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RGMVM 12-year-old All Stars Win District 27 Championship....
Pictured from Left to Right: Front Row – Karl Klesin, Jacob Bannon, Mike Morgan, Brandon Hernandez and Evan Mancini. Back Row – Manager Joe Klesin, Scott Hannon, Dylan Lawrence, Shane Herrity, Matthew Buete, Scott Larsen, Steven Cirrillo and Coach Mick Morgan.
On Friday July 17, 2009, the RGMVM 12-year-old All Star team defeated Rockaway Little League 14-2 to capture the District 27 Championship held at RGMVM’s Seither Stadium in Glendale. The win, which lasted only four innings on account of mercy rule, was the third straight for the RGMVM 12s who are excited about moving on to next weeks Sectional round. RGMVM will face Bayside at host Forest Hills Little League on Saturday, July 25 at 11:00 AM.
District Game #3 – RGMVM vs. Rockaway (14-2)
Following their third straight loss of the coin toss for home field advantage, the RGMVM All-Stars barreled out of the gate with a lead off walk by # 1 Evan Mancini, and a perfectly executed bunt single by #3 Brandon Hernandez. Following advances to 2nd and 3rd on a passed ball, #10 Karl Klesin cleared the bases with a 3-run blast over the center field fence to put RGMVM on the board. Hard hit singles by #25 Jacob Bannon and #41 Scott Hannon, set the stage for #12 Shane Herrity’s 2-RBI single, capping the top of the first inning with 5 runs for RGMVM. Starting on the mound for RGMVM was #7 Dylan Lawrence, who retired the side striking out two of the four Rockaway batters faced. In the top of the second, a single by Mancini and walk by Hernandez set the stage for a 2-RBI single by Hannon. Lawrence drew a walk as did #5 Matthew Buete to load the bases for Herrity who again took advantage with a grand slam HR (his 2nd in two games) over the center field fence putting RGMVM ahead 11-0. Herrity replaced Lawrence on the mound and pitched a scoreless 2nd with two strikeouts. Despite a lead off walk by Mancini and singles by Hernandez and Bannon, RGMVM failed to score in third inning. Herrity continued pitching in the 3rd inning, again striking out two and forcing a ground out to first. RGMVM then tacked on 3 more runs in the fourth inning after Lawrence and Buete reached and Herrity went yard again, this time a 3-run HR over the right field fence to put RGMVM ahead 14-0. Klesin replaced Herrity on the mound in the fourth, allowing two runs on two hits with one strikeout. The game subsequently ended on account of the mercy rule and the win gave RGMVM Little League its second consecutive 12-year-old District 27 Championship.
District Game # 2 – RGMVM vs. Ozone Howard (11-1)
On Saturday July 11, 2009 the RGMVM 12s squared off against neighboring Ozone Howard. After losing the coin toss for home field advantage, RGMVM failed to put up numbers in the top of the 1st inning. Starting on the mound for RGMVM was
# 41 Scott Hannon, who retired five batters on 12 pitches but not before Ozone Howard was able to put up a run in the bottom of the 1st inning. In the top of the 2nd inning, a lead off single by Hannon set the stage for an RBI double by #5 Matthew Buete to put RGMVM on the board and the game was now tied at 1-1. Hannon quickly retired the side on three strikeouts in the bottom of the second. The top of third proved to be bountiful for RGMVM starting with three consecutive hard hit singles laid down by #25 Jacob Bannon, #41 Scott Hannon and #7 Dylan Lawrence. With bases loaded, #5 Matthew Buete drew an RBI on a single, giving RGMVM a 2-1 lead and leaving the bases loaded for #12 Shane Herrity who took advantage with a grand slam HR over the centerfield fence to put RGMVM atop 6-1. In the bottom of the 3rd, Hannon faced four batters, allowing a single and striking out two. RGMVM bats remained hot and returned in the 4th with a double by #3 Brandon Hernandez and a 2-run HR by Hannon to make it 8-1. Hannon then retired 3 consecutive Ozone batters in the 4th, two by way of strikeout. In the top of the 5th, RGMVM tacked on 3 more runs by way of a Buete single, an RBI double by #11 Mike Morgan who eventually stole home, a walk by #13 Scott Larsen and a RBI Sac Fly by Hernandez giving RGMVM an 11-1 lead. Ozone Howard threatened in the 5th with a leadoff single and a Sac Bunt which quickly resulted in a pick-off at 2nd base. Following another single, Hannon closed the deal with a third out strikeout and a 5-inning mercy rule to propel RGMVM to a potential District Championship in game 3 scheduled for July 17 at RGMVM’s Seither Stadium.
