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Tuesday, October 13 George P. Gibbs Jr. Little League Announces New Board of Directors Sterling Little League announces the following results of the recently held elections for its Board of Directors for the 2010 season.
Preparations for the 2010 season are already underway. As always, we are looking for volunteers to help with coaching, umpiring, snack shack duty, and fundraising. Please contact Joe Curtin at drpcurtin@comcast.net if interested in getting involved. Tuesday, September 1 Sterling's 9-Year Old All-Star Team Excels in Chelmsford Tournament
This past July, the best 9 Year Olds from Sterling Little League put on an All Star display in the 2009 Chelmsford Tournament. Facing competition from towns 2, 3, and even 4 times the size of Sterling, the team played solid fundamental baseball, got clutch hits and great pitching, and received contributions from every member of the team. The results were overwhelmingly spectacular, as Sterling outscored its opponents by a combined score of 40 to 9 enroute to a 3 win, 1 loss record.
Game One: Sterling 13, Methuen 1 Game Two: Littleton 3, Sterling 2 Game Three: Sterling 14, Chelmsford-M 4 Game Four: Sterling 11, Chelmsford-W 1
Offensive stars for Sterling during the tournament included Justin Harris (.545 Avg., 7 RBI, 6 Hits, 4 Runs), Pat Walsh (.500 Avg. 4 RBI, 5 Hits, 4 Runs), and Brian Quinn (.714 Avg. and 5 Runs in only 2 games). Other outstanding performances were turned in by James Dubovick and Benjamin Gillon, each of whom played great defense, tallied 4 hits, and scored 4 runs.
Every player on the roster contributed with at least one hit and one run scored. The roster for the Sterling 9-Year Old Star Team was as follows: Players: Nate Boyer, Evan Cutler, Alec Dawson, James Dubovick, Connor Emsley, Nick Galle, Benjamin Gillon, Justin Harris, David Lindholm, Brian Quinn, Matt Rainsford, Matt St. Thomas, Barry Walsh, and Pat Walsh.
Manager: Jim Gillon Assistant Coaches: Blake Dawson and Matt Emsley.
The coaching staff would also like to thank the following parents for assisting with coaching duties when called upon: Dick Quinn, Keith Cutler, and Matt St. Thomas.
Congratulations to all who participated, and thank you to Chelmsford Little League for their hospitality. Friday, August 14 STERLING's HOLDEN TOURNAMENT ALL-STAR TEAM BRINGS HOME A CHAMPIONSHIP!
JULY 12, 2009: As the Sterling Major League District 4 All-Stars made a run at a championship this summer, another group of Major League All-Stars from Sterling quietly entered a post-season tournament in Holden...and loudly came out of it with a championship. Led by Head Coach Joe Carrigan, the Sterling team won the Holden Tournament thanks to strong performances and contributions from the entire roster. This team clearly demonstrated what Little League Baseball is all about, showing great sportsmanship, having fun, and playing sound fundamental baseball. The result speaks for itself. Sterling started the tournament with 3 straight wins, and they were off and running from there. Coach Carrigan was getting everything he could ask for from his players. “Every kid is playing hard and really playing to the best of their abilities. This team is playing unbelievable, it’s like they have played together for years” said Carrigan. “The chemistry & camaraderie is pretty amazing and the coaching staff is very pleased with the attitude & effort.” Sterling continued to play well and made it to the semi-finals against powerful Joe Schwartz Little League of Worcester. Behind the incredible pitching of David Gauld, Sterling beat Schwartz, 5 – 3, and advanced to the championship game. Gauld received the game ball for his efforts. In the other semi-final game, Boylston beat Shrewsbury in dramatic fashion, with a walk-off 3-run home run to set up the championship game with Sterling. The big game, played on Sunday night, July 12th, ended up being a slugfest. Sterling was down by several runs late in the game, and easily could have packed it in knowing they made it to the championship game. Unfortunately for Boylston, this Sterling squad didn’t come to just play in the title game, they came to win it. Sterling battled back, showing tremendous patience and discipline at the plate, and got several clutch hits, including a huge bases-clearing double from Michael Curtin. Chuck Lowe and Drew DiPilla also had strong nights at the plate, crushing the ball on