By The TimesLedger
Texas Farm Division
The Texas Farm Division continues to produce excellent young ball players. Leading the charge are Keith Baron and Michael Levin for BL Management and Nicholas Griffin and Jake Schade for Hattons Funeral Home. A & A Plumbing is also developing great talent with Doug McGrath and Thomas Steffens swinging away. ASK Construction has Emanuel Diaz and George Kotaridis in their dug-out, coming up big and joining the duo of John and Taso Stathopoulos of Bagels & Bake. America’s First Choice Mortgage has Terence Grogan and Andrew Adler fortifying their offense, with Julien Amorelli and Anthony Dipasquale doing the same for Mardene Construction. Eye Supply has Alexander Popescu and Nicholas Matusewicz looking out for the team with their big bats. All in all the stars are shining on the Valle East and West fields.
Texas Division
Mittman’s Medics 6 vs. Outback Steakhouse 3. The Medics were led by strong pitching from Nick Rodriquez and a bases-loaded triple by Dom Formato that drove in three runs. Jake Sternick, Jonathan Chen and Lauren Kelly all reached base safely multiple times, and Patrick Butler received the game ball for his all-around excellent play.
Clearview Paints 3, Papazzio’s Restaurant 2. Clearview Paints came out on top against Papazzio’s Restaurant in this pitching duel that was backed up with exceptional defense by both teams. Clearview was led by the starting pitching of Jesse Pau and relief pitching of Kenny Marzocco, who also drove in the tying run. Both pitchers gave up only one run apiece. Matthew Gluck (2-for-3) scored the first run for Clearview off a hard hit fielder’s choice by Anthony Palermo in the third inning. Randall Gaskin led Papazzio’s with a single and two excellent plays in the field. Michael McGrath’s RBI in the first inning gave Papazzio’s the early lead. Great pitching by Brian Wren and Stephen McNamara limited Clearview Paints to three runs. Chris Doherty also drove in the second Papazzio run with a double.
Clearview Paints 12, ZAB 6. Clearview Paints won a hard-fought battle over the tenacious ZAB team, 12-6. For Clearview Paints, Frankie Argio pitched three strong innings with two strikeouts. Ben Margolin went 2-for-3 with a double and a single. Clearview’s Daniel Soares made a great play at the home with an terrific throw from Matthew Gluck stopping a rally for ZAB. ZAB’s Joe Riccardo, who played second base, went 3-for-3, crushing a double to center field. Ray Gallagher, who played third base for ZAB, showed great hustle scoring a key run in the game.
Prava Construction 11 vs. Applebees of Bayside 10. Michael Marden pitched three strong innings and had two RBIs to pace Prava to an 11-10 win over Applebees. Bennett O’Donnell also starred on the mound, throwing three shutout innings for Prava in the win.
Prava Construction 4, Biordi Construction 2. Joey Pravata (2-for-3, three RBIs) hit a two-run homer in the top of the sixth inning to beat Biordi Construction, 4-2, Saturday at Valle West Field in Crocheron Park. John Aponte threw three shutout innings for the save and had two hits and two runs scored for the winners. Anthony Scianna (2-for-3) led Biordi offensively with a solo home run to tie the score at 2-2 in the third inning. Joey McManus (game ball) collected the only other hit, as Prava’s tandem of Pravata and Aponte threw a combined three-hitter. Other stars for Biordi included pitcher Nicky Macchia and outfielder J.B. Frees (game ball).
PeeWee Division
Anna Marie’s Bagels vs. Il Fresco. Liam Fitzpatrick’s rocket arm led the strong defense for Anna Marie’s. Brian Lloyd and Nicholas Bruno led the power-hitting attack, while Il Fresco’s big bats were paced by the slugging of Zachary Mallato. Shane Sullivan flashed some gold glove defense in the infield in addition to providing some heady base-running.
Hollis Court Collision vs. Prava Construction. Christopher Matiatos showed off his strong arm and Anthony Albisini appears headed for the Major Leagues with his super hitting for Hollis Court. Prava Construction was led by the great all-around play of Brian Fitton and Phillip Zucchi.
Minor Division
Starlight Catering 7, Bourbon Street 6. Starlight handed Bourbon Street its first loss of the season by the score of 7-6. Bourbon scored four runs in the top of the first and Starlight answered back with five runs later in the inning. Starlight then scored another two runs to make the score 7-4 and held that lead until Bourbon threatened with two runs in the sixth inning. Bourbon had the tying run on third with two outs and two strikes on the batter when the runner tried to steal home. Starlight was ready and made the put out at the plate to end the game. Michael Halkiadakis was the hitting star with a home run and was masterful behind the plate. Chris Candeleria created havoc on the bases, which resulted in the scoring of the seventh and deciding run in the contest. Sam and Leo Gussack were the table setters for Bourbon Street and ignited their team’s late rally.
Starlight Catering 11, Fader Law 0. Starlight Catering, coming off their inspiring victory against Bourbon Street, defeated Fader Law, 11-0. Anthony Pritsos banged out a couple of hits and Justis Bosco and Mike Halkiadakis went yard with home runs and combined to drive in seven of the 11 runs. For Fader, Eric Marinconz was impressive behind the plate and kept Starlight from stealing bases.