District Game #1 – RGMVM vs. Rockaway (12-0)
On July 7, 2009 RGMVM squared off against Rockaway Little League in their first game of the District 27 tournament. After losing the coin toss for home field advantage, RGMVM opened up with hard hit singles by #3 Brandon Hernandez , #10 Karl Klesin and #25 Jacob Bannon to load the bases and setting the stage for #41 Scott Hannon who laced an RBI single up the middle to put RGMVM ahead 1-0. On the mound for RGMVM was #7 Dylan Lawrence who retired the first three batters faced all by way of strikeouts. RGMVM opened the 2nd with a flurry. After #5 Matthew Buete reached and #12 Shane Herrity walked, Mike Morgan laced a 2-RBI double and then scored on #1 Evan Mancini’s RBI single which would be the first of 6 consecutive ones. Hernandez reached on a single, followed by an RBI single by Klesin, then a 2 RBI single by Bannon, another single by Hannon and an RBI single by Lawrence had RGMVM emerge from the 2nd inning with a 10-0 lead. After an opening single by Rockaway in the bottom of the 2nd, Lawrence again pitched for 3 consecutive strikeouts to retire the side. RGMVM put 2 more runs on the board in the 3rd with singles by Bannon and Hannon and a 2-run RBI single by Buete and RGMVM was up 12-0. Lawrence threw 3 consecutive strikeouts in the bottom of the third. In the 4th, although singles were laid down by #99 Steven Cirillo and Klesin, RGMVM failed to score. Lawrence retired Rockaway in order in the fourth and attained RGMVM’s first District game win via a 4-inning mercy rule. RGMVM’s 12s next District game is scheduled for July 11 at RGMVM’s Seither Stadium.
Allstate Insurance and WFAN Radio Team Up To Take RGMVM Kids Out To Citi Field...
Allstate Insurance and WFAN radio would team up to supply a day of fun at Citi field for RGMVM Little leaguers. The host Kevin Spann from Allstate would invite 20 RGMVM players to a clinic, where fielder Nick Evans, pitcher Brian Stokes, and first base coach Sandy Alomar Sr. would teacher players the techniques of fielding, hitting, and pitching .
After the clinic each child was given an opportunity to take a photo with the Met players. Every child received a printed photo and a free with a box lunch and three tickets to the nite game against the Dodgers. This event was enjoyable for all family members.
All players and parents would like to give a special thanks to Kevin Spann of Allstate Insurance 66-26 Metropolitan Ave Metro Mall Allstate Middle Village, NY 11379 http://agent.allstate.com/KEVINSPANN/Welcome, RGMVM League President Patrick Piteo,and Senior league manager Anthony Rosario.
On The Road To Williamsport?
RGMVM looks the part in District 27 opener
BY: ZACHARY BRAZILLER
“I was just waiting,” he said,” for the journey to start.”
There were plenty of reasons for anticipation. RGMVM (Ridgewood-Glendale, Middle Village-Maspeth) won their first state title last summer in the 10-and-11 year-old Minor Division, and second consecutive city championship. This year, in the 11-12 year-old Major Division, they are eligible to qualify for the nationally televised Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA.
“We’re pretty quiet about it,” pitcher Gerry Fraracci said, “but our hopes are high. It would be great, a team from four towns going to Williamsport and being on TV.”
It is a dream RGMVM has let dance in their heads since they emerged from the loser’s bracket in last year’s state championship. Almost every player made a habit out of watching the games in Williamsport, thinking of participating one year later. Piteo imagined his team being there, what it would be like, cameras tracing their every move.
They took their first step of many on Saturday, blitzing WORKS Little League, 12-1, in a mercy rule-shortened four-inning game, the first of the District 27 playoffs. It is a lofty dream, of course, one that will require at least 20 victories. The first step is district competition, then sectional play, the state tournament and the Mid Atlantic Regional.
“It’s really tough,” Fraracci said. “We’re going to have to get lucky, but if we play our cards right, who knows.”
Manager Steve Adams’ toughest job, at this point at least, is convincing his players that their past success is irrelevant this summer. A former player in the Western Queens Little League from 1985-92 who now works for Stitch Across America, he didn’t win much as a player. His dad Richie coached the first district championship team in 1998.
“Winning through these kids,” Adams said, “is a lot of fun.”
Based on the past success of this group, RGMVM is in store for a ton of it. Led by Piteo, the ace and shortstop, they go three deep in the rotation. Against WORKS, Fraracci, the third starter, went the distance, allowing just two hits, one run and striking out six while added three hits and a two-run home run. They are a deep offensive club that can put up big numbers - RGMVM, after all, won a Triple Crown tournament in Newburgh, N.Y. two weekends ago, swatting 30 home runs - but also winning low-scoring affairs because of their deep pitching staff and stout defense.