multiple occasions. After Sterling got the lead, Lowe came in to pitch for Sterling and made sure they kept it. He closed the door on Boylston and when the dust settled, the scoreboard read Sterling 21, Boylston 14. Sterling were champions. Well-deserved game balls for the championship game went to Curtin, DiPilla, and Lowe. Coach Carrigan was obviously overwhelmed with his team’s performance, “I’m so proud of these kids. They had an experience of a lifetime.” There were several highlights during the tournament, and every player made contributions, such as: Teddy Batchelder – Was solid while patrolling the outfield, and carried a very hot bat with power in the clean-up spot. Ryan Carrigan – Flashed the leather while making play after play. An excellent contact hitter with good speed on the base paths. Ryan also plays hard and always has head in the game. Michael Curtin – Versatile player that can pitch, play both corner infield positions, and also the outfield. A solid hitter that consistently hits the ball hard, including a clutch bases-clearing double in the championship game. A great teammate as well. Drew DiPilla – Dazzling speed, very athletic, and always takes the extra base. A power threat, and versatile on defense. Crushed the ball all over the field during the final two playoff games. David Gauld – Had walk-off grand slam in game one. Sterling’s ace pitcher consistently mowed down opposing hitters. Came through for the team in the semi-finals against Schwartz with a great performance. Mark Happy – Outstanding leadership and athleticism. Was a real power threat on offense, a reliable relief pitcher, and an outstanding 1st baseman on defense (nothing gets by him). A very important part of this team. Paul Happy – Outstanding catcher, great hitter, phenomenal base runner, good baseball instincts. What more can a coach ask for? A.J. Iacaboni – A superb bunter of the baseball. Flashed tremendous speed to get on base; a great lead-off batter who also played great defense. Luke Lindholm – Very heads-up player that keeps head in the game, plays hard, and swing a great bat. Chuck Lowe – A solid pitcher who is also a very good hitter with power. Chuck plays hard no matter the score or situation. Evan Roy – Had 1st career homerun in game two. A constant power threat, often driving the balls into the gaps for extra bases. Christian Savage – Solid at shortstop with great foot work and soft hands. Consistently on base with numerous hits. Had a great tournament all-around.
Many of these players’ little league careers ended with this championship – and what a way to go out in style! Others have another year left on the diamond. No doubt that they will be representing Sterling well in the post-season next year. Saturday, July 25 Sterling District 4 All-Stars Enjoy a Tremendous Tournament
Following are a series of updates from this summer's District 4 Tournament, during which Sterling made it to the final three.
STERLING GOES DOWN WITH HEADS HELD HIGH
JULY 14, 2009: Sterling's magical run in the District 4 Little League Tournament came to an end as they fell to mighty Tris Speaker Little League 3 to 2 on Tuesday evening. Sterling's defense and pitching once again were strong, holding Speaker's offense down for most of the game. Speaker was able to hit two 2 solo home runs that made the difference. Sterling's offense was produced by Connor Gill and Alex Despres, each of whom had an RBI.
The D4 tournament began with 23 teams and 23 dreams. Sterling can hold their heads high knowing that they were one of the final three teams in the tournament, far exceeding just about the entire region's expectations. They accomplished all of their success through an ideal blend of hard work, discipline, teamwork, and sportsmanship. In addition, every member of this team made individual contributions throughout. Some highlights include:
Apologies to other great moments not mentioned. There were simply too many to keep track of.
Sterling's head coach, Jim Santiago, received many compliments during the tournament from opposing coaches and parents, umpires, and tournament officials regarding the Sterling boys' behavior and sportsmanship. For both their play and sportsmanship, this group of boys have set the bar high for future district teams. More importantly they have provided the Sterling baseball program with a model for success, a model that can be followed for years to come.
STERLING WINS ANOTHER NAIL-BITING THRILLER!!!
