The tournament season for Hyde Park Little League, which plays host to just under 400 kids, is on.
Tournament teams are comprised of All-Star teams from different age groups, and they play against other area All-Star teams in a double-elimination tournament, vying to compete for a spot in national competition. Two losses and you’re done.
That’s not a concern now for the Juniors All-Stars, however, who are tearing it up, going 3-0 and earning a berth in the District Championship on July 6 at Dutchess Stadium. Their opponent is not yet known.
Ethan Hart, Brandon Lahey, Anthony Martin, Owen Pacchiana, Evangelos Patsis, Michael Santoro, Brian Steiner, Bryan Steigerwald, Sean Tan, Ron Vespe, and Brian Wright compose the 13-14 team. They beat Wappingers, 6-1, on June 21; Dover, 12-0, on June 23; and Fishkill, 8-3, on June 25. The Juniors need a win on July 6 or, if they lose, a win in the followup game on July 8 to take the title.
In the rest of the Little League, the 9/10 boys age group is represented by Zach Baez, Shane Baxter, Evan Bucholsky, Jake Cassetta, Vinny Dosio, Matthew Ferreri, Jack Nesbitt, Michael Salamone, Joe Stortini, Jack Ticcony, Ryan VanDeWater, and Aidyn VanSteenburgh. The 9/10 boys have scored a pair of wins, one against Phillipstown on June 25, and a 10-0 victory over Pawling on June 27 after losing their opener 9-0 to Lagrange on June 21. Their next game was scheduled for June 29 against Fishkill.
The 10/11 boys group features Glenn Boucher, Michael Bucholsky, Dylan Craft, Jaden DeLawder, Willy Hart, Alexander Gross, Jaidyn Herring, Kyle Landolfi, Jonathan LiVeli, Joseph Nesbitt, and Anthony Patsis. The team lost its first game to Lagrange, 5-0, on June 23, but followed up with a win against Wappingers, 16-7, on June 27. Their next game was June 29 against Wappingers.
After an opening stumble, the 11/12 boys have reeled off three wins in the Little League postseason. The team is represented by Zachary Byrum, Ryan Card, Quentin Chapman, Jack Cimorelli, Joseph Felipe, Nick Grittlow, Jake Londin, Matt Marino, Jake Muraco, Justin Patsey, Ryan Taylor, and Todd Wager. The boys beat Pawling, 7-4, on June 23; Pleasant Valley, 12-2, on June 25, and Rhinebeck, 2-1, on June 27. They fell to Wappingers, 3-1, on June 21. Their next game was June 28 against LaGrange.
Hyde Park’s Intermediate Boys (11-13) team had a rough go. Bryan Anderson, Jared Baez, Marco Finocchi, Mike Hargrave, Isaiah Harris, Tyler Landolfi, Brendan Liveli, Alex Shad, Jeffrey VanSteenburgh, Hunter VanSteenburgh, and Zach Whitman round out the team; they fell to Pawling, 5-3, on June 21, and again, 11-5, on June 24.
The Senior All-Stars (15-16) round out the teams. The squad consists of Samuel Campogna, Matthew Feimer, Matteo Finnochi, Nicholas Guerico, Joseph Hues, Joshua Imperati, Michael Marino, Brian McGill, Trevor Myers, Jonathan Santos, and Tanner Walton. They lost 5-4 to Lagrange on June 22, but beat Red Hook, 4-3, on June 26. Their next game was June 29 against LaGrange.
“It was a good year for Little League,” Hyde Park Little League commissioner Dean Pacchiana told the Observer. “It’s the 75th anniversary of Little League, internationally, and the numbers at Hyde Park were up again. We’re rebuilding a rough spot after a couple of years ago.”
Hyde Park didn’t field softball All-Star teams this year, according to Pacchiana, because HPLL softball didn’t feature enough players in 2014 to field a group of competitive teams; some upper level players, however, played on the district team.
“Softball commissioner Kerri Palermo is very determined to get those numbers back up and get the All-Stars back out there,” said Pacchiana.
Pacchiana noted that enrollment dipped to a low five years ago, with only 300 players participating in the league, including tee-ball, baseball, and softball. He has, however, seen a solid, roughly 15 percent increase in enrollment in every season since, and is content with the robustness of the league and the All-Star teams.
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