Midville Dodgers 12, Brooklyn Rebels 3. The young Midville Dodgers freshman team traveled to Portchester to take on the Brooklyn Rebels in the first game of the A.A.B.C. Tournament last week. This was the first true test for the Dodgers after going undefe
The Dodgers took no chances and pitched their ace Anthony Velazquez, a die-hard player who would pitch every day if given the opportunity. Velazquez pitched a great game, going the distance and striking out five while allowing only three runs on four hits.
Midville scored at will with four runs in both the first and second innings, as well as four more in the seventh inning to secure the win. The hits came from all the Dodger players, but it was Cletus Schulyer who led the team with four hits and five RBIs. Ian Leisenheimer and Jared Macchirole followed with three hits each. Jeremy Hausdorf’s and Joe Licul’s two hits apiece and Travis Swiatocha’s and Justin Leisenheimer’s singles completed the offensive attack
Defensively, excellent plays by Cory Diaz, Miles White, Jason Marchione and Argelis Reyes prevented the Rebels from ever having a chance.
Dodgers 10, Staten Island Padres 7. In the second game of the Westchester tournament, the Midville Dodgers faced a big Staten Island Padres team. The Padres learned that although the Dodgers are not big in size, they are big on talent.
On the mound for the Dodgers, Greg Scarpulla breezed his way through most of the game, striking out six batters along the way. The first inning was quiet, with both teams leaving runners on base. But the Dodger bats came alive in the second inning, scoring two runs. By the fourth inning, the Dodgers added five more runs to the scoreboard.
With a 10-3 lead in the seventh inning, Scarpulla and the Dodgers thought they had it all sewn up. Much to their surprise, the Padres bounced back in the bottom of the seventh, scoring four runs on three hits. But in the end it was too little too late when a tired Scarpulla pulled it off and got the last out himself.
Again, the Dodgers offense spread across the entire team, this time led by Swiatocha and Ian Leisenheimer with three hits each and Macchirole, Justin Leisenheimer, Hausdorf and Brian Doyle all with two hits. A beauty of a double by Cory Diaz and singles by Velazquez, Scarpulla and Licul all added to the hitting attack.
Dodgers 4, Brooklyn Cadets 2. Dodger pitcher Leisenheimer hurled his way to a 4-2 win over the Brooklyn Cadets in the W.B.A. Federation Tournament in Game 3. In a nail-biter of a game, Leisenheimer gave up only two runs on four hits while striking out four and allowing only two walks.
Leisenheimer got plenty of help from his teammates, rightfielder Hausdorf, who made his diving catches look easy, and Cory Diaz, who ran down fly balls with ease.
The Dodgers had only six hits, which proved to be enough. Two hits each by Macchirole and Hausdorf and singles by Velazquez and Scarpulla were all the Dodgers needed to win Game 3 in the tournament and move to the final round of the Westchester tournament.
Midville Dodgers freshmen sweep Port Washington
Midville Dodgers 4, Port Washington 3. Macchirole pitched another outstanding game in the first contest the Dodgers. Macchirole pitched four innings and allowed only two runs. In the fifth inning, in came Dodgers hard-throwing Scarpulla to secure the 4-3 win.
Offensively, the Dodgers scored all their runs in the fourth inning on hits by Velazquez, who was 3-for-3, Licul with a triple, Leisenheimer with a single, Miles White with a single and Swiatocha with a single.
Defensively, outstanding plays at third by Schulyer saved the game for the Dodgers.
Midville Dodgers 7, Port Washington 2. In the second game of the doubleheader, Leisenheimer was on the mound for the Dodgers. Leisenheimer pitched an outstanding game, allowing only four hits and striking out four in six innings. In the last inning the Dodgers called on ace pitcher Velazquez to secure the 7-2 win.
The Dodgers came out strong in the first inning, scoring five of their seven runs. The big hitters for this game were Swiatocha, who went 3-for-3; Velazquez with a double; Justin Leisenhemer with a two-RBI single; Scarpulla, who went 3-for-4; Licul with a single; Marchione, who went 2-for-3; Doyle with a single; and Ian helped himself with a double.
Midville Dodgers freshmen mercy
Ardsley, 20-8, in W.B.A.