JULY 11, 2009: It's beginning to sound like a broken record, but Sterling pulled off another nail-biting, dramatic win to put themselves ever so close to immortality. It may have been early July but with winds gusting and temps falling, it felt more like early October. Seeing that early October in New England is synonymous with playoff baseball, the weather seemed fitting for this contest. Although Sterling entered the game as winners of 3 in a row and 4 of their last 5 in the District 4 Tournament, some would say they had the deck stacked against them in this one. First of all, they were matched up against powerhouse Rutland. Second, the game was being played at Rutland's home field. Third, Sterling's top 2 pitchers, Matt Maypother and Connor Gill, having both pitched extensively in their last game - a win over Jack Barry Little League - were not available. And finally, Rutland's #1 ace pitcher, a hard throwing left hander, was on the mound for the home team. That is a lot for a team to overcome before the game even starts. However, this Sterling team loves to rise to a challenge. Sterling broke out of the gate immediately, plating 3 runs in the top of the first. Rutland however, showed that this game would be close all the way, bouncing back with 2 of their own in the bottom half of the inning off of Sterling starter, Daniel Pingeton. Pingeton, however, was throwing strikes and showing tremendous poise. Regardless of what was happening on the field, Pingeton displayed nerves of "steel" and kept his team in the game. He settled in, as did the Rutland hurler, and neither team could push a run across in the 2nd. In the 3rd, the two teams traded 2-run home runs. Sterling's Connor Gill went high and deep to left, and despite that October-esque breeze blowing in towards home plate, the ball settled into the trees. The blast put Sterling ahead 5 - 2, but Rutland's clean up hitter, Camden Mailman also managed to hit one through the wind and over the fence to bring his team back to within one. Sterling still maintained the one run lead as the game entered the bottom of the 4th. Rutland put runners on 1st and 2nd with nobody out, and after a sacrifice bunt Rutland had the tying and go- ahead runs in scoring position with their top two hitters coming up. Pingeton, showing early signs of being tired could have given in. Instead, he dug deep and fanned both hitters to preserve the lead. In the bottom of the 5th, Rutland's lead off batter reached second base. The next batter put down a sacrafice bunt. The ball was fielded cleanly but the throw to first was late and the runner was called safe. Initially, the Sterling players were in disbelief at the umpire's call. Seeing this, the Rutland runner that advanced to third on the play tried to take everyone by surprise and bolted for home. Keenan Kolanda threw home to AJ Papandrea who blocked the plate and put the tag on the runner for the out, keeping Sterling in front by a run. With two outs in the inning, Camran Gow releived Pingeton, who had reached his pitch limit. Gow, the offensive hero of Stelring's win over Jack Barry, retired the first batter he faced on a ground out to 3rd baseman, Connor Gill, who threw his trademarked laser beam to first baseman Jake Brassard for the out. Onto the 6th we would go with Sterling still leading 5 to 4. After Sterling failed to score in the top half of the 6th, Rutland came up to face Gow again. Gow K'd the first batter he faced, but the next hitter blooped one into the center field. Sterling centerfielder Christopher Santiago charged in to his right, dove, and got his glove on the ball. But as Santiago hit the ground and rolled, the ball fell out of his glove for a hit. The runner rounded first but Santiago alertly got to his feet and threw to second, holding him to a single. The next batter grounded one past Gow. As the ball headed towards centerfield, shortstop Matt Maypother came out of nowhere, dove to his left, and smothered the ball. As he lay on the dirt, he flipped the ball to Kolanda at 2nd for the force out, a play that would not have been possible had it not been for Santiago's efforts in centerfield one batter earlier. Down to its last out, Rutland's next hitter worked a walk, bringing up their clean up hitter, Mailman, who had gone deep earlier in the game. As the crowd held its collective breath, and rain drops began to fall, Gow took care of business. He induced the Rutland slugger to hit a slow dribbler to the left of 3rd base. Gill charged the ball, fielded it smoothly, and again threw a laser to Brassard to end the game. Sterling will next take on Tris Speaker Little League of Worcester on Tuesday July 14th at 7:30 PM. The game will be played at Joe Schwartz Little League Field (60 Brooks Street, Worcester, MA), with the winner moving on to face Schwartz for the District 4 Title. If you have any finger nails left, please come out and support the team.
HOLY COW! CAM GOW LEADS THE WAY FOR STERLING AS THEY WIN AGAIN!
JULY 9, 2009: Sterling's magical mystery tour kept rolling along as they defeated Jack Barry Little League of Worcester, 8 - 7, to reach the final four of the District 4 Tournament.
Sterling jumped out to an early 6 - 1 lead on the strength of Camran Gow's 4 RBI (Home Run and a single). Matt Maypother was dominant early on the mound through 4 innings, but Barry's bats heated up and they threatened to take the lead in the 5th. Sterling stayed in front, however, thanks to a highlight reel catch by Pat Goodman in right. Smashing into the fence, Goodman reached up and robbed a Barry hitter of a sure home run. The crowd was silent as Goodman fell to the ground. It wasn't until he showed the ball to the umpire that everyone realized that he had caught the ball. At the time, nobody knew just how big that catch would prove to be.
