Williston Times 10-4-2002

Williston Times 10-4-2002

www.wpsports.org

9/10 Tournament Team advances to 8-0 and clinches Playoff Berth (Previous Article: Williston Times 9-27-2002 Back Page Article)

The Williston Park Little League 9/10 year-old Tournament Team played a tough Manhattan-based Yorkville team this past weekend, with the chance of clinching a playoff berth in the 24-team 2002 Diamond Pro’s Fall Tournament. Williston Park entered the Saturday (September 28^th) doubleheader with a 6-0 record after sweeping Pelham Parkway, the Peter Stuyvesant Little League, and the Stamford Little League, over the previous three weekends.

The weekend didn’t start off on a bright note for Williston Park. One of the team’s key players broke his nose earlier in the week, another was home with pink eye, and Kelleher Field was extremely muddy due to the recent storms. The coaching staff then pushed the Saturday start from 9am to 12n and spent several hours Friday night and fours hours Saturday morning preparing the field, which was in great shape by game time.

In the first game of the doubleheader, Williston Park started Chris Serrano on the mound and Yorkville’s first six batters all went down by strikeout. Williston Park then threatened with three hits in the 2^nd, but couldn’t score. In the 3^rd and the 4^th, Yorkville had two of their base runners attempt to steal 2^nd base, but catcher Danny Martinucci gunned down both, while four other batters struck out. Williston Park then threatened again in the 4^th, including a potential key RBI single from Jimmy Bulva (wearing a protective helmet to protect his nose), but the runner was thrown out at the plate on a great throw from the outfield. Yorkville then lead off the 5^th with a walk, the runner was quickly picked off 1^st base, and their next five batters all struck out. Williston Park then entered the bottom of the 6^th inning with seven hits, pitcher Chris Serrano had recorded 15 strikeouts and only faced the minimum 18 batters, but the game was still tied 0-0. Casey Cunningham then led off with a double, Chris Serrano and John Quinn followed with infield singles, to load the bases, and Matt Goodrich hit a shot over the right fielder’s head to win the game 1-0 for Williston Park.

In the second game, Casey Cunningham started on the mound for Williston Park and the game was scoreless through two innings. In the top of the 3^rd, Williston Park took a 3-0 lead with singles from Matt Lanfair and Danny Martinucci, followed by an RBI double from Casey Cunningham, and RBI singles by John Quinn and Jimmy Bulva. Williston Park then picked up an insurance run in the 5^th inning, to advance their lead to 4-0, on singles by Chris Serrano, John Quinn, and Peter Aiello. Yorkville threatened in the bottom of the 5^th and the 6^th but Casey Cunningham pitched out of both jams to lock up the 4-0 victory. The game also featured a double to right field by Mark Scaringi, and superb defense from Nick Berardi and Tommy Ward.

The two wins against Yorkville advanced the Williston Park 9/10 Tournament Team to 8-0 in the Diamond Pros Fall Tournament, kept them in 1^st Place, and clinched a playoff berth with two weeks to play. The team now has two big games upcoming against the strong 2^nd Place North Riverdale team on Saturday, October 5^that Kelleher Field.

All Williston Park Little League game information, scheduling, and results can be found at the official web site at www.wpsports.org.