“We have that special spark - whatever happens, we do our best,” Piteo said. “We always want to do better. We never put ourselves down.”
RGMVM cruises in District 27 opener
By Marc Raimondi
Sure, his Ridgewood-Glendale-Middle Village-Maspeth 11- and 12-year-old Little League team has a ton of talent – this is the same group that won Section 3 two years ago and the state last year. And yeah, WORKS Little League, from nearby Woodhaven, isn’t one of Queens’ traditional powerhouses.
But Piteo said he and his teammates weren’t looking past their opponent at all.
“We want to play it like it’s any other game,” the star shortstop said. “Like I always say, ‘Play every game like it’s a championship game.’”
Piteo, the team’s mound ace, didn’t start and that was fine. Gerry Fraracci excelled with his right arm and his bat. He gave up only one run on two hits in four innings, while striking out six WORKS batters. At the plate, he was 3-for-3 with three runs scored and a two-run home run in a third inning in which RGMVM scored three runs.
“He does a good job,” Adams said of Fraracci. “On any given day, one of the three (starters) could give us a lights-out performance.”
That’s the trademark of a good, deep team. So was the scoring output. RGMVM hung six, first-inning runs on WORKS starter John Carlos Guzman and added three more in the second. The onslaught didn’t stop.
Eric Tully, the team’s No. 2 starter, and T.J. Ritter both had two RBIs and Brandon Acosta, Anthony Nieves and Anthony LoCascio scored twice.
RGMVM will host Ozone Howard, which had a bye, Tuesday night at 5:30 p.m. Rockaway, which advanced when Rosedale dropped out, and Broad Channel, coming off a bye, are on the other side of the bracket. They will also play Tuesday night at 5:30 at Rockaway.
Either Ozone Howard or RGMVM has won the last 10 District 27 titles. Ozone Howard was won six of the last nine championships.
This year, RGMVM has high hopes for the district and beyond.
Last week, the team won a Triple Crown tournament in Newburgh, N.Y., smashing 30 home runs. The last two seasons, this group has been champions, winning city two years ago and the city and state last year.
“I gotta instill in their heads every day,” Adams said, “that they haven’t done anything yet this year.”
Reach Associate Sports Editor Marc Raimondi by e-mail at mraimondi@timesledger.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 130.
RGMVM Junior – 14 U Tournament Wins District 27 Championship!
RGMVM Junior – 14 U Tournament team took to the field this weekend to face off against WORKS for the District 27 championship in a best of three series.
Ryan Fey took the mound for Game 1 on Saturday, June 28, 2008. Both teams exchanged two runs each in the first two innings.With the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the 5th inning, the RGMVM bats came alive. Larry Le Beau led off with a double and John Cudak followed with a single, placing runners on 2nd and 3rd. Dimi Artale ripped a single up the middle for 2 RBI giving RGMVM the lead . After a Chris Hardardt walk and a perfect sacrifice bunt by Joseph Rubino to move the runners to 2nd/3rd – Daren Donnelly ripped a single for 2 more runs. RGMVM had jumped out to a 6-2 lead and added 4 more in the 6th inning. Ryan Fey pitched a gem, going 6 innings with 7Ks and allowing only 2 runs. Larry LeBeau closed the game for a RGMVM win 10-3.
Game 2, on Sunday, June 29, 2008 would turn-out to be a 3 ½ hour, 10 inning marathon. Both teams showed tremendous heart and fight. The lead exchanged hands 4 times and a total of 34 runs were scored. RGMVM jumped out to a 3-0 lead, in the top of the first, Paul Perez lead off with a single and John Cudak beat out a throw from third for an in field hit. Dimi Artale continued his hot hand and hit a double in left – center GAP for 2 RBI. WORKS would chip away at the lead, scoring 1 in the second, 3 in the third and four more in the fourth to take an 8-3 lead. RGMVM would answer back with 1 run in the fifth and 4 runs in the 6th to tie- it up at 8 a piece. It stayed that way until the 9th inning. With some big hitting by Larry LeBeau, Dimi Artale, Ryan Klaar and Tyler Rosario, RGMVM scored 6 runs to take a 14 to 8 lead into the bottom of 9th inning. Most fans thought the game was over and left early, but WORKS was not ready to leave just yet. They scored 6 runs in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game at 14.
RGMVM Juniors kept fighting and did not get discouraged. In the top of the 10th inning, RGMVM scored 6 more runs and went on to win 20-14. Paul Perez closed it out strong, John Cudak started and pitched 4 solid innings and Larry LeBeau pitched 6 great innings in relief. Hats off to both teams for a wonderful series and congratulations to the RGMVM Junior team and coaches Chris Hardardt and Anthony Rosario on the District 27 Championship.
