The Little League baseball team in Toms River, N.J., may be on its way to the Little League World Series—thanks in large part to its power-hitting first baseman, who just happens to be a girl.

Kayla Roncin, 12, helped her team roll into the Mid-Atlantic Regional in July, thundering to a 12-2 victory over Northwest Little League. Roncin hit a two-run double in the third inning to get the ball rolling. If the team wins the regional, they’ll go on to the Little League World Series.
 Roncin, who also pitches on occasion, has worked hard to get to this level. After games, Kayla hits another 100 balls for batting practice, and she’s almost always working in the batting cage.

“I’ll never say no to her,” Roncin’s father says. “It reminds you of the movie Hoosiers, one of those kids who is very self-motivated and disciplined.” (Fox News)

Paul Asay has written for The Washington Post, Christianity Today, Beliefnet.com and The (Colorado Springs) Gazette. He writes about culture for PluggedIn and wrote the Batman book God on the Streets of Gotham (Tyndale). He recently collaborated with Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family, on his book The Good Dad. He lives in Colorado Springs with wife, Wendy, and his two children. Follow him on Twitter.