In the bottom of the 5th, an RBI single by Maypother put Sterling ahead 7 - 5 and Sterling was only 3 outs away from victory. But any team that has made it this far in the tournament is not to be taken lightly, and this Jack Barry team was no different. They kept the pressure on, scoring 2 runs in the 6th to tie it up and eventually send the game into extra innings.
Extra innings, however, is familiar territory for Sterling. Gow led off the 7th with a seemingly harmless ground ball to shortstop. But using his hustle, speed, and sheer will, the Sterling 3rd baseman beat the throw to first for an infield single - his 3rd hit of the evening. Gow then flashed more of his speed with a straight steal of 2nd, and then advanced to 3rd on a passed ball. With the winning run only 60 feet away, Christopher Santiago slapped a sharply hit ball to 2nd base, sending Gow home for a play at the plate. In a play that was reminiscent of AJ Papandrea's winning run in Sterling's first game of the tournament (also in extra innings), Gow slid in just ahead of the tag and Sterling's bench rushed the field to mob both Gow and Santiago.
The magical mystery tour continues for Sterling on Saturday night, July 11th at 7:30 PM against Rutland. The game will be played at Marsh Field in Rutland, which is located on Rt. 56, at the junction of Rts. 122A and 56. (For mapping, use 25 Pommogussett Road, Rultand, MA.) Sterling is only two wins away from playing for the District title. Hop aboard and enjoy the ride.
CONNOR GILL POWERS STERLING TO BIG WIN OVER WEST BOYLSTON
JULY 8, 2009: Your Sterling Major League All-Stars proved once again that hard work and determination can do wonders. Sterling staved off elimination yet again, this time beating West Boylston 9 - 1, to advance to the next round of the District 4 Tournament.
Connor Gill led the offense with 4 RBI, including a bases clearing triple and a solo Home Run. Dan Pingeton picked up the win, pitching brilliantly for 5 innings, and allowing only one run.
MATT MAYPOTHER SHUTS DOWN WILLIAMS; STERLING BACK ON WINNING TRACK!!!
JULY 6, 2009: Sterling got back to their winning ways Monday night as they defeated Ted Williams in Worcester, 3 - 0. On an absolutely beautiful night for baseball, fire-baller Matt Maypother was outstanding for Sterling, pitching a complete game shutout. Sterling's defense was in fact, sterling, making great plays throughout the contest to keep its team in the game. In the 5th with game scoreless, Dan Pingeton and Elliot Moore hit back to back doubles to get Sterling on the board. Christopher Santiago drove in Moore, and then Kenan Kolanda belted a double of his own, knocking in Santiago, to finish off the scoring and seal the win. (CLICK HERE FOR PICTURES)
STERLING LOSES CLOSE ONE TO POWERHOUSE JOE SCHWARTZ LITTLE LEAGUE
JULY 5, 2009: Depsite a gritty effort from starting pitcher Dan Pingeton, who went the distance, the the Sterling Major League District All-Stars lost a tough one to Joe Schwartz in Worcester the other night, 5 - 3. Sterling looks to get back on the winning track against a scrappy Ted Williams team on Monday, July 6th at 5:30 PM, and keep its tournament hopes alive. Please come out and cheer on our boys. Directions to the Williams field are as follows:
STERLING WINS FIRST TOURNAMENT GAME IN DRAMATIC FASHION!!!
JUNE 28, 2009: It took 9 innings, but the Sterling All-Stars walked off with the win, 1 - 0 over a tough Paxton team, to get their tournament off to a fantastic start.
Starting pitchers Matt Maypother (Sterling) and Sam Stratton (Paxton) kept offense to a minimum in this one. Neither team could break through during the first 6 innings, so the game went into extras. Relievers Connor Gill (Sterling) and Cristian McDonald (Paxton) continued the pitcher's duel as the game headed into the 7th, and then the 8th, and into the 9th. Finally Sterling was able to stage a rally.
