New Hyde Park 15U Bluedevils Sweep 2013 Championship

Written by Arthur Savarese

The New Hyde Park 15U Bluedevils capped off a very successful season sweeping the Queens Eagles 3-1 and 19-4 to win the 2013 championship.

For the summer season the Bluedevils finished with an impressive 23-4 record. In the championship series, New Hyde Park followed the strong pitching of their ace, Kyle Cajigas, who shut down the Eagles pitching a complete game, giving up one run and striking out 10.

The Bluedevils scored in the bottom of their first. Dylan Savarese started it with a double after Anthony Millan reached on a fielders choice; Mike Greene followed with a walk to put runners on second and third. Cajigas drove in the first run with a ground out and then Niko Rullo drilled a triple to the gap to drive home Greene and an early 2-0 lead.

The Eagles cut the lead in half in the top of the second, but the Bluedevils tacked on an insurance run in the third for the 3-1 margin. Cajigas threw 113 pitches going the distance giving up five hits and the one run for the victory.

In game two, the Bluedevils were the visiting team and jumped all over the Eagles in the first. Savarese set the tone with a lead off single, stole second and moved to third on a ground out. Mike Greene then drove a triple to right field to drive in the first run. Cajigas and Niko Rullo both reached base on errors and Anthony Pomara blasted a three-run homerun for an early 4-0 lead.

Mike Thornton was on the mound for the Bluedevils in game two and gave up a run in the Eagles half of the first and maintained the 4-1 lead until the third.

The Bluedevils added two more on a Millan (2 hits, 2 runs scored) single and Greene HBP and both scored on Cajigas hit to center. The Bluedevils had a 7-3 lead in the top of the fifth when they put the game out of reach.

Savarese (3 hits, 3 runs scored) doubled, Mike Greene ( 1 hit, 3 runs scored) walked and Cajigas (3 hits, 3 runs scored, 6 RBI's) singled in two. Pomara (2 hits, 3 runs scored) walked and John Hayes ( 2 hits, 2 runs scored) singled, Brandon LaFroscia (2 hits, run scored) singled and when the inning was over the Bluedevils scored 4 more runs for an 11-3 lead.

As New Hyde Park came to bat in the top of the sixth inning, the team got together and wanted to end the championship after six innings. After two quick outs, the Bluedevils put together nine hits in a row, Savarese, Millan, Greene, Cajigas, Niko Rullo (1 hit, 2 runs scored), Pomara, Hayes, LaFroscia and Mike Thornton, to score eight runs and take a commanding 19-3 lead going to the bottom of the sixth.

With the final score only a formality the Eagles scratched one run against Thornton who pitched masterfully giving up 4 runs-4 hits and striking out two.

The defense was paced by Ray Close, Vincent Balletta, Matt Gorman and Doug Obidienzo, The game ended fittingly when centerfielder Mike Greene made a diving grab in left center to end the game and seal the 19-4 victory and the championship for the 23-4 boys from New Hyde Park.

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