed earlier this month during the regional tournament, when Bayonne defeated Port Washington Little League on its way to earning the Metro Region’s spot in Williamsport.
Opponents have had good reason to be cautious with Rincon all year. His power has repeatedly changed games, and Bayonne coach Justin Smith had previously warned teams that pitching to him was not the safest strategy.
“They really took it seriously, and they haven’t pitched to him until today, so my advice to them is they should pitch to him all the time from now on,” Smith said. “That is my new advice.”
But Wednesday, Rincon showed the ability he possesses on the mound as well.
The Bayonne starter retired the side in order to start the game and struck out two batters in a row to close out the top of the second. He didn’t surrender his first hit until the top of the third when Anthony Sullivan hit a solo home run to tie the game for Bridgewater.
He finished his time on the mound with eight strikeouts and just three walks before Gabe Garcia Jr. took over for him.
Feliz hitting the bag during the team’s Little League World Series game on Aug. 19, 2026 in Williamsport, Pa. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
This year’s run for Bayonne has been a special one with the Little League making its first appearance in Williamsport, and the team expected a tight game from the onset.
Garcia scored Bayonne’s first run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the first inning, which proved to be the only run they’d get until the bottom of the sixth.
Bridgewater’s Dominik Mombeleur — also known as the “Dominator” — held Bayonne to just four hits in his 3 ¹/₃ innings of work, which included eight strikeouts. He was on the hill for both of Rincon’s earlier at-bats, when the Bayonne star struck out and popped out.