Starlight Catering 13, Lloyd’s Funeral Home 9. With the score 11-2, Lloyd’s Funeral Home came back with six runs in the fifth inning to make the game close, but eventually could not top Starlight Catering. Liam Donahue pitched an effortless three innings with six strikeouts and Alex Robinson came in to snuff out Lloyd’s rally in the fifth and struck out the sides in the sixth. Luke Amorelli was one of the hitting stars with a two-run double late in the game. Lloyd’s was led by the hitting of Jon Cioffi.
North Shore Baptist Beats Remax Millennium. Terry Manfredonia pitched a complete game for Remax Millennium, but it wasn’t enough to over come Chris Kwok, who beat out an infield hit to start the winning rally for North Shore Baptist Church.
North Shore Baptist 3, Bourbon Street 2. Joe Vittim hitting and pitching for Bourbon Street, kept the game close, but it was Danny Rossman’s game-winning hit in extra innings that allowed North Shore Baptist Church to go home winners in this close game.
Major Division
Biordi Construction 13, Valle Tile 1. Biordi’s Anthony Mongelli pitched all four innings of this game, shutting down a potent Valle Tile offense. For Biordi, Dylan Pleva contributed two hits and Zach Zizelis provided the heads up defense in a fine back up play in right field. Jorge Ynoa tripled for Valle Tile and Leo Nin walked twice.
V.I. Pizza 6, Party City 3. Louis Fevola hit a bases-loaded double and Cody DeMarco sparkled in left field — once on a relay play to nail a runner at third base and then making a running one-handed catch to prevent an extra base hit — as V.I. Pizza outdistanced Party City in a close contest.
Biordi Construction 7, Bell Bay Florist 6. Joe Soares went 3-for-3, driving in the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh inning to seal the victory for Biordi’s boys. Biordi got help from George Rowen (two doubles in three at bats), Mike Biordi (three runs scored) and Spiros Cominos ( triple, two RBIs). Bell Bay’s Mike Wiederhold had a long triple, Julius Wells went 2-for-3 and Mike Havelin pitched three fine innings in a close game decided in extra innings.
Biordi Construction 10, Bell Bay Florist 1. Matt Valle hit his second home run of the season, a two-run shot to center field to power his team to victory. Mike Biordi had a team-high six assists at shortstop, rounding out a solid all-around game for Biordi Construction. Bell Bay’s Andrew Havelin and Mike Wiederhold both went 2-for-3, but it wasn’t enough to trip up a streaking Biordi team.
Biordi Construction 9, Bell Bay Florist 4. Spiros Cominos hit two two-run home runs and struck out 10 batters as Biordi completed its games against Bell Bay Florist. Spiros was joined by Biordi teammate Larry Mongelli, who singled with the bases loaded, and Michael Biordi, who went 2-for-2. Julius Wells pitched well for Bell Bay and Michael McManus contributed a double.
Party City 12, Valle Tile 0. Brian Conway pitched four strong innings for Party City and belted his first home run of the season to spearhead an overall team victory. Sam Koenig had two hits and three RBIs and Zach Caccavale came up with some fine defensive plays to round out the team’s victory.
V.I. Pizza 5, Mardene Construction 1. Nicky Copelli, Chris Kelly and Andrew Parraga each pitched two strong innings, preventing a powerful Mardene machine from getting started and giving their V.I. Pizza teammates room to win. V.I. Pizza’s Andrew Parraga also added to his pitching stats with a double, a steal of home and two RBIs .
Bell Bay Florist 4, Brigandi Barristers 3. Mike Wiederhold went the distance for Bell Bay in one of the most exciting endings of the season. Bell Bay was winning 4-1 in the top of the sixth when Brigandi made its run, scoring two runs with two outs and a man on second base. A wild pitch seemingly got away from the Bell Bay catcher, Julius Wells, who scurried after the ball and fired it to third, nailing the runner, squashing the rally and ending the game. For Bell Bay Florist, Marc Buccelato knocked in four runs, while for Brigandi, Giancarlo Santillo doubled and scored and Anthony Zupnick continued his torrid hitting streak.
Bell Bay Florist 5, V.I. Pizza 4. Bell Bay Florist scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth and one in the bottom of the sixth to complete a come-from-behind victory. Bell Bay’s Sean Monsees played a great second base, teaming up with shortstop Emmanuel Duran as they sealed the middle of the infield, making one stellar play after another. Marc Buccelato hit a double and Joe Kurtz drove in the winning run, allowing his team a walk-off victory in the bottom of the sixth.
Biordi Construction 15, Party City 2. Michael Biordi hit a grand slam home run, going 3-for-3 and knocking in seven RBIs. John Costa went 3-for-4, Chris Garthwright drew four walks and Larry Mongelli contributed three RBIs for Biordi. Party City’s Nicky Ryan smacked an inside the park home run, jetting around the bases after driving a shot into the right field corner.
