Little Leaguers challenge Somerset sheriff's officers to game — and win

FRANKLIN (Somerset) – Members of the Somerset County Sheriff's Office showed they don't shy away from a challenge, especially one aimed at building community relations.

But they might want to get in a few practice games before they go up against members of the Franklin Township South Bound Brook Little League again after the kids crushed the law enforcement officers by a score of 15-7 in a game that was interrupted by a water balloon fight and ended with a post-game cake party.

“Sheriff Darrin J. Russo and the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office were excited to accept this Little League challenge as there is no bigger asset to any community then our children," said Undersheriff Tim Pino.

Joe Sokolowski, vice president of the Franklin Township South Bound Brook Little League, said the idea for the challenge sprang from wanting to show the sheriff's officers in a positive light while also promoting Little League as COVID-19 restrictions have eased.

"The kids wanted to call the sheriffs out and have a game," said Sokolowski, whose league this year had 34 players, boys and girls, ages 4 to 14.

He said the numbers of players has dropped markedly from 10 to 15 years ago when the league had about 200 players. Sokolowski attributes the decline to the use of computers as well as two-parent working households.

"It's great for the kids to get out and build relationships with friends, build a relationship with the coaches and learn how to play the game," he said.

Sokolowski said the Little League has never challenged anyone to a game before but this year he mentioned the idea to a friend who works as a sheriff's officer who was all in. Sokolowski said he later learned that Sheriff Russo's children played on the Little League team when they were young.

Sokolowski said his team, with the help of Mariah Grippo, made a video calling out the sheriff's officers to come play. The officers responded with their own video.

The two teams played June 16 at Franklin Township South Bound Brook Little League field off Madison Avenue with about 29 Little Leaguers and about 15 sheriff's officers.

"There were a lot of people from the Sheriff's Office," said Sokolowski, who estimates more than 30 people from the Sheriff's Office came out, including uniformed officers, K-9 officers, Sheriff Russo and undersheriffs.

"It was really a good event for everybody," he said, adding it was a good way to destress from COVID.

And about that final score?

"The sheriffs lost miserably," Sokolowski said, noting the kids who played were ages 4 to 11. "It was more of a fun thing than anything. The sheriffs were running with the kids to home plate when they weren't supposed to be. The sheriff's officers were getting water balloons thrown at them. It was an all-around fun game. It was a good time."

He said it's a game that the kids won't soon forget.

"The kids just had a great time. They were looking forward to it all week. They just absolutely loved it," he said.

A rematch is planned for next year and there is also talk about reaching out to other Franklin and South Bound Brook first responders for a game to further build community relations.

But they better be prepared to bring their A game because Sokolowski said his Little Leaguers "play to win."

Email: srussell@gannettnj.com 

Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.