AJ Papandrea, Sterling's hard nosed catcher, led off the 9th with a walk. Maypother bunted him over to second to set up the dramatic finish. Gill, Sterling's clean-up hitter, came to the plate with the winning run in scoring position. Gill took a McDonald fastball and belted it into centerfield, sending Papandrea around 3rd. The throw from center was a good one, but Papandrea slid and just beat the tag. Sterling's bench erupted in a euphoric celebration on the field.
Neither side deserved to lose this game. Congratulations to both teams.
Sterling's 2009 Major League District Team is Announced! Congratulations to the following players who have been selected to represent Sterling in the District Tournament! These young ball players represent the best of what Sterling Little League has to offer. All are fantastic players, but more importantly they respect the game, show good sportsmanship, and always give 100% effort for their team. Here is this year's squad: Christopher Santiago, Kenan Kolanda, Camran Gow, Connor Gill, AJ Papandrea, Daniel Pingeton, Connor Bernard, Patrick Goodman, Erik Nugent, Drew DiPilla, Elliott Moore, Jake Brassard, Matt Maypother, Alex Despres, Marc Happy, and Logan Manner.
Diamond Jaxx Sparkle; Claim AAA Title
The Diamond Jaxx capped off a tremendous season with a thrilling 8 – 6 win over the Princeton Dunkin’ Dudes, and thus claimed the AAA Championship. Starting pitcher Kevin O’Callahan and reliever Matt Crevedi pitched well for the Jaxx, striking out a total of 7 batters during the first 3 innings. However, the Dudes jumped out to an early 2 – 0 lead, and later led 5 – 1 as the D-Jaxx struggled to find the magic that they used to win 11 games against only 2 losses (including the playoffs) heading into the contest.
That magic, however, would soon be provided by Ryan Sorenson, who smacked a triple over the center fielder's head to lead off the 3rd. The blast ignited the crowd and the Diamond Jaxx bench, and sparked a rally that plated 2 runs in the inning to make the score 5 – 3.
Brian Quinn took the ball in the 4th for the D-Jaxx and held the Dudes scoreless on an array of fastballs with perfect location. In the bottom half of the inning his team kept chipping away at the lead. Drew Garry and Sorenson both had great at-bats, earning walks after running the count full. Once on base, their aggressive base running resulted in two more runs as the D-Jaxx tied the game and set the stage for a dramatic finish.
In the top of the 5th, Quinn once again shut down the potent Dudes' offense and gave his team a chance to take the lead. The D-Jaxx offense did not disappoint. In the bottom of the 5th, the Jaxx offense continued to put the pressure on by putting men on base, resulting in three more runs to take an 8 – 5 lead heading into the final frame. The big hits in the inning proved to be an RBI single by Mikey Kohnke and a line drive, RBI double to left center by O’Callahan.
With the championship now within reach, Quinn took the mound for his 3rd inning of relief. After retiring the first batter with a strike out, he recorded the 2nd out with a superb defensive play - snatching a hard hit grounder to his left and making the throw to first. Down to their last out, however, the Dudes would not go quietly. They rallied to score a run and then put a man on second with tying run at bat. With the count full and all the pressure on, Quinn fired what turned out to be his best pitch of the game – a blistering fastball on the outside corner at the knees. The un-hittable pitch was called a strike, and the title was theirs.
The Diamond Jaxx are your 2009 AAA Champs! ConJaxxulations!
Saturday, June 20 Crushers win the 2009 Major League Championship June 20, 2009: The Crushers won the Sterling Major League Championship with a dramatic, 4 - 3 win over the Lasers on a walk off single by Connor Bernard. Down 3 - 2 heading into the bottom of the 6th, the Crushers put men on 2nd and 3rd with nobody out to set up Bernard's game winning hit. Congratulations to the Crushers, and to the Lasers who had a tremendous season of their own.
