PCYBL steps up pace with Major, Minor title winners and travel team Pirates play picking up in GHVBL
June 19, 2024 at 11:17 p.m.
In the magical mystery tour that is the Port Chester Youth Baseball League's ongoing yet ever-changing seasons, it is out with the old, in with the new time of year even as almost everything old becomes new again at Lyon Park.
And that's just the way it is in the fountain of youth that is local age group baseball in various categories of teams comprised of ballers age 12 and under competing in league play as do 10U and 8U Port Chester teams.
The baseball ripple effect
The ripple effect of all that local game playing extends beyond the village borders when the U teams change roles and become Port Chester Pirates travel teams that play rivals from throughout Westchester and beyond in tournaments as well as Greater Hudson Valley Baseball League competition.
Which is where the PCYBL is now, or almost there, as the only organized baseball game in town now that the scholastic baseball season has come to a close with the end of the school year almost here.
Rye Ridge Tile Major League champions. Front row, from left: Tyler Varbero, Louis Rytelewski, Jared Friedman. Middle row, from left: Lucas Debari, Alexander Tamucci, Daniel Oliveros, Nicholas Alfaro, Jeison Jimenez. Back row, from left: Coach Stephen Rytelewski, Coach Dan Debari, Aaron Malhotra, Alex Malhotra, Gabriel Escobar, Miles Debari, Coach George Varbero.Courtesy of Kendra Varbero
The action at Lyon Park last Saturday (6/15) helped put the local baseball goings-on into perspective.
Survival of the fittest
That's when the Port Chester in-house Major and Minor League champions were crowned in the 12U and 10U age group divisions.
And when it came down to the survival of the fittest after teams played about 20 games each in twice-a-week league competition, over the past few weeks Rye Ridge Tile beat Interactive Brokers in the 12U Majors championship game while Morabito HVAC defeated CYP (Catholic Youth Program) for the Minor League 10U title.
Each championship game was filled with its own exciting moments.
Major, Minor League titles
In the Major League game, Rye Ridge Tile had Interactive Brokers seeing double because the Malhotra twins (Aaron and Alex) combined to pitch a strong game in the 5-3 win with Aaron pitching four innings and his brother closing out the game in the final two innings. Lucas Debari led the hit parade by going two for two with three runs batted in and Alexander Tamucci saved two runs, the game, and the day by making a great play on an overthrow.
But Rye Ridge coaches Stephen Rytelewski and his assistants (Dan Debari and George Varbero) said it took a total team effort for Rye Ridge to edge head coach John Hollwedel's Interactive squad as well as go into the title game as the number one seed in an intramural competition that also included teams with names like Gioffre’s Gents (coached by Fabio Garcia) and Colony Grill (Dan Greco).
The Rye Ridge teammates who also played leading roles during the championship season included Louis Rytelewski (the second baseman and pitcher who was the MVP of the recent Major League All-Star Game), Jared Friedman, Daniel Oliveros, Nicholas Alfaro, Jeison Alvarez, Gabriel Escobar and Miles Debari.
Minors winning hit parade
Morabito HVAC also needed a strong team effort to beat CYP 8-4 in a title game that included multi-hits for the winners from Chase Steers, Sebastian Martinez, Vincent Nunziato and Michael Capozza. Judah Geller hit his first home run of the season in that game. Charles Brigante added an RBI single. And everybody on the team reached base safely, according to head coach Frank Nunziato and his assistant coaches (Richard Ramos, Chris Horgan and Noah Geller), including ballers Christopher Conte, Ryan Ramos, Julian Restrepo, Liam Horgan and Shane Berkowitz.
The coaches also noted that Nunziato, Horgan and Ramos all played on the Rookie (8U) team that won the Fall PCYBL championship before moving up together to the Minor League where they helped win another championship over such teams as Frank's Pizza (head coach John Umbro), A&S Fine Foods (coached by Rob Brenzel), B J Convenience (Juan Bautista), CYP (Brian Rieke) and the Port Chester Fire Department (Andy Ianello).
Beyond local borders
And now in the cyclical way of season play, it is time for stepped up PCYBL age-group play as of Friday (6/21) when the local Pirates teams will start playing Greater Hudson Valley Baseball League games on weekends, typically practice once or twice per week and, once the coaches finalize the specific schedules, accelerate play to 4-5 baseball activities per week including games and practices with GHVBL games taking the team up and down Westchester, Connecticut and beyond (including at least one weekend away tournament in New Jersey, maybe even in Delaware, with players responsible for any lodging and meal costs if participation requires an overnight stay).
Rye Ridge Tile key players, from left: Tyler Varbero, Louis Rytelewski and Alexander Tamucci.Courtesy of Kendra Varbero
For 8U and 9U teams, coaches will attempt to place players in a variety of positions to better learn the game from an overall perspective. Playing time at this age level should be approximately equal for all players. All will be included in the batting order throughout the game.
For 10U, 11U and 12U teams, player rotation will be more limited and playing time may not be equal for all players.
During the playoffs, player rotation and playing time at all age levels may be more limited.
Summer travel uniforms (shirts and hats) will be provided. Players are responsible for providing baseball pants, socks, glove, bat and molded cleats.
Cost of playing ball
It costs $300 for the summer season. That includes uniforms (shirts and hats only), all GHVBL fees, umpire fees and one travel tournament (minus lodging and meals). The season is scheduled to run 6-21 through 7-25 with playoffs starting 7/27. The championship weekend is scheduled for 8/5-8/6. The PCYBL travel team program is so popular that there is a waiting list for players who still want to become traveling Pirates. As a further indication of that interest, registration for the fall season has already begun.
Further information: Port Chester Youth Baseball, Box 3, 222 Grace Church Street, Port Chester, NY 10573; phone: 914: 939-8619; email: portchesterbaseball.com.
And in the tempus fugit department while borrowing a line from The Beatles: Those were the days, my friend, we thought they’d never end, but they do eventually, even for the boys of summer: The 12U team is already planning for a last hurrah after they age out of the PCYBL in late August. They need your help because they want to up their game and see how they fare against the nation's top tier teams. They have already raised $20,000 towards their shot at the big time but need $5,000 more so they can play a week's worth of games against the nation's top-ranked teams upstate at Cooperstown, home of the Major League Baseball (MLB) Hall of Fame. The money goes toward team room, board, uniform, umpire and league expenses. Donations should be made out to the PCYBL and sent to the PCYBL with a notation that the donation is for 12U Cooperstown expenses.
The team and their coaches have already run almost a year's worth of different kinds of fundraisers and still have a way to go if they want to go away and test their skills at Cooperstown on playing fields in the shadow of the MLB Hall of Fame. And you can help them make that happen with a donation that helps take local baseball to the next level.
Comments:
You must login to comment.