Ramsey Captures Group 2 Title Behind Donofrio’s Dominance

The seventh-seeded Rams went into Ivy Hill Park, stayed composed from first pitch to last out, and walked away state champions. Brooke Donofrio made sure of it.
Brooke Donofrio had 15 strikeouts, a home run, and two RBIs on Friday afternoon at Ivy Hill Park. She also nearly walked away from the sport entirely ten months ago. Both of those things are true, and together they make this state championship story unlike most others.

Ramsey defeated Barnegat 8–1 to claim the program's first Group 2 state title since 2019, doing it the only way this team knows how — with early runs, a locked-in pitcher, and a lineup that stayed patient and made its moments count. As a seven seed, nobody had the Rams circled on their bracket as a title threat. They had other plans.

Ramsey struck in the first inning, scoring two to set the tone immediately. Donofrio took it from there, retiring the first nine batters she faced and racking up seven strikeouts through three innings while her offense led 3–0. Bella Baldino, who finished 3-for-4 with a home run and three runs scored, provided the signature offensive moment of the game when she led off the fifth with a solo shot to push the lead to four. Donofrio was still perfect at that point and Barnegat was running out of answers.

The Rams tacked on four more in the seventh, including a two-RBI double from Eva Chetaitis, to make it 8–0 before Barnegat scored their lone run in the final inning. Donofrio finished with 15 strikeouts and allowed just one hit across seven complete innings. A caught stealing ended the game and the celebration was on.

After the game, Donofrio spoke on what the championship means to a group that lost both the county and sectional title a year ago before running off the kind of season that ends with a gold trophy. "It's truly hard to put into words how much it means to be a state champion," she said. "Getting to do it with such a talented group of girls, who I can wholeheartedly say are my best friends, means the world. I couldn't be more proud of our team, the resilience we have shown from losing the county and sectional championship in 2025 to winning league, county, section, and state. The road to victory was not easy, but these girls showed up every single day, ready to work with each other and for each other."

On a personal level, Donofrio's journey to this moment goes deeper than the box score. She was open about nearly walking away from the sport over the summer, but made the decision to reach out for help and began working with a sports psychologist who helped her rediscover her love for the game. "I have been very open about my battle with mental health," she said. "I almost quit softball over the summer. But with darkness comes light, with struggle comes strength. If you were to have told me 10 months ago I would be a state champion I would have never believed you. I felt prepared to perform, not scared to fail."

The preparation she speaks about didn't happen by accident. Donofrio credited the coaching staff and her teammates equally for building the kind of environment where a day like Friday was possible. "Coach Casserta from the start of the season made it clear that we were going to get physically and mentally stronger, so when our big moment came, we would be ready to own it," she said. "When one win became five, then ten, then twenty in a row, we kept riding the wave because we knew when we play for each other, we can beat any team. When the state championship came, we felt prepared yet composed, letting the moment be big because it was, but not letting the pressure consume us."

Ramsey finishes 26-3 and heads home with a title that means more than most. A group of homegrown Rams who lost it all a year ago, came back with something to prove, and delivered when the moment was biggest. Anything is possible when you play with a pack of Rams. Homegrown and ready to protect the 07446.