Friday, June 19 Major League Playoff Summaries June 20, 2009: The Crushers won the Sterling Major League Championship with a dramatic, 4 - 3 win on a walk off single by Connor Bernard. Down 3 - 2 heading into the bottom of the 6th, the Crushers put men on 2nd and 3rd with nobody out to set up Bernard's game winning hit. Congratulations to the Crushers, and to the Lasers who had a tremendous season of their own. June 19, 2009: The Lasers defeated the Slammers 4-2 to advance to the Major League finals. June 19, 2009: The Crushers fight their way into the finals with a 9 -2 win over the Heat. Daniel Pingeton was superb on the mound, going 5 scoreless innings for the win. June 17, 2009: The Slammers shut-out the Legion, 7 - 0. The brilliant pitching of Connor Gill (79 pitches) quieted the dangerous Legion attack, and helped the Slammers advance to the Semi-Finals, where they will take on the Lasers. June 16, 2009: The Princeton Heat squeaked by the Oilers, 6 - 5, to advance to the semi-finals. Nick Wiles (82 pitches) and Graham Gates (41 pitches) were able to keep the powerful Oilers in check. They will now face the Crushers. June 16, 2009: In Major League Playoff action, the Lasers defeated the Eagles 10 - 0. The game got started on June 15th but was suspended due to rain, and continued the following day. Cam Gow (39 pitches), Marc Happy (19 pitches), and Zack Maciel (24 pitches) combined for the shutout. June 15, 2009: The Crushers got off to a fast start in the playoffs as they crushed the Patriots, 16 - 1. The Crushers got great pitching performances from Erik Nugent (38 pitches), Dan Pingeton (33 pitches), and Connor Bernard (16 pitches). Wednesday, June 24 AAA Playoff Summaries June 25, 2009: The Diamond Jaxx defeated the Dunkin' Dudes, 8 - 6, to win the AAA Championship. See above for full story. June 23, 2009: The Diamond Jaxx fought off a tough Lookouts team enroute to a 6 - 3 win, and thus earned a spot in the AAA Championship game. The D-Jaxx got outstanding pitching performances from Kevin O'Callahan (4 Ks, no hits), Matt Crevedi (3 Ks), and Brian Quinn (4 Ks), each of whom pitched 2 innings. Quinn swung a big stick as well, going 2 for 2, with a Home Run and a double, and 3 runs scored. Danny Murphy also had a good night with a hit, 2 walks, and a run scored. The Lookouts got contributions from Paul Bartlett (1 for 2 with a run scored and a great defensive play in left field), and Nolan Toohey (1 for 2 with a stolen base and a run scored). Justin Harris was his usual dominant self on the mound. Harris pitched 3 innings, allowed only 1 run, and struck out 9. The D-Jaxx will go for the title on Thursday against the Dunkin Dudes of Princeton. Congratulations to the Lookouts on a great season. June 20, 2009: The Dunkin Dudes reserved their spot in the AAA Championship game with a 9 - 2 win over the Blue Devils. The Blue Devils had a terrific season, but unfortunately many of their players were ill for this game and the team came up short. The Dudes played a complete game with great pitching, hitting, and defense. They will play the winner of the D-Jaxx / Lookouts game for the title. Congratulations to both teams. June 20, 2009: The Lookouts defeated the Red Wings, 6 - 2, in their first round playoff game. For the first 4 innings it was a pitcher's duel with Benjamin Gillon (7 K's) for the Lookouts going frame for frame with the Red Wing's Nick Galle (5 K's). After 4 innings, it was a 2 - 2 game until the Looks broke it open in the 5th with 4 runs. Gillon had the game winning RBI single, which came with 2 outs in the inning. After that, Justin Harris tripled home 2 more. Also for the Looks, Mitch Bussiere had 2 hits and a walk and scored 2. Matthew Rainsford had 2 hits for the Wings. The Looks will face the Diamond Jaxx on Tuesday for the right to play for the championship. June 19, 2009: The Grays gave the Diamond Jaxx all they could handle, but the regular season champs used a balanced attack to beat them 16 - 9, and advance to the semi-finals. Solid starting pitching by Kevin O'Callahan followed by Matt Cravedi and a lights-out performance by Danny Murphy in the closers role helped the D-Jaxx in this first round playoff game. Strong hitting helped the offense as well with Brian Quinn (2 for 3 with 3 runs scored), Peter Bloemer (1 for 2 with 2 walks and 3 runs), Murphy (3 for 3 with a double and 4 runs scored), and O'Callahan (1 for 2 with a triple) leading the way. The Grays fought hard and stayed in the game scoring 1 run in the first, 4 in the second and 4 in the 4th to make it a nailbiter until Murphy closed the door striking out 6 