Rincon Goes Deep Again as Metro Moves to 2-0 at LLWS
By: Justin Bradley | SportzWire | August 21, 2026 | Photo courtesy Justin Focus
WILLIAMSPORT — Two games. Two wins. Two home runs for Mason Rincon.
Bayonne Little League continued its unbeaten start at the Little League World Series Friday night, defeating Pennsylvania’s East Side Little League, 3-1, under the lights at Howard J. Lamade Stadium.
The Metro Region champions are now 2-0 in Williamsport, following Wednesday’s dramatic 2-1 victory over Massachusetts with another strong performance against the Mid-Atlantic champions.
And once again, Rincon delivered a big swing.
Bayonne struck first in the bottom of the second inning when Joey Dwyer came through on an 0-2 count with an RBI single to give New Jersey a 1-0 advantage.
East Side starter Cole Warner kept Pennsylvania within striking distance, but Bayonne added to its lead in the fourth.
Rincon drove a solo home run to right field, giving Bayonne a 2-0 advantage and recording his second home run in as many LLWS games.
It continued a memorable start in Williamsport for Rincon, whose walk-off solo homer in the sixth inning Wednesday lifted Bayonne past Massachusetts in its opening game.
East Side answered in the fifth, pushing across a run to cut the deficit to 2-1.
Bayonne responded with another run in the bottom half, restoring its two-run advantage at 3-1.
That was enough for Chase Klimkowski.
Klimkowski worked 5⅓ innings, allowing six hits and one unearned run while striking out six without issuing a walk. He threw 60 of his 86 pitches for strikes before Gabe Garcia Jr. entered to record the final two outs.
Warner took the loss despite a solid start for East Side, allowing two runs on two hits over three innings while striking out five and walking two.
Ryan Donnelly followed with two innings in relief, allowing one run on three hits and striking out three.
East Side actually outhit Bayonne, 6-5, but New Jersey made its opportunities count.
Dwyer and AJ Tapia each collected two hits for Bayonne, while Rincon’s home run accounted for the other. Dwyer and Rincon each drove in a run.
Donnelly and Mike Nolan led Pennsylvania with two hits apiece. Nolan and Drew DiGiulio each doubled, while Patrick Corliss also added a hit. East Side did not commit an error defensively.
Bayonne now owns victories over the New England Region champion Massachusetts and Mid-Atlantic Region champion Pennsylvania to open its stay in Williamsport.
East Side’s Little League World Series run, meanwhile, continues on the elimination side of the bracket.
For Bayonne, the perfect start continues.
2-0 in Williamsport and Rincon has left the yard in both.
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