Dodgers 20, Ardsley 8. On the mound for the Midville Dodgers was right-hander Greg Scarpulla. The Dodgers team was caught off guard when Ardsley jumped out to a six-run lead in the top of the first inning. The Dodgers came right back with a single by Travis Swiatocha and walks by Anthony Velazquez and Justin Leisenheimer.
With the bases loaded, Scarpulla helped his own cause by ripping a grand slam home run over the leftfielder’s head for four RBIs. The Dodgers scored two more runs with a single by Christian Martinez, a walk by Jason Marchione, Brian Doyle was hit by a pitch and Jeremy Hausdorf reached on an error.
Scarpulla settled down after a shaky first inning. In the second inning, Ardsley stranded one runner and scored no runs, while the Dodgers stranded three, including a double by Martinez. In the third inning, the Dodgers came alive with a double by Swiatocha and singles by Scarpulla, Hausdorf, Velazquez and Joe Licul. In all, six more runs crossed the plate.
The Dodgers broke the game open in the fourth inning by scoring eight more runs, with singles by Hausdorf, Swiatocha, Velazquez and Scarpulla. But this time it was Licul who cleared the bases with a drive deep to left field, giving him six RBIs for the day. The inning still wasn’t over, with more singles by Ian Leisenheimer, Brian Doyle, Hausdorf and Cory Diaz and a walk by Cletus Schuyler.
It was an outstanding victory for the Dodgers freshman team, which is on its way to a winning season.
Midville Dodgers freshmen win again in the W.B.A.
Dodgers 3, Gothams 0. In an exciting rematch, the Dodgers handed the Gothams their second loss. For a second time, Dodgers ace pitcher Velazquez was outstanding, this time pitching a four-hitter, striking out six batters along the way. The Dodgers make up a young team consisting mostly of 13-year-olds, but they proved they can play ball against a straight 14-year-old Gothams team.
In the first inning, the Gothams put two runners on the bases but came up empty. The Dodgers went out 1-2-3 in the first inning. In the second inning they stranded Leisenheimer on base with a single.
The Dodgers scored twice in the bottom of the third. The other Leisenheimer, Ian’s twin brother, Justin, took a walk, and Scarpulla belted a triple to score Justin. Martinez bounced out, but Scarpulla scored on a late throw home, allowing the Dodgers to take a two-run lead.
In the fifth inning, Diaz cracked a single but was left on base. Justin Leisenheimer led the sixth inning with a walk and scored a run with the help of singles by Scarpulla and Martinez. The Gothams threatened in the seventh inning when their lead-off batter was hit by a pitch and the next batter smashed a grounder to third base. But an outstanding play by third baseman Scarpulla, who threw a gun to second baseman Swiatocha — who in turn shot the ball to first baseman Licul — completed the double play.
Another nail-biter between two outstanding teams.
Midville Dodgers win opener in W.B.A.
Dodgers 3, Gothams 2. In a nail-biter of a game, Midville Dodgers ace pitcher Velazquez pitched a gem of a game in the opener against the Gothams. Velazquez went the distance for the win, striking out seven batters while allowing only two runs on five hits.
Defensively, the Dodgers played near-flawless baseball with one error committed on the field. Plays by second baseman Swiatocha, shortstop Jared Macchirole (who made a diving catch over his head) and third baseman Scarpulla made it all look too easy. On the receiving end of it all was first baseman Licul, who made some great saves.
In the outfield, centerfielder Leisenheimer, rightfielder Martinez and leftfielder Schuyler all were outstanding. Behind the plate for the Dodgers is ace catcher Justin Leisenheimer, who owns home plate, as the Gothams would find out when they tried to score with a man on second with two outs. A base hit to Martinez, who came up throwing a bullet to cut off man Swiatocha, who gunned the ball to catcher Leisenheimer for the tag.
The Dodgers scored three runs on nine hits. Swiatocha went 3-for-3 and scored two runs. Velazquez helped himself with two singles and scored one run. Justin Leisenheimer had one single and two RBIs, Scarpulla had one single and one RBI, and Macchirole, Martinez, Argelis Reyes all had singles.
The Dodgers freshman team is looking forward to a successful season.