batters in the last 2 innings. They will face the Lookouts in the semi-finals. June 17, 2009: The Dunkin Dudes defeated the Scrappers in an epic, extra inning game. The Dudes won the game with a steal of home on a wild pitch to walk off with the win. The Dudes got great pitching performances from 2 of their pitchers (Ben - #22 and Jacob E. - #26) who threw a lot of pitches to get their team through the 8 innings of baseball. The Dudes will next play the Blue Devils. June 17, 2009: The Blue Devils defeated the Express, 11- 9, in a back and forth, see-saw battle. The Blue Devils got outstanding efforts from Ben Burrows (2 for 2) and Robbie Connolly (great defensive play). The Express rallied in the last inning, thanks much in part to a triple by Ryan Campbell. But the Blue Devils pitching shut the door to preserve the win. The Blue Devils face off against the Dunkin Dudes. June 16, 2009: In a slugfest, the Grays defeated the Timber Rattlers 21 - 18. The Grays were trailing by one run heading into the last inning. But they scored 6 in the inning on a barrage of base hits, and then hung on for dear life as the Rattlers had the tying run at the plate when the game ended. The Grays will now face off against the Diamond Jaxx. Sunday, June 14 AAA All-Stars Put on a Show Excitement was in the air on Sunday at the Sterling Little League AAA All-Star Game. Both teams were stocked with future Major Leaguers and the quality of play showed it. The players, elected by their teammates, represented all six of the AAA teams with pride. Starting pitchers Kevin O’Callahan (Home Team) and Mike Misilo (Away Team) both pitched superbly in the first, but Misilo’s team jumped to an early 1 – 0 lead on a lead-off double by James Dubovick and an RBI single by Misilo. The Away team scored four more in the 2nd on hits by Ryan Campbell, Benjamin Gillon, and Max Kelley. Scoring the runs were Ryan Campbell, Brian Misilo, Gillon, and Max Kelley. With the Aways holding a 5 – 0 lead, this game suddenly looked like it would be a one-sided contest. But the Home team had different plans. Matt Rainsford had an RBI single, and Matt Cravedi and Danny Murphy both scored in the 2nd as the Homes began to chip away at the lead. Brian Quinn came on to pitch the 3rd for the Home team and held the Aways scoreless while recording 2 strike-outs. Riding that momentum, the Home team scored 2 more in the 3rd. Aidan Collins singled, stole a base, and scored a run in the inning. Quinn also scored and it was now a one run game. The Away team felt the pressure but responded like All-Stars. Max Kelley, Tommielee Graca, and David Lindholm all scored runs in the 4th to make the score 8 – 4. The Home team, however, kept on coming. In the bottom of the 4th, Danny Murphy and Evan Cutler both singled and scored, and O’Callahan had an RBI single. Bobby Tomczyk, Rainsford, Alec Dawson, and Collins also crossed the plate. When the dust from the offensive explosion had settled, the Home team had plated 6 runs and took the lead, 10 – 8. The Away team had every reason to feel deflated and put their heads down - but not this club. Mitch Bussiere singled to lead off the inning, advanced to second on a hard ground out to first by Joey Crisci, stole 3rd, and then scored on an RBI single by Mike Misilo – his second of the day. Misilo later scored, as did Campbell, and the Away team took back the lead, 11 – 10. Nick Galle, who was robbed of an extra base hit on a deep fly out to centerfielder Dubovick in the previous inning, led off the bottom of 5th for the Homes with a walk. He advanced to second on single by Murphy, and then stole 3rd. Galle then scored on a wild pitch and the game was knotted at 11. After Tomczyk walked, Justin Harris, the Lookouts fire-balling right hander, came on to pitch for the Aways. Harris, displaying power and accuracy, struck out the first two batters he faced. With Murphy now on 3rd, Harris uncorked a heater that got by Graca, his catcher. Murphy broke for home but Graca quickly recovered the ball at the backstop, threw it to Harris who put the tag on the runner to end the inning and preserve the tie. The 6th inning was dominated by the pitching of Galle (Home Team) and Harris (Away Team). Galle let up a single to Nate Boyer, but escaped when Lindholm grounded out on a bang-bang play to 2nd baseman Quinn, who threw to first baseman, Juwan Rigney. Harris retired the side in order in the bottom of the 6th, striking out two more, and the game ended the same way it began, with both team tied. It’s safe to say that the future of Sterling Little League is safe in the hands of these young All-Stars.
