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His teammates then responded by supplying him with a run in each of the first two innings. Haverstraw appeared to have the upper hand in the state 10- and 11-year-old baseball championship game. However, beginning in the third inning, Danny Ammirati and Chris Piteo of Ridgewood/Glendale/Middle Village/Maspeth asserted themselves.

Ammirati drove in four runs and Piteo tossed a four-hitter as the Queens team defeated Haverstraw 11-3 to win the state title at Van Nest Little League Complex last night.

Queens completed its run after opening the state championship tournament with a loss on Saturday.

Piteo struck out three and threw 71 pitches. He also had two hits, including a solo rip in the fourth inning, giving Queens the lead for good at 4-3.

"He was throwing hard, throwing a lot of strikes and his defense was working well behind him," said Haverstraw 12-year-old Joe Anselmi, a seventh-grader at Willow Grove Middle School.

Steve Hegner and Anselmi homered over the left-field fence in the second and third innings, respectively. However, Haverstraw's other two hits were of the infield variety by Brandon Respress.

"We have nine guys who can put the bat on the ball but in these last two games I think we were held to about seven hits," Haverstraw manager Ricky Desch said.

Queens squandered a bases-loaded, no-out situation in the first, thanks to Burgos. Three consecutive forceouts negated the uprising, the last by Ammirati.

Ammirati did not forget this when he stepped into the box in the third inning.

"It bothered me," said the 12-year-old Ammirati of his first at-bat.

After Gerard Fraracci's flare cleared the infield and just dropped inside the right-field line scoring a run, Ammirati stepped in with the bases loaded. He smoked a 0-1 pitch for a double, bringing in Austin Nieves and Eric Tully, giving Queens a 3-2 lead.

A one-out homer by Piteo that landed in center field on the adjacent field gave Queens a 4-3 lead in the fourth. With two outs, Ammirati faced another bases-loaded situation and delivered another two-run double.

"I was looking for the fastball like I always do and he gave it to me just like he did in the third inning and I did the same thing," said Ammirati, a seventh-grader at Our Lady of Hope in Middle Village.

Anselmi, whose home run had tied the score at 3-3 in the third, said he and his teammates felt they were back in the game and still had a shot to win heading to the fourth. That feeling would change, though.

"After he (Piteo) hit the home run to put them up 4-3, that was really a big hit for them," Anselmi said.

Despite the disappointing loss, Haverstraw enjoyed a tremendous summer.

"It was awesome," Anselmi said. "We made an awesome run and fell a little short but we faced a good team. We have nothing to hang our heads about."

State Game #3 vs Brighton – August 6, 2007

After surviving a potential loss that would have had RGMVM watching this game from the bleachers, the players found themselves revived and on track as they faced the team that delivered their only loss this season. After winning the coin toss again, RGMVM took to the field behind the right arm of #9 Eric Tully who executed a flawless first retiring the first 3 batters on 11 pitches. After a leadoff single by Piteo in the bottom of the first, RGMVM batters Locasio and Nieves connected on several pitches which were fielded nicely by Brighton ending a scoreless inning.

After a leadoff single and error, Brighton went down in the second on a strikeout and exceptionally executed 5-5-3 double play. The bottom of the second is where RGMVM unleashed their frustrations. After a leadoff double by #4 Dan Ammiratti and walk by #7 KC Surdi, #25 Brandon Acosta executed the call for a sacrifice bunt, moving the runners over to 2nd and 3rd. A fielder’s choice by #2 TJ Ritter scored Ammirati as an error ensued and Surdi also reached home as the ball was thrown around. With Ritter on second, #34 Chris Piteo stepped to the plate and smashed a 2-run homer over the right centerfield fence adding to RGMVM’s lead which was now 4-0. After a groundout by #2 Locasio a two out rally ensued with back to back singles by Fraracci and Tully eventually ending up on 2nd and 3rd due another Brighton fielding error. That set-up a 2 RBI single by #27 Austin Nieves and the score was now 6-0. Ammirati reached base next after being hit by a pitch and Nieves moved over to second. A wild pitch had both runners advancing with Nieves scoring and followed by Ammirati on another fielding error by Brighton at 2nd base. The inning ended on a fly ball to 3rd by #25 Brandon Acosta, but not before RGMVM had registered and 8-0 lead. In the top of the third, following a leadoff single by Brighton, Tully retired the side on 7 pitches forcing a ground out and 2 fly balls. In the bottom of the third after a walk by #6 Paul Hyland and single by #18 Karl Klesin, both runners advance on a wild pitch. Then to the dismay of RGMVM, both Hyland and Klesin score as a couple of unnecessary throwing errors by Brighton appear to have sealed their fate for a mercy ruling. The score at the end of three innings now stood at 10-0. In the top of the fourth, with Brighton requiring a run to stay alive, the combined pitching of #9 Eric Tully and reliever #6 Paul Hyland secured the win by forcing 3 consecutive fly-outs. The win advances RGMVM into the final match-up versus Haverstraw, mimicking RGMVM’s historic performance last year in the 2006 NYS 10U Championships However, with no losses recorded for Haverstraw, RGMVM will need to secure two wins in order to take home the Championship. Game 1 is scheduled for Van Ness on Tuesday, August 6th, 2007 at 5:30 PM. BEST OF LUCK – RGMVM!!!

