Kayla Delia Celebrates Her Birthday With Two Home Runs

By Walter J. O’Neill, Jr.

Kayla Delia is all smiles as the freshman hit two home runs on two pitches during the 21-1 win over Manville to open the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group 1 tournament. It was also her 15th birthday.

Normally on a birthday the person celebrating is given gifts. Kayla Delia a freshman at Shore Regional varsity softball team celebrated her 15th birthday on May 26. The gift she gave her teammates were two booming home runs during the opening round of the NJSIAA playoffs.

Shore Regional entered the Central Jersey, Group 1 tournament as the top seed. They hosted Manville, 16th seed, in the opening round. Shore Regional dominated the game winning 21-1 in four innings. A big part of that offensive explosion was Delia. Her first at bat, she walked to the plate, took the first pitch and smacked the ball deep over center field fence.

“Kayla celebrated her 15th birthday in style. She took that first pitch she saw and blasted it into the baseball field for a three-run bomb,” said David Porta, head coach. Porta had a decision to make, was he going to rest her for game two in the playoffs or let her hit. “We made a deal when she was on deck that if she hit a home run I would let her bat again. And she did, so I let her bat a second time.”

On her second at bat Delia again took the first pitch and hit it just as deep to center. “Sure enough, her second at bat she did it again, first pitch and knocked it into the baseball field for another three run blast,” Porta said. He also decided to allow her to take a third time at the plate, but the Manville coach had seen enough of Delia and intentionally walked her. “Still, two pitches, two home runs is a great way to spend a birthday.”

This season the Blue Devils have been setting school records almost every week. In the win over Manville, Dylann Lawrence, senior pitcher, recorded her 300th career strikeout. “Dylann achieved that milestone in the third inning. She had 297 going into the game and knew there was a realistic chance this might be her last game starting for us,” said Porta. The NJSIAA playoffs are win and keep playing or lose and the season is over. “She was incredibly relaxed on the mound. By the third inning, she needed just one more, and did so with her deadliest pitch, a changeup. We call it the Cheddar. Dylann is not an overpowering pitcher, but she does a great job putting spin on the ball and getting hitters off balance. Now she gets to graduate having gotten both 100 hits and 300 strikeouts during her varsity career.”

In the 21-1 NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group 1 opening round win, Dylann Lawrence (10) recorded her 300th career strikeout for the Blue Devils of Shore Regional.

Another senior, who Porta said is one of the best all-around softball players in Shore Regional history is Olivia DeFonce. “Olivia is currently the all-time school leader in hits and she extends that record every game. She actually set the record last week that was previously held by Heidi Waterman, the aunt to our catcher Peyton Waterman. The record was set at 143 in 1991. Olivia is at 150 and counting in 2026,” Porta said.

With the victory, Shore Regional is 18-6 overall and finished 8-4 in the Shore Conference Constitution division. Three teams this season shared the divisional title, Shore, Ocean and Manalapan. “We had a lot of milestones this season. Hits, strikeouts, runs, RBI, etc. But while they are all individual achievements, the best part is how excited the girls get for each other when they get to a milestone. It truly feels like a team milestone the way they rally around each other,” Porta said.

Up next for the Blue Devils is the ninth seed squad from Florence. That game, the quarterfinals, will be played at Shore Regional  today, May 28, with a 2:00 p.m. start time.

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