11U PCYBL Pirates sweep doubleheader on their way to 14-0 record in the GHVBL
July 10, 2024 at 11:36 p.m.
Their rivals couldn't stop the steal, and that suited the local larcenous Pirates just fine because they got away with the baseball age-group equivalent of highway robbery in sweeping a doubleheader last Sunday (7/7) at Lyon Park over OGRCC (Old Greenwich-Riverside Community Center) to remain undefeated in their first 14 games.
In getting off to one of the greatest summer season starts in Port Chester Youth Baseball League history, the 11U Pirates stole 52 bases during the twin bill.
They literally and figuratively stole game one with a steal of home in the last inning to break a 7-7 tie with their 23rd steal of the game.
Then they came back and ran away with the nightcap by stealing 29 bases in a 9-5 runaway that left the local Pirates sitting pretty atop the Greater Hudson Valley Baseball League (GHVBL) standings.
The comeback kids
But it wasn't always pretty because the fleet-footed local kids almost threw the opener away with erroneous defense in the first couple of innings before they settled down. Ben Frimere and Lucas Molleturo started coming up with winning infield plays at shortstop and second base, catcher Aidan Brenzel gunned down a base runner trying to advance to third base on a passed ball and Juan Garcia and Mason Quinn helped save the day with some great catches in the outfield.
In brief, the local team showed they were the comeback kids who could handle the pressure even when things weren't going their way.
'Stole the game'
In one especially heads-up, bang-bang play, Quinn threw a runner out at first base after the kid lined what looked like a surefire base hit to right field. After that, Max Quigley and Kristian Devora settled down to throw a one-two pitching punch that nailed down the win. Luke Doherty and Frimere led the hit parade with two hits apiece, Garcia and Devora both chipped in with timely runs batted in. And Doherty brought it all home.
"The Pirates literally stole game one," according to assistant coach Rob Brenzel, describing how Doherty just took off and stole home in the bottom of the sixth inning, a walk-off run if there ever was one because Doherty's sprinting, sliding, daring steal broke a 7-7 tie and gave the locals the 8-7 win. It was the pivotal 23rd steal of the game, each one contributing to stealing the game, but it was the final seismic all-out sprint and slide that was the game breaker.
Same story, different plot
It was essentially the same story with 29 steals contributing to the game 2 win of the doubleheader, albeit with a different plot line.
This time around it was Devora, Garcia and Molleturo starting off the second game with base hits and a quick run scored from the get- go—and after that the Pirates never looked back.
Tyler Albanese was in control from the first pitch on, striking out seven batters and scattering just three hits over three and two- thirds innings. Doherty came in to close out the game while throwing two and a third innings of shutout ball and ending the game with a flourish by picking off a base runner who strayed too far off first base.
Frimere and Brenzel teamed up to provide solid defense up the middle at shortstop and second base respectively. The play of the game came when Quigley chased down a blast over his head in deep right field and came up throwing a strike to Brenzel at second base who wheeled and dealed and fired a perfect throw to Devora at third base. Devora made a quick tag on the sliding runner to get the out that ended a potentially dangerous rally by OGRCC.
It was the kind of well-executed play that exemplified why the Pirates keep winning because they have a knack for staying cool under pressure.
The Slugfest test
"The boys battled through the heat and adversity," head coach Danny (Booms) Greco said after the twin bill sweep. "There were plenty of opportunities for the boy to roll over, especially after a few costly errors in the first game. But they did not. They picked each other up and fought for one another. And they came through in pressure situations when they had to. Which is why they remain undefeated."
And which is why Greco, Brenzel and assistant coaches Fabio Garcia, Dom Quinn and Jim Doherty can't wait to see what happens next as their Pirates head into their season's biggest test—the highly competitive Slugfest Tournament this weekend (7/12/14) in Hainesport, N.J. against some of the best age group teams in the metropolitan area. If the local kids can come away with even more steals and emerge from the tourney still undefeated, they will be well on their way to a season for the ages.
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