 State Game #2 vs Rockville Centre – August 5, 2007

RGMVM made their way back to the Bronx on this stifling summer Sunday to square off against neighbor Rockville Centre. Both local teams had found themselves the victims of an opening loss, and today’s match-up would decide the first organization to make an early exit out of the NYS Little League Championship. After winning the coin toss and accepting home field, RGMVM players exited the dugout and once again assumed their fielding positions behind the solid right arm of #34 Chris Piteo. In the top of the first, it appeared that Rockville was digging in, logging 2 hits to go ahead 1-0. RGMVM surrendered themselves in the bottom of the first on 10 pitches, which brought on an unfamiliar silence consistent with a great match-up involving dire consequences. In the top of the 2nd, three hits produced another run for Rockville who found themselves up 2-0 early in the 2nd. In the bottom of the 2nd, RGMVM’s #10 Gerard Fraraaci opened up with a single up the middle and advancing to second base on a fielding error by the center fielder. The stage was set for #27 Austin Nieves, who doubled up the middle scoring Frarraci and pull within 1 run of the lead. Innings 3 and 4 proved fruitless for both opponents as quality pitching and exceptional defense was put forth by both teams. The top of the 5th produced another run for Rockville following 2 hit inning and giving Rockland a 3-1 lead. The bottom of the fifth proved stressful for RGMVM as two of three players were thrown out at close plays at the plate. Following back to back walks to #1 TJ Ritter and #9 Eric Tully, RGMVM’s first attempt to score was cut short at home as Ritter was tagged out on an fielders choice (FC) by Frarraci. Tully subsequently scored on a passed ball, but Frarraci was tagged out on his attempt following a wild pitch and several throws by Rockville. At the end of 5 innings, RGMVM found themselves trailing 3-2 and players and parents alike could feel the tension as an unfamiliar silence fell upon the field. Piteo took the mound, retiring Rockville on 13 pitches to keep the game close. However, many sensed that maybe this was the closing chapter for RGMVM. After a hard hit ground out by #4 Dan Ammirati you could hear a pin drop. RGMVM parents held their breadth as # 27 Austin Nieves stepped to the plate and was hit by a pitch. The next batter, #16 Shane Hitzler drew a walk, to the ovation of RGMVM spectators. A passed ball followed, advancing Nieves and Hitzler to 2nd and 3rd followed by #25 Brandon Acosta who also drew a walk, loading the bases in the bottom of the sixth. All had stepped into the batter’s box with RGMVM’s NYS Championship fate on their shoulders and all had executed their task of avoiding the record of an additional out or double play ball that would end their season. With the bases loaded and one out in the books, # 18 Karl Klesin stepped to the plate, and as per the instruction of Manager Steve Adams, he was informed to take a strike and then given permission to swing away. With the count 2-1, Klesin executed by ripping a line drive shot that continued to rise way over the centerfield fence for a walk off grand slam win; sustaining RGMVM’s hopes of winning the 2007 NYS Championship. The impending fear of a closed chapter actually resulted in a storybook ending for RGMVM, as they now return to Van Ness to face off against the team that sent them into the loser’s bracket. State Game # 3 vs Brighton LL is scheduled for Monday, August 6th, 2007 at 5:30 PM on this same Bronxchester field. Come down and cheer RGMVM on as they strive to make history once again!!!

State Game #1 vs Brighton – August 4, 2007

After the NYS Little League Championship opening ceremonies, RGMVM took to the field to face a familiar opponent Brighton LL. The team from Rochester also reached the state finals in 2006, and was eliminated by RGMVM in game #2 held in Islip LI.

This time around however, the outcome would be totally different. With Fraracci on the mound keeping Brighton at bay, RGMVM jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first via a double by Piteo and RBI triple by Fraracci. A walk by Tully and Ammirati set up a bases loaded 2 RBI single by Paul Hyland and RGMVM found themselves up 3-0. The top of the second witnessed only one single, however a combination of infield errors gave back 2 runs to Brighton. In the top of the third, after surrendering a leadoff double, Fraracci retired the side on a ground out and 4-6-3 double play. In the bottom of the 3rd, after a single by Ammirati and two wild pitches advancing him to third, TJ Ritter reached first on a fielding error by the second baseman scoring Ammirati. Piteo subsequently stepped to the plate and belted another towering homerun over the left centerfield fence and RGMVM was up 6-2. Although the game appeared to be in check, RGMVM found themselves in very unfamiliar territory with an onslaught of fielding and throwing errors over the last three innings handing the hard hitting Brighton 9 runs and the game. RGMVM bats were silent for the remainder of the game as well allowing their first defeat to unfold after 5 straight victories this 2007 season. Similar to the road they chose last year, they now found themselves catapulted into the loser’s bracket of the double elimination tournament. It appears these kids must love to play, as they have now elected to take the scenic route to a potential 2007 NYS Championship victory. Difficult? – YES, Impossible? – NO! Game #2 is scheduled for 11 AM Sunday August 5th versus Rockville Centre on the beautiful Bronxchester field at Van Ness. GO RGMVM!