Thursday, June 11 AAA All-Stars Selected and Prepare for All-Star Game The Stars will be out this Sunday, June 14th in Sterling as the AAA All-Stars take the field in this year’s mid-summer classic. The players for this year’s AAA All-Star game were elected by their teammates, and represent the best of the best from the 2009 AAA season. Managers Bill O’Callahan (Diamond Jaxx) and Jim Gillon (Lookouts) will have strong hitters, slick fielders, and dominating pitchers at their disposal. The game will be played at 4:00 on the 14th at the Major League Field. The rosters are as follows:
Team O’Callahan
Aidan Collins – Timber Rattlers
Matt Cravedi – Diamond Jaxx
Evan Cutler – Red Wings
Alec Dawson – Timber Rattlers
Nick Galle – Red Wings
Danny Murphy – Diamond Jaxx
Kevin O’Callahan – Diamond Jaxx
Brian Quinn – Diamond Jaxx
Matt Rainsford – Red Wings
Juwan Rigney – Timber Rattlers
Bobby Tomczyk – Timber Rattlers
Pat Walsh – Red Wings
Team Gillon Nate Boyer – Scrappers Mitch Bussiere – Lookouts Ryan Campbell – Express Joey Crisci – Express James Dubovick – Scrappers Benjamin Gillon – Lookouts Tommielee Graca – Lookouts Justin Harris – Lookouts Max Kelley – Express David Lindholm – Express Brian Misilo – Scrappers Michael Misilo – Scrappes The snack shack will be open during the game, and we are looking volunteers to staff it. Please contact Blake Dawson (Blake.W.Dawson@seagate.com) if you can assist. Please come out and cheer on the All-Stars! Tuesday, June 30 Sterling AA Owlz Enjoy Field of Dreams Night at Tornadoes Game As a result of selling more Calendar Raffle tickets than any other AA team, the Owlz players and families were treated to a night at the Worcester Tornadoes game earlier this season. The kids got to meet Twister, the Tornadoes mascot, and many of the players, and even got to go onto the field during the playing of the National Anthem. It was a night to remember for these future stars. Congratulations to the Owlz!
Sunday, May 3 Sterling Little League and Softball Open the Season
Sterling Little League and Sterling Girls Softball League celebrated Opening Day in grand style this past Saturday, May 2nd. The forecast was uncertain all week long, but Mother Nature must be a baseball fan because the rain held off, the clouds disappeared, and bright sunshine shone for much of the day. The day began with the annual parade. All of the boys and girls walked with their teams down Princeton Road and into the freshly manicured Major League field. This year, Twister, the friendly mascot from the Worcester Tornadoes, joined the kids, signed autographs, posed for pictures, and dished out hundreds of high fives. After the playing of the National Anthem Joe Curtin, Sterling Little League President, introduced Doug Hanam, the Little League District Administrator, who wished the children luck and encouraged them to thank their parents, coaches, and the Sterling Little League board of directors for making their Little League experience possible. Doug then presented Dr. Marc Restuccia with the Volunteer of the Year Award as a result of his tireless and generous efforts in educating our coaches on proper safety training and education. Dr. Restuccia is well deserving of such an award for he has been donating his time and experience for many, many years to help ensure that our kids are safe. Curtin then introduced Matt Gull, the head baseball coach of Wachusett Regional High School. Coach Gull brought with him three current WRHS Varsity Baseball Players who got their start in Sterling Little League several years ago, Alex Julian, Ben Davidson, and Noah Schur. Standing with the current members of the teams they once played for, these players represented the possibilities that lay in front of all the current little leaguers that surrounded the diamond. Coach Gull addressed the youngsters and stressed that working on fundamentals and listening to their coaches will be keys to success. Then, in a sincere and classy gesture, the three WRHS players walked around the infield and shook hands with all of the kids and coaches, wishing them luck this season. To wrap up the ceremonies, Curtin introduced all of the teams, including Majors, AAA, AA, T-Ball, and Girls Softball. When called, each team ran to the pitching mound and waved to the cheering crowd. Teams dispersed and played 30-minute exhibition games throughout the day at the Major League and AAA Fields. The crew from Oldies 103.3 FM Radio was on hand to play music as they broadcast from the field. Parents, players, and guests took advantage of freshly grilled hamburgers and hot dogs at the snack shack for the majority of the day. Raffle tickets were being sold with two lucky winners taking home Red Sox tickets. All in all, Opening Day was a tremendous success. The league wishes to thank all of the sponsors, guests, friends, and family for their support. Play ball! |
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