Garden City U11 Baseball Captures District Title

The Garden City U11 baseball team claimed the 2013 District 29 title with a 9-2 win over Franklin Square Monday night in Floral Park.

The victory marked a second consecutive title for many of the boys on the team who were also part of last year's U10 title winning squad.

Unlike last year, when the team marched through the double elimination tournament without a defeat, this year's team had to overcome a heartbreaking 6-5 loss to Franklin Square last Friday evening before capturing the title. As has been the team's style throughout the tournament, Monday's championship game featured great pitching, powerful hitting, sparkling defense and aggressive base running.

Each player on the squad played a key part in the team's run through the district tournament that began on June 26 in New Hyde Park.

The team opened with an extra inning 7-5 victory over rival Franklin Square and followed that win with a 13-4 victoy over New Hyde Park. By failing to close out the tournament in last Friday's game against Franklin Square, the team faced a winner-take-all game against the same team on Monday.

Displaying the heart which consistently been part of its arsenal, the team jumped on their rivals with two runs in the second inning, five more in the third and two more in the fourth.  A couple of key defensive plays stymied two separate Franklin Square rallies and fine pitching closed out the win. 

By virtue of their win on Monday, the team advances to the Section 5 tournament, which begins this weekend. The team will open that tournament on Saturday at noon at Rath Park in Franklin Square. The boys from Garden City will face the winner of this coming Friday night's game between Mid-Island Little League, the champions of Staten Island, and the Bronx winners, Throgs Neck Little League.

Members of the championship team are:

• Jackson Bautch
• Stephen Baymack
• Jason Brown
• Luke Caporicci
• Jake Fraher
• Joseph Griffin
• Andrew Luglio
• Joseph Macchiarola
• Jeffrey Papazian
• Michael Rasquin
• Shane Ross
• T.J. Schmitt
• Garrett Zander

The boys look forward to continuing their quest for a state title this weekend.

Submitted by Joe Macchiarola