The Parsippany Little League baseball team may have lost its first World Series game Friday, but fans are expected to be out in force in Williamsport, Pa. Saturday for the team's second chance to win the international title.
The Par-Troy East All-Stars won the right last weekend to represent the Mid-Atlantic Region, which stretches from New York to D.C. That's where the team also won an award for best sportsmanship.
"I'm just as proud of that as I am of winning the tournament," said James Bucciarelli, president of the Par-Troy East Little League.
The All-Stars are the best players from the six teams, and Bucciarelli said he had an idea they were something special when they first started playing together several years ago.
Mayor James Barberio noted that some of the players come from the Lake Hiawatha section of town, which was devastated by flooding last year.
He applauded the team members for their "hard work" over the years to get to Williamsport.
One hundred and thirty children and adults had boarded three buses to travel to Pennsylvania for Friday's first game. The Par-Troy East All Stars ended up losing 5-2 to a team from San Antonio.
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But in the fans' eyes, "they're already winners, these boys," said Denise DePietro, a mother of a younger Little Leaguer.
"We're excited to be here," she said.
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